Events Immediately Prior To The Rebellion
Emperor Jing already had an inimical relationship with his cousin-once-removed (the nephew of his grandfather Emperor Gao) Liu Pi (刘濞/劉濞), the prince of the wealthy Principality of Wu (modern southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang, southern Anhui, and northern Jiangxi), which enjoyed, among other natural resources, abundant copper and salt supplies. While Emperor Jing was crown prince, Liu Pi's heir apparent Lu Xian (刘贤/劉賢) had been on an official visit to the capital Chang'an, and they competed in a liubo board game. During arguments over the game, Liu Xian offended then-Crown Prince Qi, and Prince Qi threw the liubo board at Liu Xian, resulting in his death. Liu Pi thus had great hatred for the new emperor.
Emperor Jing's key advisor Chao Cuo suggested, using as excuses offences that the princes had committed which had generally been ignored by Emperor Wen, that he cut down the sizes of the principalities to make them less threatening. Chao explicitly contemplated the possibility that Wu and other principalities might rebel, but justified the action by asserting that if they were going to rebel, it would be better to let them rebel earlier than later when they might be more prepared.
Under this theory, Emperor Jing, in 154 BC, ordered the following punishments for the princes:-
- Carving out the commandery of Donghai from the Principality of Chu (modern northern Jiangsu and northern Anhui), based on Liu Wu, the Prince of Chu, having sexual relations during the mourning period for Grand Empress Dowager Bo.
- Carving out the commandery of Changshan from the Principality of Zhao (modern central and southern Hebei), based on an unspecified offence.
- Carving out six counties from the Principality of Jiaoxi (roughly modern Weifang, Shandong), based on Liu Ang, the Prince of Jiaoxi, embezzling funds from the sales of titles intended for paying border patrol costs.
- Carving out the commanderies of Huiji and Yuzhang from the Principality of Wu, based on various offences by Liu Pi, the Prince of Wu.
Read more about this topic: Rebellion Of The Seven States
Famous quotes containing the words events, immediately, prior and/or rebellion:
“There is much to be said in favour of modern journalism. By giving us the opinions of the uneducated, it keeps us in touch with the ignorance of the community. By carefully chronicling the current events of contemporary life, it shows us of what very little importance such events really are. By invariably discussing the unnecessary, it makes us understand what things are requisite for culture, and what are not.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“Suddenly to realise that one is sitting, damned, among the other damned—it is a most disquieting experience; so disquieting that most of us react to it by immediately plunging more deeply into our particular damnation in the hope, generally realized, that we may be able, at least for a time, to stifle our revolutionary knowledge.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)
“As humans have a prior right to existence over dogs by virtue of being more highly evolved and having a superior consciousness, so women have a prior right to existence over men. The elimination of any male is, therefore, a righteous and good act, an act highly beneficial to women as well as an act of mercy.”
—Valerie Solanas (b. 1940)
“Scholars planning a rebellion could never succeed even in three years.”
—Chinese proverb.