What led to the warring states period in china?

The Warring States period (475–221 BC). The Zhou dynasty continued to hold the title to the empire during the 4th to 3rd centuries BC, yet the real power within China lay in the hands of the leaders of the Seven Most Puissant Warlords. During the Western Zhou the vassal states were loosely organized, but from the Spring and Autumn period onward, the Zhou kings were unable to maintain adequate control over the lords. The power of the king weakened while that of the warlords increased. The state of Jin rose to prominence after defeating a coalition of the other states at the Battle of Chengpu in 632 BCE, but Jin itself split in 403 BCE into three states. The remaining states vied for control over the Middle Kingdom in a series of conflicts known as the Warring States period.

The Warring States period was a time of great cultural and philosophical development in China. Three of the most famous Chinese philosophies – Legalism, Mohism and Confucianism – were developed during this era, and the period is regarded as the golden age of Chinese philosophy. It also saw the rise of the first centralized Chinese state, the Qin, which laid the foundation for the Han dynasty.