Marquess Lie of Zhao (died 400 BCE), personal name Zhao Ji, was the founding marquess of the Zhao state during the Warring States period of China. His father was Count Xian (later posthumously promoted to Marquess Xian).
During his reign, Marquess Lie employed righteous government officials, including Gong Zhonglian (公仲連), Niu Xu (牛畜), Xun Xin (荀欣) and Xu Yue (徐越), whilst he followed the virtuous "Way of the King" (王道).
When cavalry from the Zhongshan state attacked Zhao, Marquess Lie allied himself with Marquess Wen of Wei to attack Zhongshan. Thereafter, he moved the Zhao capital to Handan.
Marquess Lie died in 400 BCE. Since his son Zhao Zhang was underaged at the time, Marquess Lie's younger brother, Duke Wu of Zhao (趙武公), succeeded him as ruler.
The Warring States period was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, bureaucratic and military reform, and political consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded with the wars of conquest that saw the state of Qin annex all the other contender states by 221 BC and found the Qin dynasty, the first imperial dynasty in Chinese history.
Wang Mang, courtesy name Jujun, officially known as the Shijianguo Emperor (始建國天帝), was the founder and the only emperor of the short-lived Chinese Xin dynasty. He was originally an official and consort kin of the Han dynasty and later seized the throne in 9 CE. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow, and his rule marked the separation between the Western Han dynasty and Eastern Han dynasty. Traditional Chinese historiography viewed Wang as a tyrant and usurper, while more recently, some historians have portrayed him as a visionary and selfless social reformer. During his reign, he abolished slavery and initiated a land redistribution program. Though a learned Confucian scholar who sought to implement the harmonious society he saw in the Chinese classics, his efforts ended in chaos.
Wei was one of the seven major states during the Warring States period of ancient China. It was created from the three-way Partition of Jin, together with Han and Zhao. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern-day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi, and Shandong. After its capital was moved from Anyi to Daliang during the reign of King Hui, Wei was also called Liang.
Emperor Xuan of Han, born Liu Bingyi (劉病已), was the tenth emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 74 to 48 BC, and was one of the only four Western Han emperors to receive a temple name. During his reign, the Han dynasty prospered economically and militarily became a regional superpower, and was considered by many to be the peak period of the entire Han history. His time of rule, along with his predecessor Emperor Zhao's are known by historians as Zhaoxuan Restoration (昭宣中興). He was succeeded by his son Emperor Yuan after his death in 48 BC.
Jin, originally known as Tang (唐), was a major state during the middle part of the Zhou dynasty, based near the centre of what was then China, on the lands attributed to the legendary Xia dynasty: the southern part of modern Shanxi. Although it grew in power during the Spring and Autumn period, its aristocratic structure saw it break apart when the duke lost power to his nobles. In 403BC, the Zhou court recognized Jin's three successor states: Han, Zhao, and Wei. The Partition of Jin marks the end of the Spring and Autumn period and the beginning of the Warring States period.
King Wuling of Zhao reigned in the State of Zhao during the Warring States period of Chinese history. His reign was famous for one important event: the reforms consisting of "Wearing the Hu (styled) Attire and Shooting from Horseback " He was credited for the implementation of protective outfit during military events and proceedings.
Huo Guang, courtesy name Zimeng (子孟), was a Chinese military general and politician who served as the dominant state official of the Western Han dynasty from 87 BCE until his death in April 68 BCE. The younger half-brother of the renowned general Huo Qubing, Huo was a palace aide to Emperor Wu and secured power in his own right at the emperor's death, when he became principal co-regent for Emperor Zhao. Huo outmaneuvered his colleagues in the regency and assumed personal control over state affairs, consolidating his power by installing family members and other loyalists in key offices. Following Emperor Zhao's death in June 74 BCE, Huo engineered the succession and deposition of Liu He within a mere 27 days. Huo next facilitated the accession of Emperor Xuan and retained control of the Han government until his death.
