Studies On The Chu-Qin Relation In The King Chu-huai Period

It was a crucial thirty-years time in the reign of the King Chu-huai. First, the Chu-Qin Allies, which lasted for eighteen generations from the Chu-Qiu Period, broke up at that time and outbroke three wars that changed the states of the Warring Kingdoms because main kingdoms was involved. Second, an enormous turn happened to the power of Chu and Qin in the period of the King Chu-huai, Chu declined while Qin rose to a superpower beyond other six orient Kingdoms. Third, the Chu-Qin relation had a huge influence on the anti-Qin insurrection in late Qin Dynasty. For example, Xiang’s reign called on descendents of the Six Kingdoms with the King Chu-huai’s grandson Xin. Sima Qian’s Chu-Han Monthly Chronicle was also based on the Chu’s calendar. This paper focuses on the Chu-Qin relation in the period of King Chu-huai to clarify to its effect on the situation of the Warring Kingdoms. The paper consists of six chapters that are divided into three parts.The first part introduces the background of the theme and surveys the Chu-Qin relation before Qin Dynasty. The first Chapter summarizes the relation in the Chunch’iu Period and the Chu-Qin development in the early Warring Kingdoms. The second chapter studies the Warring Kingdoms situation before the King Chu-huai. We assert that the failure of the King Weihui’s Kingly Way changed the Warring Kingdoms order and cracked Chu-Qin relation.The third, fourth, and fifth chapters are the main body of the paper. We divide the King Chu-huai’s thirty years into three stages and analyse the Chu-Qin relation in a geopolitical perspective. The third chapter is the first stage from the starting year to the twelfth year of the King Chu-huai. Its turn was the Xiangling Battle, before which Qin was intended to take Chu as his ally. But after the Battle, Chu left Qin and became the first leader of the six-kingdom allies. The fourth chapter is the second stage from the thirteenth year to the eighteenth year of the King Chu-huai. Its turn was the new Chu-Ch’i Allies, before which the Chu-Han-Wei Allies attacked the Ch’i-Qin Allies. After that, the Chu-Ch’i relation ameliorated while Qin’s attempt to destroy the relation resulted in the Qin-Han-Wei Allies against the Chu-Ch’i-Song Allies. The fifth chapter is the last stage from the nineteenth year of the King Chu-huai to the second year of the King Chuqingxiang. It discusses the Chu-Qin relation from the King Qinwu to the King Qinzhao. The King Chu-huai was not the leader of the orient Allies because of the reconciliation between Chu and Qin and lost in a dilemma.The sixth chapter is the conclusion. This chapter analyses the cliquey fight in the period of the King Chu-huai and the clan of Chu. This part researches the making of the clique and their claims. We also criticize traditional views on the Qinphile and the Ch’iphile. Lastly, in the view of the clan, we explore the influence of the third names, Zhao, Jing, and Qu, on Qin-Han.