Wei (state)

The following details the state of Wei of the Warring States Period. Refer to Ran Min for his state of Wei during the Sixteen Kingdoms.

The Wei (simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese: 魏) was a state during the Warring States Period in China. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included modern areas in Henan, Hebei and Shanxi and Shandong. After its capital was moved from Anyi to Daliang (today Kaifeng) during the reign of King Hui of Wei, Wei was also called the state of Liang.

The state reached its height during the reigns of its first two rulers, Marquess Wen of Wei and Marquess Wu of Wei . King Hui of Wei, the third ruler, concentrated in economical developments including irrigation projects at the Yellow River. Nevertheless its slow decline began with King Hui. Wei's advancement in the east was checked several times in series of battles including the Battle of Maling in 341 BC. In the west it lost the Xihe region (a pastoral and strategic area on the west bank of the Yellow River at the border of today Shanxi and Shaanxi province) to Qin, continuously under invasions from Qin thereafter.

Military prowess of Qin broke the coalition forces of the states of Wei and Han at the Battle of Yique in 293 BC.

The Wei was conquered by Qin in 225 BC.

List of Wei rulers

1. Marquess Wen of Wei
2. Marquess Wu of Wei
3. King Hui of Wei
4. King Xiang of Wei
5. King Ai of Wei
6. King Zhao of Wei
7. King Anxi of Wei
8. King Jingmin of Wei
9. King Jia of Wei