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| Map and Geography I Map and Geography II Map and Geography III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |  The rulers of Zhao are said to be relatives of the Qin 秦 rulers. They served the rulers of Jin 晉 in the area of modern Shanxi province as viscounts (zi 子). After severe struggles the rulers of Zhao, Wei 魏, and Han 韓 divided the territory of Jin in 453 BC and in 403 were allowed to adopt the title of marquis (hou 侯). The capital of Zhao, Handan 邯鄲 was famous for its economic activities. While in the first part of the Warring States (Zhanguo) 戰國 period Zhao often united with Han and Wei against other states, Wei became one of the most prominent enemies of Zhao in the 4th century. Zhao constructed fortification walls in the north against intruding steppe tribes. Under King Wuling 趙武靈王 and his advisor Fei Yi 肥義 military and administrative reform were undertaken, and in 296 the neighboring state of Zhongshan 中山 could finally be destroyed. In 287 Zhao took part in the great coalition against Qin, but in the battle of Huayang 華陽 in 273 the Wei and Zhao armies were badly defeated by Qin, a similar massacre took place in 260 near Changping 長平. After Qin had destroyed Zhao in 228 Prince Jia 嘉 proclaimed himself King of Dai 代 whose territory was occupied by Qin in 222 BC. The name of the old state of Zhao only rarely as name for a dynasty (two of the Sixteen "Barbarian" Kingdoms Shiliuguo 十六國), only for imperial princedoms. 
This state that was founded sometime during the Spring and Autumn (Chunqiu 春秋) period is said to be of Non-Chinese origin, founded by "White Di" 白狄 as a fiefdom called Xianyu 鮮虞. Zhongshan had often military conflicts with the neighboring state of Jin 晉. In 408 the kingdom of Zhongshan was destroyed by Wei 魏 but again could develop strength during the 4th century BC and was often attacked by Zhao 趙 and Qi 齊. In 323 the rulers of Zhongshan called themselves king (wang 王). After a long period of permanent war with Zhao, Zhongshan was destroyed in 295.
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