Warring States Period - Geography

Geography

The political geography of the era was dominated by the Seven Warring States, namely:

• Qin: The State of Qin was in the far west, with its core in the Wei River Valley and Guanzhong. This geographical position isolated it from the states of the Central Plains, which limited its initial influence but also afforded it protection from other states.
• The Three Jins: Northeast of Qin, on the Shanxi plateau, were the three successor states of Jin. These were:

  Han, south, along the Yellow River, controlling the eastern approaches to Qin.

  Wei, middle.

  Zhao, the northernmost of the three.

• Qi: located in the east of China, centred around the Shandong Peninsula.
• Chu: located in the south of China, with its core territory around the valleys of the Han River and, later, the Yangtze River.
• Yan: located in the northeast, centred around modern-day Beijing. Late in the period Yan pushed northeast and began to occupy the Liaodong Peninsula

Besides these seven major states, some minor states also survived into the period.

• • On the southeast coast near Shanghai was the State of Yue, which was highly active in the late Spring and Autumn era but was eventually annexed by Chu.
• In the far southwest in Sichuan were the States of Ba and Shu. These were non-Zhou states that were conquered by Qin late in the period.
• In the Central Plains, comprising much of modern-day Henan Province, many smaller city states survived as satellites of the larger states, though they would eventually be absorbed as well.
• Between the states of Zhao and Yan was the state of Zhongshan, which was eventually annexed by Zhao in 296 BC.