Lord Huan of Qi
Encyclopedia
Duke Huan of Qi was the best-known ruler of the state of Qi in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese
history
. His ancestral name is Jiang(姜),clan name is Qi(齊)，given name is Xiǎobái(小白) and he was the brother of Duke Xiang. His clan was Lǚ(呂). When Duke Xiang and Duke Wuzhi of Qi who took the throne after Duke Xiang were both killed, his elder brother Jiu, who was in Lu then, was supposed to be the heir and had gained support from Duke Zhuang of Lu, and Guan Zhong
(管仲), who was initially teacher of Jiu, shot an arrow at Xiaobai on his way back to Qi from Ju, but it didn't hurt Xiaobai at all while Xiaobai pretended to be shot to death immediately and managed to arrive in Qi earlier than Jiu and take the throne after the ministers were persuaded by Bao Shuya
. This angered Duke Zhuang of Lu and he started a fight against Qi for Jiu at Qianshi(乾时), but was finally defeated by Qi troops and even some of his own territory in Wenyang(汶阳) was possessed. Seeing Duke Huan was steady at his throne, Duke Zhuang of Lu assassinated Jiu eventually in order to make peace. Duke Huan was the Marquis of Qi from 685 BC until his death; under this period the State of Qi reached its zenith, and the Duke himself was elected to be one of the Five Hegemons.
At the start of his reign and on the advice of his trusted retainer Bao Shuya
Lord Huan appointed Guan Zhong, an outstanding politician
, to be his Prime Minister
. Under Guan Zhong's reforms, Qi became the strongest state of the time, allowing Lord Huan to make a greater impact outside his state. Under the slogan of respecting the king and defending against the barbarian
(尊王攘夷, pinyin
: zūnwáng rǎngyí), Lord Huan gained hegemony
among the states of ancient China. He helped the states of Yan
, Xing
and Wei
against barbarian
troops. He also called on some states to attack the state of Chu
in order to ‘defend the honor of the king’.
The slogan 'Respecting the king and defending against the barbarian' was much later revived by the Japanese at the time of the Meiji restoration
.
An incident is recorded in the chapter Xiaocheng (小稱) of the book Guanzi (管子):
(There was not a strong taboo on cannibalism in ancient China and many accounts of cannibalism can be found in other historical times; for another example see Duke Wen of Jin
).
Upon Guan Zhong's deathbed, Duke Huan of Qi approached him to discuss who he should appoint as his next prime minister. Guan Zhong strongly discouraged allowing Tang Wu, Yi Ya, Shu Diao, and Gongzi Kaifang to stay, but Duke Huan only sent them away for a few months. After calling them back those four secretly staged a coup, locking Duke Huan in his room and making the outside world believe they were relaying his orders. One day one of his wives got in through a small hole and found out that the ministers had been starving the Duke to death. He died and was not buried for eleven days, so that "worms began crawling out from around his door", which allowed the people to find out that something was amiss. (Guanzi, Xiaocheng chapter. Alan Rickett's translation, p. 428-32.)
Other versions of this story also exist, some in the Guanzi, others in a variety of sources such as the Huainanzi
, Annals of Lü Buwei, and Han Feizi. For example, the story from the Annals of Lü Buwei says that the Duke waited three years to recall his ministers after Guan Zhong's death.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
. His ancestral name is Jiang(姜),clan name is Qi(齊)，given name is Xiǎobái(小白) and he was the brother of Duke Xiang. His clan was Lǚ(呂). When Duke Xiang and Duke Wuzhi of Qi who took the throne after Duke Xiang were both killed, his elder brother Jiu, who was in Lu then, was supposed to be the heir and had gained support from Duke Zhuang of Lu, and Guan Zhong
Guan Zhong
Guǎn Zhòng was a politician and statesman during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. His given name was Yíwú . Zhong was his courtesy name. Recommended by Bao Shuya, he was appointed Prime Minister by Duke Huan of Qi in 685 BC.-Achievements:Guan Zhong modernized the Qi State by...
(管仲), who was initially teacher of Jiu, shot an arrow at Xiaobai on his way back to Qi from Ju, but it didn't hurt Xiaobai at all while Xiaobai pretended to be shot to death immediately and managed to arrive in Qi earlier than Jiu and take the throne after the ministers were persuaded by Bao Shuya
Bao Shuya
Bao Shuya : 鲍叔牙) was a famous official of the State of Qi under Duke Huan of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was a contemporary and friend of Guan Zhong....
. This angered Duke Zhuang of Lu and he started a fight against Qi for Jiu at Qianshi(乾时), but was finally defeated by Qi troops and even some of his own territory in Wenyang(汶阳) was possessed. Seeing Duke Huan was steady at his throne, Duke Zhuang of Lu assassinated Jiu eventually in order to make peace. Duke Huan was the Marquis of Qi from 685 BC until his death; under this period the State of Qi reached its zenith, and the Duke himself was elected to be one of the Five Hegemons.
At the start of his reign and on the advice of his trusted retainer Bao Shuya
Bao Shuya
Bao Shuya : 鲍叔牙) was a famous official of the State of Qi under Duke Huan of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period. He was a contemporary and friend of Guan Zhong....
