from the Jing Mountains; a chain of mountains located in today's Hubei province. Rulers of Chu systematically migrated states annexed by Chu to the Jing mountains in order to control them more efficiently. East of Jing mountains are the Tu () mountains. In the north-east part of Chu are the Dabie mountains; the drainage divide of Huai river and Yangtse river. The first capital of Chu, Danyang () was located in today's Zhijiang, Hubei province. Ying (), one of the later capitals of Chu, is known by its contemporary name Jingzhou. In Chu's northern border lies the Fangcheng mountain. Strategically, Fangcheng is an ideal defense against states of central plain. Due to its strategic value, numerous castles were built on the Fangcheng mountain. Yunmeng Ze in Jianghan Plain was an immense freshwater lake that historically existed in Chu's realm, It was crossed by Yanzi river, the northern Yunmeng was named Meng (), the southern Yunmeng was known as Yun (). The lake's body covers parts of today's Zhijiang, Jianli, Shishou, Macheng, Huanggang, and Anlu. Shaoxi Pass was an important outpost in the mountainous western border of Chu. It was located in today's Wuguan town of Danfeng County, Shaanxi. Any forces that marched from the west, mainly from Qin, to Chu's realm would have to pass Shaoxi. List of states later became part of the Chu 863 BCE E 704 BCE Quan 690 BCE Luo 688–680 BCE Shen 684–680 BCE Xi 678 BCE Deng 648 BCE Huang after 643 BCE Dao 623 BCE Jiang 622 BCE Liao 622 BCE Lù (). after 622 BCE Ruo 611 BCE Yong 601 BCE Shuliao Sometime in the 6th century BCE Zhongli after 506 BCE Sui 574 BCE Shuyong 538 BCE Lai () 512 BCE Xu 479 BCE Chen 445 BCE Qi 447 BCE Cai 431 BCE Ju after 418 BCE Pi About 348 BCE Zou 334 BCE Yue 249 BCE Lu Rulers Early rulers Jilian (), married Bi Zhui (), granddaughter of Shang Dynasty king Pangeng; adopted Mi () as ancestral name Yingbo (𦀚伯) or Fuju (附沮), son of Jilian Yuxiong (), ruled 11th century BCE: also called Xuexiong (), teacher of King Wen of Zhou Xiong Li (), ruled 11th century BCE: son of Yuxiong, first use of clan name Yan (), later written as Xiong () Xiong Kuang (), ruled 11th century BCE: son of Xiong Li Viscounts Xiong Yi (), ruled