Douluo: The Lower Realm of the Children of the King of God and the Lord God

Chapter 47 Enfeoffment System

concept

Modern scholars have different opinions on when the enfeoffment system formally originated.The birth and development of the enfeoffment system went through a long process, and the origin time is difficult to verify.There are two main views on the origin of the feudal system today: 1. The feudal system sprouted in the primitive society period.Zhou Gucheng's "On Ancient Feudalism" ("Chinese Social Sciences" Issue 1980, 5) regarded the feudal system in the context of the slave society as ancient feudalism, and pointed out that ancient feudalism, as a system, was consistent with the historical development of the slavery era. , that is, when the slave system began, the seeds of ancient feudalism were germinating. 2. The enfeoffment system originated in the Yu-Xia period.

Li Xueqin, editor-in-chief of "Research on Ancient Chinese Civilization and State Formation" (China Social Sciences Press, 2007), believes that there are three main arguments for the existence of the enfeoffment system during the ancient Xia Dynasty. One of the main arguments is the establishment of the title of monarch and ministers in the Xia Dynasty. The basis is that princes with the same or different surnames politically accepted the enfeoffment of the Xia Hou family.The book demonstrates the existence of the feudal system of the Xia Dynasty from the relationship between the Xia Dynasty and the princes and uncles with the same and different surnames, and believes that it was of great significance in the formation and development of the Xia Dynasty.Of course, the Xia Dynasty's enfeoffment was still in its initial stage, and there were deficiencies in some aspects of system construction that needed to be strengthened and improved.

The "Emperor" in ancient China distributed land to the royal children, heroes or descendants of ancient emperors. The land they were granted was called "vassal states", "feudal states" or "vassal states", etc. The monarch who ruled the fiefdoms was called "vassal state". "Princes", "vassal kings", etc.

In order to maintain rule, the feudal system stipulates that princes must:

1. Obey the orders of Emperor Zhou;

2 The princes have the obligation to guard the territory for the Emperor of Zhou;

3 Followers fight;

4. Pay tribute;

5. Obligation to report one’s duties during Hajj.

At the same time, the princes re-divided the ministers and officials within their own territories.The officials then distributed the land and people to the scholars.Officials, officials and scholars also have to assume combat and other responsibilities to the higher level.In this way, the enfeoffment was carried out layer by layer, forming a strict hierarchy within the aristocratic ruling class of "the emperor - the princes - the ministers and officials - the scholars".

Qin Shihuang unified the country, abolished the feudal system, and implemented the system of prefectures and counties.In the early Han Dynasty, both were adopted. After the chaos of the Seven Kingdoms was pacified, all the officials of the feudal state were appointed and dismissed by the central government. The princes only levied rent and taxes, and the feudal state existed in name only.After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there were also feudal systems in all dynasties, but their nature was not all the same.

The naming of enfeoffment

Zhang Qizhi believes: "The enfeoffment system of the Western Zhou Dynasty is called feudalism, which means establishing a country by enfeoffing land."

social form

The bipolar world theory believes that during the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties, China's overall social form was the political form of Qingdafu.During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Sui and Tang Dynasties, the overall social form of China was the political form of gentry and landlords.During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, China's overall social form was the political form of common people and landlords.

The political form of the Arab Empire and its subsequent dynasties was a relatively unified feudal political form, and the economic form was serfdom.

The political form of medieval Europe was a decentralized gentry system, and the economic form was serfdom.

Chinese system

The descendants of the ancient emperors, the survivors of the Shang Dynasty, and the meritorious officers and soldiers were allowed to serve as "vassals" in the local area, managed in separate areas, and assisted the king of Zhou. The enfeoffed "vassals" continued to enfeoff in the "feudal state", and through this step-by-level enfeoffment , subordinates bear obligations to their superiors such as paying tribute, providing military protection, and obeying orders.

"Feudal system" is the original meaning of "feudal" in ancient Chinese; "feudal" in ancient documents means "feudal system".

