What was the impact of the relocation of the capital to the Warring States period? Why let the rise of the Qin state go?
Although the policies of the two emperors and the three kings have changed and the law is different, the purpose of governing the country and leveling the world is the same as the one and the other, and the law of the two sons is also the same, and the law of force may not be the same, and the law of establishing the book cannot be different, so it is not easy to understand. "--Zeng Gong of the Northern Song Dynasty, "Preface to the Catalogue of Warring States Policy".
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the popularization of ox ploughing and iron tools greatly increased productivity, turning large tracts of uncultivated land into fertile land.
This newly acquired land was also gradually transformed from state-owned to private, leading to the discontinuation of public land cultivation and the disintegration of the economic basis of the original land tenure system – inherent state ownership (imperial rule) – which was one of the reasons for the collapse of slavery.
When the economic base changes, so does the superstructure.
Changes in the superstructure often do not allow for a smooth transition, because changes in the nature of society deprive specific interest groups of their natural rights, which complicate the process of change, but without these rights, it is impossible to survive, let alone be powerful.
Therefore, during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the monarchs representing the emerging landlord class launched reform movements one after another, and at the same time, the contradictions between the slave owners, the old aristocracy and the new landlord class were fully intensified, which is the so-called"There is chaos in change, and change is promoted in chaos"。
As far as the reforms of this period are concerned, the Shang Dynasty reform of the Qin state cannot be ignored, it laid the foundation for the rule of the Qin state, and even achieved the final unification of the elders; In terms of the scope of reforms, Qin's reforms were also the most comprehensive.
There are many factors that affect the success of legislative change, and internal factors are indispensable, but external factors cannot be ignored either.
This article will start with"Three Jin moved the capital"In this section, we analyze why the Qin State was able to easily change the law and complete the unification of the country.
So, what impact did the relocation of the capital to the Three Jin Dynasty have on the overall situation of the Warring States? They actually allowed the rise of the Qin state while they mourned on their own graves.
Three Jin moved the capitalAfter Han, Zhao, and Wei were divided into princes ("Zizhi Tongjian", in the twenty-third year of King Weilie of Zhou, Wei Si, Zhao Ji, and Han Qi were named princes), and the Korean capital Pingyang (now Linfen, Shanxi) became the capital of Zhao. King Weilie of Zhou named Wei Si, Zhao Ji, and Han Qi as princes, and the fief was the capital, so Pingyang (now Linfen, Shanxi) became the capital of Korea, Jinyang (now Taiyuan, Shanxi) became the capital of Zhao, and Anyi (now Xia County, Shanxi) became the capital of Wei, indicating that Han, Zhao, and Wei were called the Three Jins. ""Three Jin"The name also corresponds to its name.
However, after the fall of the Jin state, all three families made major moves to move their capitals: the Zhao state moved its capital to Handan (present-day Handan, Hebei) around 386 BC, the Korean capital was moved to Xinzheng (present-day Xinzheng, Henan) around 361 BC, and the Wei state moved its capital to Daoliang (present-day Kaifeng, Henan) around 361 BC. There are many theories about the relocation of the capital of Wei, and the author temporarily notes Yang Kuan's explanation of the "History of the Warring States". Yang Kuan's "History of the Warring States".
Many people believe that the three Jin moved south because of fear of the Qin state, but this is not the case, because the strength of the Qin state began with the Shang Dynasty rebellion in 356 BC and 350 BC. Therefore, when the Three Jin Dynasty moved their capitals, the threat of the Qin State to the Three Jin Dynasty had not yet reached the level of forcing the Three Jin Dynasty to move their capitals.
So, what is the purpose of moving the capital to Sanjin? In fact, it is to better compete for land and population in the hinterland of the Central Plains, because the relocation of the capital will shift the political, economic, cultural and military center of gravity of the entire country to the south, just like when you are fishing by the pond, you will unconsciously lean forward in order to better observe the fish in the pond.
The rise of the Qin state.
The Three Jin Dynasty became a barrier for the Qin State to go east. The Three Jin Dynasty moved their capitals, and the Qin State, which was closed off from the country, ushered in spring. The Three Jin Dynasty has always been in charge of the Central Plains and turned a blind eye to the quiet ascension of the Qin State, but when the Three Jin Dynasty had no fear and recognized the situation, it was too late, and the Qin State's changes had ended.
