The Wen-Jing Reign Period (Wen Jing Zhi Zhi) was created by Emperor Wen and Jing of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24).

Emperor Qinshihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) was the first one in history to unify the whole kingdom. However, the prosperous Qin Dynasty lasted only 15 years, and its ruling was overturned due to its tyranny.

As its successors, the emperors of the Western Han Dynasty learnt from the lesson of the Qin Dynasty, and carried out a benign administration. Based on the stable ruling of the previous emperors of the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Wen and Jing put forward several policies that benefited society and promoted economic development.

The farmland tax was halved twice in 178 BC and 168 BC, making the tax payment account for only one-thirtieth of the total yield. Farmers were even exempted from the farmland tax for 11 years from 167 BC. Rewards were also offered to encourage agricultural development.

During that period, Emperor Wen and Jing maintained peaceful relationships with the surrounding states, and seldom launched wars against hostile powers.

To reduce state expenditures, the royal family lived a thrifty life, and the vassal states were forbidden from presenting precious treasures, which also set the example for government officials.

In the stable society, the agricultural economy was booming, contributing to the low price of food. The available food and money were beyond demand, leading to wheat rotting in warehouses and the twines that strung up the copper coins decaying.

The benign administration in the Wen-Jing Reign Period was highly praised by later generations for its positive results.