Lai (state)

State of Lai
萊國
?–567 BC
Capital		Changle (昌樂) Linqu (臨朐) Ni (郳)
Languages		Old Chinese
Government		Monarchy
Duke of Lai
•	?–567 BC	Duke Gong of Lai
History
•	Established	?
•	Conquered by Qi	567 BC
Succeeded by Qi (state)

Lai (simplified Chinese: 莱; traditional Chinese: 萊; pinyin: Lái), also known as Laiyi (萊夷), was an ancient Dongyi state located in what is now eastern Shandong Province, recorded in the Book of Xia. Tang Shanchun (唐善纯) believes lai means "mountain" in the old Yue language, while the Yue Jue Shu (越絕書) says lai means "wilderness".

History

Lai was a traditional enemy of the State of Qi to its west. As soon as Jiang Ziya, the first ruler of Qi, was enfeoffed at Qi, the state of Lai attacked its capital at Yingqiu. In 567 BC, Lai attacked Qi but was decisively defeated by Duke Ling of Qi, and its last ruler Furou, Duke Gong of Lai, was killed. Lai was a large state, and Qi more than doubled in size after annexing Lai. The people were moved to Laiwu, where Mencius later called them the Qídōng yěrén (齊東野人), the "peasants of eastern Qi".

Rulers of Lai

• Furou (浮柔), Duke Gong of Lai (萊共公) ?–567 BC