Definition: The ancient system of emperors or kings enfeoffing princes.The feudal princes had their own territories, and the emperor or king had no direct power within the territories of the princes. During the Zhou Dynasty, the "feudal system" was a social system in which the Zhou royal family divided the territorial land into princes. Under the "feudal system", the land in the country did not entirely belong to the Zhou royal family, but was owned by the princes who obtained the fiefdoms. All resources and income from the land only need to pay a certain tribute to the Zhou royal family to fulfill their obligations, which is equivalent to the relationship between the European kingdoms and the Holy See in the Middle Ages, which is the basis of the federation in the modern sense.The king of Zhou was a co-leader (a co-leader is a leadership model left over from the clan society, and Yu was the last clan co-leader).The land of the princes can theoretically be recovered and redistributed by the Zhou royal family after their death, but it is generally hereditary.During the Spring and Autumn Period, with the disintegration of the well-field system and the development of wars for hegemony, the royal family of the Zhou Dynasty declined. The situation that "conquests of rituals and music came from the emperor" was replaced by "conquests of rituals and music came from the princes", and the king of Zhou lost his status as "the common master of the world". , the "enfeoffment system" began to be destroyed.After Qin Shihuang unified China, he abolished the "feudal system" and implemented a single "prefecture and county system" throughout the country.

The Han Dynasty inherited the "prefectures and counties system" of the Qin Dynasty. This administrative division management system was different from the Qin administrative divisions in that it not only implemented the "prefectures and counties system" but also implemented the feudal system. The feudal states included kingdoms and princes. These two parallel systems are also called the "prefecture-state system." During the Han Dynasty, although prefectures and states existed in parallel, the "prefecture-county system" was still the dominant one.In the early days of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang faced the patchwork of vassal forces and the background of the Six Kingdoms after the fall of Qin. His first task was to strive to maintain a stable situation, eradicate princes and kings with different surnames, and reconcile princes and kings with different surnames with the system of prefectures and states by enfeoffing children with the same surname. bipolar deviation.When Liu Bang and Xiang Yu were fighting, they successively entrusted seven kings with different surnames.After proclaiming himself emperor, he enfeoffed nine princes with the same surname, which caused the struggle between the central government and the feudal states to last for a long time.In the early Han Dynasty, the feudal system was restored and the system of prefectures and counties was implemented at the same time, which mixed the prefectures and states to check each other, which played a certain positive role in maintaining centralization of power and national unity.

In Chinese history, from the Three Kingdoms to the last dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, the "feudal system" was implemented to varying degrees in the management of national administrative divisions in each period, but enfeoffment was not the main body; after the political power of each dynasty stabilized, the feudal states and the princely states actually became the administrative division system One, or in the form of enfeoffment; even if there is a warlord separatist regime, in most cases, they have to receive canonization from the Central Plains dynasty. For example, Ma Yin, the king of Chu, one of the ten kingdoms during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, was still in the state despite the founding of the country in 907. In 927 (the second year of Tiancheng), he was canonized as "King of Chu" by the Later Tang Dynasty of the Central Plains Dynasty.

In the early days of the Zhou Dynasty, due to the destruction of the Shang Dynasty and the victory of the Eastern Expedition, the Zhou rulers began to enfeoff the princes.Those who were awarded the title were mainly children with the same surname, but there were also meritorious officials with different surnames.Using canonization, the Emperor of Zhou granted land and residents to the ennobled princes and asked them to establish vassal states within their own fiefdoms.The princes have the right to manage the residents in the fiefdom, and have the right to entrust their own fiefdom and residents to their relatives and make them the princes' ministers.The princes must obey the orders of the Emperor of Zhou; they should pay tribute regularly, and should be ready to lead their own warriors and troops at any time to accept the orders of the Emperor of Zhou.Moreover, during the re-enfranchisement, "land" and "people" were "granted" in the name of the King of Zhou, allowing Zhou's relatives, in-laws and heroes to establish a number of emerging countries in the newly occupied territories.The enfeoffment system formed a hierarchical system headed by the Emperor of Zhou and was the basic structure of Zhou Dynasty society.Although the system of prefectures and counties was mainly implemented after the Qin Dynasty, the feudal system still existed to a certain extent.

the purpose

It is to ensure the strength of the royal family and to protect the royal family.Effectively control the vassal states and strengthen their rule.

Result impact

positive influence:

1. It was conducive to stabilizing the political order at that time. However, later on, strong countries merged with weak ones among the vassal states, which gradually weakened the authority of the Emperor of Zhou.Through the enfeoffment system, the cultural form of the Zhou Dynasty covered the entire middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River; the Zhou culture had amazing stability and continuity.

