Preface
In Chinese history, Zhou Tianzi, as a symbol of a historical period, carries the dreams and expectations of countless ancients. However, as time passed, the glory of the Western Zhou gradually faded, and the future of the Eastern Zhou became bleak.
In this situation, the Zhou Tianzi were faced with an unprecedented dilemma: the Western Zhou Dynasty, which could not be returned, meant irretrievable decline and decadence, and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, whose future was uncertain, was even more helpless, and they did not know what to do.
Faced with this situation, Zhou Tianzi had no choice but to resolutely survive and try his best to maintain the situation of domination. Today, let's talk about the rise and fall of the Zhou Dynasty, and see how this once powerful dynasty fell from the peak and finally came to an end?
1. Changes in the Shang and Zhou dynasties: the contest between civilization and barbarism
In the 11th century B.C., a revolution occurred that shook the Central Plains. A nomadic tribe from the Qinling Mountains of Shaanxi Province, with their powerful military power, destroyed the Shang Dynasty, the most powerful ancient civilization at that time. This Shang and Zhou Revolution was a contest between civilization and barbarism.
The capital of the Shang Dynasty, Zhengzhou Mall and Anyang Yinxu, are by no means comparable to later generations. They were the most developed metropolises in the Central Plains at that time, representing the pinnacle of material civilization in the Shang Dynasty. Merchants established a well-established administrative system, developed advanced metallurgical technology, and even created a unique writing system in these cities.
It can be said that the Shang Dynasty was far ahead of the Zhou people in terms of urbanization, craft manufacturing, and writing inheritance. However, in such a highly civilized country, there is a heinous sacrificial activity - human sacrifice. The merchants' worldview held that the Mandate of Heaven had come to them as a people, and that they were the chosen people of heaven.
In order to curry favor with the heavens, the merchants did not hesitate to kill innocent civilians on a large scale and water the altar with blood. In their eyes, except for businessmen, no one else counts as a person. This cruel practice is a great violation of human nature.
In contrast, the Zhou people have a completely new idea. They believed that the Mandate of Heaven did not come to a particular people, but to a virtuous monarch. As long as you surrender to Zhou Tianzi, no matter what race or status, you will be favored by God. This kind of inclusive thinking is undoubtedly a complete subversion of the narrow concept of "my race first" of businessmen.
Based on this idea, the Zhou people implemented a system of feudalism, dividing land among relatives and meritorious officials, thus consolidating their rule. This system was undoubtedly a complete revolution at that time, which broke the narrow thinking of the merchants of "our race is supreme" and expanded the territory of rule from the Central Plains to all parts of the country. This open and inclusive concept of the Zhou people laid a solid foundation for Chinese culture in later generations.
2. The four major dilemmas of the Western Zhou Dynasty
However, just as the Zhou people ushered in a new era, they also faced unprecedented challenges. As a new dynasty, the Western Zhou first had to deal with four major threats:
The first is the Lynx people in the northwestern frontier. These nomads constantly harassed the borders of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and they used military force to grab wealth, posing a huge security risk to Zhou Tianzi. Zhou Tianzi had to devote a lot of resources to deal with these fierce aliens, which undoubtedly increased the financial burden on the royal family.
This is followed by the state of Chu in the south. The state of Chu was once loyal to Zhou Tianzi, but now it has shaken off its subordinate relationship and is self-reliant. This powerful southern kingdom not only posed a threat to the Zhou dynasty militarily, but also culturally differed greatly from the Zhou people. Zhou Tianzi had to find a way to deal with the rise of the Chu state before it further encroached on the Zhou dynasty's domination.
Again, the vassal states of the east. These vassal states grew stronger, and they no longer adhered to Zhou etiquette as they once did, and became more and more dismissive of Zhou Tianzi's authority. These vassal states often colluded with each other and even openly challenged the Zhou dynasty's dominance. Zhou Tianzi had to find a way to intimidate these eastern princes in order to maintain his rule.
