Wu Qi
Wu Qi (simplified Chinese: 吴起; traditional Chinese: 吳起; pinyin: Wú Qǐ; Wade–Giles: Wu Ch'i, 440-381 BC) was a Chinese military leader, Legalist philosopher, and politician in the Warring States period.
Biography
Born in the State of Wey (衞), he was skilled in leading armies and military strategy. He had served in the states of Lu and Wei (魏, not to be confused with Wèi, as in previous note). In the state of Wei he commanded many great battles and was appointed Xihe Shou (Mayor of Xihe county). Xihe was the area between the Yellow and Luo Rivers that Wei had just taken from Qin. Later, after he became estranged from the lord of Wei and was forced into exile, Wu Qi went to the State of Chu where he was appointed Prime minister by King Dao of Chu (楚悼王). His reforms made Chu a strong state at that time. The reforms he instituted enraged the old nobility of Chu and he was killed after the death of King Dao.
Wu's reforms, which started around 389 BC, were generally aimed at changing the corrupt and inefficient government. The nobility and officialdom were terribly corrupt and the government was burdened with the costs of paying them and a horde of other minor officials. Wu first lowered the annual salary of Chu officials, then dismissed officials who were useless or incompetent. He also eliminated hereditary privileges after three generations. The money saved by cutting costs was used to create and train a more professional army.
Ruo
Ruo may refer to:
Ruo (state)
The State of Ruò was a small vassal state during the Chinese Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BCE) whose rulers used the title Zǐ (子), roughly equivalent to a Viscount. Located between the States of Qin and Chu, Ruo was eventually annexed by the State of Chu.
Rise and fall
Ruo’s capital was initially located at Shangmi (商密), also known as “Upper Ruo” (上鄀). In 635 BCE, the State of Qin and its equally powerful ally the State of Jin attacked Ruo whereupon the neighboring State of Chu, also an enemy of Qin and Jin, came to its aid. The people of Shangmi surrendered to Qin whilst the commander of the Chu army was captured. Thereafter the Qin army returned to their territory with the Chu pursuit of their troops coming too late. By 622 BCE, Ruo’s relations with Qin had become closer but they still wavered over the question of their relations with Chu. This led to Qin capturing Ruo and incorporating the city into their own territory. Ruo moved their capital into neighboring Hubei Province, close to the city of Yicheng whereupon it became known as “Lower Ruo” (鄀下). After the move, Ruo became a vassal state of Chu and at an unknown date fully assimilated into the state.
Ruthenium(IV) oxide
Ruthenium(IV) oxide is the inorganic compound with the formula RuO2. This a black solid is the most common oxide of ruthenium. It is widely used as an electrocatalyst for producing chlorine, chlorine oxides, and O2 catalyst is ruthenium(IV) oxide. Like many dioxides, RuO2 adopts the rutile structure.
Preparation
It is usually prepared by oxidation of ruthenium trichloride. Nearly stoichiometric single crystals of RuO2 can be obtained by chemical vapor transport.
Films of RuO2 can be prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from volatile ruthenium compounds. RuO2 can also be prepared through electroplating from a solution of ruthenium trichloride.
Uses
Ruthenium (IV) oxide is being used as the main component in the catalyst of the Sumitomo-Deacon process which produces chlorine by the oxidation of hydrogen chloride.
RuO2 can be used as catalyst in many other situations. Noteworthy reactions are the Fischer-Tropsch process, Haber-Bosch process, and various manifestations of fuel cells.
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