2. Strengthened Emperor Zhou’s control over local areas.The Zhou Dynasty developed remote areas, expanded the scope of its rule, and gradually organized a nationwide transportation network.

negative impacts:

1. In the late Western Zhou Dynasty, as the vassal states became increasingly powerful, the royal power weakened, and the feudal system was destroyed. The King of Chu's ascension in the Spring and Autumn Period was an open challenge to the feudal system by the vassal states.Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period.Big countries annexed small ones, and countries with the same surname also fought with each other. The Emperor of Zhou had no control over them. At the end of the Warring States Period, the Zhou royal family completely lost its power to enfeoff.

2. The Emperor of Zhou had supreme authority, and the state power gradually changed from loose to tight.However, the feudal princes enjoyed considerable independence within their own territories. As the power of the princely states grew stronger, by the late Western Zhou Dynasty, the royal power weakened and the feudal system was destroyed.

Through this "enfeoffment system", the relationship between the Emperor of Zhou and the princes was one layer after another.

effect

1. Through the enfeoffment system, Emperor Zhou’s rule over local areas was strengthened.The Zhou Dynasty developed remote areas, expanded its ruling area, and gradually built a transportation network throughout the country, forming a political structure that looked like stars to the Zhou royal family, breaking the state of numerous states in the Xia and Shang Dynasties.Zhou became a powerful country that lasted for hundreds of years.

2. Through enfeoffment, the sphere of influence of the Zhou people continued to expand; the Emperor of Zhou established his status as the co-lord of the world, and the effect of his rule was strengthened.The enfeoffment system enabled the aristocratic group of the Western Zhou Dynasty to form a hierarchical sequence of "King of Zhou - princes - ministers and officials - scholars".

3. Through the enfeoffment system, Zhou cultural form covered the entire middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, promoting economic development and cultural development in remote areas; Zhou culture has amazing stability and continuity.

4. The enfeoffment system accelerated the development of the national economy.

5. In the late Western Zhou Dynasty, the enfeoffment system intensified the disloyalty of various vassal states to the Zhou royal family, and formed a powerful local armed separatist regime.

特点

The vassal states are relatively independent and have land management, administrative and military powers, and are prone to forming separatist forces.

The objects of enfeoffment were diverse, with relatives of the same surname being the main body.

The distribution area is mainly in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, and relatives with the same surname are distributed in strategic locations and wealthy areas.

西周

Enfeoffment system

The enfeoffment system, also known as the feudal state and the founding of the country (feuding the land and establishing the country), is the political system of the Western Zhou Dynasty. The purpose of enfeoffment is to consolidate the rule of the Zhou Dynasty. The objects and methods of enfeoffment are to combine the royal family, heroes and nobles of the past generations (nobles with different surnames, nobles with the same surname) Nobles, descendants of previous emperors and leaders of distant tribes) were enfeoffed to various places to become princes and establish vassal states; the obligations of the enfeoffed princes were: to obey the king's orders, to contribute property to the King of Zhou, and to send troops to fight with the King of Zhou; The important vassal states that the king enfeoffed successively include: Lu, Qi, Yan, Wei, Song, Jin, etc.; the role of enfeoffment was to consolidate the rule of the Western Zhou Dynasty and expand the territory.

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the feudal system collapsed.The reason for the collapse was that the Zhou royal family was declining day by day. In order to compete for land, population and control over other vassal states, the large vassal states continued to engage in annexation wars, forming a situation of vassal hegemony.With the Kuiqiu Alliance, Duke Huan of Qi's dominance was officially recognized, marking the collapse of the feudal system.After the unification of the Qin Dynasty, the system of prefectures and counties was established, and the feudal system ended.

Well field system

The well-field system was a state-owned land system in China during the Western Zhou Dynasty. It was first implemented in the Shang Dynasty, prevailed in the Western Zhou Dynasty, collapsed in the Spring and Autumn Period, and was abolished in the Warring States Period.The land ownership of the well fields belonged to the King of Zhou. The King of Zhou granted the land to the princes and ministers, but the ministers could only enjoy it for generations and could not transfer or buy and sell it freely. They had to pay a certain tribute.

The fundamental reason for the collapse of the well-field system was the development of productive forces. However, this production method could not meet the needs of the development of productive forces, and private fields emerged.In the late Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Lu implemented the initial taxation of acres and recognized the ownership of land by private landowners, which led to the collapse of the well-field system.

interrelationship

1 The enfeoffment system was the political system of the Shang and Zhou dynasties; the well-field system was its economic system. The enfeoffment system was based on the well-field system. Without the well-field system, there would be no enfeoffment system. 2. The well-field system was the economic basis of the enfeoffment system, and the enfeoffment system was the superstructure that matched it. 3 Both systems adapted to the level of productivity development at that time and made the Western Zhou Dynasty strong and prosperous.

