Editing History of Asia (section)

=====Zhou dynasty=====
{{main|Zhou dynasty}}
[[File:Zhou dynasty 1000 BC.png|thumb|Population concentration and boundaries of the [[Western Zhou]] dynasty in China]]
Since 1029 BC, the [[Zhou dynasty]] ({{zh|c=周朝|p=Zhōu Cháo|w=Chou Ch'ao}} {{IPA|cmn|tʂóʊ tʂʰɑ̌ʊ|}}), had existed in China and it would continue to until 258 BC.{{sfn|Stearns|2011|page=43}} The Zhou dynasty had been using a [[Feudalism|feudal system]] by giving power to local nobility and relying on their loyalty in order to control its large territory.{{sfn|Stearns|2011|page=43}} As a result, the Chinese government at this time tended to be very decentralized and weak, and there was often little the emperor could do to resolve national issues. Nonetheless, the government was able to retain its position with the creation of the [[Mandate of Heaven]], which could establish an emperor as divinely chosen to rule. The Zhou additionally discouraged the [[human sacrifice]] of the preceding eras and unified the [[Chinese language]]. Finally, the Zhou government encouraged settlers to move into the [[Yangtze|Yangtze River]] valley, thus creating the Chinese Middle Kingdom.

But by 500 BC, its political stability began to decline due to repeated nomadic incursions{{sfn|Stearns|2011|page=43}} and internal conflict derived from the fighting princes and families. This was lessened by the many philosophical movements, starting with the life of [[Confucius]]. His philosophical writings (called [[Confucianism]]) concerning the respect of elders and of the state would later be popularly used in the Han dynasty. Additionally, [[Laozi]]'s concepts of [[Taoism]], including [[yin and yang]] and the innate duality and balance of nature and the universe, became popular throughout this period. Nevertheless, the Zhou dynasty eventually disintegrated as the local nobles began to gain more power and their conflict devolved into the [[Warring States period]], from 402 to 201 BC.{{sfn|Stearns|2011|page=44}}