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class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Shang dynasty</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Shang_dynasty-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Western_Zhou" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Western_Zhou"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>Western Zhou</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Western_Zhou-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Spring_and_Autumn_period" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Spring_and_Autumn_period"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>Spring and Autumn period</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Spring_and_Autumn_period-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Spring 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period</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Warring_States_period-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Early_Imperial_era" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Early_Imperial_era"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>Early Imperial era</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Early_Imperial_era-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Early Imperial era subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Early_Imperial_era-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Qin_dynasty" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Qin_dynasty"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6.1</span> <span>Qin dynasty</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Qin_dynasty-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Transition_from_Qin_to_Han" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Transition_from_Qin_to_Han"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6.2</span> <span>Transition from Qin to Han</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Transition_from_Qin_to_Han-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Han_dynasty" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Han_dynasty"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6.3</span> <span>Han dynasty</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Han_dynasty-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-References-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle References subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.1</span> <span>Notes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Citations" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Citations"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.2</span> <span>Citations</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Citations-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Sources" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Sources"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7.3</span> <span>Sources</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Sources-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">8</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" 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Available in 16 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-16" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">16 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%85%D8%A9" title="الدول الصينية القديمة – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="الدول الصينية القديمة" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh-min-nan mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh-min-nan.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chu-h%C3%B4%CD%98" title="Chu-hô͘ – Minnan" lang="nan" hreflang="nan" data-title="Chu-hô͘" data-language-autonym="閩南語 / Bân-lâm-gú" data-language-local-name="Minnan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>閩南語 / Bân-lâm-gú</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estats_xinesos_antics" title="Estats xinesos antics – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Estats xinesos antics" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estados_de_la_Antigua_China" title="Estados de la Antigua China – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Estados de la Antigua China" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89tats_chinois_antiques" title="États chinois antiques – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="États chinois antiques" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%A0%9C%ED%9B%84" title="제후 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="제후" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhuhou" title="Zhuhou – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Zhuhou" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lv mw-list-item"><a href="https://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%BEuhou" title="Džuhou – Latvian" lang="lv" hreflang="lv" data-title="Džuhou" data-language-autonym="Latviešu" data-language-local-name="Latvian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Latviešu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%AB%B8%E4%BE%AF" title="諸侯 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="諸侯" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldtidens_kinesiske_stater" title="Oldtidens kinesiske stater – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Oldtidens kinesiske stater" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A7%D0%B6%D1%83%D1%85%D0%BE%D1%83" title="Чжухоу – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Чжухоу" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-si mw-list-item"><a href="https://si.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B6%B4%E0%B7%94%E0%B6%BB%E0%B7%8F%E0%B6%AD%E0%B6%B1_%E0%B6%A0%E0%B7%93%E0%B6%B1_%E0%B6%BB%E0%B7%8F%E0%B6%A2%E0%B7%8A%E2%80%8D%E0%B6%BA" title="පුරාතන චීන රාජ්‍ය – Sinhala" lang="si" hreflang="si" data-title="පුරාතන චීන රාජ්‍ය" data-language-autonym="සිංහල" data-language-local-name="Sinhala" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>සිංහල</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ckb mw-list-item"><a href="https://ckb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%88%DB%8C%D9%84%D8%A7%DB%8C%DB%95%D8%AA%DB%95_%D8%AF%DB%8E%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86%DB%95%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C_%DA%86%DB%8C%D9%86" title="ویلایەتە دێرینەکانی چین – Central Kurdish" lang="ckb" hreflang="ckb" data-title="ویلایەتە دێرینەکانی چین" data-language-autonym="کوردی" data-language-local-name="Central Kurdish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>کوردی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-vi mw-list-item"><a href="https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A1c_nh%C3%A0_n%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Bc_Trung_Qu%E1%BB%91c_c%E1%BB%95_%C4%91%E1%BA%A1i" title="Các nhà nước Trung Quốc cổ đại – Vietnamese" lang="vi" hreflang="vi" data-title="Các nhà nước Trung Quốc cổ đại" data-language-autonym="Tiếng Việt" data-language-local-name="Vietnamese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Tiếng Việt</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh-yue mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh-yue.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%AB%B8%E4%BE%AF" title="諸侯 – Cantonese" 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class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">City-states and territories that existed in China prior to its unification</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">For vassal states in a more general sense, see <a href="/wiki/Vassal_state" title="Vassal state">Vassal state</a>.</div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:States_of_Zhou_Dynasty.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/States_of_Zhou_Dynasty.png/350px-States_of_Zhou_Dynasty.png" decoding="async" width="350" height="247" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/States_of_Zhou_Dynasty.png/525px-States_of_Zhou_Dynasty.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/States_of_Zhou_Dynasty.png/700px-States_of_Zhou_Dynasty.png 2x" data-file-width="1277" data-file-height="903" /></a><figcaption>Map showing major states of the Zhou dynasty</figcaption></figure> <p><b>Ancient Chinese states</b> (<a href="/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_characters" title="Traditional Chinese characters">traditional Chinese</a>: <span lang="zh-Hant">諸侯國</span>; <a href="/wiki/Simplified_Chinese_characters" title="Simplified Chinese characters">simplified Chinese</a>: <span lang="zh-Hans">诸侯国</span>; <a href="/wiki/Pinyin" title="Pinyin">pinyin</a>: <i><span lang="zh-Latn">Zhūhóu guó</span></i>) were dynastic polities of China within and without the <a href="/wiki/Zhou_dynasty" title="Zhou dynasty">Zhou</a> cultural sphere prior to <a href="/wiki/Qin%27s_wars_of_unification" title="Qin's wars of unification">Qin's wars of unification</a>. They ranged in size from large estates, to <a href="/wiki/City-state" title="City-state">city-states</a> to much vaster territories with multiple population centers. Many of these submitted to royal authority, but many did not—even those that shared the same culture and ancestral temple surname as the ruling house. Prior to the <a href="/wiki/Battle_of_Muye" title="Battle of Muye">Zhou conquest of Shang</a>, the first of these ancient states were already extant as units of the preceding <a href="/wiki/Shang_dynasty" title="Shang dynasty">Shang dynasty</a>, <a href="/wiki/Predynastic_Zhou" title="Predynastic Zhou">Predynastic Zhou</a>, or polities of other cultural groups. Once the Zhou had established themselves, they made grants of land and relative local autonomy to kinfolk in return for military support and tributes, under a system known as <i><a href="/wiki/Fengjian" title="Fengjian">fengjian</a></i>. </p><p>The rulers of the states were collectively the <i>zhuhou</i> (<span lang="zh-Hant">諸侯</span>; <span lang="zh-Hans">诸侯</span>; <i><span lang="zh-Latn">zhūhóu</span></i>; 'many lords'). Over the course of the Zhou dynasty (<abbr title="circa">c.