Dynasties of ChinaSpring and Autumn periodEastern Zhou royal family lineage
Reign 571–545 BCE
In the twenty-seventh year of his reign, Jin Daogong regained his hegemony, and the annihilation of troops greatly reduced the war in the Central Plains. Confucius was born during this period.
Ji Xiexin is the son of King Jian. During his reign, Jin Daogong reorganized the Jin State and reconciled with Rong Di, Lian Wu State, and the "Three Masters" of Ti Chu. After the meeting of Xiao Yu in 562 BC, the Zheng State completely surrendered, and the Jin State's hegemony was restored. At the same time, the power of ministers and officials from various countries rose rapidly: the three Huan clans of Lu State had three offices, the Sun family and Ning family of Wei State expelled the monarch, and Cui Zhu of Qi State killed Duke Zhuang of Qi.
As for the royal family, in 550 BC, the Gu River and the Luo River flooded and threatened to destroy the palace. King Ling planned to block the Valley River. Tai Zijin advised him to use "Chuan, the guide of Qi" and advocated diversion, but King Ling refused to listen. Confucius was born in Zouyi, State of Lu, in 551 BC. In 546 BC, Xiang Xu of the Song Dynasty promoted the second annihilation meeting, and Jin and Chu equally divided hegemony. After that, there were few major wars in the Central Plains for decades. King Ling died in the 27th year of his reign, and his son Ji Gui succeeded him as King Jing.
King Ling has been in power for twenty-seven years, and the royal family itself has been unable to accomplish much. Tai Zijin's remonstrance and obstruction of Chuan River and other matters only show the royal family's strict adherence to ancient precepts. The real protagonists of this period were the princes and officials: Jin Daogong's restoration of hegemony and the annihilation of troops brought decades of relative peace to the Central Plains, while Sanhuan's division of Lu and Cui Zhu's regicide heralded a further downward shift in power. It was at this time that Confucius was born, and what he would later respond to by "restoring rituals" was the era when rituals were collapsing.
DiplomacyJi Ze Meeting
Jin Daogong met the princes in Jize, and Zhou King Ling sent Shan Qinggong to attend the meeting. Jin also sent people to Huaishang to greet the King of Wu, but the King of Wu did not arrive. After Jin Daogong came to the throne, he rectified the internal affairs and appointed talents, and Jin's hegemony was revitalized.
DiplomacyWei Jiang and Rong
Shanrong Wuchang sent an envoy to ask for peace. Jin Daogong originally wanted to attack, but Wei Jiang stated "the five benefits of peace with the Rong" and advocated exchanging goods for the land of Rong and Di. The northern part of Jin was stabilized and could focus on fighting against Chu for Zheng.
MilitaryThree drivers are tired and tired
The Jin State adopted Xun Feng's strategy and divided the army into three groups to dispatch in turns, forcing the Chu army to run exhausted to save Zheng. In 562 BC, Zheng Guo surrendered to the Jin State at the meeting of Xiao Yu. Jin Daogong rewarded Jiang with half of the musicians and musical instruments presented by Zheng Guo.
PoliticsThree-point office
Ji Wuzi of the Lu State expanded the three armies. Jisun, Shusun, and Mengsun each took charge of an army. They divided the military resources of the public office, and the power of Lu Jun was greatly weakened.
PeopleJi Zharangguo
When King Shoumeng of Wu passed away, he admired his youngest son Ji Zha the most and wanted to pass the throne to him, but Ji Zha refused. After his brother Zhufan succeeded to the throne, he gave up the throne, but Ji Zha still refused to accept it. Later, he was granted the title of Ji Zi in Yanling.
CultureShi Kuang Lunjun
Sun Linfu and Ning Shi of Wei State expelled Wei Duke Xian. Jin Daogong asked Shi Kuang, and Shi Kuang believed that "Heaven loves its people so much, how could it allow one person to act recklessly on the people and indulge in their sexual immorality." It is not surprising that a monarch was driven out due to his lack of morality.
