Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period The ups and downs of an era hide what a truth
Among the three emperors and five emperors in ancient times, Yao, Shun, and Yu stood one after another, and Xia, Shang, and Western Zhou took turns to appear, and the historical picture scroll slowly unfolded. However, this period was not always peaceful and stable, and turmoil occurred from time to time, especially during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
But what exactly is the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, and how are these two periods defined?
The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, from 770 BC to 221 BC, were a glorious period in Chinese history. It began with the establishment of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty in the first year of King Ping of Zhou, and ended with the unification of the Six Kingdoms by King Qin and the establishment of the Qin Dynasty.
Although the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States period were supposed to be closely connected in time, they were distinctly different in various fields such as politics, economy, and culture.
Spring and autumn"The name comes from Lu Guo's "Spring and Autumn". According to legend, this history book was written by Confucius, but it is not certain. Confucius lived in the Spring and Autumn Period, and he sorted out the historical events of the Spring and Autumn Period from the history books of the Lu State, providing us with valuable historical information. Therefore, the name of Spring and Autumn is inseparable from the contribution of Confucius.
Sengoku"The name originates from the "Warring States Policy" compiled by Liu Xiang of the Western Han Dynasty. Liu Xiang compiled an important historical document based on the remarks of lobbyists during this period and the records of current affairs in the Warring States period. Due to Liu Xiang's compilation and interpretation, this period was named the Warring States period and is still used today.
Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC).
Spring and autumn are named for their special background and historical significance. In ancient China, the Spring and Autumn Period was the time when princes made a pilgrimage to the royal family, and this custom also reflected the peculiarity of political activities during the Spring and Autumn period. At the same time, Spring and Autumn symbolized the cycle of the four seasons in ancient times, and this concept was often used in the compilation of historical books.
Spring and Autumn is a brief history book that mainly describes the important events that occurred in the four seasons. These events involved many aspects such as politics, military, economy, and culture, and provided valuable information for understanding the history of the Spring and Autumn Period.
Spring and Autumn has always been regarded as the work of Confucius. Confucius lived during the Spring and Autumn period and was very interested in history, so he chose the Spring and Autumn Period as the title of his work. However, some people believe that the Spring and Autumn Period is a joint work of the historians of the Lu State, because the history books of this period were often written by several historians.
The Spring and Autumn Period was an important stage in Chinese history and had distinctive characteristics of the times.
First of all, the Spring and Autumn Period was a period of great political change. During this period, the Zhou royal family gradually collapsed, and the vassal states began to rise and compete with each other for hegemony, and the political landscape underwent major changes. This period was also a period of great socio-economic change. With the increase in productivity and the spread of iron tools, new relations of production began to emerge and the social structure changed.
Secondly, the Spring and Autumn Period was also a period of great cultural prosperity. During this period, cultural phenomena such as the Hundred Schools of Thought appeared, which greatly promoted the development of thought, art, science and technology. In addition, the Spring and Autumn Period was also one of the sources of Chinese culture, which had a great impact on the cultural development of later generations.
In addition, wars were frequent during the Spring and Autumn period. Wars between major vassal states over territory and resources were not uncommon. These wars were not only large-scale, but also brutal and ruthless, causing great damage to the stability and development of society.
Sengoku period (15th-17th centuries) in Japan
Sengoku or abbreviated"Sengoku", refers to the 254 years from 475 BC to 221 BC, a period of great change after the Spring and Autumn Period. This was a period of great change after the Spring and Autumn Period, and later generations called it"Sengoku", because wars between vassal states were endless during this period.
This period was characterized by large-scale, brutal and fierce wars, with nations constantly fighting for survival and territorial expansion. The Warring States period was also a period of great changes in Chinese society, with the advent of iron and ox ploughs leading to a significant increase in productivity, changes in the land system, and a gradual imbalance in the economic power of various countries, eventually moving towards unification.
The Warring States Period was a period of great turmoil and great change in Chinese history. It was a period of great political, economic, and cultural change that laid the foundation for the unification of the Qin Dynasty.
The Warring States period was an important stage in Chinese history and had different cyclical characteristics.
First of all, the Warring States period was a time of political turmoil and change. Wars frequently broke out between major vassal states over territory and resources. It was also a time of major change in the political system. Countries are reforming and experimenting with new political and economic systems to meet the needs of social development.
Secondly, the Warring States period was also a period of great economic development. The spread of iron tools and ox-drawn plows led to a sharp increase in productivity and the development of new relations of production. At the same time, the ** and handicraft industries have also been vigorously developed, and the economic ties between countries have become closer.
In addition, the Warring States period was also an era of flourishing culture. During this period, there was a cultural phenomenon of hundreds of schools of thought contending, and many achievements were made in the fields of thought, art, science and technology. The Warring States period also saw great achievements in literature, art, and philosophy.
What is the difference between them?
The Autumn Period and the Warring States Period are two important periods in Chinese history, and there are many differences between the two.
The political and social forms were different: the Spring and Autumn Period was the formative period of China's feudal society, with frequent annexation wars between vassal states and numerous vassal states; The Warring States period was a mature period of Chinese feudal society, and it was a period of hegemony by the vassal states of Qin, Qi, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, Song, Lu, Wu, and Yue. There was a war of unification between these vassal states, and there was also a unification of ideology and culture. At that time, the social form was the county system, and the state had already been formed.
The bureaucracy differed in the selection of **: in the Spring and Autumn period, a hereditary system was practiced, and the positions of ** were usually inherited by clans. However, in the Warring States period, fiefdoms and official positions were no longer hereditary, but a system of military merit was introduced, and official positions were no longer monopolized by nobles, but were rewarded according to the level of military merit.
Academic thought is different, in the Spring and Autumn Period, the high level of education was mainly the aristocracy, and the phenomenon of academic downward flow had not yet appeared. During the Warring States Period, hundreds of schools of thought contended, and the high level of culture was no longer aristocrats, but scholars.
The economic system is different: in the Spring and Autumn Period, the economic system was still feudal land ownership; During the Warring States Period, with the development of productive forces and the widespread use of iron tools, the feudal land ownership system was gradually abolished, the land system was gradually abolished, and a new feudal economic system appeared.
Wars varied in form and scale: the Spring and Autumn period was smaller, simpler, and dominated by the aristocracy. On the other hand, the wars of the Warring States period were mainly people's wars, which were larger in scale and more brutal and fierce in form.
In short, the differences between the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period are mainly reflected in the political and social forms, the bureaucratic system and the system of electing officials, academic thought, economic system, and the mode and scale of warfare. These differences reflect the different stages and characteristics of socio-political development in the two periods.