Alliances of Warring States

Vertical and horizontal alliances of Su Qin and Zhang Yi, shaping the grand diplomacy of the Warring States.

XiaShangZhouHanThree KingdomsJinNorthern and SouthernTangTen KingdomsSongYuanMingQing
Alliances of Warring States · 334 BCE - 260 BCE
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Cause & Context

Following 's reforms, a powerful Qin expanded eastward, compelling the other six states to forge strategic coalitions for survival against Western hegemony.

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Epochal Overview

engineered the 'Vertical Alliance' (Hezong) uniting the six eastern states against Qin, while formulated Qin's 'Horizontal Alliance' (Lianheng), strategically dividing Qi and Chu through diplomacy and deception.

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Civilizational Impact

These alliance networks represented the highest sophistication of ancient Chinese geopolitical theory, enabling Qin to dismantle collective resistance and pave the path toward universal empire.

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Key Figures

Strategists and steered international diplomacy alongside rivals Gongsun Yan and , transforming the Warring States balance of power.