</abbr> 1046–256 <span class="smallcaps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;">BCE</span></span>), the ties of family between the states attenuated, the power of the central government waned, and the states grew more autonomous. Some regional rulers granted subunits of their own territory to ministerial lineages who eventually eclipsed them in power and in some cases <a href="/wiki/Usurpation_of_Qi_by_Tian" title="Usurpation of Qi by Tian">usurped them</a>. Over time, the smaller polities were absorbed by the larger ones, either by force or willing submission, until only one remained: <a href="/wiki/Qin_(state)" title="Qin (state)">Qin</a> (<span lang="zh">秦</span>), which unified the realm in 221 <span class="smallcaps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;">BCE</span></span> and became China's <a href="/wiki/Qin_dynasty" title="Qin dynasty">first imperial dynasty</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Background">Background</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Background"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Mandate_of_Heaven" title="Mandate of Heaven">Mandate of Heaven</a> and <a href="/wiki/Zhou_dynasty_nobility" title="Zhou dynasty nobility">Zhou dynasty nobility</a></div> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Zhou_dynasty" title="Zhou dynasty">Zhou dynasty</a> grew out of a <a href="/wiki/Predynastic_Zhou" title="Predynastic Zhou">predynastic polity</a> with its own existing power structure, primarily organized as a set of culturally affiliated kinship groups. The defining characteristics of a noble were their ancestral temple surname (<span lang="zh">姓</span>; <i><span lang="zh-Latn">xíng</span></i>), their lineage line within that ancestral surname, and seniority within that lineage line.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChun199031_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChun199031-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Shortly after the <a href="/wiki/Zhou_conquest_of_Shang" class="mw-redirect" title="Zhou conquest of Shang">Zhou conquest of Shang</a> (1046 or 1045 BCE), the immediate goal of the nascent dynasty was to consolidate its power over its newly expanded geographical range, especially in light of the <a href="/wiki/Rebellion_of_the_Three_Guards" title="Rebellion of the Three Guards">Rebellion of the Three Guards</a> following the death of the conquering <a href="/wiki/King_Wu_of_Zhou" title="King Wu of Zhou">King Wu of Zhou</a>. To this end, royal relatives were granted lands outside the old Zhou homeland, and given relatively sovereign authority over those spaces.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELi2008b33,_43–44_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELi2008b33,_43–44-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Zhou government thus had multiple dimensions of relationship with different sorts of powerful men. The lineage elders of the old homelands were related to the royal house mostly through the pre-existing kinship structure, and not all were politically subservient.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201446–48_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201446–48-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The regional lords were established to provide a screen to the royal lands and exert control over culturally distinct <a href="/wiki/Polity" title="Polity">polities</a> and were mostly defined by that responsibility, but this was also embedded in the kinship groups. Some few high government ministers had special, non-hereditary titles of nobility. Lastly, there were the leaders of polities outside the Zhou cultural sphere.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELi2008a114_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELi2008a114-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Shang_dynasty">Shang dynasty</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Shang dynasty"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Shang_dynasty" title="Shang dynasty">Shang dynasty</a> and <a href="/wiki/List_of_Shang_dynasty_states" title="List of Shang dynasty states">List of Shang dynasty states</a></div> <p>Fang States (Chinese:<a href="/wiki/Radical_70" title="Radical 70">⽅</a>) refer to the various tribes and states during the <a href="/wiki/Shang_dynasty" title="Shang dynasty">Shang dynasty</a> in ancient China. Today, scholars' understanding of these states primarily comes from <a href="/wiki/Oracle_bone_script" title="Oracle bone script">oracle bone inscriptions</a> unearthed from the late Shang dynasty <a href="/wiki/Yinxu" title="Yinxu">Yinxu</a>. In these inscriptions, these tribal states are often referred to as name + "方". In modern style Chinese the term can be duplicated to Fang Guo (Traditional Chinese:⽅國). </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Western_Zhou">Western Zhou</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Western Zhou"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Western_Zhou" title="Western Zhou">Western Zhou</a> and <a href="/wiki/List_of_Zhou_dynasty_states" title="List of Zhou dynasty states">List of Zhou dynasty states</a></div> <figure class="mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:EN-WesternZhouStates.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/EN-WesternZhouStates.jpg/400px-EN-WesternZhouStates.jpg" decoding="async" width="400" height="227" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/EN-WesternZhouStates.jpg/600px-EN-WesternZhouStates.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/EN-WesternZhouStates.jpg/800px-EN-WesternZhouStates.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2771" data-file-height="1575" /></a><figcaption>Selected states of the Western Zhou dynasty</figcaption></figure> <p>Following the overthrow of the <a href="/wiki/Shang_dynasty" title="Shang dynasty">Shang dynasty</a> in 1046 BCE, the early kings made hereditary land grants to various relatives and descendants.<sup id="cite_ref-Keay_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Keay-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page / location: 57">: 57 </span></sup> Along with the land and title came a responsibility to support the Zhou king during an emergency and to pay <a href="/wiki/Ancestor_veneration_in_China" title="Ancestor veneration in China">ritual homage</a> to the Zhou ancestors. In the <a href="/wiki/Yellow_River" title="Yellow River">Yellow River</a> valley, of the earliest vassal states, the state of <a href="/wiki/Cai_(state)" title="Cai (state)">Cai</a> (<span lang="zh">蔡</span>) was founded following a grant of land by the conquering <a href="/wiki/King_Wu_of_Zhou" title="King Wu of Zhou">King Wu of Zhou</a> to a younger brother. Other states established at this time included <a href="/wiki/Cao_(state)" title="Cao (state)">Cao</a> (<span lang="zh">曹</span>), <a href="/wiki/Yan_(state)" title="Yan (state)">Yan</a> (<span lang="zh">燕</span>), <a href="/wiki/Jin_(Chinese_state)" title="Jin (Chinese state)">Jin</a> (<span lang="zh">晉</span>), and <a href="/wiki/Chen_(state)" title="Chen (state)">Chen</a> (<span lang="zh">陳</span>). The state of <a href="/wiki/Song_(state)" title="Song (state)">Song</a> (<span lang="zh">宋</span>) was permitted to be retained by the nobility of the defeated Shang dynasty, in what would become a custom known as <a href="/wiki/Er_Wang_San_Ke" class="mw-redirect" title="Er Wang San Ke">Er Wang San Ke</a>. In the Zhou heartland of the <a href="/wiki/Wei_River" title="Wei River">Wei River</a> valley, most existing polities submitted to Zhou overlordship, although the state of <a href="/w/index.php?title=Yu_(Chinese_state)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Yu (Chinese state) (page does not exist)">Yu</a> (<span lang="zh">虞</span>) did not, since their rulers belonged to a more senior branch of the lineage group than the Zhou kings. The rulers of the state of <a href="/wiki/Western_Guo" title="Western Guo">Guo</a> (<span lang="zh">虢</span>) also belonged to a different branch lineage, but they submitted to royal authority.