The beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period marked the complete arrival of feudal lords' hegemony. How are they formed? I think there are mainly the following points.
1. The disadvantages brought by the late enfeoffment system made local governors more and more powerful. Since Zhou Wuwang established political power, the Shang Dynasty has continued the basic system of the Zhou Dynasty, including the enfeoffment system. Zhou Wang gave the fiefs to meritorious ministers and relatives, and let them govern the country together with the son of heaven.
The enfeoffment system in the early dynasty was conducive to social stability and economic recovery, rewarded the following meritorious ministers, and enabled the Zhou royal family to gain greater ruling rights at a relatively small ruling cost.
However, with the passage of time, the Zhou royal family no longer dominated the military strength of the vassal state. After the vassal state gradually became stronger than the central government, it gradually ceased to obey the orders and domination of the central government.
2. The four civil strife of the royal family in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty accelerated the decline of the central strength of the dynasty. "Historical Records of Zhou Benji" records: "In the twenty-third year, the king of Huan collapsed and the king of Zizhuang. In the fourth year of King Zhuang, the Duke of Zhou wanted to kill King Zhuang and set up Wang Zike. Xin Bo sued the King of Qi, who killed the Duke of Zhou. Prince Ke Benyan. When King Zhuang of Zhou was four years old, Duke Black Shoulder of Zhou wanted to kill King Zhuang and set up a prince division. Simbo advised Duke Zhou, but Duke Zhou didn't listen to his advice. Xin Bo reported the Duke of Zhou to Zhuang Wang, who was killed, and Wang Zike fled to Yan State.
This small-scale unrest was quickly resolved under the relatively stable regime of the Zhou royal family, and there was not much problem, but it was only the beginning.
"Historical records. Zhou Benji records that in two years, Chu Zhuang followed Yao, gave birth to a son and was spoiled.
Hui Wang acceded to the throne and took the minister's garden, thinking it was round. So, the doctor Bian Bo and other five people made an insurrection, seeking to summon Yan and Wei to defeat King Hui. Hui Wang Ben Wen. After Zhou acceded to the throne, Bian Bo and other five people were furious because the land was occupied. They contacted other vassal States and, with the support of the prince, turned against the king.
Although it was restored with Zheng's support, the scope of the unrest expanded, involving Qi, Yan, Wei, Guo and Zheng. As a result, the dependence of the royal family on the princes gradually increased, which was the turning point of the decline of the royal family in the Eastern Zhou Dynasty.
According to Zuo Zhuan, I believed in Gong for five years: "Gong and Qi Hou, Song Gong, Chen Hou, Zheng Bo, and Wang Shizi at the first meeting", "At the first meeting, I seek more weeks". The rebellion led by the prince lasted for nearly 20 years, and there was a phenomenon of relying on the power of Rong Emperor. At the same time, Taozi, an uncle and other ministers took advantage of Di Shi's attack on Zhou to create trouble. It can be seen from these that the military strength of the Zhou royal family is further declining, and the authority of the Zhou king is also gradually declining. Jin played a key role in pacifying the second uprising of Wang Zidai.
The chaos led by the prince lasted for twenty years, which accelerated the loss of the authority and military strength of the Zhou royal family. In the process of quelling the unrest, it relied on the power of external forces to honor the emperor.
"Historical records. "Zhou Benji" records: "In the eighteenth year of King Jing, the prince became a saint and the flea died. For twenty years, King Jing loved Zi Chao, and wanted to establish it and collapse it. Zi Gai fought for power and profit, and China people made the eldest son king fiercely, while Zi Chao stormed and killed fiercely. Mourn for the king. The rebellion of Wang Zichao was the largest and most war-torn rebellion launched by the Zhou royal family in the Spring and Autumn Period. It involves many royal families, as well as a large number of important aristocratic families and vassal States.
After Wang Zichao's death, his supporters were still rebelling, which was unprecedented in previous riots. The rebellion of Wang Zichao had a great influence, which led to the dictatorship of ministers and eventually led to the "decline of the royal family". Since then, there has been basically no record of military activities in the Zhou Dynasty in historical documents.
It is not difficult to see that the hegemonic situation in the Spring and Autumn Period was gradually formed by the participation of vassal States in the internal struggles of the Zhou royal family. The sequela brought by the enfeoffment system made it more and more convenient for vassal States to participate in the royal struggle.
On the balance, the Zhou royal family digested itself from the beginning, relying on the vassal States to counter rebellion and maintain stability, and then relying on the vassal States to seize autonomy. By the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Zhou royal family was only the nominal master of the world.
During this period, powerful vassal States killed and fought for their own interests and territories, and the hegemony in the Spring and Autumn Period officially kicked off.
The influence of hegemony in the Spring and Autumn Period:
Hegemony in the Spring and Autumn Period promoted ideological and academic exchanges between local governments, and promoted national integration and economic development. It also played a positive role in promoting the disintegration of slavery and accelerated the unification of ancient China.