Wang Zhengjun, officially Empress Xiaoyuan (孝元皇后), later and more commonly known as Grand Empress Dowager Wang, born in Yuancheng, was an empress during the Western Han dynasty of China, who played important roles during the reigns of five successive Han emperors and later led to the usurpation of the throne by her nephew Wang Mang. She is largely viewed sympathetically by historians as an unassuming and benevolent if overly doting woman who suffered much in her long life, who tried to influence the empire as well as she could, and tried to use her power for the benefit of the empire, and who was not a party to her nephew's machinations, but whose failure, leading to the downfall of the Western Han Dynasty, was her overdependence on her clan.
Dong Zhao, courtesy name Gongren, was an official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He previously served under the warlords Yuan Shao, Zhang Yang and Cao Cao consecutively during the late Eastern Han dynasty.
King Zhaoxiang of Qin, also abbreviated as King Zhao of Qin (秦昭王), born Ying Ji (嬴稷), was the king of the Qin state from 306 BC to 251 BC. He was the son of King Huiwen and younger brother of King Wu.
Marquess Wen of Wei was the first Marquess to rule the State of Wei during the Warring States period of Chinese history. Born Wei Si (魏斯), he belonged to the House of Wei, one of the noble houses that dominated Jin politics in the 5th and 6th centuries BC.
Marquess Jing of Han, ancestral name Jì (姬), clan name Hán (韩), personal name Qían (虔), was the ruler of the State of Han between 408 BC until his death in 400 BC. Marquess Jing was the son of Wuzi of Han. It was during his rule that the State of Han became a recognized state. In the first year of his reign, he attacked the State of Zheng and took over Yongqiu in today's Qi County, Henan. The next year, his army lost to Zheng at Fushu in today's Dengfeng, Henan. In 403 BC, Marquess Jing, along with Marquess Wen of Wei and Marquess Lie of Zhao partitioned the powerful Jin state into the Han, Wei, and Zhao states marking the beginning of the Warring States Period and Han as an independent polity. King Weilie of Zhou was forced to elevate Jing's title from viscount to marquess. Marquess Jing then moved the capital of Han from Pingyang to Yangzhai. In 400 BC, the capital Yangzhai was subject to a siege by the Zheng army. Marquess Jing died later that year and was succeeded by his son Marquess Lie of Han.
The State of Shen was a Chinese vassal state during the Zhou dynasty ruled by the Jiāng family (姜) as an earldom. At the beginning of the Spring and Autumn period the State of Shen was annexed by the State of Chu and became one of its counties.
Marquess Jing of Zhao, personal name Zhao Zhang, was a ruler of the Zhao state. He was the son of Marquess Lie of Zhao, the founding monarch of the state. Marquess Jing's uncle, Duke Wu of Zhao (趙武公), ruled as Zhao's ruler until Marquess Jing was of age.
Duke Chu of Jin was from 474 to 452 BC the ruler of the State of Jin, a major power during the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China. His ancestral name was Ji, given name Zao, and Duke Chu was his posthumous title. He succeeded his father, Duke Ding of Jin, who died in 475 BC. He was in effect the last ruler of Jin, as at the end of his reign Jin would be partitioned into the new states of Han, Zhao, and Wei, although the title of the Duke of Jin would still exist in name only for several more generations.
Duke You of Jin was from 433 to 416 BC the titular ruler of the State of Jin during the transition period from the Spring and Autumn period to the Warring States period of ancient China. His ancestral name was Ji, given name Liu, and Duke You was his posthumous title. He succeeded his father, Duke Jing of Jin, who died in 434 BC.
Duke Lie of Jin was from 415 to 389 BC the titular ruler of the State of Jin during the beginning of the Warring States period of ancient China. His ancestral name was Ji, given name Zhi, and Duke Lie was his posthumous title. After his father Duke You of Jin died in 416 BC, Marquess Wen of Wei installed Duke Lie on the throne.
Duke Xian of Qin, personal name Ying Shixi or Ying Lian, was a duke of the Qin state. He reigned from 384 to 362 BC.
Marquess Su of Zhao reigned in the State of Zhao during the early Warring States period of Chinese history.
Zhao Wuxu, also known by the posthumous name Xiangzi (襄子), was the head of the house of Zhao in the Jin state in late Spring and Autumn period.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