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201446–48_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201446–48-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The relation of the polities in the old Zhou heartland to the royal court was informed by the preexisting kinship structures amongst them, whereas the relationship between the newly established regional states and the royal court was more directly political.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201441_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201441-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>On the periphery, the states of <a href="/wiki/Yan_(state)" title="Yan (state)">Yan</a>, <a href="/wiki/Qi_(state)" title="Qi (state)">Qi</a> (<span lang="zh">齊</span>), and <a href="/wiki/Jin_(Chinese_state)" title="Jin (Chinese state)">Jin</a> in the north and northeast had more room to expand and grew into large states.<sup id="cite_ref-CK_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CK-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In the southwest the non-Zhou state of <a href="/wiki/Chu_(state)" title="Chu (state)">Chu</a> (<span lang="zh">楚</span>) demanded attention. In the southeast, the Zhou confederation was bordered by the <a href="/wiki/Yue_peoples" class="mw-redirect" title="Yue peoples">peoples</a> of Wu (<span lang="zh">吳</span>) and Yue (<span lang="zh">越</span>). These polities and cultural outgroups in the <a href="/wiki/Yangtze_River" class="mw-redirect" title="Yangtze River">Yangtze River</a> valley were not fully incorporated into a centralised political domain until the <a href="/wiki/Imperial_China" class="mw-redirect" title="Imperial China">imperial era</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Around the borders of the <a href="/wiki/Names_of_China" title="Names of China">Central States</a> <span class="nowrap">(<span lang="zh">中國</span>)</span> lived "<a href="/wiki/Hua%E2%80%93Yi_distinction" title="Hua–Yi distinction">barbarians</a>", fenced off from the Zhou heartlands by their enfeoffed regional lords. Apart from their responsibilities to the throne, the regional lords were responsible for their families, their people, and the altars of <a href="/wiki/Soil_and_grain" title="Soil and grain">soil and grain</a> outside their cities, where annual sacrifices were performed. </p><p>Over time the parcels of land the royal court was able to grant became increasingly small, and population growth and associated socioeconomic pressures strained the Zhou confederation and the power of the central government. Canny clans formed alliances through marriage, powerful ministers began to overshadow the kings, and eventually a succession crisis brought an end to the Western Zhou period. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Spring_and_Autumn_period">Spring and Autumn period</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Spring and Autumn period"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Spring_and_Autumn_period" title="Spring and Autumn period">Spring and Autumn period</a></div> <p>After an attack by <a href="/wiki/Quanrong" title="Quanrong">Quanrong</a> nomads allied with several vassal states including <a href="/wiki/Shen_(state)" title="Shen (state)">Shen</a> (<span lang="zh">申</span>) and <a href="/wiki/Zheng_(state)" title="Zheng (state)">Zheng</a> (<span lang="zh">鄭</span>) in 771 BCE, the Zhou ruler <a href="/wiki/King_You_of_Zhou" title="King You of Zhou">King You</a> was killed in his palace at <a href="/wiki/Haojing" title="Haojing">Haojing</a>. His son fled east and was enthroned by several vassal leaders as <a href="/wiki/King_Ping_of_Zhou" title="King Ping of Zhou">King Ping of Zhou</a>. Traditionally, the flight to the east and establishment of the new king is written as if it proceeded very rapidly, but <a href="/wiki/Chinese_archaeology" class="mw-redirect" title="Chinese archaeology">excavated manuscripts</a> hold clues that a parallel king may have reigned for over twenty years, and there may have been no recognized king for nine years.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChen_and_Pines201810–14_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEChen_and_Pines201810–14-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMilburn201670_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEMilburn201670-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The scale of the division of loyalties between the regional states, and the effect it had on society is not clear, but archaeology attests significant movement of people around this time.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELi2008a120–123_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELi2008a120–123-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>With the primary capital moved from Haojing to Luoyi, after a succession crisis of indeterminate severity, the royal house had lost its power and almost all of its land. The prestige of the king, as <a href="/wiki/Son_of_Heaven" title="Son of Heaven">Heaven's eldest son</a>, was not significantly diminished, and he retained his ritual authority within the <a href="/wiki/Ji_(Zhou_dynasty_ancestral_surname)" title="Ji (Zhou dynasty ancestral surname)">Ji lineage</a>, but he and his family were much more reliant on the regional states.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPines200423_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPines200423-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Conversely, the rulers of the states had much less use for the king and his court. Whole lineage groups had moved around under socioeconomic stress, border groups not associated with the Zhou culture gained in power and sophistication, and the geopolitical situation demanded increased contact and communication.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELi2008a120–123_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELi2008a120–123-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The regional states, now operating more autonomously than ever, had to invent ways to interact diplomatically, and they began to systematize a set of ranks amongst them, meet for interstate conferences, build great walls of <a href="/wiki/Rammed_earth" title="Rammed earth">rammed earth</a>, and absorb one another. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Hegemons">Hegemons</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Hegemons"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Five_Hegemons" title="Five Hegemons">Five Hegemons</a></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Interstate_relations_during_the_Spring_and_Autumn_period" title="Interstate relations during the Spring and Autumn period">Interstate relations during the Spring and Autumn period</a></div> <figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Five_Hegemons.png" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Five_Hegemons.png/400px-Five_Hegemons.png" decoding="async" width="400" height="280" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Five_Hegemons.png/600px-Five_Hegemons.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Five_Hegemons.png/800px-Five_Hegemons.png 2x" data-file-width="1090" data-file-height="763" /></a><figcaption>Map of the Five Hegemons during the Spring and Autumn period of the Zhou dynasty</figcaption></figure> <p>As the power of the Zhou kings weakened, the Spring and Autumn period saw the emergence of hegemon-protectors <span class="nowrap">(<span lang="zh">霸</span>; <i><span lang="zh-Latn">Bà</span></i>)</span><sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> who protected the royal house and gave tribute to the king's court, while underwriting the remainder of the confederation with their military might. <a href="/wiki/Primus_inter_pares" title="Primus inter pares">First among equals</a>, they held power over all other states to raise armies and attack mutual enemies, and extracted tribute from their peers. Meetings were held between the current hegemon and the rulers of the states where ritual ceremonies took place that included swearing of oaths of allegiance to the current Zhou king and to each other. The first hegemon was <a href="/wiki/Duke_Huan_of_Qi" title="Duke Huan of Qi">Duke Huan of Qi</a> (r. 685–643). With the help of his prime minister, <a href="/wiki/Guan_Zhong" title="Guan Zhong">Guan Zhong</a>, Duke Huan reformed Qi to centralize its power structure. The state consisted of 15 "<a href="/wiki/Administration_of_territory_in_dynastic_China#County" title="Administration of territory in dynastic China">townships</a>" (<span lang="zh">縣</span>) with the duke and two senior ministers each in charge of five; military functions were also united with civil ones. These and related reforms provided the state, already powerful from control of trade crossroads, with a greater ability to mobilize resources than the more loosely organized states.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHsu1999553–54_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHsu1999553–54-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>By 667, Qi had clearly shown its economic and military predominance, and Duke Huan assembled the leaders of <a href="/wiki/Lu_(state)" title="Lu (state)">Lu</a>, <a href="/wiki/Song_(state)" title="Song (state)">Song</a>, <a href="/wiki/Chen_(state)" title="Chen (state)">Chen</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Zheng_(state)" title="Zheng (state)">Zheng</a>, who elected him as their leader. Soon after, <a href="/wiki/King_Hui_of_Zhou" title="King Hui of Zhou">King Hui of Zhou</a> conferred the title of <i>bà</i> (hegemon), giving Duke Huan royal authority in military ventures.