History
The earliest evidence of human settlement in the region is found at the Heliang site near Fengdu and is dated to 15,0000 years ago. A neolithic site found at Daxi dates from 5000-3000 BC while a late neolithic site (c. 2000 BC) was found at Zhongba in Zhongxian.
According to Hou Hanshu, the founder of the state of Ba was Lin Jun (廪君, or Lord Lin). In this account, there were originally 5 clans, the Ba, the Fan, the Sheng, the Xiang, and the Zheng, and they organized a contest to determine who would be the chief:
| “ | The clans did not yet have a a leader, but simply worshiped the ghosts and spirits, and so they made a pact: whosoever could throw a dagger and have it lodge in a particular stone crevice high up a cliff would be chief. Of all the competitors, only a son of the Ba Clan, Wuxiang, was able to achieve the target, and when he did so all present sighed with admiration. Again they made a competition, giving each competitor a rustic boat and swearing, "he who keeps himself afloat shall be chief!" Again Wuxiang prevailed, while all the other boats sank. So they made him chief, calling him Lord Lin. | ” |
| — Hou Hanshu |
The state of Ba may have aided the founders of the Zhou Dynasty in its overthrow of the Shang Dynasty at the Battle of Muye in 1046 BC. However, Ba's first definitive appearance in recorded history occurred in 703 BC; the Zuo Zhuan records that Ba took part in a joint military operation with the State of Chu against Deng.
Although Chu sometimes encroached on Ba territory, Ba shared a complex relationship with Chu, with strong trade and marriage ties. Chu also employed many Ba mercenaries as soldiers in its own army. This practice sometimes caused problems for Chu; in one instance, Ba mercenaries employed by Chu rebelled and besieged the Chu capital in 676 or 675 BC.
In 316 BC, Ba and Zu allied with Qin in Qin's invasion of Shu. However, after the successful conquest of Shu, Qin immediately turned on its two allies and captured the last Ba king. The Ba state was extinguished and converted into a Qin commandery. Unlike its management of Shu, Qin allowed the Ba elite to retain direct rule and did not force large-scale migrations of Qin people into Ba territory. The Ba elite would later be marginalized through a policy of divide and rule.
Read more about this topic: Ba (state)
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