The composition of ethnic groups and the sphere of influence of the Yan State in the early Western Zhou Dynasty

Yan State was an important vassal in the Western Zhou Dynasty. During the Western Zhou Dynasty, it was an important barrier for the Zhou Dynasty in the Northeast areas. This paper mainly studies the Yan State bronzes in the early Western Zhou Dynasty. The bronze wares of the Yan State in the early Western Zhou Dynasty was excavated in Liulihe(琉璃河) area, and they provide a lot of information about feudalism of the Yan State.BR First, the bronze wares of the Yan State were a lot produced by the descendants of the Shang dynasty. After the collapse of the Shang dynasty, many people of the Shang dynasty moved to Yan State. They played an important political role in Yan State, where they ruled the region and became the subjects of Yan ruler in the capital.BR Second, through the analysis of the inscriptions on the bronze wares of the Yan State in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, We have come to know the approximate the sphere of influence of the Yan State in the early Western Zhou Dynasty.