Lai (state)

State of Lai
萊國
?–567 BC
Lai is on the tip of the Shandong Peninsula bordering Qi
Lai is on the tip of the Shandong Peninsula bordering Qi
CapitalChangle (昌樂)
Linqu (臨朐)
Ni (郳)
Common languagesOld Chinese
GovernmentMonarchy
Duke of Lai 
• ?–567 BCE
Duke Gong of Lai
History 
• Established
?
• Conquered by Qi
567 BC
Succeeded by
Qi (state)

Lai (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Lái), also known as Láiyí (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 lái means "mountain" in the ancient Yue language (古越语),[1] while the Yue Jue Shu (越絕書) says lai means "wilderness".[2][3]

  1. ^ 威海市地名综述 Archived 2010-10-11 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "百越地名及其文化蕴意". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2010-11-07.
  3. ^ Milburn, Olivia (translator) (2010). The Glory of Yue: An Annotated Translation of the Yuejue shu. Series: Sinica Leidensia, Volume: 93. Leiden & Boston: Brill. p. 138-139. Quote : "March on lai [萊]; lai means uncultivated land." Chinese original "宿之於萊。萊,野也。"