The rise and fall of nations

The enfeoffment system and the well-field system were perfect political and economic systems in the Western Zhou Dynasty.The feudal system played a role in maintaining and adjusting the internal relations of the aristocratic class and ensuring that the feudal state ruled the slaves and civilians. It was the political guarantee for the strength of the Western Zhou Dynasty.The well-field system stipulated the main content of the production relations of the feudal system and was the economic basis that determined the existence and development of the feudal economic form and the political rule of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

The feudal system and the well-field system influenced each other, and the existence of the two became the pillars of the prosperity of the feudal country in the Western Zhou Dynasty.After the Western Zhou Dynasty, the decline of the royal family and the emergence of great powers competing for hegemony showed the disintegration of the feudal system.Under the influence of the loss of political guarantee and productivity development, the well-field system was gradually replaced by private ownership of land in the late Spring and Autumn Period. The economic foundation for the establishment of feudal states eventually collapsed, and a new economic foundation emerged.The disintegration of the well-field system marked the collapse of the feudal system.

Object

The enfeoffment system in the early Zhou Dynasty targeted three types of people: royal family, meritorious officials, and descendants of ancient emperors.

The heroes include: Jiang Shang, Feng Qi, Zaofu, etc.

Royal family: Bo Qin was granted the title of Lu; Tang Shu Yu was granted the title of Jin; Zhou Zhang was granted the title of Wu; Zhao Gongxi was granted the title of Yan; Kang Shu was granted the title of Wei, etc.

Descendants of ancient emperors: Weizi (descendants of Yin and Shang), granted the title of Song; Guiman (descendant of Shun), granted the title of Chen, etc.

Main feudal countries

According to records in ancient books: Duke Zhou "concurrently ruled the world and founded 71 kingdoms."Among them, the most important feudal states are: Wei, the feudal state of King Wu's younger brother Kang Shu, in today's Henan; Qi, the feudal state of Taigong Jiang Shang, in today's Shandong; Lu, the feudal state of Zhou Gongdan, when Zhou Gong assisted in the government, Zibo The Qinjiu Kingdom is in present-day Shandong; the Song Dynasty was a feudal state of Shang aristocrat Wei Ziqi, in present-day Henan; the Yan state was the feudal state of Zhao Gongxi, in present-day BJ; the Jin state was the feudal state of Tang Shuyu, the younger brother of King Cheng, in present-day Shanxi.

patriarchal system

meaning

The patriarchal system is a system that distributes political rights and maintains aristocratic rule based on blood and clan relationships.

the purpose

1. Resolve conflicts within the nobility (inheritance rights, land and property issues);

2. Consolidate the ruling order formed by the feudal system and ensure the stability of the royal power;

3. Distribute political rights according to blood and clan relationships and maintain political connections.

Message

Taking the eldest son inheritance system as the core.Regardless of whether the king of Zhou, princes, officials, officials or scholars, they all implemented the eldest son inheritance system.The eldest son is the main inheritor of land, property and rights. He has the privilege of officiating ancestor worship and has the most noble status. Therefore, the eldest son is also called the eldest son.Under the patriarchal system, the lineage is passed on by the eldest son, and this system becomes a large clan.

The eldest son inheritance system was established in the late Yin and Shang Dynasties (not in the Western Zhou Dynasty).

In strict accordance with the distinction between direct concubine and concubine, the eldest son's brother from the same mother and his concubine's mother-in-law are called Xiaozong.

The patriarchal system established a strict system of large and small clans, and the large and small clans were in opposition.

特点

Based on the eldest son inheritance system, large and small sects are relative.

Blood ties are combined with politics (state and family).

The relationship between large clans and small clans is not only a family hierarchy relationship, but also a political affiliation relationship.

Strict social hierarchy.

effect

The patriarchal system establishes a complete distribution and inheritance system of land, property and political status through blood relations, ensuring that nobles at all levels can enjoy the privileges of "the world's most powerful people".

The patriarchal system is conducive to uniting clans, preventing internal disputes, strengthening royal power, closely integrating "country" and "family", and at the same time strengthening the privileged status of the nobility represented by the clan.

The principles and guiding ideology of the political establishment of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

(Patriarchal concept) has become the guiding ideology that regulates society and regulates life customs.

