Historical Archaeologic Observations On The Bocheng Alliance

The Bocheng Alliance in 562 BCE,led by the hegemonic power of the Jin state during the Spring and Autumn Period,was a confederation of northern feudal lords.This alliance had a direct impact on numerous subsequent historical events,making it a milestone "international" event of the Spring and Autumn Period and exerting a significant influence on the Han clan of the Jin state.The Bocheng Alliance took place north of Bocheng in the Zheng state,a city that was the original residence of King Cheng Tang during the Shang Dynasty but had become a ruin by the time of the alliance.The selection of this location by the Jin people for the alliance may be related to the historical significance of the city.Mr.Zou Heng proposed the theory that Zhengzhou Shangcheng was the Bo capital,suggesting that the Bocheng mentioned in the Annals of Spring and Autumn is referring to Zhengzhou Shangcheng.To finally determine the validity of the Zheng Bo theory,a comprehensive and systematic study of the Bocheng Alliance is necessary.This research attempts to provide a comprehensive discussion of the specific historical facts of the Bocheng Alliance,its significance in the history of the Jin state and the Han clan,the cultural landscape of the alliance site,and the commemorative rituals during the Warring States period,from the perspectives of transmitted literature,excavated documents,and archaeological findings.The section on transmitted literature delineates the entire process of the Bocheng Alliance as recorded in the Zuo Zhuan(Zuo’s Commentary),analyzing details such as time,location,and the text of the alliance oath,and contextualizing the Bocheng Alliance within the broader historical background of the Spring and Autumn Period.The Bocheng Alliance occurred in the later stages of the mid-Spring and Autumn Period,establishing the basic political landscape for the following sixteen years and laying the foundation for the Jin-led confederation of northern feudal lords at the Mieming Meeting in 546 BCE.As the Jin-Chu rivalry was coming to an end,the ownership of the Zheng state became a focal point of contention.The Bocheng Alliance marked a significant milestone in the resurgence of Jin during the reign of Duke Dao.After the alliance,the Jin people successfully implemented their strategy of annexing Zheng,which they had pursued since the era of Han Jue,and delineated the power boundaries between Jin and Chu.Subsequently,Zheng became an important member of the Jin-led feudal confederation.The Bocheng Alliance also had a significant impact on the events of Han’s acquisition of Zheng during the early Warring States period.The section on archaeological findings presents an overview of Zhengzhou Shangcheng during the Spring and Autumn Period,based on discoveries made in the Zhengzhou region over the past few decades.Through the analysis of the stratigraphic relationships of the inner and outer city walls,a rough estimation of the Bocheng ruins is inferred.By comprehensively examining the cultural remains of nearby sites and tombs from the Spring and Autumn Period,the cultural landscape of the Bocheng Alliance is reconstructed.The section on excavated documents primarily analyzes three types of inscriptions found in Guancheng,Zhengzhou during the Warring States period: "Bo," "Boqiu," and "since the eleventh year." By analyzing the relationship between the simplified and complex forms of "Bo" and "Boqiu," as well as the coexistence of "Bo" and "eleventh-year chronology," and considering the use of ritual vessels by the people of the Han state during the Warring States period,it is concluded that "Bo" is a shortened form of "Boqiu," both referring to Zhengzhou Shangcheng,which bears a resemblance to the modern "Yinxu" in Anyang.The "eleventh-year chronology" represents the Han clan’s method of dating during the Eastern Zhou period,providing evidence for the existence of noble-based chronology in the pre-Qin era.Stamped pottery objects with inscriptions of "Bo," "Boqiu," and "since the eleventh year" were likely specially made by the Han people of the Warring States period to commemorate the Bocheng Alliance.Through these three aspects of new evidence,the specific process of the Bocheng Alliance is reconstructed,highlighting its significant impact on the historical trajectory of the Spring and Autumn Period,reconstructing the cultural landscape of the alliance,and clarifying the importance and commemoration of the Bocheng Alliance by the Han people during the Warring States period,thereby strengthening the evidential chain supporting the "Zheng Bo theory."...