Division of Jin

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The division of Jin ( 三家 分 晉 , Sān Jiā Fēn Jìn  - "Three families divide Jin") describes the slow process of coming to power from numerous rival vassal families who replaced the ruling clan of the feudal state of Jin and transferred Jin to the three successor states of Han , Zhao and Wei split up. The years 481, 475, 468 and 453 BC are named as the key years for this takeover. 403 BC The new power structures were already consolidated and by 370 BC Jin disappeared from the political map of China.

The division of Jin is widely understood as a decisive event in the transition between the time of the spring and autumn annals and the time of the Warring States , and thus as a turning point in Chinese history. This transition, like Jin's split, was a gradual process.

External history: Jin as a hegemon state

As a "duchy" (the ruler's title Gong is often translated as duke), the state of Jin was closely integrated into the realm of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (from 770 BC), which was characterized by an impotent feudal kingdom and dominant vassal states. Jin split in the middle of the 8th century BC. In the states of Jin and Quwo , until Gong Wu , ruler of Quwo, conquered Jin and between 678 and 672 BC Could reunite to the state of Jin. The states of Jin and Quwo were able to expand strongly due to their location in the northern periphery, so that Jin was a powerful principality, precisely because of the 'pacification' of the Rong and Di tribes.

Gong Wen of Jin was from 636 to 628 BC. BC 'bà' (hegemon of the Chinese princes); under his successors, however, Jin lost power and influence. Despite the dominance of the Chu state, the title of the Chinese hegemon officially remained with the ruler of Jin, who was able to keep the southern rival in check for a long time.

From 572 to 558 BC Gong Dao ruled by Jin , who once again officially received the title of 'bà' from the hand of Zhou- Wang . Under his rule, Jin was probably the most powerful state in China, but this was not enough to actually fully fulfill the function of hegemony. Later the title of hegemony went to rising South Chinese rulers (in 584 BC the rise of Wu was supported by Jin), while the concentration of power of the Jin gong continued to erode.

546 BC During the reign of Gong Ping von Jin (557-532), Jin (as the northern, albeit weakened, hegemon in the Zhou kingdom) concluded an armistice with the powerful southern kingdom of Chu.

Internal history: Jin under the influence of the aristocracy

Since the reign of Wen von Jin, the rulers followed a strategy of appointing vassals, which was unusual for China at the time: Instead of entrusting their own family members with posts as local administrators, the gongs of Jin kept their family members close to the court and enfeoffed ministerial families - these Lower princes were therefore not bound to the Zhou court, but had received their legitimation from the ruler of Jin. Both Zhao Cui (Zhao clan) and Wei Chou (Wei clan) were loyal followers of Gong Wen of Jin; while Han Wan (Han clan) had already been enfeoffed by Gong Wu from Jin. Wen's feudal policy was due to the succession struggles that had weakened Jin over centuries and led to the division into Jin and Quwo. The consistent pursuit of this guideline stabilized Jin in the 7th century, but took revenge in the 6th century, when the descendants of the feudal takers fought more and more against each other and also against the ruler of Jin.

The Zhao clan ( 趙  /  赵 ) under Zhao Chuan ( 趙 穿 ) gained such a position of power that they were able to overthrow Gong Ling from Jin (620-607), who tried to curtail Zhao's political influence. Under the successor, Gong Cheng von Jin (606-600), the ministerial influence was further strengthened. In the time of Gong Jing of Jin (599-581), the Xian clan ( 先 ) was established in 596 BC. After Xian Xi led an army against Jin's neighboring state Qi . In terms of foreign policy, the defeat of Qi in 589 BC. To a confirmation of Jin's hegemony. In 588 BC The considerable influence of the ministerial dynasties was established in the feudal state of Jin.

Jing's successor, Gong Li from Jin (580-573) was able to persuade the Luan clan ( 栾 ) to form a coalition that also eliminated the Xi clan ( 郤 ). After that, Luan left together with the Zhonghang ( 中行 but also kill Li) and could Dao Jin used (572-558) as a ruler, although this again strengthened its position as lord. While Li's machinations had damaged Jin's foreign policy reputation, Dao was able to regain the confidence of neighboring countries through his politics. 550 BC The Luan were also eliminated, leaving the three families Zhi ( 智 ), Zhao and Han ( 韓  /  韩 ) as the most important noble clans. The Wei clan ( 魏 ) also rose.

