Dan Mugong
PoliticsFamous flag. He successively advised King Jing not to cast big coins or big bells without shooting. After the death of King Jing, he and Liu Wengong supported King Dao and King Jing to fight against Wang Zichao.
Dynasties of ChinaSpring and Autumn periodEastern Zhou royal family lineage
King JingJi Gui
Reign 544–520 BCE
Casting large amounts of money and casting bells without shooting, there were constant disputes about finance and etiquette. After Wang Zichao's death, the rebellion broke out, and Zi Chan came to power in Zhengzhou during the same period.
IBiography
- Reign
- 24 years
- Order of accession
- Ruler #12 · Eastern Zhou royal family lineage
- Life dates
- ?–520 BCE
- Titles
- Posthumous title: King Jing
Ji Gui is the son of King Ling. In the year when he came to the throne, Prince Ji Zha of Wu State was sent to Lu State to watch Zhou music and comment on it one by one, which showed that Zhou Dynasty ritual music was still respected among the princes. King Jing reigned for twenty-five years, and the royal family was in financial distress. He cast a large amount of money in 524 BC, but Dan Mugong advised him to "abolish the light and make the heavy, and the people will lose their capital", but King Jing refused to listen. In 522 BC, he wanted to cast a large bell without a shot, but Dan Mugong and the music official Ling Zhoujiu tried again, but King Jing still insisted.
During the same period among the princes, Zheng Guo Zi Chan was in power, casting punishment books and composing Qiu Fu to preserve Zheng State between Jin and Chu; Chu Lingwang met the princes in Shen and built Zhang Huatai, but eventually he hanged himself because of betrayal; Wu Zixu fled to the state of Wu because his father and brother were killed by King Ping of Chu. King Jing's Crown Prince died young. He doted on his eldest son, Wang Zichao, and intended to make him the Crown Prince. However, he died in 520 BC before he could decide. The royal family fell into the Wang Zichao Rebellion that lasted for several years.
King Jing was determined to revitalize the royal family's finances, casting large sums of money and casting large bells, which showed his unwillingness to decline, but he took many unreasonable measures, and the advice of Dan Mugong and others was not adopted. He was hesitant on the issue of succession, which caused chaos in King Cheng's dynasty after his death, which further depleted the royal family's vitality. During the same period, wise ministers such as Zi Chan, Shu Xiang, and Yan Ying showed their talents in various countries, and the political and ideological focus shifted from the royal family to various countries.
IITimeline
During the reign · 544–520 BCE
CultureJi Zhao Guanle
Prince Ji Zha of the State of Wu went to the State of Lu as an envoy to ask to see Zhou Le. Lu played for him the style, elegance, songs and music and dances of the past dynasties in the Book of Songs. Ji Zha commented on them one by one. When he saw Shun's "Shao Wei", he praised "Guan Zhi".
Lasting legacyThis is where the idiom "be amazed at the beauty" comes from.
PoliticsZi Chan is in power
Zheng Guo Zipi handed over the state affairs to Zi Chan. Zi Chan rectified the boundaries of the fields and implemented the reform of "the fields are closed and the wells are protected". At first, the people cursed him, but three years later they started to praise him.
CultureDo not destroy rural schools
Zheng people often discussed the pros and cons of governance in the township school, and some people suggested that the township school should be demolished. Zi Chan believes that "if it is good, I will do it; if it is bad, I will change it" and refuses to demolish it. After Confucius heard about it, he said he didn't believe that some people said that Zi Chan was unkind.
DiplomacyShen Zhihui
Chu Lingwang followed the example of Qi Huan and Jin Wen, and joined the princes at Shen. He then led the princes to attack Wu and killed Qingfeng who had fled from Qi to Wu. The Chu State temporarily overwhelmed the Jin State.
PoliticsZi Chan casting punishment book
Zi Chan cast the criminal law provisions on a tripod and made them public. It is generally believed that this was the first time that a written law was published in China. Xiang, the shu of the Jin Dynasty, wrote a letter to object, and Zi Chan replied, "I will save the world."