It can be said that the Three Jin Dynasty relaxed their control over the Qin State, and the Qin State had a stable ten years to concentrate on changing the law, which was also the external reason why the Qin State was able to completely change the law. If the Three Jin Dynasty did not change their strategic direction and strengthen the external forces of the Qin State during the Qin State Reform Period, the forces opposing the Qin State would have seized the opportunity to rebel and the Law would have been overthrown.
But historically, when Han, Zhao, and Wei vied with each other to shift the strategic center of gravity to the south, this was also doomed to be fruitless, because the Central Plains was a battleground for soldiers and the place where wars were most frequent, so although the three kingdoms of Han, Zhao, and Wei seemed advantageous at the time, they actually fell into the quagmire of war due to the relocation of their capitals, although they did not realize it.
The period of Qin's reform was a rare period of internal stability and continuous warfare in the Warring States Period, and of course it was also the most important period of Qin's national strength. After two Shang Dynasty reforms, the Qin State became an untouchable beast for the princes of Shandong. As the later Qin Prime Minister Li Si said in the "Book of Exhortations to the Guest":"Filial piety and martial piety to change customs with the Shanyang law, enrich the people and strengthen the country, the people use it, and the master kisses it. The people are happy to use it, and the princes are pro.
The end of the House of Lords.
After the Three Jin Dynasty, Wei was the first powerful vassal state in the early Warring States period. During this period, the Qin state was blockaded west of Hangu Pass and could not advance eastward. Later, Wu Hou's successor forcibly expelled Wu Qi from Wei, and Wu Qi followed Qin into the Xihe territory, and Wei could no longer stop the footsteps of Qin's soldiers in the process of Qin's eastward advance, and then Qin recaptured Wei's military garrison in the Xihe territory, which was the beginning of Wei's weakening and Qin's outward expansion.
When the three Jin Dynasty moved the capital, Qin's eastward road was more unstoppable, the three Jin Dynasty finally became fat and was slowly swallowed by Qin, from 230 BC Qin Wangzheng destroyed Korea, after ten years of attack, exterminated the six countries, unified China to carry the Tao, Qin Shi Huang was able to achieve such great achievements, the accumulation of the past dynasties must be indispensable, and the change of law is the basis of these accumulations.
Comparing the gradual strength of the Qin state to the construction of houses, the Shang Dynasty's transformation was the foundation of the house, and later generations gradually added bricks and tiles, until by the time of Qin Shi Huang, an impregnable fortress had been built.
The eventual demise of the Six Kingdoms in Shandong was actually expected when the Three Jin Dynasty moved south and allowed the Qin State to change the law and take power, because the Qin State gradually formed a more advanced feudal system, and the Qin State destroyed the Six Kingdoms in essence to change society, and at the same time, the more advanced feudal system gradually replaced the backward slavery process.
What was the impact of moving the capital to the Three Jin Dynasty on the situation in the Warring States? You may say that the capital is not an ordinary city, it is the lifeblood of the country, why would the mere move of the capital have such a profound impact on the rise of the Qin state, forcing the Qin state to suffocate on its own grave?
If the capital of the Three Jin Dynasty is protected when the Qin State advances eastward, it will be very difficult for the Qin State to expand outward, but once the capital of the Three Jin Dynasty is destroyed, the power of the armament will naturally drop by more than one grade, as evidenced by the fact that the Qin State easily defeated the former capital of the Wei State, Anyi.
from"Three Jin carry the capital"At the beginning, Qin analyzed why the Taiping and prosperous times could change and complete the great cause of unification, when the three Jin Dynasty in the south carried the capital, the princes' eyes were on the hinterland of the Central Plains, and the princes of Shandong were several cities, and when the princes in the pool fought each other, Qin made a secret change, but watched cold-blooded when all the princes got together, Qin one after another! Just when these princes were about to finish, the Qin State gave them a fatal blow one after another.
Although the reform has achieved certain results, it cannot be completely reformed after all, and the fundamental reason is the lack of a stable external environment to provide support, so it can also be said that the unification of the Qin State is an inevitable event of the comprehensive effect of factors such as the right time, place and people.
What are your thoughts on this?