Introduction: Geopolitical analysis of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States, the State of Yan lived alone in the north, the State of Wei and the State of Qin, the State of Korea, and the State of Zhao were strong enemies on all sides and survived with strength.
In the previous article, the author analyzed in detail the geopolitical characteristics of the Qin, Chu, and Qi states, and this article continues to analyze the geopolitical situation of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States of Yan, the State of Wei, the State of Zhao, and the Republic of Korea:
The Yan kingdom has long existed alone in the north
The territorial territory included today's northern Hebei, southwestern Liaoning, northeastern Shanxi and other regions, with Donghu and Linhu in the north, Zhongshan and Zhao in the west, and bohai in the south and bordering the State of Qi. Due to the long distance from other princely states, the Yan state was in a relatively stable environment for a long time in the early Warring States period, which enabled political, military, and economic development, and with the growth of strength, the ruling area gradually expanded to the surrounding areas.
The geographical environment of the State of Yan, due to its distance from the Great Powers of the Central Plains such as the State of Qin and the State of Chu, there was little military interaction, but it was often invaded by the State of Qi and the State of Zhao, and the Northern Yan State bordered the Xiongnu and Eastern Hu, and faced with the cavalry pressure of the nomadic people, the geostrategic environment was much more inferior than that of the State of Qi. When infighting broke out in the court of the State of Yan, the State of Qi took the opportunity to intervene and almost let the State of Yan fall; later, the State of Yan and the State of Qi, the State of Yan and the State of Zhao attacked each other for revenge, which greatly depleted the national strength of the State of Yan. Although the State of Yan was far away from the State of Qin, and the State of Qin also adopted the strategy of "long-distance friendship and close attack" to win it over, it still did not get rid of the fate of being destroyed by the State of Qin in the end.
The Kingdoms of Wei, Zhao, and Korea are strong enemies on all four sides of the Central Plains.
The State of Wei was located in the hinterland of the Central Plains, surrounded by powerful countries such as the State of Qin, the State of Zhao, and the State of Qi, and was staggered with these countries, and its territory was relatively scattered, and the geostrategic environment was very unfavorable.
The Warring States Policy records that the State of Wei "landed in four flats, princes in four directions, nameless mountains and rivers blocked, Ma Chi people tended to liang, south and Chu, west and Han, north and Zhao, east and Qi, Qi and Sifang, Wei's land, and the battlefield of Gu also." ”
The State of Wei did not have famous mountains and rivers and other mountains and rivers, the realm was flat, the traffic was accessible in all directions, there was no strategic depth, it was very close to the important towns of neighboring countries, people were galloping on horseback, and they had already arrived at Liangcheng before they were tired, and the Wei State was surrounded by imperial heavy troops, and its terrain had been a battlefield since ancient times. What is even more unfavorable is that there are small states such as Zheng Guo and Wei Guo around the State of Wei, and the State of Wei is often affected by these small countries.
Throughout the Warring States period, the situation in the State of Wei did not subside for a day, and the surrounding countries were in a state of war. When the State of Wei was strong, it had won some victories in the joint use of troops with the Three Jins; when the Three Jins Alliance collapsed because of the problem of interests, the State of Wei was often bullied by other countries, and its national strength was not in decline, although the State of Wei benefited from the strategy of combining vertical and horizontal lines and going to Qin and Chu, but due to the extremely harsh geographical environment, it eventually did not get rid of the fate of being cannibalized by the surrounding powers.
South Korea's territory is small, the geostrategic environment is the most unfavorable, it is sandwiched between the three major powers such as the State of Wei, the State of Qin, and the State of Chu, there is no danger or barrier of mountains and rivers, there is no relevant pass to defend, often it is the object of mergers and acquisitions of these great powers; South Korea has gained some land in foreign wars during the three Jins union, and when the Three Jins disintegrated because of the problem of interests, the territory of South Korea was constantly eroded by the surrounding powers, especially after the Battle of Yique, the Han and Wei coalition forces were defeated, and South Korea lost a large amount of territory, and has since been in a slump. Since then, it has always been in the cracks between the great powers, surviving, and the geopolitical disadvantages have made Korea the first to be annihilated by the Qin state.
The geostrategic environment of the Zhao state was even more inferior than that of Korea, with the most powerful Qin state in the west, the Korean, Wei, and Wei states in the south, the eastern hegemonic Qi state in the east, and the warlike Yan state, zhongshan state and some nomadic tribes in the north.
According to the "Chronicle of History", King Wuling of Zhao said, "Zhongshan is in my heart, there is Yan in the north, Lin Hu, Lou Fu, Qin, Korea, and Hu in the east, and there is no rescue from strong soldiers."
It can be seen from this that the Zhao state has many neighboring countries, but also are powerful countries, after the collapse of the Three Jin Alliance, the Zhao state was constantly invaded by the State of Wei and the State of Qin, and the national strength gradually weakened, when the King of Zhao Wuling carried out the reform of Hufu riding and shooting, the State of Zhao attacked Zhongshan, occupied Hudi and other eastern regions, and gradually increased its military strength, and once could compete with the State of Qin.
However, the biggest threat facing the Zhao state was the Western Qin State and the southern Chu State, Wei State and other Central Plains states, but the Zhao State did not take advantage of the Qin State and the Central Plains countries during the mutual conquest war, looking for opportunities to weaken the opponent, but instead pointed the spearhead at the Eastern Qi State; although the Zhao State participated in the Five-Nation Alliance and won the victory, the Zhao State did not get substantial benefits, and its geographical environment deteriorated even more, and what is even more regrettable is that when the Zhao State and the State of Qi and the State of Qin became the three powers, the State of Zhao did not take advantage of the strategic triangular relationship. When the State of Qi fell, the State of Zhao had to face the State of Qin alone, and finally suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Changping.
References: Warring States Policy, History, etc.