Zhao (state)

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Zhao during the Warring States Period

Zhao ( Chinese  趙  /  赵 , Pinyin Zhào ) was an ancient Chinese state during the Warring States Period , which was founded in the 5th century BC. At the division of Jin and from the state of Qin 228 BC. Was annexed.

It bordered the states of Qin , Wei, and Yan . Its capital was Handan . The territory included areas in what is now Inner Mongolia as well as the provinces of Hebei , Shanxi and Shaanxi .

prehistory

According to historical sources, the time when the Zhao dynasty was founded is assumed to be the time when the Zhou dynasty was founded . The annals of the Zhao name Zhao Fu as the ancestor of the Zhao dynasty. They do not record any government data for him, but report that he was born in the 10th century BC. Chr. Z. B. is in the service of King Wu , the founder of the Zhou dynasty, as a horse uncer ( stable master ) . During this time, Zhao Fu took part in campaigns for the Zhou against the Xu State (today: Anhui ). For his services, the Zhou King Wu rewarded him with a fief that was given the name Zhao, from which the name of the Zhao dynasty goes back. This fiefdom is located in today's Shanxi Province , near the city of Hongtong.

Rise of the Zhao Clan

Zhao Fu's heirs and successors are said to have promoted the expansion and protection of the Zhou dominion in the Zhou dynasty . They acquired political and military influence by assisting the Zhou kings or their vassals. Yan Fu, a successor to Zhao Fu, is said to have saved Wang Xuan's life during a battle against northern barbarian tribes.

Clan head Zhao Su is reported to have participated in battles against the small vassal states Huo (霍), Wei and Geng (耿).

As the Zhao clan, the family emerged safely during the spring and autumn annals . Zhao Cui (also: Zhao Shuai) (head of the clan 636–622 BC) served the Jin heir to the throne Ji Chong'er for two decades in his exile, until the Chong'er returned to Jin and as Gong Wen of Jin was his follower enfeoffed with lands of the feudal state. The clan, like other ministerial clans, was bound to the ruling house of Jin and participated in the successes of the state of Jin , which held a hegemonic position in China for a long time even after Wen's death .

Wen's successor, Gong Ling of Jin, was born in 607 BC. Overthrown by the Zhao clan because he was apparently planning to curtail the power of his ministerials again. His adviser Zhao Dun and his relative Zhao Chuan put Cheng von Jin in place, who lived until his death in 600 BC. BC strengthened the position of his vassals at the ducal court. In 588 the power of the vassals was reaffirmed; however, other ministerial families initially came to the fore. Nevertheless, the house of Zhao counted in 531 BC. To the six dominant vassal clans (the 六卿 , Lìu Qīng  - "six court officials") in the state of Jin: Zhao, Wei, Han, Fan, Zhi and Zhonghang.

Establishment of Zhao State

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.

The power of the Jin-Gong had meanwhile further eroded, the lands were ruled by the four remaining Ministerial families. In the middle of the 5th century BC The conflict arose which eliminated the most powerful clan under the leadership of Zhi Yao. Zhi Yao had demanded territorial concessions from the Han, Wei, and Zhao; Zhao refused the request. During the siege of Zhao's capital, Jinyang (now Taiyuan ), the leaders of Han and Wei turned in 453 BC. Against Zhi Yao and wiped out his clan. The three victorious clans then divided up the Jin lands among themselves and, as the Three Jin, gave each other arms aid. All three carried out fundamental political reforms and introduced an official bureaucracy instead of the feudal system so as not to fall victim to their vassals themselves.

403 BC According to Sima Guang, the three heads of state of Zhao, Han and Wei were officially appointed to Hou by Wang Zhou Weilie (for example: Margrave, the rank below the Gong / Duke). Zhao Ji (Zhao Lie Hou, reign 409–387 BC) became the first margrave of Zhao.

Zhao in his prime

Zhao was the northernmost of Jin's three successor states, and was thus in a position comparable to Yan , as a less densely populated area state. It was north of Wei and comprised the northern half of today's Shanxi , the southern half of Hebei and parts of Henan . Zhao was threatened by his neighbors from only two directions: from Qi and Yan in the east, and from Wei and Qin in the south and southwest. Following the example of the steppe peoples, the Zhao trained their troops in riding archery and sword fighting, and thus took on the pioneering role in the development of Chinese cavalry in their time.

