The historiographical term "Eighteen Kingdoms" (Chinese: t=十八國), also translated as "Eighteen States", refers to the eighteen fengjian states in China created by military leader Xiang Yu in 206 BCE, after the collapse of the Qin dynasty.[1] The establishment and abolishment of the Eighteen Kingdoms marked the beginning and end of a turbulent interregnum known as the Chu–Han Contention.
The details of the feudal division are as follows:
| width=10% | Name | width=5% | Name (Chinese) | width=20% | Ruler | width=35% | Areas covered (in present-day China) | width=35% | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 西楚 | Defeated by Liu Bang | ||||||||
| 漢/汉 | |||||||||
| Yong | 雍 | Zhang Han (Qin general) | central Shaanxi, and eastern Gansu | Defeated by Liu Bang | |||||
| Sai | 塞 | Sima Xin (Qin general) | Defeated by Liu Bang | ||||||
| Di(zhai) | 翟 | Dong Yi (Qin general) | Defeated by Liu Bang | ||||||
| Hengshan | 衡山 | Wu Rui (Qin official supported by Yue tribes) | Allies with Liu Bang | ||||||
| 韓 | Han Cheng (Hán royalty) | ||||||||
| Zhao, briefly called Dai | 趙/代 | Zhao Xie (Zhao royalty) | Defeated by Liu Bang | ||||||
| Henan | 河南 | Shen Yang (Zhao official) | |||||||
| Changshan | 常山 | Zhang Er (Zhao vice chancellor) | Allies with Liu Bang | ||||||
| Yin | 殷 | Sima Ang (Zhao general) | Allies with Liu Bang | ||||||
| 西魏 | Wei Bao (Wei royalty) | Defeated by Liu Bang | |||||||
| Jiujiang | 九江 | Ying Bu (Chu general) | Allies with Liu Bang (surrendered, originally a Chu general) | ||||||
| Linjiang | 臨江 | Gong Ao (Chu general) | |||||||
| 燕 | Zang Tu (Yan general) | Allies with Liu Bang | |||||||
| Liaodong | 遼東 | Han Guang (Yan royalty) | Surrendered to Liu Bang | ||||||
| Qi | 齊 or 齐 | Tian Du (Qi general) | Defeated by Liu Bang | ||||||
| Jiaodong | 膠東 | Tian Fu (Qi royalty) | |||||||
| Jibei | 濟北 | Tian An (Qi rebel leader) | |||||||
The Eighteen Kingdoms were short-lived. Almost immediately rebellion broke out in Qi, after which Tian Rong conquered Jiaodong and Jibei, reuniting the old Qi state. Meanwhile, Xiang Yu had Emperor Yi of Chu and King Han Cheng of Hán killed. Thereafter, Liu Bang of Hàn conquered the lands of the Three Qins, thereby formally starting the Chu–Han Contention. Following many battles and changing alliances, Hàn defeated Chu and subdued all other kingdoms, where Liu Bang appointed vassal kings while making himself the first Emperor of the Han dynasty in 202 BCE.