Rebellion of The Seven States
The Rebellion of the Seven States or Revolt of the Seven Kingdoms' (simplified Chinese: 七国之乱, traditional Chinese: 七國之亂) took place in 154 BCE against China's Han Dynasty to protest the emperor's attempt to further centralize the government.
At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bang had made many of his relatives princes of certain sections, about one-third to one-half of the empire. This was an attempt to consolidate Liu family rule over the parts of China that were not ruled directly from the capital under the junxian(郡縣) commandery system.
During the reign of Emperor Wen, these princes were still setting their own laws, but they in addition were casting their own coins (albeit with Emperor Wen's approval) and collecting their own taxes. Many princes were effectively ignoring the imperial government's authority within their own principalities. When Emperor Jing became emperor in 157 BCE, the rich Principality of Wu was especially domineering.
Liu Pi therefore started a rebellion. The princes participating were:
- Liu Pi, the Prince of Wu
- Liu Wu, the Prince of Chu
- Liu Ang, the Prince of Jiaoxi Xing
- Liu Sui (劉遂), the Prince of Zhao
- Liu Xiongqu (劉雄渠), the Prince of Jiaodong (roughly modern Qingdao, Shandong)
- Liu Xian (劉賢), the Prince of Zaichuan (roughly part of modern Weifang, Shandong)
- Liu Piguang (劉辟光), the Prince of Jinan (roughly modern Jinan, Shandong)
Two other principalities agreed to join -- Qi (modern central Shandong) and Jibei (modern northwestern Shandong) -- but neither actually did. Liu Jianglü (劉將閭), the Prince of Qi, changed his mind at the final moment and chose to resist the rebellion forces. Liu Zhi (劉志), the Prince of Jibei, was put under house arrest by the commander of his guards and prevented from joining the rebellion. Three other princes were persuaded to join but either refused or did not actually agree to join -- Liu An (劉安), the Prince of Huainan (roughly modern Lu'an, Anhui); Liu Ci (劉賜), the Prince of Lujiang (roughly modern Chaohu, Anhui); and Liu Bo (劉勃), the Prince of Hengshan (roughly part of modern Lu'an, Anhui). The princes also requested help from the southern independent kingdoms of Donghai (modern Zhejiang) and Minyue (modern Fujian), and the powerful northern Xiongnu. Donghai and Minyue sent troops to participate in the campaign, but Xiongnu, after initially promising to do so as well, did not.
The seven princes, as part of their political propaganda, claimed that Chao Cuo was aiming to wipe out the principalities, and that they would be satisfied if Chao were executed.
Read more about this topic: List Of Rebellions In China
Famous quotes containing the words rebellion and/or states:
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—Richard Louv (20th century)
“In the case of a deliberate, palpable, and dangerous exercise of ... powers not granted by the compact, the States ... are in duty bound to interpose for arresting the progress of the evil, and for maintaining within their respective limits the authorities, rights, and liberties appertaining to them.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)