The power of the Zhou royal family continued to wane, and around 325 BC. Wuling von Zhao (325–299 BC) officially called himself Wang . He was the last of the three Jin princes to assume the title of king. After a loss to Qin in 318 BC. Chr. Wuling abandoned this title, but after his death it was awarded to him again, his successors kept it. 307 BC BC Wuling implemented military reform and his troops expanded the Zhao Territory to the north. After Wuling's abdication in 299 BC Huiwen of Zhao (298–266 BC) ruled, followed by Xiaocheng of Zhao (265–245 BC), Daoxiang of Zhao (244–236 BC) and finally Youmiu of Zhao (235 BC) –228 BC).

The smaller and smallest states disappeared by the beginning of the 3rd century BC. BC Zhao fell to the state of Qin just two centuries after the division of Jin , whose ruler founded the Qin dynasty .

Zhao 222 BC As part of the territories to be united.

Destruction of the Zhao State

In the 3rd century BC Despite several military defeats, Zhao was a socially successful reformed state, possessed an extensive territory protected against attacks by steppe peoples by a wall, had renowned officers and generals who were known as successful military strategists, as well as well-trained troops, which Wang Thanks to Wuling.

The princes and ministers of Qin State saw Zhao as the main obstacle preventing them from accessing the agriculturally important plains in the northwest and blocking the unification of the entire country. 260 BC Troops attacked Qin Changping , which was part of the Zhao area. The Battle of Changping became one of the most significant clashes in the process of the unification of the Quin territories.

The Changping Massacre

Before the attack, Qin prepared thoroughly for the military encounter. The Qin bribed a Zhao minister and learned about the defense plans. Then they spread the rumor that the Qin fear no one among their opponents more than General Zhao Kuo, son of a well-known general. Secrecy of their own preparation was imposed on the troops. Zhao Huo accepted the challenge on the orders of his prince and was entrusted with the military leadership. He rejected the original plan of an ambush for the Qin, which had come from a very old general. Zhao Huo planned to attack Qin instead. His decision resulted in the dismissal of officers and caused discontent among the troops.

The Qin pretended to succumb to Zhao Huo's onslaught and withdrew. Zhao's troops chased them into their garrison. There they encountered unexpected resistance and were attacked with the escape route cut off. Eventually, Zhao's forces were encircled. They were successfully kept in check with the support of other soldiers - also called in from other countries. After 40 days, Zhao's troops had nothing to eat. In an attempt to break out with some soldiers, Zhao Huo was killed and eventually all 400,000 soldiers were surrounded. The Qin general had her buried alive .

After this massacre, Zhao was completely destroyed, deprived of his soldiers and financial means. The as yet undefeated other states were terrified and their spirit of resistance was broken.

The end of the Zhao Dynasty

228 BC The capital Handan was conquered and the ruling king Zhao Qian was imprisoned. His son Zhao Jia fled to Dai , where he proclaimed himself King of the Rump Kingdom. 222 BC General Wang Ben from Qin occupied this last retreat of the House of Zhao.

literature

  • Liyuan Wang-Scheerer: Shows from China: a contribution to transcultural communication . Dissertation Hamburg 2007.
  • Michael Weiers: History of China: Basics of a national political history . Stuttgart 2009.
  • Qizhi Zhang: An Introduction to Chinese History and Culture. Berlin / Heidelberg 2015.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Ulrich Theobald: The Feudal State of Zhao In: ChinaKnowledge.de - An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History, Literature and Art .
  2. ↑ Cf. Michael Weiers: History of China: Basics of a political national history. Stuttgart 2009, pp. 24-28.
  3. ^ Mark Edward Lewis: Warring states political history. In: Michael Loewe, Edward L. Shaughnessy, The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC. Cambridge University Press, 1999. p. 596. Digitized
  4. ↑ See Liyuan Wang-Scheerer: Shows from China: a contribution to transcultural communication. Diss. Hamburg 2007, pp. 33-37.
  5. ↑ Cf. on this section: Qizhi Zhang: An Introduction to Chinese History and Culture . Berlin / Heidelberg 2015, p. 29f. Also: Ulrich Theobald: Zhao .
  6. ↑ On this section, see: Qizhi Zhang, pp. 230–232.
  7. ↑ Cf. Qizhi Zhang, ibid.