I Am the Master of the Spring and Autumn Period: Duke Wen of Jin Advocates Benevolent Governance

"e;I Am the Master of the Spring and Autumn Period"e; series presents a panoramic view of the vassal states' struggle for hegemony in the "e;Spring and Autumn Period"e;.

In 770 B.C., the Royal Family of Zhou moved eastward to Luoyi and continued to reign on the throne.

It is known as the Eastern Zhou Dynasty in history. After the first monarch of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, King Ping of Zhou, there are twenty-five kings in total.

The Eastern Zhou Dynasty was destroyed by Qin in 256 B.C..

The Eastern Zhou Dynasty lasted for 515 years. In the first half of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, the vassal states competed for hegemony, which was called the "e;Spring and Autumn Period"e;.

Most of China's laws, regulations, culture and customs originated from the "e;Spring and Autumn Period"e;, and many of the political expeditions and legendary allusions which were widely used in later generations also came from the "e;Spring and Autumn Period"e;.

In more than two hundred years, states, such as Lu, Qi, Song, Jin, Chu, Zheng, Cao, Chen, Wei, Yan, Qin, Cai, Wu and Yue, tangled, collided, contained and allied with each other and jointly demonstrated an era which is bloody and turbulent, but full of the vitality of Chinese culture.

On the basis of historical materials, the author takes the vassal states' struggle for hegemony as the main line and the "e;five powerful vassal states"e; as the center to examine, narrate and evaluate the geographical pattern, cultural landscape and political evolution of the "e;Spring and Autumn Period"e; from various perspectives in popular and affiliate words with rich content.

This book is Volume II, Duke Wen of Jin Advocates Benevolent Governance.

It mainly describes the process that Chong'er, a down-to-earth prince of Jin, became an overlord after experiencing "e;difficulties and dangers"e;.

Chong'er was forced into exile because of Li Ji's Rebellion.

After several times of ups and downs, Chong'er received the support of the people due to his modesty, thrift and comity and finally became the master of Jin with the full support of Duke Mu of Qin.

Duke Wen of Jin appointed good officials, such as Hu Yan, Xian Zhen, Zhai Shuai and Jia Tuo, ignored the resentment and listened to the virtuous.

He created the three armies and six ministers and fully showed the king's demeanor.

He also suppressed the Rebellion of Prince Zidai of Zhou together with Qin and Qi, attacked Wei and Cao, saved Song and convinced Zheng.

In 632 B.C., Duke Wen of Jin utterly defeated the Chu Army in Chengpu, presenting the King's Power of "e;making others retreat to avoid a conflict"e;.

In the winter of the same year, he also called nine states, including Qin, Lu and Qi, together to convene a meeting in Wendi, creating a centurial hegemony for Jin.

Later, his son, Duke Xiang of Jin, and the famous prime minister, Zhao Dun, successively took charge of the government to achieve the continuous hegemony of Jin.