Since the Three Emperors and Five Emperors, the power struggle on the land of China has not been broken. In this process, the system of division and sealing came into being, which became a common political tool. Especially in the Western Zhou Dynasty, this system was developed and promoted as never before. However, many people are curious about the size of the vassal states divided into fiefdoms of the Western Zhou, especially the smallest vassal states. This article will demystify it for you.
1. The origin of the sealing system
At the end of the Shang Dynasty, the world was in chaos and the people were suffering. In order to stabilize the political situation, King Wu of Zhou implemented a system of division of fiefdoms, dividing land among clansmen, meritorious ministers, and ancestor nobles to consolidate the rule of the Zhou Dynasty. These conferred people were called princes, and they were obliged to support the King of Zhou as the common son of heaven, defend the territory for the King of Zhou, and fight with their followers.
2. The size of the princely states
The system of division and sealing during the Western Zhou Dynasty led to the rapid expansion of the territory of the Zhou Dynasty. According to historical records, in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, there were more than 800 princely states. These princely states ranged in size but generally enjoyed a certain degree of independence and autonomy. However, the size of the smallest vassal state is not explicitly mentioned in historical documents.
3. The smallest princely states
Although historical sources do not detail how small the smallest princely states were, we can infer from some circumstantial evidence. In the "Zuo Chuan", it is mentioned that the area of the Kingdom of Lu is a hundred li in radius. The State of Lu was considered to be one of the relatively large princely states at that time, and the area of other princely states was naturally smaller than that of the State of Lu. It follows from this that the smallest princely state may be only tens or a few miles in size.
Fourth, the differences between the princely states
Although these princely states were small in size, they had different political, economic and cultural characteristics. Due to geographical location, resource conditions and other factors, some princely states developed rapidly and became powerful countries at that time. Some remote and resource-poor princely states were gradually declining.
V. Conclusion
Although the division system of the Western Zhou Dynasty made the territory of the Zhou Dynasty expand rapidly, it also buried many hidden dangers. Among them, the differences and contradictions between the princely states are particularly prominent. This is also one of the reasons why the princes fought for hegemony and frequent wars during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.
Although the smallest princely states were very small, their political, economic and cultural influence on the time could not be ignored. Understanding these is of great significance for us to have a deeper understanding of the history of the Western Zhou Dynasty and even the entire Spring and Autumn Warring States Period.
However, the size of these princely states is only a moment in the long river of history. Over time, many vassal states gradually became stronger, surpassing the original fiefdom and becoming a hegemon. And the once smallest princely states, some were annexed, others gradually declined and fell silent.
In short, the exact size of the smallest of the 800 princely states divided by the Western Zhou Dynasty may be difficult to verify due to insufficient historical data. But through reasonable inferences and the use of circumstantial evidence, we can get a rough idea of the size and differences of these princely states. Hopefully, this article will pique your interest and curiosity about history, and let's continue to explore this ancient and mysterious period together.