King Wuling of Zhao
Encyclopedia
King Wuling of Zhao (died 295 BCE, reigned 325 BCE – 299 BCE) reigned in the State of Zhao during the Warring States Period
of Chinese history. His reign was famous for one important event: the reforms consisting of "Wearing Barbarian
Uniform and the Use of Cavalry in Battle" (Simplified Chinese: 胡服骑射, Traditional Chinese: 胡服騎射).
Probably the son of Zhao Suhou (Marquess Su of Zhao, Simplified Chinese: 赵肃侯), King Wuling of Zhao ascended to the throne at 325 BCE, about halfway into the Warring States Period. His reign coincided with the appearance of several other notable figures in the Warring States.
, all nomadic animal husbandry tribes. This might have been the inspiration for his later reforms.
In 307 BCE Wuling started his reforms. Mostly military, they concentrated on making the military more suited to fighting battles. Up to that time Zhao commanders riding on horseback still wore robes and normal court attire. Wuling ordered all commanders - in fact, the whole court and military - to wear the Hu dress - pants, belt, boots, fur caps and fur clothes. He created a cavalry division in the army and trained them not only in the ways of a cavalry charge, but in horse archery as well.
His reforms did not go unopposed. While many reformists and officials supported the reforms, seeing it as a way to greatness and power, conservative members of the royal family such as Zhao Wuling's uncle Lord Cheng (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 公子成) disliked it, claiming that there should not be any "Copying of barbarian clothing and changing of old rules" (Simplified Chinese: 不该 "袭远方之服, 变古之教"). Lord Cheng even went so far as to be absent from court.
Wuling did much to check the opposition. He said, "There is not only one way to rule the world, nor is there any need to copy the old to benefit the country" (Simplified Chinese: "理世不必一道, 便国不必法古") and "Those who use the old to define the new do not achieve change" (Simplified Chinese: "以古制今者, 不达于事之变"). He wore the "barbaric" clothes on court and persuaded others to do the same. He even visited Lord Cheng and gave him a suit of the "barbarian" clothing. Finally, Lord Cheng relented, and the controversy stopped.
Wuling's reforms greatly improved the fighting capability of the Zhao military. The same year the Zhao attacked the barbarian country of Zhongshan
and took several cities. In 306 BCE the Zhao military launched expeditions into barbarian territory in the north. The northern expedition was highly successful: the kings of the Liufan and Linhu surrendered and their territories became administered by a governor of Dai (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 代). In the next year, parts of Zhongshan
were annexed. In 304 BCE the upper reaches of the Yellow River
were invaded and taken from the barbarian tribes like the Hezong (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 河宗氏) and the Xiu
(Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 休). In the conquered areas King Wuling created two prefectures in 302 BCE - Yunzhong (Simplified Chinese: 云中) and Jiuyuan. In a little over five years Zhao Wuling had expanded his country to the border with the Yan
, the upper reaches of the Yellow River and into the north, and had forced two tribal leaders - the Liufan and Linhu kings - to surrender. King Wuling took control of their armies and added them to his military, creating extra divisions made up entirely of hardy Mongolian
warriors.
and gave the throne of Zhao to his younger son, Zhao He (Simplified Chinese: 赵何) who was to become King Huiwen of the Zhao (Simplified Chinese: 赵惠文王). He called himself the "Lord Father" (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 主父), using his new title to visit neighbouring countries, especially the Qin
, which he visited secretly. He lived long enough to see the annexation of the Zhongshan by the Zhao in 296 BCE.
In 295 BCE Wuling's older son Zhao Zhang (Simplified Chinese: 赵章) rebelled against King Wenwei and lost. He escaped to the palace in Shaqiu (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 沙丘), where Zhao Wuling took pity on him and kept him in his palace.
Seeing this, the Prime Minister Lord Anping (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 安平君), who was Lord Cheng, and his subordinate Lord Fengyang (Simplified Chinese: 奉阳君), also known as Li Yu (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 李兌) surrounded the palace, allowing no food or water to be provided to the inhabitants inside. In desperation, King Wuling ordered Zhang to be killed, but still the besiegers did not retreat. Thus after 100 days, King Wuling starved to death. When the siege was finally lifted, King Wuling's body was already rotting and full of worms - a pitiful ending for such a king.
Wuling was the first Zhao ruler to have the title "king".
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
of Chinese history. His reign was famous for one important event: the reforms consisting of "Wearing Barbarian
Barbarian
Barbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...
Uniform and the Use of Cavalry in Battle" (Simplified Chinese: 胡服骑射, Traditional Chinese: 胡服騎射).
Probably the son of Zhao Suhou (Marquess Su of Zhao, Simplified Chinese: 赵肃侯), King Wuling of Zhao ascended to the throne at 325 BCE, about halfway into the Warring States Period. His reign coincided with the appearance of several other notable figures in the Warring States.
