Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms

The Warring States Period (traditional Chinese: 戰國時代, simplified Chinese: 战国时代 pinyin Zhànguó Shídài) takes place from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally considered to be the second part of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, following the Spring and Autumn Period. Like the Spring and Autumn Period, the king of Zhou acted merely as a figurehead. The name Warring States Period was named after Record of the Warring States compiled in early Han Dynasty. The ...

Including:

• Warring States Period - Partition of Jin
• Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi
• Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin
• Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin
• Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms
• Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats
• Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies
• Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms
• Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China
• Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia - Warring States Period

In 371 BC, Marquess Wu of Wei passed away without specifying a successor, causing Wei to fall into an internal war of succession. After three years of civil war, Zhao and Han, sensing an opportunity, invaded Wei. On the verge of conquering Wei, the leaders of Zhao and Han fell into disagreement on what to do with Wei and both armies mysteriously retreated. As a result, King Hui of Wei (he's still a Marquess at the time) was able to ascend onto the throne of Wei. In 354 BC, King Hui of Wei initiated a large scale attack at Zhao, which ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins, Qi, and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins, Qi, and Qin

In 334 BC, the rulers of Wei and Qi agreed to recognize each other as Kings (王), formalizing the independence of the states and the powerlessness of the Zhou throne since the beginning of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. The King of Wei and the King of Qi joined the ranks of the King of Chu, whose predecessors had been Kings since the Spring and Autumn Period. From this point on, all the other states eventually declare their Kingship, signifying the beginning of the end of the Zhou Dynasty. In 325 BC, the ruler of Qin declared himself as King. In 323 BC, the rulers of Han and Yan declared themselves as ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms

In the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Jin (晉) was arguably the most powerful state in China. However, near the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, the power of the ruling family weakened, and Jin gradually came under the control of six large families (六卿). By the beginning of the Warring States Period, after numerous power struggles, there were four families left: the Zhi (智) family, the Wei (魏) family, the Zhao (趙) family, and the Han (韓) family, with the Zhi family being the dominant power in Jin. Zhi Yao (智瑶), t ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Partition of Jin

In the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Jin (晉) was arguably the most powerful state in China. However, near the end of the Spring and Autumn Period, the power of the ruling family weakened, and Jin gradually come under the control of six large families (六卿). By the beginning of the Warring States Period, after numerous power struggles, there were four families left: the Zhi (智) family, the Wei (魏) family, the Zhao (趙) family, and the Han (韓) family, with the Zhi family being the dominant power in Jin. Zhi Yao (智瑶), t ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Partition of Jin

In 230 BC, Qin conquers Han. In 225 BC, Qin conquers Wei. In 223 BC, Qin conquers Chu. In 222 BC, Qin conquers Yan and Zhao. In 221 BC, Qin conquers Qi, completing the unification of China, and ushering in the Qin Dynasty. ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China

Early in the Warring States Period, Chu was one of the strongest states in China. The state rose to a new level around 389 BC when the King of Chu named the famous reformer Wu Qi (吳起) to be his prime minister. Chu rose to its peak in 334 BC when it gained vast amounts of territory. The series of events leading up to this began when Yue prepared to attack Qi. The King of Qi sent an emissary who persuaded the King of Yue to attack Chu instead. Yue initiated a large scale attack at Chu, but was devastatingly defeated by Chu's counter-attack. Chu the ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats

In 371 BC, Marquess Wu of Wei passed away without specifying a successor, causing Wei to fall into an internal war of succession. After three years of civil war, Zhao and Han, sensing an opportunity, invaded Wei. On the verge of conquering Wei, the leaders of Zhao and Han fell into disagreement on what to do with Wei and both armies mysteriously retreated. As a result, King Hui of Wei (he's still a Marquess at the time) was able to ascend onto the throne of Wei. In 354 BC, King Hui of Wei initiated a large scale attack at Zhao, which ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin

Around 359 BC, Shang Yang (商鞅), a minister of the State of Qin, initiated a series of reforms that transformed Qin from a backward state into one that surpasses the other six states. It is generally regarded that this is the point where Qin started to become the most dominant state in China. See Shang Yang's page for a summary of the reforms and policies that was instituted. ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin

Early in the Warring States Period, Chu was one of the strongest states in China. The state rose to a new level around 389 BC when the King of Chu named the famous reformer Wu Qi (吳起) to be his prime minister. Chu rose to its peak in 334 BC when it gained vast amounts of territory. The series of events leading up to this began when Yue prepared to attack Qi. The King of Qi sent a emissary who persuaded the King of Yue to attack Chu instead. Yue initiated a large scale attack at Chu, but was devastatingly defeated by Chu's counter-attack. Chu the ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats

Towards the end of the Warring States Period, the State of Qin became disproportionately powerful compared to the other six states. As a result, the policies of the six states became overwhelmingly oriented towards dealing with the Qin threat, with two opposing schools of thought: Hezong (合縱/合纵 pinyin: hézòng, "vertically linked"), or alliance with each other to repel Qin expansionism; and Lianheng (連橫/连横 pinyin: liánhéng, "horizontally linked"), or alliance with Qin to participate in its ascendancy. There were some initi ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies

307 BC. Adoption of superior non-Chinese clothing and cavalry (胡服騎射) under the reign of King Wuling of Zhao (in progress) ...

See also:

Warring States Period, Warring States Period - Partition of Jin, Warring States Period - Change of Government in Qi, Warring States Period - Early strife in the Three Jins Qi and Qin, Warring States Period - Shang Yang's reforms in Qin, Warring States Period - Ascension of the Kingdoms, Warring States Period - Chu expansion and defeats, Warring States Period - The Domination of Qin and the resulting Grand Strategies, Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms, Warring States Period - Qin's conquest of China, Warring States Period - Films set in the Warring States Period

Read more here: » Warring States Period: Encyclopedia II - Warring States Period - Zhao's military reforms