See other feudal lords of the Zhou period. The rulers of Wei are said to be descendants of Ji Gao, Duke of Bi 畢公(姬)高, a relative and minister of the Western Zhou (Xizhou 西周) kings. In 661 they were enfeoffed as viscounts (zi 子) by the state of Jin 晉 and called themselves marquis (hou 侯) after the three viscounts of Wei, Han 韓, and Zhao 趙 had destroyed the old Jin in 453. Under the advisorship of the legist Li Kui 李悝 and the military strategist Wu Qi 吳起 Wei underwent administrative and military reforms. Wei united with Zhao and Han to withstand the pressure of the powerful state of Qin 秦, and constructed a wall to prevent Qin from intruding Wei territory. Under King Huiwang 梁惠王 who renamed Wei in Liang 梁, Wei suffered a bad defeat at the battle of Maling 馬陵 in 341 BC against Qi 齊 and its advisor Sun Bin 孫臏. From then on, Qi dominated eastern China, and Wei had lost its predominant military position. Although chancellor Gongsun Yan 公孫衍 tried to united several states against Qin, they suffered a setback, and Qin year by year advanced into Wei territory. In 273 Qin defeated Wei and Zhao in the massacre of Huayang 華陽, and the coalition of Lord Xinling 信陵君 with Lord Chunshen 春申君 of Chu 楚 could not save Wei whose territory was finally conquered by Qin in 225. The name of Wei that had dominated the south of modern Shanxi province was later not only used for imperial princedoms but for several mighty empires that dominated north China, like the Cao-Wei Dynasty 曹魏 of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguo) 三國 and the Northern Wei (Beiwei) 北魏 empire of the Tuoba 拓跋. Rulers of Wei 魏 Capitals: Wei 魏 (modern Ruicheng 芮城/Shanxi), Anyi 安邑 (near modern Xiaxian 夏縣/Shanxi), Daliang 大梁 (near modern Kaifeng 開封/Henan) dynastic title See also titles of rulers. personal name time Wan, Duke of Bi 畢公萬 Ji Wan 姬萬, a relative to the House of Zhou Wei Wuzi 魏武子 Ji Chou 姬犨 Wei Daozi 魏悼子 Wei Zhaozi 魏昭子 or Zhuangzi 莊子 Ji Jiang 姬絳 Wei Xianzi 魏獻子 Ji Shu 姬舒 Wei Huanzi 魏桓子 Ji Ju 姬駒 Wei Wenhou 魏文侯 Ji Si 姬斯 424-387 Wei Wuhou 魏武侯 Ji Ji 姬擊 386-371 Wei (Liang) Huiwang 魏(梁)惠王 Ji Ying 姬罃 379-335 Wei Xiangwang 魏襄王 Ji He 姬赫 334-319 Wei Aiwang 魏哀王 Ji Yu 姬于 318-296 Wei Zhaowang 魏昭王 Ji Chi 姬遫 295-277 Wei Anxiwang 魏安釐王 Ji Yu 姬圉 276-243 Wei Jingminwang 魏景湣王 Ji Zeng 姬增 242-228 Jia, King of Wei 魏王假 Ji Jia 姬假 227-225 225 Wei conquered by Qin 秦.

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