When two powerful powers clash and one try to make a gain over another
During the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046 — 256 B.C.), China was ruled by the Zhou King — the Son of Heaven — who appointed and controlled all the vassal states or duchies. The state of Qi was one of the first and most powerful of these largely independent states. It was bestowed upon the legendary minister, Jiang Ziya, by the first Zhou King himself when the dynasty was first founded.
Around 885 B.C., King Yi of Zhou — the ninth King in the Zhou line — had just regained his rightful throne after the death of his uncle (who had succeeded his father fifteen years earlier). However, the power he wielded was greatly diminished compared to his ancestors. Almost two centuries had passed since its founding, and the Zhou royal house had began to decline. The actual power fell onto the various Dukes, and they were no longer obeying nor giving their obligatory tributes to the Zhou King.
Duke Ai of Qi, named Buchen, was the ruler of the state of Qi in this period (the fifth in his line). Little is known about his birth and his life, but his demise would send shockwaves across the kingdom.
Like the other main duchies, the state of Qi had grown big and powerful, and Duke Ai was no longer paying his respects to King Yi. In some records, it was mentioned that Duke Ai had made disrespectful statements — he had claimed that since he was the V while King Yi was the IX, he was ‘more senior’ than the King.
This infuriated King Yi— other states had begun to imitate Qi’s behavior and were also not obeying the central governance of the King. Qi’s smaller neighbour, the state of Ji ruled by a lower ranked marquis, saw a chance. The state of Ji had always lived under the constant threat of the much larger Qi, and they hoped to use the Son of Heaven to tip the scales towards their favor.
The Marquis of Ji ‘made a report to the Zhou King’. It is uncertain what was actually said, but it’s generally believed that he had told King Yi that Duke Ai was disrespectful and insinuated that Duke Ai was planning to replace the Son of Heaven with himself.
With this, the King Yi planned for a grand show. He summoned all the Dukes to his palace, at the pretext of ‘having official business to discuss’. When Duke Ai arrived, King Yi ordered his guards to seize the Duke and had him tossed into a giant ding and lit a fire beneath it. Duke Ai of Qi was publicly executed by boiling, in front of all the shocked nobles who were gathered there.
The King further made it worse for the state of Qi. King Yi deliberately installed Duke Ai’s half-brother as the new Duke. Duke Ai had another younger brother who was born of the same mother, and had been eyeing his title for a long time. This move sparked an internal conflict for power within the state of Qi that would go on for three generations.
There is dispute whether the Marquis of Ji really did say what he did to the King. It probably would not have mattered anyway — the King had just wanted an excuse to make an example out of Duke Ai in order to regain his control on the nobles.
However, the Zhou royal house didn’t restore their former glory as the King had hoped. Duke Ai’s wrongful death did not bring the other dukes closer to the King. Instead, the dukes lost their remaining respect. The Zhou Dynasty would fracture, ending the Western Zhou period, during King Yi’s great-grandson’s reign. The entire Zhou Dynasty would go on to endure another four centuries.
After a period of internal struggle, the state of Qi would regain her momentum she’s had when Duke Ai was executed, and become the most powerful duchy in the entire kingdom. In 667 B.C., Duke Huan of Qi would go on to become the first hegemon, or leader of the duchies. The state of Qi would continue until the unification of China by the First Emperor in 222 B.C., beginning the Qin Dynasty.
The small state of Ji was much less fortunate. What Marquis of Ji couldn’t have expected was, he received more than what he had hoped out of this. Word spread back to the state of Qi about Ji’s vicious tales and Duke Ai’s brutal death, and this vendetta was never forgotten. Some sources also suggest that it was the King who deliberately leaked this intel, as a way to ‘justify’ his actions or divert attention. Regardless, the state of Qi would exact her revenge more than a hundred years later, and annihilate the entire state of Ji.
With bronze as a mirror, one can adjust his appearance; with history as a mirror, one can know about the rise and fall of empires; with people as a mirror, one can know about gains and losses. — the Old Book of Tang
Thank you for reading my story! I’m not a historian by training, but I’ve cross-validated the details with multiple sources. Please let me know if I’ve made any errors.
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