Western Zhou strategist --- Ji Fa

Ji Fa was the King of Zhou Wu and the second son of Ji Chang the King of Zhou. Inheriting his father's legacy, he destroyed the Yin Shang Dynasty in the 11th century BC, seized national power, established the Western Zhou Dynasty, showed outstanding military and political talents, and became a famous monarch in Chinese history.

Zhou Was originally a small vassal state of the Shang Dynasty in Western China. King Wen Jichang reigned for 50 years, implemented many correct policies, and gradually strengthened the country's strength, and at the time of his death, the world had gained two of the three points, laying the foundation for the destruction of the shang. After Ji Fa, the King of Wu, succeeded to the throne, he reused Xianliang internally, continued to use Jiang Taigong as his military master, and used his younger brother Gongdan as Dazai, and Zhao Gong, Bi Gong, Kang Shu, Dan Ji and other good ministers all held their positions, and talents gathered and politics flourished. Externally, we should strive to unite more princely states, isolate the Shang Dynasty, and strengthen our own strength.

At this time, the Shang Dynasty was politically corrupt under the rule of the tyrant King Huan, but it still had strong military strength. King Wu judged the hour and sized up the situation, actively prepared conditions for the extinction of the merchants, and waited for the opportunity. Nine years after he ascended the throne, in order to facilitate the attack on the Shang capital Chaoge (present-day Qi County, Henan), the capital was moved from Feng (present-day west bank of Fengshui, southwest of Xi'an, Shaanxi) to Pickaxe (present-day east bank of Fengshui, southwest of Xi'an, Shaanxi), and the famous "Mengjin Guanbing" was held in history. This military observation was actually a military exercise and review in preparation for the annihilation of the merchants. He led his army west to pay homage to the tomb of King Wen in Biyuan (in present-day Chang'an County, Shaanxi), and then turned east to march towards Chaoge. In the Chinese army, a large wooden plaque with the name of his father Xi Bochang was erected, and he was only called Prince Fa, which meant that he was still commanded by King Wen. The army reached Mengjin (孟津, in present-day northeast of Mengjin County, Henan) on the south bank of the Yellow River, and 800 princes rushed to participate. The situation of the people's hearts and minds towards the Zhou and The King of Shang has been formed, and the princes have urged the King of Wu to march immediately to Chaoge. King Wu and Taigong Jiang, believing that the time was not ripe, ordered the whole army to return after the army crossed the Yellow River, and warned everyone not to be too hasty with "you do not know the destiny of heaven".

In another two years, King Wu discovered that King Wu was even more faint and tyrannical. Liangchen Bigan and Miko were loyal to advice, one was killed, and the other was imprisoned. Taishi And Shaoshi qiang saw that the king of Shang dynasty was incurable and fled with the shang dynasty temple sacrifice vessel. The people looked sideways and were silent. King Wu studied with Taigong Jiang and believed that the conditions for destroying the merchants were fully ripe, and in accordance with King Wen's will that "the time comes and do not doubt", he resolutely decided to send troops to cut down the merchants and inform the princely states to march towards Chaoge. Before leaving, Tai Shi Bu took a try, and the sign was like a fierce man. Seeing this unlucky omen, the hundred officials were stunned. Determined not to believe in ghosts and gods, the King of Wu resolutely led 300 military vehicles, 3,000 Guards samurai, and 45,000 knights to March towards Chaoge. The army reached Makino (makino) 70 miles outside Chaoge (present-day southern Ji County, Henan), and the princes led 4,000 military vehicles to join. When the King of Lu heard that the Zhou soldiers had arrived, he mobilized the soldiers in the capital, and then armed the prisoners, slaves, and prisoners of war, and raised a total of 170,000 troops (one said 700,000) to meet them. The two sides began the famous "Battle of Makino" in history. Before the war, King Wu issued an oath to the whole army, counting the crimes of Shang, explaining the justice of cutting, and mobilizing the soldiers to kill the enemy heroically. After the decisive battle began, the morale of the Zhou army was high, and they rushed to kill bravely. Shang's army collapsed under the zhou army's fierce offensive. Those slaves and prisoners who were forced to participate in the war were unwilling to fight for the king of Qiu, but instead regarded the king of Wu as a savior, and reversed the spearhead to guide the Zhou army into chaoge. Seeing that the general trend had gone, the king of Lu climbed the deer platform and set himself on fire. The Shang Dynasty thus perished.

After King Wu destroyed the Shang, in order to win the hearts and minds of the people and consolidate the newly established political power, he adopted many policies and measures politically.

First of all, the method of using Yin to rule Yin and divide and rule was adopted to appease the remnants of Yin Shang. He made Wu Geng, the son of King Huan, the Marquis of Yin, and continued to govern the Yin people. At the same time, the land within the Yin Shang Wang Qi (thousands of miles around the capital) was divided into three small states: Wei, Yong, and Shao, and his three younger brothers were appointed to govern separately, responsible for monitoring Wu Geng, known as the "Three Prisons". He ordered the release of the people imprisoned by the King of Sui, the repair of the tomb of the Shang Dynasty's sage Bi Gan, the release of the Sage's Mizi and the restoration of his original duties. He also distributed goods and grain for the lascivious and extravagant pleasures of the king, and gave relief to the hungry and the poor and weak. By taking these measures, the commercial land quickly stabilized.

Second, adopt the strategy of feudal statehood and state-building, and implement the rule over the whole country. In order to learn the lessons of the fall of the Shang Dynasty and govern the country well, King Wu specially brought Jizi to Haojing and humbly asked for advice on the way to govern the country. According to the truth narrated by Miko, he consulted with Jiang Taigong and Gongdan and decided to further improve and determine the patriarchal system that existed in ancient times but had not yet been fully formed. That is to say, the whole country should be divided into a number of princely states, and Zhou Tianzi would be divided into clans with the surname Ji and meritorious ministers who had made contributions to the great cause of destroying commerce; all princes could support the army, but they must obey the dispatch of Tianzi at any time; they should pay tributes and pilgrimages to Tianzi on a regular basis; they were allowed to inherit from generation to generation, and they could be divided among the feudal princes; the Tianzi had the right to reward and punish the princes, and they also had the right to inquire about the feudal states. There is no doubt that the feudal state-building strategy implemented by King Wu is obviously a progress compared to the primitive phenomenon of small states in the Shang Dynasty. It did have the meaning of unifying the whole world and played a role in consolidating and strengthening the rule of the whole country at that time.

In order to consolidate the power of the whole country, King Wu thought about it day and night and did not sleep well. He also discussed with Gongdan the construction of the eastern capital of Luoyi (in present-day Luoyang, Henan), which was then considered to be under the heavens, in order to strengthen control over the East. Unfortunately, he failed to realize this plan and died two years after the destruction of the shang.