Duke Zhuang of Zheng vs Emperor Jimmu

Duke Zhuang of Zheng defeated the Zhou royal army led by King Huan at Xuge. This battle shattered the prestige of the Zhou king, as a feudal lord openly defeated the Son of Heaven. Duke Zhuang became the first hegemon of the Spring and Autumn period.

After Duke Zhuang's death, his sons fought over the succession, plunging Zheng into civil war. The state's power declined rapidly as internal strife allowed other states like Qi to rise as hegemons.

Jimmu led the Eastern Expedition from Hyuga (southern Kyushu) eastward, conquering territories through battles such as the Battle of Usa and the Battle of Takachiho. This campaign is described in the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki as the founding military conquest of Japan.

According to Japanese mythology, Emperor Jimmu became the first emperor of Japan in 660 BC after leading a military campaign from Kyushu to Yamato. He is said to have established the imperial dynasty at Kashihara, unifying the warring clans under his rule.

After his conquest, Jimmu was enthroned as emperor at the Kashihara Palace in Yamato (present-day Nara Prefecture) on the first day of the first month of 660 BC. This event is considered the traditional founding date of the Japanese imperial line.

According to legend, Jimmu received the Three Sacred Treasures (the sword Kusanagi, the mirror Yata no Kagami, and the jewel Yasakani no Magatama) from the gods, which became the imperial regalia symbolizing the emperor's divine right to rule Japan.

Emperor Jimmu died in 585 BC at the age of 126 according to traditional accounts. He was later deified as a kami (spirit) in Shinto, and his tomb is traditionally located in the Unebiyama area of Nara Prefecture. His legacy as the founder of Japan's imperial line continues to be celebrated.