Wei (Spring and Autumn Period)
Encyclopedia
This article is about the State of Wei founded during the Spring and Autumn Period. For the Warring States Period
state whose name is pronounced identically, see Wei (state)
.
Wei (Simplified
: 卫; Traditional
: 衞; Pinyin
: Wèi, sometimes spelled Wey to distinguish it from the other Wei
) was a state, founded in the Zhou Dynasty
, which rose to prominence during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 to 476 BC). Its rulers were of the surname Ji (姬), the same as that of the rulers of Zhou. Its original location was on the North China Plain
just east of the Shanxi
plateau and north and west of the Yellow River
. Jin was to the west and Cao
to the east.
was given a fief centred around Chaoge, the capital of the Shang Dynasty
; in later years the fief was further expanded and given the title Wei.
The original feudal
rank of the rulers of Wei was elevated to that of hou (roughly equivalent to Marquess
) by bribery; during the turmoil in 771 BC, when the Zhou capital of Haojing
was sacked and the crown prince fled east, the state of Wei protected and escorted the prince, and for this the rulers were further elevated to gong (equivalent to a Duke
).
It was only with the aid of Duke Huan of Qi that the state was eventually restored, with its capital moved to Chuqiu.
In 632 BC Wei was once conquered by Duke Wen of Jin
, because when Duke Wen (called Chong'er then) exiled to Wei, Duke Wen of Wei hadn't treated him well, and Duke Cheng of Wei (son of Duke Wen of Wei) was nearly poisoned by Duke Wen of Jin, but eventually the state was restored. (Before the Battle of Chengpu
, when Chu
was attacking Song
, Jin attacked Wei and Cao
as a diversion.)
In 492 BC
, Duke Chu of Wei (出公) succeeded the throne from his grandfather Duke Ling(灵公), while his father Kuaikui (蒯聩), who used to be the heir of Duke Ling, had been deposed and exiled. To get the throne, Kuaikui fought against his own son and managed to exile Duke Chu in 481 BC
, and was titled as Duke Zhuang (latter) (后庄公), but was killed three years later. Duke Chu was restored in 475 BC
. The conflict between father and son made Wei weaker. Wei soon became attached to House of Zhao of Jin.
, the duke of Wey degraded himself to a marquess. In 320 BC
, the marquess of Wey again degraded himself to only a jun (lord). And by then Wey only possessed a county called Puyang
(濮阳). In 254 BC
, King Anxi of Wei
(魏) killed Lord Huai of Wey (卫怀君), but two years later he declared his son-in-law to be lord of Wey, so Wey became a dependency of the Wei Kingdom. In 239 BC
, Qin
occupied Puyang, and Wey migrated to Yewang (野王) in order to preserve its existence.
The state was so weak that it even outlived Qin Shihuang, presumably because his mother's family were living there. As a state it was only cancelled in 209 BC
when Qin Er Shi
deposed Lord Jiao of Wey (卫君角), 2 years before the collapse of the Qin Dynasty.
Wu Gong 812-758; Zhuang Gong 757-735; Huan Gong 734-719; Xuan Gong 718-700; Hui Gong 699-669;
Yi Gong 668-661; Dai Gong 660; Wen Gong 659-635; Cheng Gong 634-600; Mu Gong 599-589;
Ding Gong 588-577; Xian Gong 576-559; Shang Gong 558-547; Xian Gong 546-544; Xiang Gong 543-535;
Ling Gong 534-493; Chu Gong 492-481; Zhuang Gong 480-478;
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
state whose name is pronounced identically, see Wei (state)
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
.
Wei (Simplified
Simplified Chinese character
Simplified Chinese characters are standardized Chinese characters prescribed in the Xiandai Hanyu Tongyong Zibiao for use in Mainland China. Along with traditional Chinese characters, it is one of many standard character sets of the contemporary Chinese written language...
: 卫; Traditional
Traditional Chinese character
Traditional Chinese characters refers to Chinese characters in any character set which does not contain newly created characters or character substitutions performed after 1946. It most commonly refers to characters in the standardized character sets of Taiwan, of Hong Kong, or in the Kangxi...
: 衞; Pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Wèi, sometimes spelled Wey to distinguish it from the other Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
) was a state, founded in the Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
, which rose to prominence during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 to 476 BC). Its rulers were of the surname Ji (姬), the same as that of the rulers of Zhou. Its original location was on the North China Plain
North China Plain
The North China Plain is based on the deposits of the Yellow River and is the largest alluvial plain of eastern Asia. The plain is bordered on the north by the Yanshan Mountains and on the west by the Taihang Mountains edge of the Shanxi plateau. To the south, it merges into the Yangtze Plain...
just east of the Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
plateau and north and west of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
. Jin was to the west and Cao
Cao (state)
The State of Cáo was a vassal state in China during the Zhou Dynasty . The state was founded sometime in the 11th century BCE by Caoshu Zhènduó （曹叔振鐸）, son of King Wen of Zhou and the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou. With its capital at Táoqiū , the State of Cáo covered roughly the area of...
to the east.
Early history
The history of Wei dates back to the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty, when the younger brother of King Wu of ZhouKing Wu of Zhou
King Wu of Zhōu or King Wu of Chou was the first sovereign, or ruler of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty. The dates of his reign are 1046-1043 BCE or 1049/45-1043. Various sources quoted that he died at the age of 93, 54 or 43. He was considered a just and able leader. Zhou Gong Dan was one of his...
was given a fief centred around Chaoge, the capital of the Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
; in later years the fief was further expanded and given the title Wei.