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHsu1999555_15-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHsu1999555-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTELewis2000366,_369_16-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTELewis2000366,_369-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Between <abbr title="circa">c.</abbr> 600 BCE and <abbr title="circa">c.</abbr> 500 BCE a four-way balance of power emerged between Qin in the west, Jin in the north-center, Chu in the south, and Qi in the east whilst a number of smaller states continued to exist between Jin and Qi. The state of <a href="/wiki/Deng_(state)" title="Deng (state)">Deng</a> (<span lang="zh">鄧</span>) was overthrown by Chu in 678 BCE followed by Qin's annexation of <a href="/wiki/Hua_(state)" title="Hua (state)">Hua</a> (<span lang="zh">滑</span>) in 627 BCE, establishing a pattern that would gradually see all smaller states eliminated. Towards the end of the Spring and Autumn period, wars between states became increasingly common. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Partition_of_Jin">Partition of Jin</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Partition of Jin"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Partition_of_Jin" title="Partition of Jin">Partition of Jin</a></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Chinese_plain_5c._BC-en.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Chinese_plain_5c._BC-en.svg/400px-Chinese_plain_5c._BC-en.svg.png" decoding="async" width="400" height="270" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Chinese_plain_5c._BC-en.svg/600px-Chinese_plain_5c._BC-en.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Chinese_plain_5c._BC-en.svg/800px-Chinese_plain_5c._BC-en.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="568" data-file-height="384" /></a><figcaption>Late Spring and Autumn period, 5th century BCE, before the breakup of Jin and the Qin move into Sichuan. The Wei on this map is <a href="/wiki/Wey_(state)" title="Wey (state)">Wey</a> (<span lang="zh">衛</span>), not the <a href="/wiki/Wei_(state)" title="Wei (state)">other Wei</a> (<span lang="zh">魏</span>) that arose from the Partition of Jin.</figcaption></figure> <p>Regional lords had begun the practice of granting lands of their own to powerful ministerial lineages. Over generations, in some places these ministerial lineages had grown more powerful than their lords. Eventually the dukes of Lu, Jin, Zheng, Wey and Qi would all become figureheads to powerful aristocratic families.<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPines20024_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEPines20024-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In the case of Jin, the shift happened in 588 when the army was split into six independent divisions, each dominated by a separate noble family: Zhi (智), Zhao (趙), Han (韓), Wei (魏), Fan (范), and Zhonghang (中行). The heads of the six families were conferred the titles of viscounts and made ministers,<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> each heading one of the six departments of Zhou dynasty government.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> From this point on, historians refer to "The Six Ministers" as the true power brokers of Jin. </p><p>The same happened to Lu in 562, when the <a href="/wiki/Three_Huan" title="Three Huan">Three Huan</a> divided the army into three parts and established their own separate spheres of influence. The heads of the three families were always among the department heads of Lu. In Jin, a full-scale civil war between 497 and 453 BCE ended with the elimination of most noble lines; the remaining aristocratic families divided Jin into three successor states: <a href="/wiki/Han_(Warring_States)" title="Han (Warring States)">Han</a> (<span lang="zh">韓</span>), <a href="/wiki/Wei_(state)" title="Wei (state)">Wei</a> (<span lang="zh">魏</span>), and <a href="/wiki/Zhao_(state)" title="Zhao (state)">Zhao</a> (<span lang="zh">趙</span>).<sup id="cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHui2004186_20-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-FOOTNOTEHui2004186-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Warring_States_period">Warring States period</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Warring States period"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/Warring_States_period" title="Warring States period">Warring States period</a></div> <figure class="mw-halign-left" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:EN-WarringStatesAll260BCE.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/EN-WarringStatesAll260BCE.jpg/300px-EN-WarringStatesAll260BCE.jpg" decoding="async" width="300" height="276" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/EN-WarringStatesAll260BCE.jpg/450px-EN-WarringStatesAll260BCE.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/EN-WarringStatesAll260BCE.jpg/600px-EN-WarringStatesAll260BCE.jpg 2x" data-file-width="4724" data-file-height="4348" /></a><figcaption>The seven Warring States <abbr title="circa">c.</abbr> 260 BCE</figcaption></figure> <p>As the powerful states absorbed more of their neighbours, so too did they centralize their internal power, increasing bureaucratization and reducing the power of the local aristocracy. A new class of gentlemen-scholars, distantly related to the aristocracy but part of the elite culture nonetheless, formed the basis of this extended bureaucracy, their goal of upward social mobility expressed through participation in officialdom. </p><p>By about 300 BCE, only seven main states remained: Chu, Han, Qi, Qin, Yan, Wei and Zhao. Some of these built rammed earth walls along their frontiers to protect themselves both from the other states and raids by nomadic tribes like the Quanrong and <a href="/wiki/Xiongnu" title="Xiongnu">Xiongnu</a>. Smaller states like Zheng and Song were absorbed by their more powerful neighbors. The non-Zhou states of <a href="/wiki/Ba_(state)" title="Ba (state)">Ba</a> (<span lang="zh">巴</span>) and <a href="/wiki/Shu_(kingdom)" title="Shu (kingdom)">Shu</a> (<span lang="zh">蜀</span>) were both conquered by Qin by 316 BCE. All the other states gradually followed suit until Zhou rule finally collapsed in 256 BCE. Against this backdrop, polities also continued to emerge, as in the case of <a href="/wiki/Zhongshan_(state)" title="Zhongshan (state)">Zhongshan</a> <span class="nowrap">(<span lang="zh">中山</span>)</span> in the north, which was established by the nomadic Bai <a href="/wiki/Beidi" title="Beidi">Di</a> (白翟) in the 400s BCE and would last until 295 BCE. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Early_Imperial_era">Early Imperial era</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Early Imperial era"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Administration_of_territory_in_dynastic_China" title="Administration of territory in dynastic China">Administration of territory in dynastic China</a></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Qin_dynasty">Qin dynasty</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Qin dynasty"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Following <a href="/wiki/Qin%27s_wars_of_unification" title="Qin's wars of unification">Qin's wars of unification</a>, the first emperor <a href="/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang" title="Qin Shi Huang">Qin Shi Huang</a> eliminated noble titles which did not conform to his <a href="/wiki/Legalism_(Chinese_philosophy)" title="Legalism (Chinese philosophy)">ideals of governance</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>a<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> emphasizing merit over than the privileges of birth. He forced all the conquered leaders to attend the capital where he seized their states and turned them into administrative districts classified as either <a href="/wiki/Commandery_(China)" title="Commandery (China)">commanderies</a> or <a href="/wiki/Counties_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China#History" class="mw-redirect" title="Counties of the People's Republic of China">counties</a> depending on their size. The officials who ran the new districts were selected on merit rather than by family connections. