Background
The states of Jin and Chu were both among the most powerful of their time, but while Jin was considered a legitimate Zhou state in terms of culture and lineage, the state of Chu - whose territory encompassed many non-Chinese cultures in the middle Yangtze River - was considered a half-civilised state at best.
Jin-Chu rivalry last came to a head with the decisive defeat of Chu at the Battle of Chengpu, where Duke Wen of Jin became hegemon among the states; after the death of Duke Wen, Chu attempted to reassert its position with northern campaigns, but the presence of Zhao Dun as premier of Jin rendered them unwilling to risk direct conflict.
This situation would change dramatically with the death of Zhao Dun in 601 BC, as well as the death of Duke Cheng of Jin the following year, followed by that of Zhao's successor Xi Que in 598 BC. King Zhuang made use of the resulting instability among the Jin leadership, and personally led a campaign northward.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Bi
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