In the end, even the princes of Wangji around Zhou Tianzi began to move. These nobles, who were originally loyal to the Zhou Dynasty, have now begun to have their own selfish intentions and are always ready to seize power. They were dissatisfied with Zhou Tianzi's rampant conquest, and even united to drive King Zhou Li out. This was an unprecedented event, and no one had ever dared to challenge Zhou Tianzi's authority so blatantly.
Faced with this embattled situation, the rulers of the Western Zhou Dynasty began a struggle to the death. In order to concentrate resources to deal with external troubles, they had to carry out wanton expropriation against the princes of Wangji, which exacerbated internal contradictions.
It can be said that the four major dilemmas faced by the Western Zhou Dynasty are all fatal. Whether it was the Qiang from the frontier, the Chu state in the south, or the vassal states in the east, or the princes of Wangji in the interior, they all brought great pressure to the rule of the Zhou Dynasty.
The Zhou Tianzi had to make trade-offs with limited resources in an attempt to sustain the crumbling dynasty. However, in the end, they still found it difficult to cope with the attack of these four major dilemmas, and the Western Zhou Dynasty went to ruin.
3. The tyrannical rule of King Zhou Li
Faced with this embattled situation, the rulers of the Western Zhou Dynasty began a struggle to the death. Among them, King Zhou Li is undoubtedly the most tyrannical.
At the beginning of King Zhou Li's succession, he faced a grim situation. The Lynx people continued to harass the border, the state of Chu was eyeing the enemy, and the eastern princes were becoming more and more powerful. In order to concentrate resources to deal with external troubles, King Zhou Li had to carry out a rampant conquest of the princes of Wangji.
This tyrant did not care about the feelings of the princes of Wangji, and he ruthlessly exploited them. Some princes were forced to hand over large sums of wealth, while others were forced to send their sons as hostages. The tyrannical rule of King Zhou Li aroused strong dissatisfaction among the princes of Wangji.
These princes were already dissatisfied with Zhou Tianzi's authority, and now that they were treated so harshly, they were naturally even more angry. They began to unite and prepare for a life-and-death contest with King Zhou Li.
Eventually, in a fierce confrontation, the princes of Wangji united and drove King Zhou Li out of the royal capital. This was an unprecedented event, and no one had ever dared to challenge Zhou Tianzi's authority so blatantly. This event marked the beginning of the decline of the Western Zhou Dynasty.
The tyrannical rule of King Li of Zhou not only triggered a revolt by the princes of Wangji, but also further shook the ruling foundation of the Zhou Dynasty. As an emerging dynasty, the sub-feudal system that the Zhou people had just established is now also facing a severe test.
What King Zhou Li did was a departure from the feudal system. He disregarded the interests of the princes and wantonly exploited them, which undoubtedly undermined the foundation on which the Zhou people established their rule. The core of the feudal system was to maintain the common interests between Zhou Tianzi and the princes, but the tyrannical behavior of King Zhou Li brought this community of interests to the brink of collapse.
It can be said that the tyrannical rule of King Li of Zhou not only triggered the intensification of internal contradictions, but also exacerbated the four major dilemmas faced by the Zhou Dynasty. What he did was undoubtedly a betrayal of the revolutionary ideas of the Zhou people, and it would inevitably lead to the final fall of the Western Zhou Dynasty.
Fourth, the tragic fate of King Zhou You
Next, let's take a look at the story of King Zhou You. This incompetent monarch was bewitched by a beautiful woman named Bao Xi. He pampered Bao Xi and subverted the traditional values of the Zhou people, causing the princes of Wangji to unite again and invite the Lynx people to participate.
What King Zhou Youwang did was a complete betrayal of the revolutionary ideas of the Zhou people. In the eyes of the Zhou people, the Mandate of Heaven came to a virtuous monarch, not to a certain beauty. King Zhou You, however, reduced himself to a puppet manipulated by beauties, which is a great offense to the values of the Zhou people.