Ritual and music system

The Zhou Dynasty formulated various ritual and music systems, namely Zhou Li.Zhou Rites, as the political and living standards of nobles at all levels, became an indispensable tool for maintaining the patriarchal feudal system.

The ritual and music system of the Zhou Dynasty was strictly reserved for the ruling class [3].There are so many musical instruments in ancient China. There are more than 80 kinds recorded in the Zhou Dynasty. There are 29 kinds of musical instruments mentioned in the "Book of Songs" alone. The Zhou Dynasty classified musical instruments according to the different materials used to make them. According to this method, musical instruments It is divided into: gold, stone, silk, bamboo, gourd, soil, leather and wood, also known as eight tones.

东周

Spring and autumn

During the Spring and Autumn Period, the emperor declined and the princes prospered: the power of the Zhou royal family declined, their authority was no longer available, and they were no longer able to effectively control the princes of the world.In order to occupy a dominant position in politics and military affairs, some powerful vassal states started fierce wars for hegemony. They joined forces with each other and conquered the east and west. A total of several vassals became hegemons one after another. They are known in history as the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period. .

(Ba, the name of government, is Bo, the sound changes to Ba, also known as Zhou Bo, Fang Bo, that is, the leader of the princes. His job title is to meet the princes and the emperor of the court. In fact, he coerces the princes and controls their politics.)

Since King Ping of Zhou moved eastward to Luoyi (now Luoyang, Henan) in 770 BC, the Zhou royal family declined even more.In the past, the emperor was the commander-in-chief and ordered the princes - "the conquest of rituals and music came from the emperor"; but now, these powers have gradually been transferred to the hands of the princes - "the conquest of rituals and music came from the princes"; and the kings and ministers reversed the throne in each prince's country. This is a phenomenon - "the conquest of rituals and music comes from the officials"; even more so that the officials of a vassal state can influence the movements of the Zhou royal family - "accompanying ministers to carry out the country's orders".The emergence of iron farm tools increased productivity, and a large amount of land outside the mine fields was reclaimed, which became the main reason for the power of the vassal states.The feudal system of the Zhou Dynasty, which was based on the patriarchal system and the well-field system, began to disintegrate, and a turbulent situation emerged in which "rites broke down and music collapsed".The royal family, princes, ministers and officials were fighting each other, and the world was in chaos.

The Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period were the historical products of a specific stage in the Spring and Autumn Period. The wars for hegemony among the princes at this time prepared for the subsequent wars of annexation and unification during the Warring States Period.

"Historical Records" says: Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Wen of Jin, King Zhuang of Chu, Duke Mu of Qin, and Duke Xiang of Song; while "Xunzi Wang Ba" says: Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Wen of Jin, King Zhuang of Chu, King Helu of Wu, and King Gou Jian of Yue ;Middle school history textbooks take both perspectives into consideration.

Sengoku

The Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period refer to the seven most powerful vassal states during the Warring States Period, and also represent different cultural systems (Chu Culture, Qi Culture, Qin Culture, Three Jin Cultures, and Yan Culture) in addition to Zhou culture.After numerous annexation wars during the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC), the number of vassal states was greatly reduced.By the Warring States Period (475 BC - 221 BC), the seven most powerful vassal states were Qin, Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, and Wei. These seven countries were called the "Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period" by historians. .

In addition to the Seven Heroes of the Warring States Period, there were also great powers such as Yue, Ba, Shu, Song, and Zhongshan.There are still small countries such as Zheng, Wei, Eastern Zhou, Lu, Teng, Zou, Fei, etc., but their strength and influence are far less than the seven heroes of the Warring States Period. They can only survive in the cracks of powerful countries, and they were eventually destroyed by the seven heroes.

Due to the strengthening of the county system, countries in order to obtain land, wealth, and population continued to carry out annexation wars, prompting this land that had been in constant war since the Spring and Autumn Period to gradually move towards a new era.The Warring States Period inherited the turbulent times of the Spring and Autumn Period and started with the Qin Dynasty, which continued the cultural trend of the contention of a hundred schools of thought. This was a golden period for the development of Chinese thought and scholarship, known in history as the "Contentt of a Hundred Schools of Thought".The new development of the economy and technology in the Central Plains, the national reforms carried out by various countries in order to become stronger, the mingling of celebrities, and the battlefield battles of veteran generals have produced a large number of allusions that will be passed down to future generations.