Power struggles and civil wars

Until 531 BC There were six dominant vassal clans (the 六卿 , Lìu Qīng  - "six court officials") in the state of Jin: Zhao, Wei, Han, Fan ( 范 ), Zhi and Zhonghang. Since that year, when Gong Zhao von Jin (531-526) took office, the rulers of the duchy were only seen as a figurehead. The less significant clans Yangshe and Qi became in 514 BC. Chr. Turned off. The families of the 'Six Court Officials' were soon no longer united against the external enemy and also pursued independent military ventures both against one another and against other Chinese states.

According to the Zuozhuan , there was 497 BC. During the tenure of Gong Ding of Jin (511-475), an initially only local power struggle within the Zhao clan, between the cities of Jinyang (now Taiyuan ) and Handan . In this, the Zhonghang and Fan clans finally interfered on the side of the loser. The situation escalated again and all the remaining clans turned against the leaders of the Zhonghang and Fan, causing these two clans to lose considerable influence, especially after Zhao Jianzi in 471 and 470 BC. Chr. Captured fan lands.

Zhi Yao (also Zhi Xiangzi, 知 瑤 / 知 襄子 ) from the Zhi clan had meanwhile held the office of Zhongjunjiang in Jin state (for example: lawmaker and marshal ), and he built up a dominant position in his clan. Zhi Yao led his armies to the neighboring states of Qi (472 BC) and Zheng (468 BC), but had to withdraw despite victories. 458 BC He eliminated the Fan and Zhonghang clans and incorporated the “barbaric” neighbor Zhongshan into his empire . In 457, however, Zhi Yao overestimated his position: he demanded land from the three remaining vassals of Jin, the Han, Wei and Zhao.

Zhao Wuxu (also Zhao Xiangzi, 趙 毋 卹 / 趙襄子 ) from the Zhao clan rejected Zhi Yao's claim and holed up in Jinyang. Zhi Yao left the city in 453 BC. Besieged and flooded from Fen He . But he was betrayed by his allies Han Kangzi and Wei Huanzi, as they feared that their clans would otherwise be eliminated just like the Zhao clan. Rather, after the Battle of Jinyang, the Zhi clan was wiped out.

New order of Jin

The three remaining clans now divided large parts of Jin among themselves, ended hostilities due to a military stalemate and built strong bureaucratic structures modeled on the neighboring states so that their own position could no longer be undermined by their own vassals. 434 BC The nominal successor of Gong Ai of Jin, Gong You of Jin, was granted only two small spheres of power, while all other lands were meanwhile ruled by the three Jin .

403 BC According to Sima Guang, the three ruling clan princes of the state of Jin at the Zhou royal court of Zhou Weilie ( 威烈 王 ) were appointed Hou (for example: Margrave, the rank below the Gong / Duke). The first officially ruling princes of these three families were Wei Si (Wei Wen Hou) of Wei , Zhao Ji (Zhao Lie Hou) of Zhao and Han Qian (Han Jing Hou) of Han .

There are different statements about the final ending of Jin. In 386, according to Sima Qian, the three successor states are said to have deposed Gong Jing from Jin and divided the remaining territories among themselves. The bamboo annals, on the other hand, state Gong Huan of Jin (388-369) as the last named Jin Duke.

All three Jin successor states - along with Qin, Qi, Chu and Yan - are counted among the seven power blocs in China of the Warring States . Almost two centuries after the division of Jin, they fell to the state of Qin , whose ruler founded the Qin dynasty .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Hsu pp. 560-562.
  2. ↑ Hsu p. 568.
  3. ↑ Hsu, pp. 571-575: Secondary Feudalization

literature

  • Cho-Yun Hsu: The Spring and Autumn period. In: Michael Loewe, Edward L. Shaughnessy, The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC . Cambridge University Press, 1999, pp. 545-586. Digitized

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