Preface
In the distant Warring States Period, the Seven Heroes gathered together to show their ambitions to dominate the industry. However, in today's world, what kind of twists and turns has the fate of the former Warring States Seven Heroes experienced?
Some have been reduced to quiet towns, while others have risen to become cosmopolitans. This contrasting historical change highlights the vicissitudes of the times and the rhythm of the city's fate.
The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, where disputes were frequent
When Ji Chang and Jiang Shang were still standing side by side in front of Zhou Tianzi, surnamed Ji, to accept the separation, perhaps they didn't know that the country they founded would become the first overlord of the Central Plains in a few hundred years. At that time, they only obeyed the Zhou royal family and led their people to open up new lands.
In 771 BC, King You of Zhou was killed, and the following year King Ping of Zhou was forced to move his capital to Luoyi in the east, symbolizing the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty and the beginning of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. From then on, the status of the Zhou Dynasty gradually declined, and the vassal states that were divided into foreign countries began to compete for hegemony in the Central Plains, entering the period known as the "Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States" in later generations.
For more than 500 years, there were constant wars between large and small vassal states. The weak are swallowed up and perished, and the powerful grow themselves by expansion. In 453 BC, after the three powerful families of the Jin State carved up their own countries, the Central Plains formed the seven kingdoms of Qi, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Wei, and Han. Historians refer to this period as the "Warring States Period".
The Seven Kingdoms are standing together, and the soldiers are fighting each other. In the long battle, each prince is a tide maker standing on the watershed of history, and they all have the possibility of dominating the world and starting their own dynasty. And their national capital has also experienced too many vicissitudes in the past five hundred years
Xianyang, the capital of the Qin Dynasty: the hinterland of the towering Qinchuan River
On the Qinchuan Plateau in the remote west, there is a city that belongs to the land of Rongdi - Xianyang. In the hundred years before the Shang Dynasty reformed the law, the capital of the Qin State had been moved as many as eight times, without any carelessness. It was not until 350 BC that Qin Xiaogong finally settled here as his capital.
Xianyang is located in the hinterland of Qinchuan, surrounded by mountains and water, with excellent feng shui. The name "Xianyang" itself means the yang and beauty of this land. Because of this, at the beginning of the Qin and Han civilizations, Xianyang became an important town of the Central Plains civilization, and its influence was no less than that of Zhengzhou or Luoyang.
More than 2,000 years have passed, and Xianyang, the capital of Qin, still stands in the land of Guanzhong and has become the central city of Shaanxi Province. Time has passed, the mountains and rivers have not changed, but this ancient city has long been no longer as magnificent as it once was. Today's Xianyang is no longer the style of the Qin royal capital of the past, and only a piece of historical memory remains.
Daliang, the capital of the King of Wei: the first county of the Central Plains
Compared to Qin and Xian, which were isolated from the west, the Wei capital Liang was located in the rich Yellow River valley of the Central Plains. In the middle of the Warring States period, King Wei Hui decided to move the capital from Anyi to the east in order to seek the world. In 364 BC, the Great Liang was officially completed and became the new royal capital of Wei.
Daliang is located in the north of central Henan, which is one of the twelve states of the ancient Central Plains, and is also the richest place in the Central Plains. As the largest country in the Warring States Period, the Wei capital Daliang was culturally prosperous and commercially developed for a time, and was known as the "first county in Zhongzhou". Even after the Qin and Han dynasties, the prosperity of the Great Liang lasted for five hundred years.
Now in the Kaifeng area, the title of "big beam" no longer exists, and the prosperity of Weidu is no longer there. Only Xia County in Yuncheng still retains the name of Anyi, the old capital of Wei, reminding people of that history that has long been annihilated in the long river.
Qidu Linzi: Quartet guest service
In the east of the Shandong Peninsula, there is an ancient city founded in 1046 BC - Linzi, the capital of Qi. After more than 600 years, the Duke of Qi Huan developed Qi into the first power of the Warring States, making Linzi, the royal capital, famous in all directions.
By the middle of the Warring States period, the strength of Qi reached its peak, and its territorial scope almost unified the entire Shandong region. With Linzi as its capital, the state of Qi has a prosperous culture and a developed economy, not only dominating the east, but also sending envoys to the capital of Qi from time to time in the Central Plains. It can be described as a guest service.
Today's Linzi is only preserved in the name of a district and county in Zibo City, Shandong. Once upon a time, the richness and strength of Linzi, the capital of Qi, no longer existed. Instead, it is a modern urban construction, as well as the remembrance and inheritance of history and culture.
Yingcheng, the capital of Chu: Frequent migration
Compared with other countries, the capital of Chu moved particularly frequently, passing through Danyang, Yingdu, Yandu, Chendu and other places. Because of the Chu people's own nostalgia, they almost all regard these relocation places as their hometowns, collectively known as "Ying".
The history of this frequent migration continued until the end of the Warring States period. In 278 BC, the Qin army destroyed Chu, and King Chu Kaolie was forced to relocate the capital twice, only to start the battle of Qixia. The change of Yingdu became a landmark event in the fall of Chu and the rise of Qin.
Today's Yingdu has long been lost in the long river of history. In its place is the modern metropolis of Jingzhou, Hubei. In addition to the inheritance of the place name and location, there is no sign that it was once the capital of the king of Chu.
Handan, the capital of King Zhao: famous all over the world
Compared with other capitals with ups and downs, the history of Handan, the capital of Zhao, is more tenacious and long. As early as the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty, it was the domain of the Wei Kingdom, and it became an important town of the Jin Kingdom in the Spring and Autumn Period. Five hundred years ago, Handan was already a big city with a world reputation.
In 453 BC, the Zhao clan rose to power and gradually took control of Handan. By the middle of the Warring States period, Handan officially became the capital of the Zhao Dynasty. After eight generations of monarchs and 158 years, Zhao finally did not resist the Qin soldiers and was included in the territory of Qin. But even more than 1,000 years after the Qin and Han dynasties, the prosperous scene of Handan has never changed.
Today, Handan has long become the capital city of Hebei Province, and its economic strength and population have surpassed Xianyang, the capital of Qin in the west. Today, 2,000 years later, the former Zhao Du has radiated stronger vitality and vitality in the accumulation of time.
Han Du Xinzheng: Decline and Barrier
In contrast, South Korea, which is sandwiched between major powers, is not so lucky. Surrounded by enemies on three sides, South Korea was unable to expand its sphere of influence. After a brief period of prosperity, South Korea quickly weakened. In 230 BC, Korea also became the first victim of Qin's conquest.
Xinzheng is the location of the royal city after the relocation of the capital of Korea. Today's Xinzheng City is just an inconspicuous county-level city in Henan Province. Once upon a time, this land also had a strategic strategy and a decisive victory. Today's Xinzheng has become a tombstone for South Korea's hegemony.
epilogue
Finally, we came to the northeast, Jicheng, the capital of Yan Kingdom, which was once not valued by the Central Plains countries. King Wu of Zhou first sealed the Yan Kingdom here, but due to its remote location, the Yan Kingdom was in a weak position for a long time. It was not until the middle and late Warring States period that the rise of King Yan Zhao reached the first peak in the history of Yan and became an important force in the East.
However, the good times did not last long, and in 222 BC, the Qin State finally annexed Yandi. Yandu Jicheng withdrew from the stage of history. With the passage of time, today's Jicheng has become an international metropolis in China and even in the world - Beijing.
Yes, do we still remember those capitals in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period? Most of them have disappeared in the long river of history, and only the place names are left to offer some remembrance. And Beijing, which was once unknown, has finally become a world-class city. This is the magic and change of history. How can we foresee their future?