The 2.8 ka climatic event contributed to the collapse of the Western Zhou Dynasty

Abstract The impact of rapid climate change on civilizations is of global concern. The Western Zhou (1045–771 BC) was ancient China’s third dynasty and one of the most powerful empires of its time. After a 274-year reign, the dynasty collapsed, accompanied by significant population migration. Various factors have been proposed to explain its fall, while the role of climate change has been largely ignored. Here we present well-dated, high-resolution stalagmite records from Northeast and Southeast China, along with other paleoclimatic and archaeological evidence, to demonstrate the critical role of the 2.8 ka climatic event in the dynasty’s collapse and subsequent migration. Our results indicate a “north dry–south wet” dipolar pattern in the Chinese monsoon region during this event. The drought and cold severely affected the Western Zhou core areas and exacerbated invasions by northern nomads, contributing to its collapse. The resulting environmental stresses and conflicts likely triggered substantial southward migration.