King Zhaoxiang of Qin
Reigning over 55 years, he was one of the longest-serving rulers during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. Although making numerous policy mistakes during his later years, his aggressive territorial expansions were pivotal in consolidating the state of Qin as the dominant military powerhouse in the late Warring States period. It was the strategic dominance established during his reign that paved the way to Qin's eventual successful unification of China under his great-grandson, Ying Zheng.
Wuchuan County, Inner Mongolia
Around 302BC, Wuchuan belonged to the State of Zhao (赵国), one of the Warring States. The king of Zhao defeated Hulinloufan and built a wall near Daqing Mountain to stop the advance of the northern tribes. This event was recorded in the "Water Jingzhu" (水经注). The wall is now called the South Daqing Mountain Great Wall. Wuchuan also plays a role in the history of the Qin Dynasty and the Han Dynasty, especially the Battle of Changping (长平之战) of Zhao Kuo (赵括). During this time, Wuchuan was controlled by the Xiongnu, a nomadic people famous for their bronzes and animal carvings. A Xiongnu dagger together with some knife-shaped coins from the State of Yan were unearthed at Tuchenzi Village, indicating that cultural exchanges between the Xiongnu and the Han Chinese were very extensive at that time. A total of more than 20 ancient tombs of the Qin and Han period have also been discovered in Wuchuan.