Qin (state)
Ancient Chinese state that unified the Warring States.
After extensive reform in the 4th century BC, Qin emerged as one of the dominant powers among the Seven Warring States and unified China under Qin Shi Huang in 221 BC, establishing the Qin dynasty. The state before the dynasty is referred to as 'predynastic Qin' or 'proto-Qin'.
- founder
- Feizi (awarded fief in Qin valley)
- location
- Western edge of Chinese civilisation (modern Gansu and Shaanxi)
- unification
- 221 BC under Qin Shi Huang
- known_for
- Unifying the Seven Warring States into the Qin dynasty
Lore & Background
According to the 2nd-century BC Records of the Grand Historian, Qin traced its origin to Zhuanxu, one of the legendary Five Emperors. A descendant, Boyi, was granted the family name Ying by Emperor Shun. During the Xia and Shang dynasties, the Ying clan split into a western branch that migrated to Quanqiu (modern Li County, Gansu) and an eastern branch that settled in modern Shanxi. The western Ying clan served as a buffer state for the Shang against the Xirong. Feizi, a younger son of Daluo, impressed King Xiao of Zhou with his horse breeding skills and was awarded a separate fief in the valley of Qin (modern Qingshui and Zhangjiachuan, Gansu), named Qinyi. In 771 BC, the Marquess of Shen and Quanrong nomads sacked the Zhou capital, killing King You. Duke Xiang escorted King Ping to Luoyi, and was enfeoffed as a feudal lord, with a promise of lands west of Qishan if Qin could expel the Rong.
Reader's Guide
Qin's significance lies in its transformation from a marginal western state, often culturally disparaged by Central Plains states, into the unifier of China. Its location allowed expansion and development, and it adopted cavalry tactics from nomads, being the second state after Zhao to do so. Qin law categorised mixed-ethnicity offspring as Huaxia, and it imported recruits from Jin. The state's unification under Qin Shi Huang in 221 BC established the Qin dynasty, which, despite its short duration, had a significant influence on later Chinese history. Qin viewed the Zhou rulers King Wen and King Wu as predecessors and themselves as legitimate inheritors of their legacy. Duke Mu of Qin supported Chong'er to become Duke Wen of Jin, improving relations, and later launched campaigns against the Rong.
Did You Know?
- Feizi, a horse breeder, was awarded the fief of Qin by King Xiao of Zhou.
- In 771 BC, Duke Xiang escorted King Ping to Luoyi and was enfeoffed as a feudal lord.
- Qin was the second state after Zhao to adopt cavalry tactics from nomads.
Frequently Asked Questions
What made Qin (state) so powerful among the Warring States?
Its peripheral western location gave Qin far more room to expand and develop than rivals packed into the North China Plain. After a sweeping programme of centralised reform in the 4th century BC, it climbed to the top of the Seven Warring States' power ranking.
How does Qin (state)'s story end?
In 221 BC Qin conquered the remaining rival states and unified the Chinese heartland under its ruler, who took the title Qin Shi Huang. The predynastic state was thereby absorbed into the first imperial dynasty of China.
Why is Qin (state) important in East Asian history?
It is the polity that ended the long Warring States fragmentation and created the template for a single, centralised Chinese empire. Nearly every later dynasty inherited the administrative and territorial blueprint Qin laid down.
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