The original feudal
Fengjian
Fēngjiàn is the political ideology of the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China. Fengjian is a "decentralized system of government," comparable to European feudalism, though recent scholarship has suggested that fengjian lacks some of the fundamental aspects of feudalism.-Ranks:The sizes of troops and...
rank of the rulers of Wei was elevated to that of hou (roughly equivalent to Marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
) by bribery; during the turmoil in 771 BC, when the Zhou capital of Haojing
Haojing
This article is about the ancient Zhou Dynasty capital, for Haojing'ao see MacauHaojing was one of the two settlements comprising the capital of the Western Zhou Dynasty , the other of which was Fēngjīng . Together they were known as Fēnghào and stood on opposite banks of the Feng River with...
was sacked and the crown prince fled east, the state of Wei protected and escorted the prince, and for this the rulers were further elevated to gong (equivalent to a Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
).
Spring and Autumn Period
The State of Wei was at its peak during the early Spring and Autumn Period, under Duke Wu of Wei, who reigned for 55 years. In the reign of subsequent rulers, however, the state was plagued by succession troubles, until Duke Yi of Wei took the throne; his dissolute rule and obsession with cranes weakened the state, and in the eighth year of his reign the Rong peoples successfully attacked the capital at Chaoge, killing the Duke and nearly destroying the state as well (660BC).It was only with the aid of Duke Huan of Qi that the state was eventually restored, with its capital moved to Chuqiu.
In 632 BC Wei was once conquered by Duke Wen of Jin
Duke Wen of Jin
Duke Jin Wen led the state of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history from 636 BC to 628 BC. His ancestral name is Ji,clan name is Jin Duke Jin Wen (晋文公) (697 BC - 628 BC) led the state of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history from 636 BC to 628 BC. His ancestral...
, because when Duke Wen (called Chong'er then) exiled to Wei, Duke Wen of Wei hadn't treated him well, and Duke Cheng of Wei (son of Duke Wen of Wei) was nearly poisoned by Duke Wen of Jin, but eventually the state was restored. (Before the Battle of Chengpu
Battle of Chengpu
The Battle of Chengpu took place in 632 BC between the State of Jin and the State of Chu and its allies during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. It was the first great battle in the protracted conflict between the states of the Yellow River valley, and the states of the Yangtze...
, when Chu
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
was attacking Song
Song (state)
Sòng was a state during the Eastern Zhou Spring and Autumn Period . Its capital was Shangqiu . In 701 BC, a political marriage between Lady Yong of Song and Duke Zhuang of Zheng empowered Song to manipulate the management of Zheng.- Origin :After King Wu of Zhou overthrew King Zhou of Shang,...
, Jin attacked Wei and Cao
Cao (state)
The State of Cáo was a vassal state in China during the Zhou Dynasty . The state was founded sometime in the 11th century BCE by Caoshu Zhènduó （曹叔振鐸）, son of King Wen of Zhou and the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou. With its capital at Táoqiū , the State of Cáo covered roughly the area of...
as a diversion.)
In 492 BC
492 BC
Year 492 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Macerinus and Augurinus...
, Duke Chu of Wei (出公) succeeded the throne from his grandfather Duke Ling(灵公), while his father Kuaikui (蒯聩), who used to be the heir of Duke Ling, had been deposed and exiled. To get the throne, Kuaikui fought against his own son and managed to exile Duke Chu in 481 BC
481 BC
Year 481 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Vibulanus and Fusus...
, and was titled as Duke Zhuang (latter) (后庄公), but was killed three years later. Duke Chu was restored in 475 BC
475 BC
Year 475 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Poplicola and Rutilus...
. The conflict between father and son made Wei weaker. Wei soon became attached to House of Zhao of Jin.
Downfall And Ending
In 346 BC346 BC
Year 346 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Corvus and Visolus...
, the duke of Wey degraded himself to a marquess. In 320 BC
320 BC
Year 320 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cursor and Philo...
, the marquess of Wey again degraded himself to only a jun (lord). And by then Wey only possessed a county called Puyang
Puyang
Puyang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Henan province, China. Located on the northern shore of the Yellow River, it borders Anyang in the west, Xinxiang in the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Hebei in the east and north respectively....
(濮阳). In 254 BC
254 BC
Year 254 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Asina and Calatinus...
, King Anxi of Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
(魏) killed Lord Huai of Wey (卫怀君), but two years later he declared his son-in-law to be lord of Wey, so Wey became a dependency of the Wei Kingdom. In 239 BC
239 BC
Year 239 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Turrinus and Falto...
, Qin
Qin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
occupied Puyang, and Wey migrated to Yewang (野王) in order to preserve its existence.
The state was so weak that it even outlived Qin Shihuang, presumably because his mother's family were living there. As a state it was only cancelled in 209 BC
209 BC
Year 209 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Verrucosus and Flaccus...
when Qin Er Shi
Qin Er Shi
Qin Er Shi , literally Second Emperor of Qin Dynasty, personal name Huhai, was emperor of the Qin Dynasty in China from 210 BC until 207 BC.-Name:...
deposed Lord Jiao of Wey (卫君角), 2 years before the collapse of the Qin Dynasty.
List of Rulers
Partial list of rulers from the Cambridge History of Ancient China, page 26 ('Gong' means 'Duke'):Wu Gong 812-758; Zhuang Gong 757-735; Huan Gong 734-719; Xuan Gong 718-700; Hui Gong 699-669;
Yi Gong 668-661; Dai Gong 660; Wen Gong 659-635; Cheng Gong 634-600; Mu Gong 599-589;
Ding Gong 588-577; Xian Gong 576-559; Shang Gong 558-547; Xian Gong 546-544; Xiang Gong 543-535;
Ling Gong 534-493; Chu Gong 492-481; Zhuang Gong 480-478;