Lord Huan appointed Guan Zhong, an outstanding politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, to be his Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. Under Guan Zhong's reforms, Qi became the strongest state of the time, allowing Lord Huan to make a greater impact outside his state. Under the slogan of respecting the king and defending against the barbarian
Sonno joi
is a Japanese political philosophy and a social movement derived from Neo-Confucianism; it became a political slogan in the 1850s and 1860s in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa bakufu, during the Bakumatsu period.-Origin:...
(尊王攘夷, pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: zūnwáng rǎngyí), Lord Huan gained hegemony
Hegemony
Hegemony is an indirect form of imperial dominance in which the hegemon rules sub-ordinate states by the implied means of power rather than direct military force. In Ancient Greece , hegemony denoted the politico–military dominance of a city-state over other city-states...
among the states of ancient China. He helped the states of 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...
Xing (state)
The State of Xíng was a vassal state of ancient China during the Zhou Dynasty and Spring and Autumn Period , ruled by descendants of the Jí family...
and Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
against 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...
troops. He also called on some states to attack the state of Chu
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
in order to ‘defend the honor of the king’.
The slogan 'Respecting the king and defending against the barbarian' was much later revived by the Japanese at the time of the Meiji restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
.
An incident is recorded in the chapter Xiaocheng (小稱) of the book Guanzi (管子):
- Yi Ya (易牙) served the Lord (公) Huan of Qi with his culinary talent. The lord said, "the only thing which I have yet to taste is steamed infant." Then, Yi Ya steamed his first-born and offered him to the lord.
(There was not a strong taboo on cannibalism in ancient China and many accounts of cannibalism can be found in other historical times; for another example see Duke Wen of Jin
Duke Wen of Jin
Duke Jin Wen led the state of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history from 636 BC to 628 BC. His ancestral name is Ji,clan name is Jin Duke Jin Wen (晋文公) (697 BC - 628 BC) led the state of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history from 636 BC to 628 BC. His ancestral...
).
Upon Guan Zhong's deathbed, Duke Huan of Qi approached him to discuss who he should appoint as his next prime minister. Guan Zhong strongly discouraged allowing Tang Wu, Yi Ya, Shu Diao, and Gongzi Kaifang to stay, but Duke Huan only sent them away for a few months. After calling them back those four secretly staged a coup, locking Duke Huan in his room and making the outside world believe they were relaying his orders. One day one of his wives got in through a small hole and found out that the ministers had been starving the Duke to death. He died and was not buried for eleven days, so that "worms began crawling out from around his door", which allowed the people to find out that something was amiss. (Guanzi, Xiaocheng chapter. Alan Rickett's translation, p. 428-32.)
Other versions of this story also exist, some in the Guanzi, others in a variety of sources such as the Huainanzi
Huainanzi
The Huáinánzǐ is a 2nd century BCE Chinese philosophical classic from the Han dynasty that blends Daoist, Confucianist, and Legalist concepts, including theories such as Yin-Yang and the Five Phases. It was written under the patronage of Liu An, Prince of Huainan, a legendarily prodigious author...
, Annals of Lü Buwei, and Han Feizi. For example, the story from the Annals of Lü Buwei says that the Duke waited three years to recall his ministers after Guan Zhong's death.
Family
- Grandfather: Duke Zhuang of Qi the Elder 齊前莊公
- Father: Duke Xi of Qi 齊僖公
- Uncle: Yizhongnian 夷仲年
- Cousin: Prince Wuzhi 公孫無知
- Brother: Duke Xiang of Qi 齊襄公
- Brother: Prince Gwu 公子糾
- Sister: Xuan Jiang, Duchess of Wei 衞宣公夫人宣姜, married Duke Xuan of Wei
- Nephew: Duke Hui of Wei 衛惠公
- Nephew: Duke Dai of Wei 衛戴公
- Nephew: Duke Wen of Wei 衛文公
- Niece: Lady Song Huan 宋桓公夫人, married Duke Huan of Song
- Niece: Lady Xu MuLady Xu MuLady Xu Mu （许穆夫人）was a princess of the state of Wei , and the first recorded female poet in Chinese history.-Life:She was married to Count Mu of Xu, and although her surname was Ji, she became known as Lady Xu Mu or sometimes the Countess of Xu...
, married Duke Mu of Xu
- Sister: Wen Jiang, Duchess of Lu 魯桓公夫人文姜, married Duke Huan of Lu
- Nephew: Duke Zhuang of Lu 魯莊公
- Wife: Lady Wei the Elder
- Son: Wukui 公子無虧
- Wife: Lady Wei the Younger
- Son: Duke Hui of Qi 齊惠公
- Grandson: Duke Qing of Qi 齊頃公
- Son: Duke Hui of Qi 齊惠公
- Wife: Lady Zheng
- Son: Duke Xiao of Qi 齊孝公
- Wife: Lady Ge
- Son: Duke Zhao of Qi 齊昭公
- Grandson: Lord She 齊君舍
- Son: Duke Zhao of Qi 齊昭公
- Wife: Lady Mi
- Son: Duke Yi of Qi 齊懿公
- Wife: Song Hua Zi
- Son: Prince Yong 公子雍