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Transition_from_Qin_to_Han">Transition from Qin to Han</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Transition from Qin to Han"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Eighteen_Kingdoms" title="Eighteen Kingdoms">Eighteen Kingdoms</a></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist 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navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Qin_dynasty_insurgent_states" title="Template:Qin dynasty insurgent states"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Qin_dynasty_insurgent_states" title="Template talk:Qin dynasty insurgent states"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Qin_dynasty_insurgent_states" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Qin dynasty insurgent states"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Prominent_people_of_insurgent_states_during_the_Qin_dynasty200" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Prominent people of insurgent states during the <a href="/wiki/Qin_dynasty" title="Qin dynasty">Qin dynasty</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Rising Chu</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Chen_Sheng" title="Chen Sheng">Chen Sheng</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wu_Guang" title="Wu Guang">Wu Guang</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Chu_(state)" title="Chu (state)">Chu</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Jing_Ju" title="Jing Ju">Jing Ju</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Emperor_Yi_of_Chu" title="Emperor Yi of Chu">Mi Xin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xiang_Liang" title="Xiang Liang">Xiang Liang</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Song_Yi_(Qin_Dynasty)" class="mw-redirect" title="Song Yi (Qin Dynasty)">Song Yi</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Qi_(Shandong)" class="mw-redirect" title="Qi (Shandong)">Qi</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Tian_Dan_(Qin_Dynasty)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tian Dan (Qin Dynasty) (page does not exist)">Tian Dan</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Tian_Jia_of_Qi&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tian Jia of Qi (page does not exist)">Tian Jia</a></li> <li>Tian Fu</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Yan_(state)" title="Yan (state)">Yan</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Han_Guang" title="Han Guang">Han Guang</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Zhao_(state)" title="Zhao (state)">Zhao</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wu_Chen_(Qin_Dynasty)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Wu Chen (Qin Dynasty) (page does not exist)">Wu Chen</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Zhao_Xie&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Zhao Xie (page does not exist)">Zhao Xie</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Wei_(state)" title="Wei (state)">Wei</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Wei_Jiu&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Wei Jiu (page does not exist)">Wei Jiu</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Han_(Warring_States)" title="Han (Warring States)">Hán</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cheng,_King_of_Han" title="Cheng, King of Han">Han Cheng</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Han_dynasty">Han dynasty</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Han dynasty"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Main article: <a href="/wiki/Kings_of_the_Han_dynasty" title="Kings of the Han dynasty">Kings of the Han dynasty</a></div> <p>In the early years of the <a href="/wiki/Han_dynasty" title="Han dynasty">Han dynasty</a>, the commanderies established during the Qin dynasty once more became vassal states in all but name. <a href="/wiki/Emperor_Gaozu_of_Han" title="Emperor Gaozu of Han">Emperor Gaozu</a> (r. 202–195 <span class="smallcaps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;">BCE</span></span>) granted virtually autonomous territories to his relatives and a few generals with military prowess. Over time these vassal states grew powerful and presented a threat to the ruler. Eventually, during the reign of <a href="/wiki/Emperor_Jing_of_Han" title="Emperor Jing of Han">Emperor Jing</a> (r. 156–141 <span class="smallcaps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;">BCE</span></span>), his political advisor <a href="/wiki/Chao_Cuo" title="Chao Cuo">Chao Cuo</a> recommended the abolition of all fiefdoms, a policy that led in 154 <span class="smallcaps"><span style="font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;">BCE</span></span> to the <a href="/wiki/Rebellion_of_the_Seven_States" title="Rebellion of the Seven States">Rebellion of the Seven States</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Liu_Pi,_Prince_of_Wu" title="Liu Pi, Prince of Wu">Prince of Wu Liu Bi (劉濞)</a> revolted first and was followed by the rulers of six further states. The rebellion continued for three months until it was finally quelled. Later, <a href="/wiki/Emperor_Wu_of_Han" title="Emperor Wu of Han">Emperor Wu</a> further weakened the power of the vassal states by eliminating many fiefdoms and restoring central control over their prefectures and counties. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Notes">Notes</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-lower-alpha"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Modern scholarship has begun to move away from terms like "Legalism", especially when projected anachronistically into a time prior to their classification by <a href="/wiki/Sima_Tan" title="Sima Tan">Sima Tan</a>, as in the case of Qin Shi Huang.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page / location: 465">: 465 </span></sup> <a href="/wiki/Michael_Nylan" title="Michael Nylan">Nylan</a>, writing in 2007, employs the term "Realpolitik".<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Vogelsang, devoting a 2016 paper to the subject of terms used to name ideas in this philosophy, proposes the similar "political realism".<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page / location: 65">: 65 </span></sup> Kern's 2000 monograph on Qin Shi Huang's political thought opts against providing a simple definition.<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Citations">Citations</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: Citations"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEChun199031-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChun199031_1-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFChun1990">Chun 1990</a>, p. 31.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELi2008b33,_43–44-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELi2008b33,_43–44_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFLi2008b">Li 2008b</a>, pp. 33, 43–44.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201446–48-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201446–48_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201446–48_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKhayutina2014">Khayutina 2014</a>, pp. 46–48.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELi2008a114-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELi2008a114_4-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFLi2008a">Li 2008a</a>, p. 114.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Keay-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Keay_5-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFKeay2009" class="citation book cs1">Keay, John (2009). <i>China – A History</i>. Harper Collins. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-007-22178-3" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-007-22178-3"><bdi>978-0-007-22178-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=China+%E2%80%93+A+History&rft.pub=Harper+Collins&rft.date=2009&rft.isbn=978-0-007-22178-3&rft.aulast=Keay&rft.aufirst=John&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201441-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKhayutina201441_6-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFKhayutina2014">Khayutina 2014</a>, p. 41.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-CK-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-CK_7-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Zhou/zhou-map.html">"Chinese History – Zhou Dynasty"</a>. ChinaKnowledge.de. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101121095458/http://chinaknowledge.de/History/Zhou/zhou-map.html">Archived</a> from the original on 21 November 2010<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">November 7,</span> 2010</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Chinese+History+%E2%80%93+Zhou+Dynasty&rft.pub=ChinaKnowledge.de&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chinaknowledge.de%2FHistory%2FZhou%2Fzhou-map.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLewis2008" class="citation book cs1">Lewis, Mark Edward (2008). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/historyofimperia00broo/page/39">"The Early Chinese Empires: Qin and Han"</a></span>. In Brook, Timothy (ed.). <i>History of Imperial China</i>. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/historyofimperia00broo/page/39">39</a>. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-674-02477-9" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-674-02477-9"><bdi>978-0-674-02477-9</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=The+Early+Chinese+Empires%3A+Qin+and+Han&rft.btitle=History+of+Imperial+China&rft.pages=39&rft.pub=Cambridge%3A+Harvard+University+Press&rft.date=2008&rft.isbn=978-0-674-02477-9&rft.aulast=Lewis&rft.aufirst=Mark+Edward&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fhistoryofimperia00broo%2Fpage%2F39&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span> p. 39</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEChen_and_Pines201810–14-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEChen_and_Pines201810–14_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFChen_and_Pines2018">Chen and Pines 2018</a>, pp. 10–14.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEMilburn201670-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEMilburn201670_10-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFMilburn2016">Milburn 2016</a>, p. 70.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELi2008a120–123-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELi2008a120–123_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELi2008a120–123_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFLi2008a">Li 2008a</a>, pp. 120–123.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPines200423-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPines200423_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPines2004">Pines 2004</a>, p. 23.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20111005122732/http://www.english.cciv.cityu.edu.hk/China_5000/?chapter=dicts%2FSpring_and_Autumn_Period">"The Zhou Dynasty"</a>. Chinese Civilisation Centre, City University of Hong Kong. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.english.cciv.cityu.edu.hk/China_5000/?chapter=dicts/Spring_and_Autumn_Period">the original</a> on 2011-10-05<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">November 11,</span> 2010</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Zhou+Dynasty&rft.pub=Chinese+Civilisation+Centre%2C+City+University+of+Hong+Kong&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.english.cciv.cityu.edu.hk%2FChina_5000%2F%3Fchapter%3Ddicts%2FSpring_and_Autumn_Period&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHsu1999553–54-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHsu1999553–54_14-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFHsu1999">Hsu 1999</a>, pp. 553–54.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHsu1999555-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHsu1999555_15-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFHsu1999">Hsu 1999</a>, p. 555.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTELewis2000366,_369-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTELewis2000366,_369_16-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFLewis2000">Lewis 2000</a>, pp. 366, 369.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEPines20024-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEPines20024_17-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFPines2002">Pines 2002</a>, p. 4.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFShiji" class="citation book cs1 cs1-prop-script"><a href="/wiki/Sima_Qian" title="Sima Qian">Sima Qian</a>; <a href="/wiki/Sima_Tan" title="Sima Tan">Sima Tan</a> (1959) [90s BCE]. "<a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/s:%E5%8F%B2%E8%A8%98/%E5%8D%B7039" class="extiw" title="zh:s:史記/卷039">39: 晉世家</a>". <i><a href="/wiki/Records_of_the_Grand_Historian" class="mw-redirect" title="Records of the Grand Historian">Records of the Grand Historian</a></i> <bdi lang="zh">史記</bdi>. Zhonghua Shuju.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=39%3A+%E6%99%89%E4%B8%96%E5%AE%B6&rft.btitle=Records+of+the+Grand+Historian+%E5%8F%B2%E8%A8%98&rft.pub=Zhonghua+Shuju&rft.date=1959&rft.au=Sima+Qian&rft.au=Sima+Tan&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/Rites_of_Zhou" title="Rites of Zhou">Rites of Zhou</a></i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-FOOTNOTEHui2004186-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHui2004186_20-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="#CITEREFHui2004">Hui 2004</a>, p. 186.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFDavidson2002" class="citation journal cs1">Davidson, Steven C. (2002). "Review: "Martin Kern. The Stele Inscriptions of Ch'in Shih-huang: Text and Ritual in Early Chinese Imperial Representation. American Oriental Series, vol. 85"<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>". <i>China Review International</i>. <b>9</b> (2). University of Hawai'i Press: <span class="nowrap">465–</span>473. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/23732133">23732133</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=China+Review+International&rft.atitle=Review%3A+%22Martin+Kern.+The+Stele+Inscriptions+of+Ch%27in+Shih-huang%3A+Text+and+Ritual+in+Early+Chinese+Imperial+Representation.+American+Oriental+Series%2C+vol.+85%22&rft.volume=9&rft.issue=2&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E465-%3C%2Fspan%3E473&rft.date=2002&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F23732133%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Davidson&rft.aufirst=Steven+C.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFNylan2007" class="citation journal cs1"><a href="/wiki/Michael_Nylan" title="Michael Nylan">Nylan, Michael</a> (2007). "<span class="cs1-kern-left"></span>"Empire" in the Classical Era in China (304 BC–AD 316)". <i>Oriens Extremus</i>. <b>46</b>. Harrassowitz Verlag: <span class="nowrap">48–</span>83. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/24047664">24047664</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Oriens+Extremus&rft.atitle=%22Empire%22+in+the+Classical+Era+in+China+%28304+BC%E2%80%93AD+316%29&rft.volume=46&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E48-%3C%2Fspan%3E83&rft.date=2007&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F24047664%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Nylan&rft.aufirst=Michael&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFVogelsang2016" class="citation journal cs1">Vogelsang, Kai (2016). "Getting the terms right". <i>Oriens Extremus</i>. <b>55</b>. Harrassowitz Verlag: <span class="nowrap">39–</span>72. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26402199">26402199</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Oriens+Extremus&rft.atitle=Getting+the+terms+right&rft.volume=55&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E39-%3C%2Fspan%3E72&rft.date=2016&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F26402199%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Vogelsang&rft.aufirst=Kai&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKern2000" class="citation book cs1">Kern, Martin (2000). <i>The Stele Inscriptions of Ch'in Shih-huang: Text and Ritual in Early Chinese Imperial Representation</i>. American Oriental Series. Vol. 85. New Haven: American Oriental Society. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-940490-15-3" title="Special:BookSources/0-940490-15-3"><bdi>0-940490-15-3</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Stele+Inscriptions+of+Ch%27in+Shih-huang%3A+Text+and+Ritual+in+Early+Chinese+Imperial+Representation&rft.place=New+Haven&rft.series=American+Oriental+Series&rft.pub=American+Oriental+Society&rft.date=2000&rft.isbn=0-940490-15-3&rft.aulast=Kern&rft.aufirst=Martin&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span> Cited in Davidson (2002).</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Sources">Sources</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Sources"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFChen_and_Pines2018" class="citation journal cs1">Chen Minzhen (陳民鎮); <a href="/wiki/Yuri_Pines" title="Yuri Pines">Pines, Yuri</a> (2018). "Where is King Ping? The History and Historiography of the Zhou Dynasty's Eastward Relocation". <i>Asia Major</i>. <b>31</b> (1). Academica Sinica: <span class="nowrap">1–</span>27. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26571325">26571325</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Asia+Major&rft.atitle=Where+is+King+Ping%3F+The+History+and+Historiography+of+the+Zhou+Dynasty%27s+Eastward+Relocation&rft.volume=31&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E1-%3C%2Fspan%3E27&rft.date=2018&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F26571325%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.au=Chen+Minzhen+%28%E9%99%B3%E6%B0%91%E9%8E%AE%29&rft.au=Pines%2C+Yuri&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFChun1990" class="citation journal cs1">Chun, Allen J. (1990). "Conceptions of Kinship and Kingship in Classical Chou China". <i>T'oung Pao</i>. <b>76</b> (1/3). Leiden: Brill: <span class="nowrap">16–</span>48. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4528471">4528471</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=T%27oung+Pao&rft.atitle=Conceptions+of+Kinship+and+Kingship+in+Classical+Chou+China&rft.volume=76&rft.issue=1%2F3&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E16-%3C%2Fspan%3E48&rft.date=1990&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F4528471%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Chun&rft.aufirst=Allen+J.