Duke Tai of Tian Qi (; died 384 BC) was from 386 to 384 BC ruler of the
State of Qi
Qi, or Ch'i in Wade–Giles romanization, was a state of the Zhou dynasty-era in ancient China, variously reckoned as a march, duchy, and independent kingdom. Its capital was Linzi, located in present-day Shandong.
Qi was founded shortly ...
, a major power during the
Warring States period
The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...
of ancient China. He was the first Qi ruler from the House of Tian, replacing the House of Jiang that had ruled the state for over six centuries.
Duke Tai's personal name was Tian He (田和), and
ancestral name
In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community.
Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name, ...
Gui (
媯). His official posthumous title was simply Duke Tai of Qi, but he is commonly called Duke Tai of Tian Qi or Duke Tai of Tian to be distinguished from
Jiang Ziya
Jiang Ziya ( century BC – century BC), also known by several other names, was a Chinese noble who helped kings Wen and Wu of Zhou overthrow the Shang in ancient China. Following their victory at Muye, he continued to serve ...
, the original Duke Tai from the House of Jiang, who founded Qi in the 11th century BC.
Reign
Since Tian He's great-grandfather
Tian Heng
''Tiān'' () is one of the oldest Chinese terms for heaven and a key concept in Chinese mythology, philosophy, and religion. During the Shang dynasty (17th―11th century BCE), the Chinese referred to their supreme god as '' Shàngdì'' (, "Lor ...
killed
Duke Jian of Qi
Duke Jian of Qi (; died 481 BC) was from 484 to 481 BC ruler of the State of Qi, a major power during the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China. His personal name was Lü Ren (呂壬), ancestral name Jiang ( 姜), and Duke Jian was his post ...
in 481 BC, the leaders of the Tian clan had been the ''de facto'' rulers of Qi. In 404 BC Tian He succeeded his older brother
Tian Daozi
''Tiān'' () is one of the oldest Chinese terms for heaven and a key concept in Chinese mythology, philosophy, and religion. During the Shang dynasty (17th―11th century BCE), the Chinese referred to their supreme god as '' Shàngdì'' (, "Lo ...
as head of the Tian clan. He nominally served under
Duke Kang of Qi
Duke Kang of Qi (; died 379 BC) was from 404 to 386 BC the titular ruler of the State of Qi during the early Warring States period of ancient China. His personal name was Lü Dai (呂貸), ancestral name Jiang ( 姜), and Duke Kang was his posthu ...
, the last ruler from the House of Jiang, but effectively ruled the state himself.
Tian He asked
Marquis Wu of Wei
Marquess Wu of Wei (died 370 BCE), was a ruler of the Wei (state), State of Wei during the Warring States period of ancient China. Born Wèi Jī, he was the son of the former ruler Marquess Wen of Wei. He became ruler in 395 BCE upon the death of h ...
to lobby for him at the court of
King An of Zhou
King An of Zhou (), personal name Ji Jiao, was the thirty-third king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty and the twenty-first of the Eastern Zhou.
He succeeded his father King Weilie of Zhou on the throne of China in 401 BC and reigned until his death ...
, the nominal ruler of all China. In 386 BC, King An officially recognized Tian He as ruler of Qi, ending more than six centuries of rule by the House of Jiang. Tian He became the first ''de jure'' ruler of Qi from the House of Tian, and is posthumously known as Duke Tai of Qi. He subsequently exiled Duke Kang to a seaside city, where Duke Kang lived for seven more years and died in 379 BC.
Duke Tai died in 384 BC, just two years after formally ascending the throne. He was succeeded by his son
Tian Yan
Yan, Marquis of Tian (; died 375 BC) was from 383 to 375 BC ruler of the State of Qi, a major power during the Warring States period of ancient China. His personal name was Tián Yǎn (田剡), and ancestral name Gui ( 媯).
Reign
Yan's father ...
, who would later be killed by Duke Tai's younger son Tian Wu,
Duke Huan of Tian Qi
Duke Huan of Tian Qi (; 400–357 BC) was from 374 to 357 BC ruler of the State of Qi, a major power during the Warring States period of ancient China. Duke Huan's personal name was Tian Wu (田午), and ancestral name Gui ( 媯). His official ...
.
Mausoleum
Duke Tai's mausoleum is located near the village of Chengjiagou (程家沟) in Putong Township (普通乡) of
Qingzhou
Qingzhou () Wade–Giles: Tsing-chou, sometimes written as Ching-chow-fu, formerly Yidu County (Yitu) (), is a county-level city, which is located in the west of the prefecture-level city of Weifang, in the central part of Shandong Province, Chin ...
,
Shandong Province
Shandong ( , ; ; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region.
Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilizatio ...
. The extant structure measures from east to west, from north to south, and high. The seven known mausoleums of Tian Qi rulers are now protected as a
National Historical and Cultural Site. Since 2008 they have been included in the tentative list of UNESCO
World Heritage Sites
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...
as part of the ancient Qi capital and mausoleum complex.
Family
Wives:
* Lady (d. 364 BC), the mother of Prince Yan
Concubines:
* Consort Xiao (), the mother of Prince Wu
Sons:
* Prince
Yan
Yan may refer to:
Chinese states
* Yan (state) (11th century – 222 BC), a major state in northern China during the Zhou dynasty
* Yan (Han dynasty kingdom), first appearing in 206 BC
* Yan (Three Kingdoms kingdom), officially claimed inde ...
(; d. 375 BC), ruled as the Duke of Qi from 383–375 BC
* Prince Wu (; 400–357 BC), ruled as
Duke Huan of Tian Qi
Duke Huan of Tian Qi (; 400–357 BC) was from 374 to 357 BC ruler of the State of Qi, a major power during the Warring States period of ancient China. Duke Huan's personal name was Tian Wu (田午), and ancestral name Gui ( 媯). His official ...
from 374–357 BC
Ancestry
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tai of Tian Qi, Duke
Year of birth unknown
Monarchs of Qi (state)
4th-century BC Chinese monarchs
384 BC deaths
Founding monarchs