PeopleJin Daogong passed away
Jin Daogong died in the fifteenth year of his reign, when he was only about twenty-nine years old, and his son Ping Gong succeeded to the throne. After that, the hegemony of the Jin Kingdom gradually turned to be dominated by the Six Ministers, and the official office became increasingly weak.
CultureConfucius was born
Confucius was born in Zouyi of the State of Lu (now southeast of Qufu, Shandong Province). His father, uncle Liang He, was a warrior of the State of Lu. He lost his father when he was young and was raised by his mother, Yan Zhengzai (some say Confucius was born in 552 BC).
SocietyTai Zijin Jian Xichuan
The Gu River and Luo River flooded each other and were about to destroy the palace. King Ling planned to build a dike to block the Valley River. Tai Zijin advised, believing that "Chuan is the guide of Qi" and advocated dredging rather than blocking, but King Ling refused to listen.
Lasting legacyTai Zijin is the legendary Immortal Prince Qiao in later generations. Most genealogies of Taiyuan Wang family and other Wang surnames regard him as the ancestor.
CultureThree Immortals
Sun Bao, the uncle of Lu State, went to Jin State as an envoy and discussed "immortality after death" with Fan Xuanzi. He proposed that "the supreme leader has to establish virtue, the second is to perform meritorious service, and the third is to establish words." He believes that this is the real immortality.
Lasting legacyThe theory of the "Three Immortals" of "establishing virtue, establishing merit, and establishing words" has been passed down to this day and is often quoted.
PoliticsCui Zhu Regicide
Cui Zhu, a powerful minister of the State of Qi, killed Duke Zhuang of Qi. Taishi's book "Cui Zhu killed his king", Cui Zhu killed Taishi, Taishi's two younger brothers were killed again, and the youngest brother still followed what was written, so Cui Zhu had to give up.
EconomyChu Shu Tu Tian
Yin Zimu, the commander of the State of Chu, ordered Chiangji to rectify the military tax, register acres and assess taxes according to different land types such as mountains and forests, swamps, highlands, plains, etc. This was known as "Shu Tu Tian" in history. It was a systematic inventory of land resources.
DiplomacyThe meeting of killing soldiers
The State of Song used mediation with Xu, and more than a dozen countries including Jin and Chu met in the Song Dynasty to make an alliance. It was agreed that the allies of Jin and Chu must meet each other. In the following decades, wars in the Central Plains decreased significantly.
Named Zhou, he was welcomed back from the capital at the age of fourteen and ascended the throne. He appointed Han Jue, Wei Jiang, Xun Feng and other virtuous ministers to harmonize the Rong, Lian Wu, and the Three Kingdoms who were tired of Chu, and revived the hegemony of the Jin state.
His posthumous title is Zhuangzi. Law enforcement does not avoid the powerful, and he once killed the charioteer of Jin Daogong's brother Yang Gan who disrupted the military formation. He proposed "Five Benefits of Harmony with the Rong" and advocated peaceful means to appease the Rong and Di.
Zi Qiao, known for his intelligence. He used "Chuan, the guide of Qi" to admonish King Ling to block the valley water and die early. Later generations passed it down as Immortal Prince Qiao.
Ziye is famous for his exquisite pronunciation. He often used discussions on music and politics to advise the king of Jin, and believed that it was natural for the king to be expelled if he failed in his morality, which reflected the early people-centered thinking.
The youngest son of King Wu Shoumeng resigned from the throne many times and was granted the title of Yanling. Known for his virtue and erudition, he later served as envoy to Lu, Qi, Zheng, Wei, Jin and other countries.
He supported Duke Zhuang of Qi, but later killed Duke Zhuang because of his affair with his wife, and appointed Duke Jin of Qi instead. Later, there was civil strife in the family, and he hanged himself in 546 BC.
He had friendship with Zhao Wu and Qu Jian, the rulers of Jin and Chu, and facilitated the annihilation of troops in 546 BC.