About 2,500 years ago, China was divided into seven countries. Among the seven there was one country, called Zhou Dynasty which in the surface controlled other six counties, but this Zhou Dynasty had no power at all. Other six countries had their own warlords to administer their own country. In reality, there were seven independent countries which fought against each other for more territories.
However, it was at that situation that there appeared many famous philosophers at that period, such as Confucius, Lao-Tzu, Mencius, Mozi, Xun Zi, and Zhuangzi, whose theories have lasted even up to now. Many Chinese today still follow their theories to live their life in peace and in war.
These seven countries were Wei, Qi, Han, Yan, Yue, Chu and Qin. Wei’s country was at the central part of China and was the strongest among all. Qin was at the side of west-north of China and it was a small country and very poor in every respect.
Finally Qin swallowed all other six countries and united China into one country. It was at the time of Duke Xiao that he offered good terms to encourage learned people or scholars, regardless their country of origin, to join his government. By this way, he gathered many distinguished persons in his government and his country thus was getting stronger and stronger and other six countries diminished one after another.