The number of states was greatly reduced
by the numerous wars. By the time of the Warring States Period (475 - 221 BC), only
seven vassal states were absorbed by Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei and Qin. These
seven ststes were called the Seven Powers of the Warring States Period.
In the early Warring States Period, Han, Zhao and Wei formed and alliance, and defeated
Qi, Qin and Chu, separatly. Later the alliance broke up, while Qi and Qin gradually
gained in strength.
In the mid-Warring States Period, Wei army attacked Zhao. Zhao asked the States
of Qi for help. Seeing that the picked troops of Wei were in the State of Zhao and
there was no army force inside Wei, the great military strategist Sun Bin led Qi
army against Wei capital. Alarmed at the threat to their own lightly-defended state,
Wei troops, who had already occupied Zhao capital, withdrew, and Zhao was saved.
On their way back to Wei, Wei forces were ambushed by Qi army, and were crushingly
defeated. This was a famous battle in Chinese history, and gave rise to the saying
"Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao".
Eleven years later, Wei lauched an attack against the State of Han. Qi army, again
under the command of Sun Bin, took the stragy of besieging Wei to save Han. Qi army
pretended to retreat. On the first day, they left behind enough camp fire sites
to cook food for 100,000 soldiers, the second day enough for 50,000 soldiers, and
third day only enough for 30,000 soldiers. Wei commander speculated that the Qi
soldiers were deserting in great numbers. He chose an elite troop to chase Qi army
to Maling (today's Henan province). When the Wei forces caught up with what they
thought was a small force of Qi army, they were ambushed and defeated by the full
strength of Qi troops. This is the famous War of Maling. After these two victories,
Qi later replaced Wei as the hegemon of Central Plains.
In the late Warring States Period, Qin became stronger and stronger. The other six
states allied against the growing power in the west, but Qin cleverly sowed discord
among them, and they could never form a united front against it. Qin vanquished
the other states one by one, abolished Zhou's ruling, and united China under Qin
Dynasty.
Reference data
Shang Yang Erects Wood Pillar at the Southern Gate
In 356 BC, in order to make Qin stronger and powerful, Duke Xiao of Qin appointed
Shang Yang to initiate new policies. Shang Yang drafted a new reform plan, but he
was afraid that people would not accept him and the plan. He had a long wood pillar
placed near the sourthern gate of the capital of Qin, and announced that he would
give 10 pieces of gold to anyone who carried the log to the northern gate. A lot
of people just took up the offer as a joke. When nobody took up the log, Shang Yang
raised the reward to 50 pieces of gold. Finally a man shouldered the log, and carried
it to the northern gate. Shang Yang was as good as his word, and handed over 50
gold pieces to the man. This made a great stir in the whole state. And in this was,
Shang Yang built up his prestige in people's minds which contributed much to the
final success of his reforms. As a result of his successful efforts, the reforms
made Qin the most powerful state in the late Warring States Period.
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