SocietyZhang Huatai
Chu Lingwang built Zhanghua Terrace and invited princes to attend the inauguration ceremony. According to legend, King Ling liked to have a slim waist, and the people in the court went on a diet for this reason. Zhanghuatai, which wasted people's efforts, became a symbol of luxury.
PoliticsChanges in Qianxi
Chu Lingwang led his army to Qianxi, and his younger brothers Prince Bi, Prince Heigong, and Prince Qiji launched a coup and killed the Crown Prince. King Ping led the people to betray their relatives and hanged himself. Qi Ji finally took over the throne and became King Ping of Chu.
PeopleCounting classics and forgetting ancestors
King JingCrown, Prince Shou and the Queen passed away one after another. Ji Tan, the envoy of the State of Jin, came to pay the funeral. King Jing asked the State of Jin why they did not present the utensils. Ji Tan could not answer the allusion of the gift given to his ancestors. King Jing mocked him for "counting the classics and forgetting his ancestors."
Lasting legacyThis is where the idiom "forgetting one's ancestors after counting the classics" comes from.
CultureConfucius asked the official Yu Tanzi
The king of Tan came to see Lu and told him about the ancient system of Shaohao's officials being named after birds. The young Confucius went to ask for advice and lamented that "the emperor lost his official position and learned in the barbarians."
EconomyCast big money
Due to insufficient funds, King Jing ordered coins with larger face value to be minted. Dan Mugong advised "Abolish the light and make the heavy, and the people will lose their capital." He believed that it would damage the people's property, but King Jing did not listen. This is the earliest dispute over currency reform recorded in historical records.
Culturecast without shooting bell
King Jing planned to cast a big bell without a shot, but Dan Mugong thought it was a waste of money and waste for the people. Music official Ling Zhoujiu also dissuaded him because he argued that music rhythm was connected with political affairs. King Jing refused to listen, and the bell was completed the following year.
Lasting legacyThe twelve rhythm names listed by Ling Zhoujiu in his discussion of music, such as Huang Zhong and Da Lu, are the basic terms of traditional music rhythm. "Huang Zhong Da Lu" is still a commonly used term today.
PeopleWu Zixu rushes to Wu
King Ping of Chu believed Fei Wuji's slander and killed Wu She and his eldest son Wu Shang. His second son Wu Zixu fled to the Kingdom of Wu and later assisted Prince Guang to seize the throne.
PeopleZi Chan passed away
When Zi Chan passed away, he warned his successor Uncle Zi on his deathbed that he must be both lenient and tough in politics. When Confucius heard the news, he shed tears and said, "It is a legacy of love from ancient times." He also commented that "lenientness is used to counteract fierceness, fierceness is used to counteract leniency, and government is based on harmony."
PoliticsKing Jing passed away
King Jing intended to make his eldest son Wang Zichao the Crown Prince, but he died before he could decide. Dan Mugong and Liu Wengong supported Prince Meng, and Wang Zichao raised troops to fight for the throne, and the Wang Zichao Rebellion broke out.
IIIPeople of this reign
Ling Zhoujiu
ArtWhen King Jing cast the Wushe Bell, he elaborated on the connection between musical temperament and political affairs, and that musical instruments should not be too large. He also systematically discussed the Six Rhythms and Six Lu, which is an important document on ancient music temperament theory.
Zi Chan
PoliticsA famous overseas Chinese who has been in power in China for more than 20 years. He rectified the field boundaries, wrote Qiu Fu, cast punishment books, did not destroy the rural schools, and dealt with the two powerful powers of Jin and Chu to preserve the Zheng State. He was praised by Confucius as "the legacy of the ancients."
Shu Xiang
PoliticsThe name is Yang Togue, and he is famous for his erudition and knowledge of etiquette. He once wrote to Zi Chan to object to the casting of punishment books, and also discussed with Qi Guoyan Ying that the two countries had entered the "Ji Shi", predicting the decline of the officialdom.
Chu Lingwang
RulersHe was named Wei, but after he ascended the throne, he changed his name to Qian, killed his nephew Jia Ao, and established himself on his own. He convened Shen Zhihui, built Zhanghuatai, and went on a military rampage. In the end, during the Qianxi Incident, everyone betrayed their relatives and hanged themselves to death.