| Marquess Wen of Wei 魏文侯 | |||||||||
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| Marquess of Wei | |||||||||
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| Marquess of Wei | |||||||||
| Reign | 424 – 396 BC (28 years) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | New title | ||||||||
| Successor | Marquess Wu | ||||||||
| 8th Leader of Wei clan | |||||||||
| Reign | 446 – 424 BC (22 years) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Viscount Huan | ||||||||
| Successor | Himself (became Marquess of Wei) | ||||||||
| Died | 396 BCE | ||||||||
| Issue | Marquess Wu Lord Zhongshan (中山君) | ||||||||
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| House | Ji | ||||||||
| Dynasty | Wei | ||||||||
| Father | Viscount Huan | ||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||
| Chinese | 魏文侯 | ||||||||
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Marquess Wen of Wei (died 396 BCE), personal name Wei Si, was the founding marquess of the Wei state. He belonged to the Wei clan, one of the noble houses that dominated Jin politics in the 5th and 6th centuries BC.
He became the leader of the Wei clan in 445 BCE, succeeding his father Viscount Huan, and in 424 BCE adopted the title of "Marquess" (侯). In 403 BCE, King Weilie of Zhou acknowledged Wei Si as Marquess of Wei while conferring similar titles on the leaders of the Han and Zhao clans, thereby effectively splitting the Jin state into three and confirming the Partition of Jin.
Sima Qian praised Marquess Wen for his eagerness to learn.[1] Marquess Wen is said to have often consulted the Confucian scholar Zixia as well as Tian Zifang (田子方) and Duangan Mu (段干木), among others. Marquess Wen also appointed Legalist philosopher Li Kui, whose principles for the implementation of political reforms were "to eat one must labor, to receive a salary one must provide meritorious service; those who do not will be punished." As the State of Wei underwent these reforms it became rich and powerful.
In turn, Marquess Wen defeated the Zhongshan state while General Wu Qi attacked and took five cities in what would become the Xihe Commandery within the borders of the Qin state (between the Yellow River and Luo River, spanning parts of modern-day Shaanxi and Shanxi). With Ximen Bao installed as magistrate of Ye (in modern-day Hebei), Beimen Ke (北門可) in control of Suanzao (酸棗) and Zhai Huang (翟黃) as Senior Minister, the Wei state underwent political reforms and constructed irrigation systems. As a result, Wei became a powerful state during the early Warring States period.