Qi (Henan)

Qi (杞) refers to a historical state located in what is now Henan province, China, during the Zhou Dynasty. It was established around the 11th century BCE by the descendants of the Xia Dynasty, specifically a branch of the Si clan who were enfeoffed by the Zhou rulers.

The territory of the state of Qi was primarily situated in present-day Qi County (杞县, Qǐ Xiàn) in Kaifeng, Henan. Its rulers claimed descent from Yu the Great, the legendary founder of the Xia Dynasty, a claim that lent some legitimacy to their position.

Throughout its history, Qi was a relatively small and weak state, frequently overshadowed by its more powerful neighbors like Jin, Zheng, and Wei. The state was often subject to political and military pressure from these larger states and struggled to maintain its independence.

The state of Qi is perhaps best known for the expression "杞人忧天" (Qǐ rén yōu tiān), which translates to "the man of Qi who worried about the sky falling." This idiom originates from a story in the Liezi, a Taoist text, about a man from Qi who was consumed by the fear that the sky would collapse. The idiom is used to describe someone who worries about unfounded or improbable events, essentially a needless worrier.

The state of Qi was eventually conquered and annexed by the state of Chu in 445 BCE. While short-lived, its cultural legacy endures through the aforementioned idiom and as an example of the many small states that dotted the landscape of ancient China during the Zhou Dynasty.