“Legacy of Zhou: Transition from Yin to Zhou Dynasty”

“In Ye County, there was the Nine Marquis City.” [Exegesis]: The character ‘nine’ is also pronounced ‘jiu’, and ‘zou’ in the original text is pronounced as ‘qiu’. [Annotation]: According to the ‘Geography’, “Fuyang County in Xiangzhou is fifty li southwest of Jiuhou City, also known as Guihou City, likely the Nine Marquis City of the Yin dynasty.” [Yehou] [Interpretation]: Xu Guang said, “‘Yi’ is also written as ‘Yu’, pronounced ‘Yu’. Yewang County has Yucheng.” The Marquis of E, one of the Three Dukes, had beautiful daughters. One of the Nine Marquis’ daughters was sent to King Zhou. The daughter of the Nine Marquis was unwilling to indulge in debauchery, [Interpretation]: Xu Guang said, “Others say ‘not unwilling to indulge in debauchery’.” King Zhou was furious and killed her, and then made a stew of the Nine Marquis. The Marquis of E opposed it forcefully, making a swift argument and getting the Marquis of E to stew with him. When Duke Chong heard of it, he secretly sighed. Chonghou Hu informed King Zhou of this, and King Zhou imprisoned Duke Chong in Yuli, [Geographical Records said that there was Yuli City in Henan Tangyin County, where Duke Chong was detained. Wei Zhao said “Yin Yu”]. [Commentary]: The window, one of which is “Yu”, is pronounced “Yu”. Yu City is nine li north of Tangyin County, Xiangzhou, where Duke Chong was imprisoned by King Zhou. The Chronicle of Emperors said, “Imprisoned King Wen, King Wen’s eldest son was the lord of the Yin, and the cooked soup was given to King Wen, saying ‘The saint should not eat his son’s soup.’ King Wen ate it. King Zhou said, ‘Who calls Duke Chong a saint? He does not even know how to eat his son’s soup.’ The subordinates of Duke Chong sought beauty, rare items, fine horses to present to King Zhou. King Zhou then pardoned Duke Chong. Duke Chong presented the land west of the Luo River, [Annotation]: The Luo River, also known as Qiju River, is in the land west of Luo. Luo’s Dancheng, Fang and other states. To ask for the removal of the criminal penalty. King Zhou agreed to give him a bow, arrows, axes, and Yu, allowing him to conquer and become the Duke of the West. While using Fei Zhong to govern, [Commentary]: Fei, whose pronunciation is ‘fú’ and ‘wèi’ in the middle, sounds like ‘Zhòng’. Fei, surname; Zhong, name. Fei Zhong is good at flattery and loves profit. Yin people do not like him. King Zhou also used E Lai. [Exegesis]: Qin’s ancestor, Fei Lianzi. E Lai is good at slandering and rumors. The vassals used this to estrange. Duke Chong returned and secretly promoted moral conduct and good deeds. The vassals of the Zhou were mostly against King Zhou and went to Duke Chong. Duke Chong grew stronger, and King Zhou gradually lost power. Prince Bi Gan advised but was not listened to. Shang Rong, a wise man, loved by the people, was abandoned by King Zhou. When Duke Chong attacked the Ji country, [Interpretation]: Xu Guang said, “‘Ji’, also known as ‘?几’ and ‘耆’.” [Exegesis]: Kong Anguo said, “Zu Ji, a talented minister later.” [Interpretation]: Kong Anguo said, “Jiu, evil.” Kong Anguo was afraid, fled to King Zhou, [Interpretation]: Ma Rong said, “Yuan Gui, the giant tortoise, the big tortoise is also long and two inches.” Kong Anguo said, “The best man considers Yin, the giant tortoise is considered by the gods and spirits, and none of them know the right way.” [Interpretation]: Kong Anguo said, “Relative to the king, the wicked are self-exiled, because of the wind and the sun, the reverse of the yin and yang, the arrogant and the bright virtues, and the non-taught laws.” What now for my people who have no desire for