Warring States Period
Shortly after Confucius’ death in 479 B.C.E., a new era began known as the Warring States period. This period marked the end of the Spring and Autumn period, in which the Zhou Dynasty was separated into eight different regions--Qin, Chu, Qi, Yan, Han, Wei, Yue, and Zhao. It was not until the Qin, the most powerful region conquered the other seven in 221 B.C.E. that the Warring States period concluded. As a result of the wars between the eight regions, “Daoism, Legalism, Confucianism, and Moism emerged” (Wu).