Wei (; Chinese: 衞; pinyin: Wèi), commonly spelled Wey to distinguish from the contemporary larger Wei (魏) state, was an ancient Chinese state that was founded in the early Western Zhou dynasty and rose to prominence during the Spring and Autumn period. Its rulers were of the surname Ji (姬), the same as that of the rulers of Zhou. It was located in modern northeastern Henan Province, east of Jin (and later Wei 魏), and west of Cao.
Early history
The history of Wey dates back to the beginning of the Zhou dynasty and the Rebellion of the Three Guards. After the Duke of Zhou successfully defeated the rebellion, Kang Shu, a younger brother of King Wu of Zhou was given a fief centred on Zhaoge, the capital of the Shang dynasty, which had been the centre of the rebellion.
Spring and Autumn period
The State of Wey was at its peak during the early Spring and Autumn period, under Duke Wu of Wey, who reigned for 55 years. In the reign of subsequent rulers, however, the state was plagued by succession troubles, until Duke Yi of Wey took the throne; his dissolute rule and obsession with cranes weakened the state, and in the eighth year of his reign the Rong peoples successfully attacked the capital at Zhaoge, killing the Duke and nearly destroying the state as well (660 BCE). It was only with the aid of Duke Huan of Qi that the state was eventually restored, with its capital moved to Chuqiu.
In 632 BCE Wey was conquered by Duke Wen of Jin, because when Duke Wen (called Chong'er then) was exiled to Wey, Duke Wen of Wey hadn't treated him well, and Duke Cheng of Wey, the son of Duke Wen of Wey, was nearly poisoned by Duke Wen of Jin, but eventually the state was restored. (Before the Battle of Chengpu, when Chu was attacking Song, Jin attacked Wey and Cao as a diversion.)
In 492 BCE Duke Chu of Wey (出公) succeeded the throne from his grandfather Duke Ling (灵公), while his father Kuaikui (蒯聩), who was the heir of Duke Ling, had been deposed and exiled. To get the throne, Kuaikui fought against his own son and managed to exile Duke Chu in 481 BCE, and was titled as Duke Zhuang II (后庄公), but was killed three years later. Duke Chu was restored in 475 BCE. The conflict between father and son weakened Wey, and Wey soon became attached to the House of Zhao of Jin.
Downfall and end
During the Warring States period, Wey steadily declined due to internal strife and pressure from neighbors, especially Wei.
In 346 BCE, the duke of Wey degraded his title to marquis (侯). By 320 BCE, the ruler further downgraded to jun (君, lord), and Wey controlled only the county of Puyang (濮陽).
In 254 BCE, King Anxi of Wei killed Lord Huai of Wey (衛懷君). Two years later (252 BCE), Wei installed its son-in-law (from the Wey house) as Lord Yuan of Wey (衛元君), making Wey a dependency of Wei.
In 241 BCE (year 6 of King Zheng of Qin's reign), Qin captured Puyang during its attack on Wei, incorporating it into the new Dong Commandery. Wey's ruler was relocated to Yewang (野王), and a Ji clan member was appointed as Lord Jiao of Wey (衛君角). Wey survived nominally as a Qin vassal with no real independence.
Traditional account (per Shiji): Wey was overlooked during Qin Shi Huang's unification in 221 BCE due to its insignificance. It endured until 209 BCE (year 1 of Qin Er Shi), when Qin Er Shi deposed Lord Jiao, extinguishing Wey's line shortly before Qin's fall.
Modern scholarly revision: Japanese historian Hirase Takao (平勢隆郎) argued in his New Chronological Table of the Eastern Zhou in Shiji (1995) that Shiji contains a ~12-year systematic error from calendrical differences (Qin's immediate-year accession vs. eastern states' next-year accession). Cross-checked with excavated sources like Shuihudi Qin bamboo slips and Tsinghua Xinian, Lord Jiao's reign ended in 221 BCE, coinciding with Qin's conquest of Qi and full unification. Wey thus fell with the other states. This view is supported by Chinese scholar Zhou Zhenhe (周振鶴) and resolves chronological inconsistencies.
Vassals
Vassals of Wey include Shi clan, Ning clan, Kong clan, Beigong clan, Nan clan and Sun clan. They were mostly cadet branches of Wey. Kong clan, which came from the state of Nan Yan, was an exception.