mourning? They say, ‘Heaven is not the power, the great commandment does not arrive’? Today, the king, what about it?” King Zhou said, “I am not born with a heavenly command!” Zu Ji turned back, said, “Zhou can’t be argued with.” After Duke Chong died, King Wu of Zhou attacked the East, went to the Alliance, and the vassals who rebelled against Yin and joined Zhou were 800. The vassals all said, “King Zhou can be attacked.” King Wu said, “You don’t yet know the mandate of heaven.” Then return. King Zhou was more debauched and turbulent. Weizi repeatedly advised him but he didn’t listen, so he conspired with the Great Master and the Lesser Master and left. Bi Gan said, “A subject must fight to the death.” He then forcefully advised King Zhou. King Zhou was angry and said, “I heard that a sage’s heart has seven holes.” He cut Bi Gan open and examined his heart. [Exegesis]: The “Geography” says, “Bi Gan saw Weizi leaving, Jizi was crazy, and he sighed, saying, ‘The Lord does not advise, he is not loyal. He does not speak out of fear of death, he is not brave. If he makes a mistake, he advises and does not leave for three days. King Zhou asked, ‘How do you sustain yourself?’ Bi Gan said, ‘Cultivate good deeds and practice benevolence, sustain yourself with righteousness.’ King Zhou was angry, saying, ‘I heard that a sage’s heart has seven holes, do you believe it?’ Then he killed Bi Gan and cut open his heart.” Ji Zi was afraid and made plans as a slave. King Zhou imprisoned him again. The Great Master and the Lesser Master of Yin then took their sacrificial musical instruments and fled to Zhou. King Wu of Zhou therefore led the vassals to attack King Zhou. King Zhou also sent troops to resist them in the Mu field. [Interpretation]: Zheng Xuan said, “Mu field, the southern suburb of King Zhou.” [Annotation]: The “Geography” says, “Today’s Weizhou City is the land of Yin Mu field, where King Zhou built.” On the day of Jiazi, King Zhou’s army was defeated. King Zhou fled into the deer platform, [Interpretation]: Xu Guang said, “Lu, also known as ‘Ling’.” [Commentary]: The “Annals of Zhou” says, “King Zhou took five of the wisdom of the intelligence, surrounded himself with fire and burned himself.” King Wu of Zhou then cut off King Zhou’s head and put it on a white flag. He killed Daji. He released Ji Zi’s prisoner, awarded Bi Gan’s grave, and honored Shang Rong’s residence. [Exegesis]: Huang Fu Mi said, “Shang Rong and the people of Yin watched the Zhou army enter,” taking it as a person’s name. Zheng Xuan said, “Shang’s family plays music, knows etiquette, and is known for their courteous manners.” He sealed King Zhou’s son Wugeng and Lufu to continue the Yin lineage, [Annotation]: Qiao Zhou said, “Yin has a total of thirty-one generations, over six hundred years.” Ji Zhong’s chronicle said, “Tang destroyed Xia and took twenty-nine kings, using 496 years.” He ordered the reorganization of Pan Geng’s politics. The Yin people were overjoyed. So King Wu of Zhou became the emperor. His descendants demoted the emperor’s title, called him the king, so the original annals were all emperor, and later combined as “Three Kings.” He later sealed the descendants of Yin as princes, under Zhou. [Commentary]: It was Wu Geng Lufu. Zhou Wu Wang died, and Wu Geng, Guan Shu, and Cai Shu rebelled. Cheng Wang ordered Zhou Gong to kill them and establish a weak person in Song to continue the Yin’s posterity. Grand Historian said: “I order to sing Qi’s affairs, after completing Tang from the book, poems.” Qi is the name of his son. His after his country surname, the Yin, the Song, the Empty Tong’s family, the Chi family, the northern Yin family, the