汉朝

The Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms was a rebellion in the vassal states that occurred during the period of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty. The seven vassal kings with the surname Liu participated in the rebellion: King Liu Bi of Wu, King Liu Wu of Chu, King Liu Sui of Zhao, King Liu Biguang of Jinan, King Liu Xian of Zichuan, and Jiaoxi King. King Liu Ang and King Liu Xiongqu of Jiaodong, so it is also called the Rebellion of the Seven Kings.

In the second year of Emperor Jing's reign in the Han Dynasty (155 BC), Chao Cuo, the imperial censor, wrote the policy of reducing the feudal vassals, proposing to weaken the power of princes and kings and strengthen the centralization of power.Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty adopted Chao Cuo's suggestion and issued an edict in the following winter to seize the fiefdoms of Wu, Chu and other princes and kings.The seven princes and kings of the clan named Liu, headed by King Wu Liu Bi, were dissatisfied with the imperial court's reduction of their power and rebelled together under the name "Qing Jun Side". Later, due to strategic errors, they were jointly pacified by the Han court and the Liang State. The seven heroes were : Zhou Yafu, Dou Ying, Luan Bu, and Li Ji on the Han court side, Liu Wu, Zhang Yu, and Han Anguo on the Liang side.

The root cause of the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion was the contradiction between the powerful princes and kings and the autocratic imperial power. The pacification of the Seven Kingdoms Rebellion marked that the threat of the princes and kings in the Western Han Dynasty was basically eliminated, and the centralization of power was further strengthened.

Xijin

The Eight Kings Rebellion was a civil strife among the ruling class in the Western Jin Dynasty that lasted for 16 years (291-306).The core figures in this power struggle include Queen Jia Nanfeng[4] and King Sima Liang of Runan, King Sima Wei of Chu, King Sima Lun of Zhao, King Sima Ji of Qi, King Sima Yi of Changsha, King Sima Ying of Chengdu, and King Sima Yong of Hejian. , the Eight Kings of East China Sea Sima Yue.

In 290 AD (the first year of Taixi), after the death of Sima Yan, Emperor Wu of the Jin Dynasty, Yang Jun, a relative of the Jin Dynasty, became the Taifu and the Grand Governor, taking charge of the government.Emperor Hui of the Jin Dynasty, Sima Zhong, was stupid and incompetent. In order to allow herself to take control of the political power, Queen Jia Nanfeng (Empress Jia) conspired with King Sima Wei of Chu in the first year of Yongping (291) to send troops to kill Yang Jun, but the power fell to In the hands of Runan King Sima Liang and veteran Wei Guan.Empress Jia's political ambitions failed to be realized. In June of that year, she ordered Chu King Sima Wei to kill Runan King Sima Liang and Wei Guan. Then he falsely accused Chu King Sima Wei of violating the imperial edict and killing ministers without permission, and executed Sima Wei.Empress Jia then came to power and appointed Jia Mo, Zhang Hua, Pei Yu and others to maintain relative stability in the world.

In 299 AD (the ninth year of Yuankang), Empress Jia ignored the dissuasion of Zhang Hua and others and plotted to depose the prince Sima Yu and killed him the next year. [1] Zhao Wang Sima Lun, who commanded the imperial army, and Qi Wang Sima Jiong sent troops to kill Empress Jia, Zhang Hua and others.After that, Sima Lun took control of the political affairs.

In 301 AD (the first year of Yongning), Sima Lun deposed Emperor Hui and established himself.After Sima Lun usurped the throne, Sima Jiong, who was stationed in Xuchang, raised troops to attack Sima Lun. Sima Ying, the king of Chengdu who guarded Ye, and Sima Yong, the king of Hejian who guarded Guanzhong, responded with troops.Wang Yu, the general of the imperial army in Luoyang City, also rebelled against Lun, welcomed Emperor Hui's restoration, and ordered the death of Sima Lun.Sima Jiong came to Beijing as Grand Sima to assist the government.

In 302 AD (the first year of Tai'an), Sima Yong raised troops from Guanzhong to attack Sima Ji again. Sima Yi, the king of Changsha in Luoyang City, also sent troops into the palace to kill Sima Ji, and the political power fell into Sima Yi's hands.