Naturally, the princes of Wangji would not tolerate this happening. They joined forces again and prepared to fight to the death with King Zhou You. This time, they also invited the Lynx to participate. These fierce nomads were naturally happy to take the opportunity to disrupt the rule of the Zhou Dynasty.
In the end, with the help of the Qiang, the princes of Wangji killed the king of Zhou You and captured the king of Zhou. What a sad end this was! A once powerful dynasty was thus destroyed by internal and external troubles.
The tragic fate of King You of Zhou once again proved the importance of the revolutionary ideas of the Zhou people. Only by adhering to this philosophy could the Zhou dynasty maintain the legitimacy of its rule. And the betrayal of King Zhou You is a betrayal of this concept.
It can be said that what King Zhou You did not only triggered the rebellion of the princes of Wangji, but also led to the lynx people taking advantage of the situation. This incompetent monarch eventually buried the entire Western Zhou Dynasty. His tragic end was the greatest betrayal of the revolutionary ideas of the Zhou people.
Fifth, the Eastern Zhou Dynasty lingered
After this catastrophe, King Zhou Ping was forced to move eastward, with his capital at Luoyang. Since then, the glory of the Western Zhou Dynasty has never returned, and it has been replaced by the remnants of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.
As a regime in exile, the Zhou Tianzi of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty had no choice but to curry favor with each other:
Bow to Zheng Guo in the east, because Zheng Guo had helped them move east. Zheng Guo, as a prince of Jinai, played a key role in the eastward migration of King Zhou Ping. In order to thank Zheng Guo for his help, Zhou Tianzi of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty had to give him a certain degree of preferential treatment, and even recognized him as "Uncle Hou".
Grovel to the state of Chu in the south and pray that the state of Chu will not expand further. As a powerful southern kingdom, the state of Chu has always posed a threat to the Zhou dynasty. Zhou Tianzi of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty could only flatter the state of Chu, hoping that in exchange for not attacking again.
Woo the Qin state in the west, hoping that the Qin people would help them retake Guanzhong. The fall of the Western Zhou Dynasty caused the Zhou Dynasty to lose its birthplace and core area. Zhou Tianzi of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty could only pin his hopes on the Qin State, hoping to recapture Guanzhong with the help of the Qin people's strength.
Bow down to the Jin state in the north in exchange for the support of the Jin state. The Jin state, as a powerful vassal state, has always posed a threat to the Zhou dynasty. Zhou Tianzi of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty could only submit to the Jin state and recognize him as "Hou Bo" in exchange for the support of the Jin state. However, despite the best efforts of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, it was still unable to regain the glory of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Five hundred years later, this once powerful dynasty has finally come to an end.
The reason why the Zhou Tianzi of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty had to curry favor with the Quartet so humbly was rooted in the four major dilemmas left over from the Western Zhou Dynasty. The Qiangren, the Chu State, the Eastern Princes, and the Wangji Princes, these problems still existed in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, and they were even more severe.
After King Zhou Ping moved eastward, these problems were not fundamentally solved. Instead, they become more tricky. The rebellion of the eastern princes became more rampant, the expansion of the Chu state became more rampant, and the ambitions of the Qin state also swelled day by day. And the internal princes of Wangji constantly challenged the authority of Zhou Tianzi.
It can be said that the Zhou Tianzi of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty had to disperse their limited resources in all directions in order to maintain this crumbling dynasty. They had no choice but to curry favor and survive. In the end, under the attack of internal and external troubles, the Eastern Zhou Dynasty still went to an end.
epilogue
From the Western Zhou Dynasty to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, from strength to decline, the history of the rise and fall of the Zhou Dynasty once again proves a cruel truth: no dynasty, any empire, can escape the fate of being replaced and subverted. The continuation of the foundation depends on whether the ruler has the foresight and ability to keep pace with the times.
In short, the history of the rise and fall of the Zhou Dynasty warns us that any country and any nation can only avoid being crushed by the wheel of history if it keeps pace with the times and continues to innovate. Let's look forward to a more civilized, more open, and more inclusive new era.