Rule and reforms
During the early years of his reign the Kingdom of Zhao was constantly harassed by the Donghu, the Linhu (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 林胡), the Liufan (Simplified Chinese: 楼烦) and the XiongnuXiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
, all nomadic animal husbandry tribes. This might have been the inspiration for his later reforms.
In 307 BCE Wuling started his reforms. Mostly military, they concentrated on making the military more suited to fighting battles. Up to that time Zhao commanders riding on horseback still wore robes and normal court attire. Wuling ordered all commanders - in fact, the whole court and military - to wear the Hu dress - pants, belt, boots, fur caps and fur clothes. He created a cavalry division in the army and trained them not only in the ways of a cavalry charge, but in horse archery as well.
His reforms did not go unopposed. While many reformists and officials supported the reforms, seeing it as a way to greatness and power, conservative members of the royal family such as Zhao Wuling's uncle Lord Cheng (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 公子成) disliked it, claiming that there should not be any "Copying of barbarian clothing and changing of old rules" (Simplified Chinese: 不该 "袭远方之服, 变古之教"). Lord Cheng even went so far as to be absent from court.
Wuling did much to check the opposition. He said, "There is not only one way to rule the world, nor is there any need to copy the old to benefit the country" (Simplified Chinese: "理世不必一道, 便国不必法古") and "Those who use the old to define the new do not achieve change" (Simplified Chinese: "以古制今者, 不达于事之变"). He wore the "barbaric" clothes on court and persuaded others to do the same. He even visited Lord Cheng and gave him a suit of the "barbarian" clothing. Finally, Lord Cheng relented, and the controversy stopped.
Wuling's reforms greatly improved the fighting capability of the Zhao military. The same year the Zhao attacked the barbarian country of Zhongshan
Zhongshan (state)
Zhongshan was a Di state created by the nomadic Xianyu tribe in China during the later Zhou Dynasty, in the Chinese written sources it is referred to as a state of the Bai Di .)...
and took several cities. In 306 BCE the Zhao military launched expeditions into barbarian territory in the north. The northern expedition was highly successful: the kings of the Liufan and Linhu surrendered and their territories became administered by a governor of Dai (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 代). In the next year, parts of Zhongshan
Zhongshan (state)
Zhongshan was a Di state created by the nomadic Xianyu tribe in China during the later Zhou Dynasty, in the Chinese written sources it is referred to as a state of the Bai Di .)...
were annexed. In 304 BCE the upper reaches of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
were invaded and taken from the barbarian tribes like the Hezong (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 河宗氏) and the Xiu
Xiu
Xiu is a Chinese language web site for online shopping, operated in the People's Republic of China.Founded by Mr. Ji Wenhong and Mr. Jin Huang in March 2008, it's a vertical e-commerce company, offering middle to luxury brand name fashion products - clothing, shoes, bags, ornaments, cosmetics and...
(Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 休). In the conquered areas King Wuling created two prefectures in 302 BCE - Yunzhong (Simplified Chinese: 云中) and Jiuyuan. In a little over five years Zhao Wuling had expanded his country to the border with the Yan
Yan (state)
Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji...
, the upper reaches of the Yellow River and into the north, and had forced two tribal leaders - the Liufan and Linhu kings - to surrender. King Wuling took control of their armies and added them to his military, creating extra divisions made up entirely of hardy Mongolian
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
warriors.
Abdication and Death
In 299 BCE Zhao Wuling, perhaps tired out from all he had done and wishing to become more involved with military instead of political affairs, abdicatedAbdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
and gave the throne of Zhao to his younger son, Zhao He (Simplified Chinese: 赵何) who was to become King Huiwen of the Zhao (Simplified Chinese: 赵惠文王). He called himself the "Lord Father" (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 主父), using his new title to visit neighbouring countries, especially the Qin
Qin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
, which he visited secretly. He lived long enough to see the annexation of the Zhongshan by the Zhao in 296 BCE.
In 295 BCE Wuling's older son Zhao Zhang (Simplified Chinese: 赵章) rebelled against King Wenwei and lost. He escaped to the palace in Shaqiu (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 沙丘), where Zhao Wuling took pity on him and kept him in his palace.
Seeing this, the Prime Minister Lord Anping (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 安平君), who was Lord Cheng, and his subordinate Lord Fengyang (Simplified Chinese: 奉阳君), also known as Li Yu (Simplified and Traditional Chinese: 李兌) surrounded the palace, allowing no food or water to be provided to the inhabitants inside. In desperation, King Wuling ordered Zhang to be killed, but still the besiegers did not retreat. Thus after 100 days, King Wuling starved to death. When the siege was finally lifted, King Wuling's body was already rotting and full of worms - a pitiful ending for such a king.
Wuling was the first Zhao ruler to have the title "king".