In 303 AD (the second year of Tai'an), Sima Yong and Sima Ying joined forces to attack Sima Yi.Sima Yong ordered Commander-in-Chief Zhang Fang to lead 7 elite troops to advance from Hangu Pass to Luoyang; Sima Ying mobilized an army of more than 20 to also cross the Henan towards Luoyang.The coalition forces of the two kings were defeated by Sima Yi many times.In the first month of the following year, Sima Yue in Luoyang City conspired with part of the imperial army to capture Sima Yi and handed him over to Zhang Fang, who burned him to death.Sima Ying entered Luoyang as prime minister, but still returned to Yecheng, his base, to rule as the emperor's younger brother. The political center was temporarily moved to Yecheng.Sima Yue was dissatisfied with Sima Ying's dictatorship and led the imperial army to take Emperor Hui to the north to attack Yecheng.In the battle of Dangyin (now Tangyin, Henan Province), he was defeated by Sima Ying. Emperor Hui was captured and sent to Ye. Sima Yue fled to his feudal state, Donghai (now north of Tancheng, Shandong).At the same time, Sima Yong sent Zhang Fang to lead the army to occupy Luoyang, and then Bingzhou Governor Sima Teng (Sima Yue's younger brother) and Youzhou Governor Wang Jun jointly attacked Yecheng. Sima Ying and Emperor Hui defected to Luoyang and went to Chang'an.

In 305 AD (the second year of Yongxing), Sima Yue launched troops from Shandong to attack Guanzhong and defeated Sima Yong.

In 306 AD (the first year of Guangxi), Sima Yue welcomed Emperor Hui back to Luoyang. Sima Ying and Sima Yong were killed by him one after another. The power fell into the hands of Sima Yue, and the Eight Kings Rebellion ended.

During the 16 years, many of the kings who participated in the war were defeated one after another, many people were killed, the social economy was severely damaged, the power of the Western Jin Dynasty was exhausted, and hidden class conflicts and ethnic conflicts broke out. After that, the "Five Husbands" destroyed China and the Western Jin Dynasty perished.The Eight Kings Rebellion was an important reason for the demise of the Western Jin Dynasty.

Ming Dynasty

The Battle of Jingnan, also known as the Jingnan Incident and Fengtian Jingnan, was a coup that broke out shortly after the death of Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, assigned his children and grandchildren to various places as vassal kings, and the power of the vassal kings grew day by day.Because the prince Zhu Biao died early, the emperor's grandson Zhu Yunwen succeeded to the throne, with the reign name Jianwen and became Emperor Jianwen.Emperor Jianwen and his trusted ministers Qi Tai, Huang Zicheng and others took a series of measures to reduce the vassal status, and decided to cut down the less powerful vassal kings first. So they first attacked Zhou Wang Zhu Ji, deposed him as a commoner, and detained the acting king Zhu Gui in Datong. , King Zhu Shu of Qi was imprisoned in the capital, and King Zhu Bai of Xiang burned himself to death.At the same time, troops were also deployed around Peiping and in the city. In the name of border defense, the elite guards of Yan King Zhu Di, the fourth son of Ming Taizu, were transferred out of the fortress to garrison outside the fortress, preparing to eliminate King Yan.

Emperor Jianwen thought that the preparations were ready, so he secretly ordered the capture of Zhu Di, but it was unsuccessful. In addition, the measures to reduce the vassal status seriously threatened the interests of the vassal king. Zhu Di, who was based in Peiping, rebelled in 1399 (the first year of Jianwen), and then sent his troops south, which is known in history. "Battle of Jingnan".

Emperor Jianwen had no generals available, so he had to use the surviving veteran Geng Bingwen to lead the Northern Expedition, and sent Li Jinglong to continue the expedition. However, Emperor Jianwen also lacked a strategy, resulting in the main force being constantly wiped out.Zhu Di used Peiping (today's BJ) as his base, attacked at the right time, used strategies flexibly, and eliminated the main force of the official army after several battles. Finally, he took advantage of the victory and marched to capture Emperor Yingtian (today's Nanjing, Jiangsu Province) in 1402 (the fourth year of Jianwen).The war lasted four years (1399-1402).The whereabouts of Emperor Jianwen during the war are unknown. It is said that he burned himself to death in the palace, or that he escaped through the tunnel and hid in the Yunnan and Guizhou areas and became a monk.In the same year, Zhu Di ascended the throne and became Taizong of the Ming Dynasty. During the Jiajing period, it was changed to Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty.

The next year, the name was changed to Yongle and Beiping to BJ. In 1421, the capital was moved to BJ, called BJ the capital, and Nanjing the remaining capital.

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