Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms of Wu and Chu

In 154 BC during the reign of Emperor Jing of the Western Han Dynasty in China, a rebellion was launched against the central government by the descendants of the Liu clan, including King Wu of Chu, King Wu of Jiaoxi, King Xiongqu of Jiaodong, King Xian of Hechuan, King Biguang of Jinan, and King Sui of Zhao, led by King Bi of Wu. At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, the system of districts and states was adopted, and the descendants of the Liu clan and noble vassals were given fiefdoms, but the noble lords of different surnames were almost completely wiped out during the reign of Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang. During the reign of Emperor Wen, the fifth emperor, the power of the remaining noble lords of the Liu clan grew so great that they became an obstacle to the government's centralized policy. During the reign of Emperor Jing, the sixth emperor, the legalist ideology of Biao was used to control the decentralized noble lords. He devised and implemented the "Order to Push Back the Enthronement" as a measure to weaken the kingdom. In 155 BC, while this policy was being implemented, one commandery each from the territories of the King of Chu and the King of Zhao, and six counties from the King of Jiaoxi, were cut, and the King of Wu was also notified that two commanderies would be cut. The kings were dissatisfied with this measure and decided to rebel. When the central government heard of the start of the rebellion, they sent powerful generals such as Zhou Yafu, Luan Bu, and Dou Ying to try to put down the rebellion, but the power of the kings was not to be underestimated, so the government executed Bai Zuo as the person responsible, and tried to appease the kings, but to no avail. When Zhou Yafu, a skilled tactician, defeated the King of Wu, the superiority of the Han Dynasty was confirmed. This rebellion was the catalyst for the development of the prefecture and county system.

[Takashi Yoshinami]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、前漢、景帝の時代の紀元前154年、呉王濞(び)を謀主とし、楚王戊(ぼう)、膠(こう)西王卬(こう)、膠東王熊渠(ゆうきょ)、菑川(しせん)王賢(けん)、済南王辟光(へきこう)、趙(ちょう)王遂(すい)ら劉(りゅう)氏の宗族(そうぞく)が中央政府に対して起こした反乱。漢初に郡国制が採用され、劉氏宗族と功臣が封国されたが、異姓の功臣諸侯は高祖劉邦の在世中にほとんどとりつぶされた。第5代の文帝代には、残った劉氏の諸侯勢力が強大となり、中央集権策をとる政府にとって障害となってきた。第6代の景帝代になって、法家思想をもつ鼂錯(ちょうそ)が用いられ、分権的な諸侯を統制した。王国の削弱策として「推恩(すいおん)の令」を立案、実行に移した。この政策実施中の前155年、楚王、趙王の有する領土のうち各1郡と膠西王のもつ6県が削られ、呉王もまた2郡を削る通知を受けた。諸王はこの措置を不服として反乱を決意した。中央政府は反乱開始の報に接し、周亜夫、欒布(らんふ)、竇嬰(とうえい)ら有力な将軍を派して鎮圧に努めたが、諸王の力は侮りがたく、ために政府は鼂錯を責任者として処刑し、諸王の慰撫(いぶ)に努めたが成果はなかった。戦術にたけていた周亜夫が呉王を破るに及んで、漢朝の優位が決まった。この乱を契機に郡県制が発展していく。

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