Balancing Wealth and Governance in Early Han Dynasty:

The early Han Dynasty, following the chaos and mismanagement of the Qin Dynasty, faced numerous economic and social challenges. These challenges required innovative approaches to stabilize the economy, manage resources, and ensure the well-being of the population. One such approach was the implementation of the “Pingzhun Ordinance,” an early form of price control and market regulation. This article explores the economic policies and their impacts during the reigns of Emperor Gaozu, Emperor Hui, and Emperor Wen, highlighting the evolution of governance and the efforts to balance wealth and power.

Economic Turmoil and the Pingzhun Ordinance:

In the aftermath of the Qin Dynasty’s fall, the Han Dynasty inherited a nation plagued by economic disparity and social unrest. Men were conscripted into the military, while the elderly and weak were burdened with transporting supplies. The financial strain was so severe that even the emperor could not afford the luxurious four-horse chariot traditionally used by rulers. This financial hardship extended to high-ranking officials, some of whom resorted to riding ox carts, while commoners lacked basic shelter.

To address these issues, the Han government introduced the Pingzhun Ordinance. This policy aimed to regulate market prices by buying goods when prices were low and selling them when prices were high. By doing so, the government sought to stabilize prices and prevent extreme fluctuations, thereby ensuring a more predictable and fair market environment.

Currency Reforms and Market Regulation:

The Han Dynasty also undertook significant currency reforms to address the economic instability. Qin coins, known for their weight and inconvenience, were replaced with lighter and more manageable coins. During Emperor Wen’s reign, the “four-zhu” coin, inscribed with the characters “Ban Liang” (half tael), was introduced. This new currency facilitated easier transactions and encouraged economic activity.

Despite these reforms, unscrupulous merchants exploited the system by hoarding goods to manipulate market prices. The government responded by imposing heavy taxes and strict regulations on merchants to curb these practices. Emperor Gaozu, for instance, prohibited merchants from wearing silk or using carriages, thereby aiming to reduce their social status and influence.

Economic Policies Under Emperor Wen:

Emperor Wen’s reign marked a period of relative stability and prosperity. With a growing population and increasing agricultural productivity, the government found itself with surplus resources. The granaries and treasuries were full, and the capital city of Chang’an amassed vast quantities of money and grain. The surplus led to instances of grain rotting due to lack of storage, reflecting the abundant resources at the government’s disposal.

During this time, the government implemented policies to reward those who contributed to public welfare. Citizens who transported grain to the frontiers were granted noble titles, and those who provided military supplies received tax exemptions. These incentives not only boosted the economy but also strengthened the state’s military capabilities.

Challenges and Military Campaigns:

Despite the economic prosperity, the Han Dynasty faced continuous threats from the Xiongnu, nomadic tribes that frequently raided the northern borders. To counter these incursions, the government launched several military campaigns, which required substantial financial and human resources. The costs of these campaigns strained the state’s finances, leading to the depletion of treasuries and increased tax burdens on the populace.

In response to these challenges, the government recruited wealthy citizens to fund military campaigns in exchange for tax exemptions and noble titles. This practice, however, exacerbated social inequality as the rich grew richer while the poor struggled to meet their obligations.

The Downfall of Excess and the Rise of Bureaucratic Governance:

The Han Dynasty’s prosperity eventually gave rise to extravagance and corruption among the ruling class. Nobles and officials competed in lavish displays of wealth, leading to moral decay and administrative inefficiencies. Recognizing the dangers of unchecked luxury, the government imposed stricter regulations on officials and promoted frugality.

Amid these reforms, the government also sought to professionalize the bureaucracy. Officials were selected based on merit and performance, rather than hereditary privilege. This shift towards a meritocratic system aimed to ensure competent governance and curb corruption.

The early Han Dynasty’s economic policies, from the implementation of the Pingzhun Ordinance to currency reforms and market regulation, played a crucial role in stabilizing the economy and fostering prosperity. However, these measures also revealed the inherent challenges of balancing wealth and governance. The dynasty’s efforts to reward public service, counter external threats, and curb extravagance highlight the complexities of managing a burgeoning empire. Ultimately, the Han Dynasty’s legacy lies in its ability to adapt and innovate in the face of economic and social challenges, laying the groundwork for a more stable and prosperous China.