In the early Spring and Autumn Period
(770 - 476 BC), Zhou Kingdom was divided into over 100 vassal states, all squabbling
over land and population. Strong states annexed weak ones and contended for hegemony
over all the others. During this period, Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Xiang of Song, Duke
Wen of Jin, Duke Mu of Qin and King Zhuang of Chu became the hegemons in succession,
and were called Five Powers of the Spring and Autumn Period. Some historians rank
the five powers as Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Wen of Jin, King Zhuang of Chu, King Helu
of Wu and King Goujian of Yue.
Qi was a rich state in the eastern part of China. With the aid of the able stateman
Guan Zhong, Duke Huan of Qi carried out a series of political and economic reforms,
which helped the state to flourish and greatly enhanced its militaty power. Duke
Huan defeated ethnic tribes such as Shanrong, and led armies of Qi, Lu and Song
to suppress the State of Chu in the Central Plains. All of this gave Duke Huan convened
a meeting of the rulers of all the states, at which envoys from Heavenly son of
Zhou were present. A treaty of alliance was concluded, and the period of Qi hegemony
commenced.
Following Duke Huan of Qi, Duke Xiang of Song tried to take his place but failed
in the end. Duke Wen of Jin made his state a big power in the north and the State
of Chu also had ambitions to be a hegemon. In 632 BC, the State of Jin defeated
the State of Chu to rule the rest in Central Plains. However, the fight for hegemony
went on between the two states for 100 years, until King Zhuang of Chu smashed Jin
army and made himself the hegemon. In the meantime, Duke Mu of Qin was expanding
his territory to the west after the failure of expansion to the east, and made himself
a hegemon.
The States of Wu and Yue were both located in the lower reaches of Yangtze River.
They were not large, but they joined the war for hegemony. When the states of Chu
and Jin made war for hegemony, the State of Wu captured the capital of the State
of Chu with the support of Jin. Later, the two countries conducted several wars,
each having its own victories. In 494 BC, the King of Wu defeated the King of Yue,
the State of Yue came under the state of Wu's domination. After 10 years of painstaking
preparation, King Goujian of Yue finally destroyed the State of Wu. Later, he led
his soldiers to the north and he became the last hegemon of the Spring and Autumn
Period.
During this period in Greece, city-states appeared. The essential difference between
the city-states and the states in the Spring and Autumn Period is that politics
were more fully development in the former one, with a gradual decline of monarchial
power. The overwhelming majority of city-states abandoned the monarchy and implemented
direct rule by people, and limited the power of aristocracy. Some city-states even
overthrew aristocratic rule and founded the most developed democracy of the ancient
world.
Reference data
King Goujian of Yue Underwent Self-imposed Hardships to Wipe out a National Humiliation
In 494 BC, defeated by the King of Wu, Goujian was forced to make a humiliating
surrender to the King of Wu by relegating himself to became a servant. After two
years's extreme servility, Goujian was finally released to his homeland. Determined
to avenge himself, he removed the mat of his bed and rest on the rough brushwood.
Each time before eating his meal, he must have a taste of the gall bladder, and
remind himself of his past by keeping asking the question "Would you ever forget
the shame of Kuaiji?" he never forgot the suffering of the state for a moment. He
led Yue people to work hard so as to make their state stronger. Finally he overthrew
Wu, and accomplished his ambition to revenge. Latter, people often use the phrase
"sleep on brushwood and tast gall" (undergo self-imposed hardship) to express one's
determination to make progress in the future in order to get all his suffering rewarded.
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