&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFHui2004" class="citation cs2">Hui, Victoria Tin-bor (2004), "Toward a dynamic theory of international politics: Insights from comparing ancient China and early modern Europe", <i>International Organization</i>, <b>58</b> (1): <span class="nowrap">175–</span>205, <a href="/wiki/Doi_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="Doi (identifier)">doi</a>:<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://doi.org/10.1017%2Fs0020818304581067">10.1017/s0020818304581067</a>, <a href="/wiki/S2CID_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="S2CID (identifier)">S2CID</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:154664114">154664114</a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=International+Organization&rft.atitle=Toward+a+dynamic+theory+of+international+politics%3A+Insights+from+comparing+ancient+China+and+early+modern+Europe&rft.volume=58&rft.issue=1&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E175-%3C%2Fspan%3E205&rft.date=2004&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1017%2Fs0020818304581067&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.semanticscholar.org%2FCorpusID%3A154664114%23id-name%3DS2CID&rft.aulast=Hui&rft.aufirst=Victoria+Tin-bor&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFKhayutina2014" class="citation journal cs1">Khayutina, Maria (2014). "Marital alliances and affinal relatives (sheng 甥 and 婚購) in the society and politics of Zhou China in the light of bronze inscriptions". <i>Early China</i>. <b>37</b>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: <span class="nowrap">39–</span>99. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/24392462">24392462</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Early+China&rft.atitle=Marital+alliances+and+affinal+relatives+%28sheng+%E7%94%A5+and+%E5%A9%9A%E8%B3%BC%29+in+the+society+and+politics+of+Zhou+China+in+the+light+of+bronze+inscriptions&rft.volume=37&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E39-%3C%2Fspan%3E99&rft.date=2014&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F24392462%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Khayutina&rft.aufirst=Maria&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLewis2000" class="citation cs2"><a href="/wiki/Mark_Edward_Lewis" title="Mark Edward Lewis">Lewis, Mark Edward</a> (2000), <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=8qvY8pxVxcwC&pg=PA359">"The City-State in Spring-and-Autumn China"</a>, in Hansen, Mogens Herman (ed.), <i>A Comparative Study of Thirty City-State Cultures: An Investigation</i>, vol. 21, Copenhagen: The Royal Danish Society of Arts and Letters, pp. <span class="nowrap">359–</span>74, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9788778761774" title="Special:BookSources/9788778761774"><bdi>9788778761774</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=The+City-State+in+Spring-and-Autumn+China&rft.btitle=A+Comparative+Study+of+Thirty+City-State+Cultures%3A+An+Investigation&rft.place=Copenhagen&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E359-%3C%2Fspan%3E74&rft.pub=The+Royal+Danish+Society+of+Arts+and+Letters&rft.date=2000&rft.isbn=9788778761774&rft.aulast=Lewis&rft.aufirst=Mark+Edward&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3D8qvY8pxVxcwC%26pg%3DPA359&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLi2008a" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/Li_Feng_(sinologist)" title="Li Feng (sinologist)">Li Feng</a> (2008a). "Transmitting Antiquity: The Origin and Paradigmization of the "Five Ranks"<span class="cs1-kern-right"></span>". In Kuhn, Dieter; Stahl, Helga (eds.). <i>Perceptions of Antiquity in Chinese Civilization</i>. Würzberg: Würzburger Sinologische Schriften. pp. <span class="nowrap">103–</span>134.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Transmitting+Antiquity%3A+The+Origin+and+Paradigmization+of+the+%E2%80%9CFive+Ranks%E2%80%9D&rft.btitle=Perceptions+of+Antiquity+in+Chinese+Civilization&rft.place=W%C3%BCrzberg&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E103-%3C%2Fspan%3E134&rft.pub=W%C3%BCrzburger+Sinologische+Schriften&rft.date=2008&rft.au=Li+Feng&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFLi2008b" class="citation book cs1">Li Feng (2008b). <i>Bureaucracy and the State in Early China</i>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-521-88447-1" title="Special:BookSources/978-0-521-88447-1"><bdi>978-0-521-88447-1</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Bureaucracy+and+the+State+in+Early+China&rft.place=Cambridge&rft.pub=Cambridge+University+Press&rft.date=2008&rft.isbn=978-0-521-88447-1&rft.au=Li+Feng&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFCambridge_History_of_Ancient_China1999" class="citation cs2"><a href="/wiki/Michael_Loewe" title="Michael Loewe">Loewe, Michael</a>; Shaughnessy, Edward L, eds. (1999), <i>The Cambridge History of Ancient China: from the origins of civilization to 221 BC</i>, Cambridge University Press, <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780521470308" title="Special:BookSources/9780521470308"><bdi>9780521470308</bdi></a></cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=The+Cambridge+History+of+Ancient+China%3A+from+the+origins+of+civilization+to+221+BC&rft.pub=Cambridge+University+Press&rft.date=1999&rft.isbn=9780521470308&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span> <ul><li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><span id="CITEREFHsu1999" class="citation"><a href="/wiki/Cho-yun_Hsu" title="Cho-yun Hsu">Hsu, Cho-yun</a>. "<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=cHA7Ey0-pbEC&pg=PA545">The Spring and Autumn Period</a>". In <a href="#CITEREFCambridge_History_of_Ancient_China1999">Cambridge History of Ancient China (1999)</a>, pp. 545–586.</span></li></ul></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMilburn2016" class="citation journal cs1"><a href="/wiki/Olivia_Milburn" title="Olivia Milburn">Milburn, Olivia</a> (2016). "The Xinian: an ancient historical text from the Qinghua University collection of bamboo books". <i>Early China</i>. <b>39</b>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: <span class="nowrap">53–</span>109. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/44075753">44075753</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Early+China&rft.atitle=The+Xinian%3A+an+ancient+historical+text+from+the+Qinghua+University+collection+of+bamboo+books&rft.volume=39&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E53-%3C%2Fspan%3E109&rft.date=2016&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F44075753%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Milburn&rft.aufirst=Olivia&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPines2002" class="citation cs2"><a href="/wiki/Yuri_Pines" title="Yuri Pines">Pines, Yuri</a> (2002), <i>Foundations of Confucian Thought: Intellectual Life in the Chunqiu Period (722–453 BCE)</i>, University of Hawai'i Press</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Foundations+of+Confucian+Thought%3A+Intellectual+Life+in+the+Chunqiu+Period+%28722%E2%80%93453+BCE%29&rft.pub=University+of+Hawai%27i+Press&rft.date=2002&rft.aulast=Pines&rft.aufirst=Yuri&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFPines2004" class="citation journal cs1">Pines, Yuri (2004). "The question of interpretation: Qin history in light of new epigraphic sources". <i>Early China</i>. <b>29</b>. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: <span class="nowrap">1–</span>44. <a href="/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="JSTOR (identifier)">JSTOR</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/23354539">23354539</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Early+China&rft.atitle=The+question+of+interpretation%3A+Qin+history+in+light+of+new+epigraphic+sources&rft.volume=29&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E1-%3C%2Fspan%3E44&rft.date=2004&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jstor.org%2Fstable%2F23354539%23id-name%3DJSTOR&rft.aulast=Pines&rft.aufirst=Yuri&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AAncient+Chinese+states" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ancient_Chinese_states&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/12px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/18px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/24px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></a></span> Media related to <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/Category:Ancient_Chinese_states" class="extiw" title="commons:Special:Search/Category:Ancient Chinese states">Ancient Chinese states</a> at Wikimedia Commons</li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Ancient_Chinese_states110" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Zhou_dynasty_topics" title="Template:Zhou dynasty topics"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Zhou_dynasty_topics" title="Template talk:Zhou dynasty topics"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Zhou_dynasty_topics" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Zhou dynasty topics"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Ancient_Chinese_states110" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Ancient