Life

In 506 BCE, King Helü of the State of Wu led an army to invade Chu. His army was commanded by the military strategist Sun Tzu, author of The Art of War, as well as Wu Zixu, a Chu exile whose father and brother were killed by King Ping of Chu. The Wu army routed the Chu army at the historic Battle of Boju, and the Chu commander Nang Wa fled to the state of Zheng.

The Wu army pursued the remaining Chu troops, won several more battles, and captured Ying, the capital of Chu. Chu general Shen Yin Shu defeated the Wu army but was severely wounded, and was killed by a Chu officer at his own request. King Zhao was forced to flee. During the escape he was wounded by a Chu arrow at Yunmeng from where he made his way through Yun to the State of Sui in northern Hubei. Chu Minister of State Shen Baoxu (申包胥) meanwhile headed for the State of Qin to plead for assistance from their army. At first, the Qin ruler Duke Ai was non-committal in his response but after Shen spent seven days kneeling and wailing in the Qin palace courtyard, Duke Ai was moved by his devotion and agreed to send troops to assist Chu. Thereafter the Wu army retreated and King Zhao returned to the Chu capital at Ying.

In Zhuangzi, a story is recorded regarding a sheep-butcher named Yue (屠羊說), a subject of King Zhao that fled from Chu when Wu attacked. Yue followed King Zhao, and returned with him when King Zhao returned to his capital. King Zhao wanted to give Yue gifts for what King Zhao saw as Yue's loyalty, but due to Yue's moral beliefs, Yue refused to accept any gifts despite repeated offers.

In 489 BCE, King Zhao witnessed the inauspicious meteorological phenomenon known as 「Clouds like numerous red birds pressing the day to fly」 (雲如眾赤鳥, 夾日以飛). Not long afterwards, King Fuchai of Wu attacked the State of Chen and Chen requested assistance from King Zhao. The king led his troops personally and was killed during a subsequent battle.

Family

King Zhao was married to Zhen Jiang (貞姜), daughter of the Marquess of Qi (齊侯) whilst his mother was Bo Ying (伯嬴). He also had one sister and at least three elder brothers born by concubines, namely Shen (王子申), Jie (王子结) and Qi (王子啟), sometimes known by their courtesy names as Zixi (子西), Ziqi (子期) and Zilü (子闾).

大事記

• 楚昭王元年（前515年），誅費無忌以平息國人之怒。

• 楚昭王四年（前512年），吳國二父公奔楚，楚以扞吳之地封之。

• 楚昭王五年（前511年），吳伐楚，取六、潛兩城。

• 楚昭王七年（前509年），楚命子常伐吳，楚大敗于豫章。

• 楚昭王十年冬（前506年）伍員率吳師伐楚，柏舉之戰中，楚國戰敗，吳軍攻入郢都，楚昭王出亡，逃到雲夢澤時，被吳軍射傷，又輾轉逃到鄖國、隨國。申包胥入秦國乞師救援，秦公起初不答應，申包胥便跪秦庭而哭，七日不絕，秦哀公感其忠誠，於是出兵救楚，于楚昭王十一年六月敗吳兵于稷，楚昭王回到郢都，賞功臣，包胥逃而不受。吳夫概見吳國兵幾而自立為王。闔閭引兵平叛。夫概奔楚，楚以堂谿之地（今河南遂平縣文城鄉）封之，號為堂谿氏，生產春秋時期天下九大寶劍之首的」棠溪寶劍「。歷時10月余的大戰終于結束，郢都經吳師蹂躪，殘破不堪。于是，昭王決定遷都，而仍稱之為郢。 從昭王十一年冬（前505年）起作為首都的郢，稱為「載郢」。其地早就有楚人聚居。大約在戰國中晚期之際，已被稱為「江陵」。載郢的遺址，最遲在東漢晚期，已被稱為「紀南城」。載郢成為首都以後，原來的郢都就以「鄢郢」見稱了。

• 楚昭王十二年（前504年），吳伐楚，取番。楚遷都至郢。

• 楚昭王十六年（前500年），楚滅頓國，滅胡城。

• 楚昭王二十七年春（前489年），吳伐陳國，楚救之。十月，楚昭王病重，見「雲如眾赤鳥，夾日以飛」的天象。三天後，昭王派使者將此事告知周太史並詢問對策。周太史答道，楚王身要遭禍事，可以為禜祭，移禍于令尹。。諸將相請以身為禱，為王承禍，昭王不許，說：「將相之于孤猶股肱也，今移禍焉，庸為去是身乎。」昭王姬妾越姬時亦在身旁，說：「昔日妾雖口不言，心既許之矣。妾聞信者不負其心，義者不虛設其事。妾死王之義，不死王之好也。」，遂自殺，不久昭王亦身死。時孔子在陳，贊曰：「楚昭王通大道矣。其不失國，宜哉！」

家庭

父

• 楚平王

母

• 伯嬴

妹

• 羋畀我（季羋畀我），楚昭王之妹，母伯嬴。

妻妾

• 貞姜

• 越姬，越王勾踐之女，生熊章

• 蔡姬

子女

• 熊章

注釋