Han (Warring States)

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Han was an ancient Chinese state during the Warring States period. Scholars frequently render the name as Hann to clearly distinguish it from China's later Han dynasty. It was located in central China (modern-day Shanxi and Henan) in a region south and east of Luoyang, the capital of the Eastern Zhou. It was ruled by aristocrats of the Ji (姬) family ancestral temple who rose to power as a ministerial family in the state of Jin, and whose power eventually eclipsed that of the Jin ruling house. The partition of Jin which resulted in the states of Han, Wei, and Zhao, marked the beginning of the Warring States period. The state of Han was small and located in a mountainous and unprofitable region. Its territory directly blocked the passage of the state of Qin into the North China Plain. Although Han had attempted to reform its governance (notably under Chancellor Shen Buhai who improved state administration and strengthened its military ability) these reforms were not enough to defend itself...

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