Wei Bao (died 204 BC) was the ruler of the Kingdom of Western Wei of the Eighteen Kingdoms during the Chu–Han Contention, an interregnum between the Qin and Han dynasties of China.
Overview
Wei Bao (died 204 BC) was the ruler of the Kingdom of Western Wei of the Eighteen Kingdoms during the Chu–Han Contention, an interregnum between the Qin and Han dynasties of China.
Life
Wei Bao was a descendant of the royal family of the Wei state of the Seven Warring States. His father was King Jingmin, the second last ruler of Wei, and his older brother, Wei Jia, was the last king of Wei. The Wei state was conquered by the Qin state in 225 BC as part of a series of wars to unify China under Qin rule.
Wei Bao and other former Wei royals lived as commoners under the Qin dynasty until 209 BC, when uprisings broke out throughout China to overthrow the Qin Empire. Around this time, Wei Jiu, another brother of Wei Bao, joined a rebel force led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang. They managed to seize control of former Wei territories from Qin forces, and Wei Jiu was declared king of a restored Wei state. However, in the following year, Qin forces under Zhang Han defeated the Wei forces in battle. As part of an agreement with Qin forces not to harm his people, Wei Jiu committed suicide by setting himself on fire.
Wei Bao escaped to the insurgent Chu state, where he received military support from Chu forces and managed to recapture the Wei territories. King Huai II of Chu recognised Wei Bao as the new king of Wei. Wei Bao joined the Chu general Xiang Yu in attacking Qin-controlled territories as they advanced towards the Qin heartland in the Guanzhong region.
