![[Warring_States_c._250_BC.svg.png]] *The seven warring states that became the Chinese Empire. Qin is orange.* The end of the Zhou era is know as the Warring States period, beginning around 476 BCE. During this period about 140 autonomous states were reduced to just a handful. Wealthy rulers fielded larger infantry armies; over a million conscripts fought in the Battle of Changping between 262 and 260 BCE and about 650,000 were killed. The technological innovation that facilitated this type of mass killing was the repeating crossbow, invented in the 4th century BCE. The victory at Changping of the Qin made them the most powerful of the seven remaining warring states. The Qin were able to unify these remaining states in a series of campaigns between 247 and 221 BCE when the Qin king, Ying Zheng, claimed the Mandate of Heaven which had been held by the weak Zhou monarch and declared himself emperor of China (*huangdi*, a title he invented). We'll have a lot more to say about the Chinese Empire: it continued (under several dynasties) until 1911. ![[51714-Terracota-Army.jpg]] *Life-size ceramic sculptures depicting the armies of [Qin Shi Huang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang "Qin Shi Huang"), the first emperor, buried with him in 210–209 BCE* ----- Next: [[5.16 - North America]] Back: [[5.14 - Zhou China]]