For the other states, it was as if six ferocious dragons had been set loose into the wild, free to do as they pleased.
”
—Heki telling Shin about the Six Great Generals of Qin.
The Six Great Generals of Qin (六大将軍) are six of the most powerful Great Generals in the state of Qin. Sho, the 28th King of Qin, personally appointed each member to freely wage war in his name as he aspired to conquer and rule over all of China and the central plains. These military commanders were given the right to freely declare war on neighboring states which meant that their autonomy made it difficult for other states to predict their actions. This system made Qin a state to fear as it gave them a vast amount of military intimidation. In 234 B.C. the system was revived by Ei Sei, the 31st king and great-grandson of the War God, to conquer China and the central plains for his dream of Unifying China.
During the reign of the 28th Qin King Shou, the war-hungry monarch created this system as a means through which he would establish his rule over all of China. This allowed Qin to gain a high level of military intimidation and conquer vast territories. Qin was considered the most dangerous state in all of the central plains during the era of the War God and would cause enemies to lock their gates whenever one of their armies drew near. Some would simply open their gates and surrender rather than challenge the famous group of great generals. The Six Greats also fought many raging battles against Three Great Heavens of Zhao and Seven Fire Dragons of Wei.
The system was eventually restated by Ei Sei, the 31st Qin king, in the year of 234 B.C. Mou Bu, the first member and leader of the new generation, Tou, the second great, Ou Sen, the third great, Yo Tan Wa, the fourth great, and Kan Ki, the fifth great was elected to become the new members of the reborn system. However, the sixth and final seat is left vacant as the high command couldn't find a single individual worthy of the seat but believes that one of the many talents will one day claim it.
The Divine Swallow with six golden wings, the new symbol of the reborn Six Great Generals.
The Qin King then orders that the generals receive a golden wing from the statue of the divine swallow with six wings, the new symbol of the reborn Six Great Generals based on the legend of Qin's origins and foundation blessed with the protection of ancestral spirits in Kinen Shrine and entrusts each one wing to the generals so that they would return the wings the moment their goals will be completed.
Strengths[]
“
Without a doubt the Six Greats systems greatest weapon is 'speed.' From this point on if we further intensify our invasion, the enemy nations will act. They'll desperately try to seal the openings in their borders. Even if they lose territory, they have numbers. They'll just keep throwing more and more soldiers at us to stall. It's a contest between their recovery speed and our invasion speed. To ensure our victory, our generals can't be kept waiting for orders. They must make quick decisions on the battlefield as the war evolves. Thus, the right to freely wage war. We'll use 'speed' and 'decisiveness' to surpass our enemy's 'recovery power ' and pierce their hearts.
”
—Shou Hei Kun on the strengths of the Six Greats system and purpose.
The greatest strength of the system is the caliber of the great generals chosen to be one of the six and the autonomy given to each to conduct separate wars on behalf of the Qin king, with the six acting as a strong independent force in the warring states. In addition to this, the skills and strengths of the chosen members helped spread the fame of Qin's military might to all. The previous generation's strength was considered on par with Zhao's Three Great Heavens, Wei's Seven Fire Dragons, and the late "Military God" Gaku Ki of Yan. Ou Ki once commented that one would need to have experienced over a hundred battles and have immense martial talent to be considered in the same class as the Six.
While Six Greats fought their battles independently, they always knew others had their backs, which allowed them to claim territory without pause or the fear of enemy counter attacks.
Weakness[]
Despite their strengths, the system has its weaknesses. The first was the risk of rebellion that came from handling thousands of soldiers over to a single individual to command. This was not seen as a problem during King Sho's reign due to the unshakeable "loyalty of iron" that existed between him and the great generals. However, while the current generation has shown themselves to be honorable, they are enigmatic figures with different personalities that may or may not conflict with the present King's morals.
The system also requires a constant resupply of soldiers and supplies which put a great strain on the state's economic resources and coffers. It was also stated that having more than six members would create unrest in the lower ranks and the edge the state would obtain by quick decision making would be lost.
A city surrendering to Great General Ou Ki and his army.
Kyou's ceremony of appointment by the King.
The previous Six Greats as they appeared in Mou Gou's dream.
Ou Ki, Haku Ki, Ko Shou.
First Generation of Qin Six.
Six Great Generals pledging "undying loyalty" to King Sho.
Anime[]
Six Great Generals of Qin
Qin Six Great Generals vs Zhao Three Great Heavens
Trivia[]
Ren Pa mentions that a Great General needs "the willpower, arm strength, luck, knowledge, and experience of a hundred men".
The Six Great Generals system was not a way of Qin's military organization in real life and instead was created by Yasuhisa Hara. However, all of the members are based on real-life historical figures.
With Kan Ki’s death, there are now two seats vacant.
