Around the 3rd century BC, the central area of Yunnan around present day Kunming was known as Dian. The Chu general Zhuang Qiao [zh] (庄蹻) entered the region from the upper Yangtze River[16] and set himself up as "King of Dian".[17] He and his followers brought into Yunnan an influx of Chinese influence,[18] the start of a long history of migration and cultural expansion.