Eighteen Kingdoms

The historiographical term "Eighteen Kingdoms" (Chinese: 十八國), also translated as "Eighteen States", refers to the eighteen fengjian states in China created by military leader Xiang Yu in 206 BCE, after the collapse of the Qin dynasty.^[1] The establishment and abolishment of the Eighteen Kingdoms marked the beginning and end of a turbulent interregnum known as the Chu–Han Contention.

The details of the feudal division are as follows:

Name	Name (Chinese)	Ruler	Areas covered (in present-day China)	Fate
Western Chu	西楚	Xiang Yu	Jiangsu, northern Anhui, northern Zhejiang, eastern and southern Henan	Defeated by Liu Bang
Hàn	漢/汉	Liu Bang	Sichuan, Chongqing, southern Shaanxi
Yong^[a]	雍	Zhang Han (Qin general)	central Shaanxi, and eastern Gansu	Defeated by Liu Bang
Sai^[a]	塞	Sima Xin (Qin general)	northeastern Shaanxi	Defeated by Liu Bang
Di(zhai)^[a]	翟	Dong Yi (Qin general)	northern Shaanxi	Defeated by Liu Bang
Hengshan	衡山	Wu Rui (Qin official supported by Yue tribes)	eastern Hubei, Jiangxi	Allies with Liu Bang
Hán	韓	Han Cheng (Hán royalty)	southwestern Henan
Zhao, briefly called Dai	趙/代	Zhao Xie (Zhao royalty)	northern Shanxi, northwestern Hebei	Defeated by Liu Bang
Henan	河南	Shen Yang (Zhao official)	northwestern Henan
Changshan	常山	Zhang Er (Zhao vice chancellor)	central Hebei	Allies with Liu Bang
Yin	殷	Sima Ang (Zhao general)	northern Henan, southern Hebei	Allies with Liu Bang
Western Wei	西魏	Wei Bao (Wei royalty)	southern Shanxi	Defeated by Liu Bang
Jiujiang	九江	Ying Bu (Chu general)	central and southern Anhui	Allies with Liu Bang (surrendered, originally a Chu general)
Linjiang	臨江	Gong Ao (Chu general)	western Hubei, northern Hunan
Yan	燕	Zang Tu (Yan general)	northern Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin	Allies with Liu Bang
Liaodong	遼東	Han Guang (Yan royalty)	southern Liaoning	Surrendered to Liu Bang
Qi^[b]	齊 or 齐	Tian Du (Qi general)	western and central Shandong	Defeated by Liu Bang
Jiaodong^[b]	膠東	Tian Fu (Qi royalty)	eastern Shandong
Jibei^[b]	濟北	Tian An (Qi rebel leader)	northern Shandong

The Eighteen Kingdoms were short-lived. Almost immediately rebellion broke out in Qi, after which Tian Rong conquered Jiaodong and Jibei, reuniting the old Qi state^{[citation needed]}. Meanwhile, Xiang Yu had Emperor Yi of Chu and King Han Cheng of Hán killed. Thereafter, Liu Bang of Hàn conquered the lands of the Three Qins, thereby formally starting the Chu–Han Contention. Following many battles and changing alliances, Hàn defeated Chu and subdued all other kingdoms, where Liu Bang appointed vassal kings while making himself the first Emperor of the Han dynasty in 202 BCE.

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c Yong, Sai and Di were collectively known as the Three Qins because they occupied the area of the former Qin state, better known as Guanzhong.
^ ^a ^b ^c Jiaodong, Qi and Jibei were collectively known as the Three Qis because they occupied the area of the former Qi state.

References

^ 林达礼，中华五千年大事记，台南大孚书局, 1982, p. 56

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[a-2] Yong, Sai and Di were collectively known as the Three Qins because they occupied the area of the former Qin state, better known as Guanzhong.

[b-3] Jiaodong, Qi and Jibei were collectively known as the Three Qis because they occupied the area of the former Qi state.

[1] 林达礼，中华五千年大事记，台南大孚书局, 1982, p. 56

[1]

[a]

[b]

Eighteen Kingdoms

See also

Notes

References