Early Wei Dynasty

  General Description   The span of time between the mid-5th and mid-3rd centuries BCE in China is known as the Warring States period because it was dominated by conflicts between the seven independent states of Qin, Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, and Wei. ^[1] The period was marked by the development of authoritarian leadership, the creation of standing armies, and the mass conscription of peasants into military service. ^[2] New weapons included the crossbow, an improved iron sword, and armour. ^[2] The first appearance of military specialists such as Sunzi, author of The Art of War, dates to the Warring States period. ^[2]
The Warring States period was also a time of economic growth. The development of trade, occupational complexity, and markets created a class of merchants and private landlords. ^[3] Iron tools were used for agriculture and the use of irrigation and fertilizer became more widespread. ^[2] Intellectualism flourished, with the rise of Confucian philosophers Mengzi and Xunzi. ^[1]
In the 5th century BCE, the state of Jin was divided into three states: Wei, Han and Zhao. Wei was one of the largest states of the period, ruling parts of modern Shanxi and later expanding to cover western Shandong and northern and western Henan. ^[4] During the Warring States period, Wei mounted a number of successful military campaigns against neighbouring states, but fell into decline after a loss to Qi in 341 BCE. ^[5]
The Warring States period ended with the rise of the Qin state and its defeat of the imperial Zhou court. ^[6] Qin conquered the state of Wei in 225 BCE. ^[5]
Population and political organization
Several of China’s major political institutions were created during the Warring States Period. ^[7] Zhou rulers were replaced by strong authoritarian rulers who governed independent territorial states. ^[7] These territorial rulers commanded dependent officials, who were responsible for registering and mobilizing peasant households for military service. ^[7]
It is difficult to find substantiated estimates for the population of the Wei state.

[1]: (Encyclopedia Britannica n.d.) “Warring States.” Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Warring-States. Accessed June 6, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/UFB8K653.

[2]: (Roberts 1999, 14) Roberts, John A.G. 1999. A History of China. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/H9D8H5E9.

[3]: (Roberts 1999, 14-15) Roberts, John A.G. 1999. A History of China. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/H9D8H5E9.

[4]: (Theobald 2010) Theobald, Ulrich. 2017. “The Feudal State of Wei 魏 (www.chinaknowledge.de).” Accessed June 6. http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Zhou/rulers-wei.html. Seshat URL: http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Zhou/rulers-wei.html.

[5]: (Encyclopedia Britannica n.d.) “Wei.” Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Wei-ancient-kingdom-China. Accessed June 6, 2017. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/DTXFRJWS.

[6]: (Roberts 1999, 22) Roberts, John A.G. 1999. A History of China. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/H9D8H5E9.

[7]: (Lewis 1999, 587) Lewis, M.E. 1999b. “Warring States Political History,” in M. Loewe and E. L. Shaughnessy, eds. The Cambridge History of Ancient China From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 587-650. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/seshat_databank/items/itemKey/MMECH3VW.