Duke Huan of Qi was the first and most famous of the Spring‑and‑Autumn Five Hegemons. He convened the feudal lords many times.
In 651 BC, Duke Huan of Qi convened a grand alliance of feudal lords at Kuiqiu (located in present-day northeast Minquan, Henan Province). The rulers of Qi, Lu, Song, Wei, Zheng, Xu, and Cao all participated in this covenant, and King Xiang of the Zhou Dynasty also sent a representative to attend, commending Duke Huan for his virtue in “revering the King and repelling the barbarians” (Zunwang Rangyi). The central theme of the Kuiqiu Alliance was to establish peace and foster good relations, allowing the populace to recuperate and the economy to flourish.
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