Chinese states</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_Zhou_dynasty_states" title="List of Zhou dynasty states">Zhou dynasty</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Major states</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cai_(state)" title="Cai (state)">Cai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cao_(state)" title="Cao (state)">Cao</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chen_(state)" title="Chen (state)">Chen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chu_(state)" title="Chu (state)">Chu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jin_(Chinese_state)" title="Jin (Chinese state)">Jin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lu_(state)" title="Lu (state)">Lu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Qi_(state)" title="Qi (state)">Qi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Qin_(state)" title="Qin (state)">Qin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shu_(kingdom)" title="Shu (kingdom)">Shu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Song_(state)" title="Song (state)">Song</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wey_(state)" title="Wey (state)">Wey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wu_(state)" title="Wu (state)">Wu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yan_(state)" title="Yan (state)">Yan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yue_(state)" title="Yue (state)">Yue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zheng_(state)" title="Zheng (state)">Zheng</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Minor states</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ba_(state)" title="Ba (state)">Ba</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bei_(state)" title="Bei (state)">Bei</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chao_(state)" title="Chao (state)">Chao</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dao_(state)" title="Dao (state)">Dao</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dai_(Spring_and_Autumn_period)" title="Dai (Spring and Autumn period)">Dai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Deng_(state)" title="Deng (state)">Deng</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/E_(state)" title="E (state)">E</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Guo" title="Eastern Guo">Eastern Guo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Western_Guo" title="Western Guo">Western Guo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gumie" title="Gumie">Gumie</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Guzhu" title="Guzhu">Guzhu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Han_(NW_Zhou_state)" title="Han (NW Zhou state)">Han (NW)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Han_(SE_Zhou_state)" title="Han (SE Zhou state)">Han (SE)</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hua_(state)" title="Hua (state)">Hua</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Huang_(state)" title="Huang (state)">Huang</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Huo_(state)" title="Huo (state)">Huo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ji_(state_in_modern_Beijing)" title="Ji (state in modern Beijing)">Ji</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ji_(state_in_modern_Shandong)" title="Ji (state in modern Shandong)"> Ji</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Jia_(state)&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Jia (state) (page does not exist)">Jia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ju_(state)" title="Ju (state)">Ju</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lai_(state)" title="Lai (state)">Lai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liang_(state)" title="Liang (state)">Liang</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liao_(Zhou_dynasty_state)" title="Liao (Zhou dynasty state)">Liao</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/L%C3%BC_(state)" title="Lü (state)">Lü</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Luo_(state)" title="Luo (state)">Luo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Na_(Chinese_state)" title="Na (Chinese state)">Na</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peng_(Western_Zhou_state)" title="Peng (Western Zhou state)">Peng</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pi_(state)" title="Pi (state)">Pi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Qi_(Henan)" title="Qi (Henan)">Qǐ</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Quan_(state)" title="Quan (state)">Quan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rui_(state)" title="Rui (state)">Rui</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ruo_(state)" title="Ruo (state)">Ruo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shen_(state)" title="Shen (state)">Shēn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sh%C4%9Bn_(state)" title="Shěn (state)">Shěn</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sui_(state)" title="Sui (state)">Sui</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tan_(state)" title="Tan (state)">Tan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jin_(Chinese_state)" title="Jin (Chinese state)">Tang</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Teng_(state)" title="Teng (state)">Teng</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xi_(state)" title="Xi (state)">Xi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xian_(state)" title="Xian (state)">Xian</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xing_(state)" title="Xing (state)">Xing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xu_(state)" title="Xu (state)">Xu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/X%C7%94_(state)" title="Xǔ (state)">Xǔ</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yang_(state)" title="Yang (state)">Yang</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ying_(state)" title="Ying (state)"> Ying</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yiqu" title="Yiqu">Yiqu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Duke_Xian_of_Jin#Conquests_of_Yu_and_Guo" title="Duke Xian of Jin">Yu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zeng_(state)" title="Zeng (state)">Zeng</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zhongli_(state)" title="Zhongli (state)">Zhongli</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zhongshan_(state)" title="Zhongshan (state)">Zhongshan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zhoulai" title="Zhoulai">Zhoulai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zou_(state)" title="Zou (state)">Zou</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Warring_States_period" title="Warring States period">Warring States</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Seven_Warring_States" title="Seven Warring States">Seven states</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Chu_(state)" title="Chu (state)">Chu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Han_(Warring_States)" title="Han (Warring States)">Han</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Qi_(state)" title="Qi (state)">Qi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Qin_(state)" title="Qin (state)">Qin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wei_(state)" title="Wei (state)">Wei</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yan_(state)" title="Yan (state)">Yan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zhao_(state)" title="Zhao (state)">Zhao</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Minor states</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ba_(state)" title="Ba (state)">Ba</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cai_(state)" title="Cai (state)">Cai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dai_(Warring_States_period)" title="Dai (Warring States period)">Dai</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eastern_Zhou_(state)" title="Eastern Zhou (state)">Eastern Zhou</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lu_(state)" title="Lu (state)">Lu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shu_(kingdom)" title="Shu (kingdom)">Shu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Song_(state)" title="Song (state)">Song</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Teng_(state)" title="Teng (state)">Teng</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Western_Zhou_(state)" title="Western Zhou (state)">Western Zhou</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wey_(state)" title="Wey (state)">Wey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yiqu" title="Yiqu">Yiqu</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yue_(state)" title="Yue (state)">Yue</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zheng_(state)" title="Zheng (state)">Zheng</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zhongshan_(state)" title="Zhongshan (state)">Zhongshan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Zou_(state)" title="Zou (state)">Zou</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" 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