| rdfs:comment | - By 490 BC, after the destruction of the houses of Fan (范) and Zhonghang (中行), control of the State of Jin, then the largest state in China, was contested by four elite families: Zhi, Wei, Zhao, and Han. With multiple military victories under his belt, Zhi Bo Yao (智伯瑤) of the house of Zhi exerted the most influence in the Jin court – all decisions of the state had to pass through him. He also controlled the most territory within the state. The reigning duke of Jin, Duke Ai, was powerless to restrain him. So Zhi Bo, in his pride, began to demand lands from the other three houses. The houses of Wei and Han reluctantly complied to evade Zhi Bo's wrath, but Viscount Xiang of Zhao (趙襄子) refused to cede the territories of Lin (藺) and Gaolang (皋狼), both in modern-day Lishi, to Zhi. Zhi Bo, in retr
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| abstract | - By 490 BC, after the destruction of the houses of Fan (范) and Zhonghang (中行), control of the State of Jin, then the largest state in China, was contested by four elite families: Zhi, Wei, Zhao, and Han. With multiple military victories under his belt, Zhi Bo Yao (智伯瑤) of the house of Zhi exerted the most influence in the Jin court – all decisions of the state had to pass through him. He also controlled the most territory within the state. The reigning duke of Jin, Duke Ai, was powerless to restrain him. So Zhi Bo, in his pride, began to demand lands from the other three houses. The houses of Wei and Han reluctantly complied to evade Zhi Bo's wrath, but Viscount Xiang of Zhao (趙襄子) refused to cede the territories of Lin (藺) and Gaolang (皋狼), both in modern-day Lishi, to Zhi. Zhi Bo, in retribution, formed a secret alliance with the houses of Wei and Han to attack Zhao. Viscount Xiang suspected an attack from Zhi Bo, since he has heard that Zhi Bo sent envoys to Han and Wei three times, but never to Zhao. After rejecting suggestions to move to Zhangzi or Handan out of concern for the people there, the viscount asked his minister Zhang Mengtan (張孟談) where he could prepare his defence, and Zhang Mengtan suggested Jinyang because Jinyang had been well-governed for generations. Viscount Xiang agreed, and summoned Yanling Sheng (延陵生) to lead the army carriages and cavalry ahead to Jinyang, the viscount himself to follow later. Once in Jinyang, the viscount, following the suggestions of Zhang Mengtan, issued orders to refill the granaries and the treasuries, repair walls, make arrows, and melt copper pillars for metal. By virtue of past governance, the treasuries, granaries, and arsenals were filled within three days, and the walls repaired within five. Thus all of Jinyang was prepared for war.
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