Background and Introduction
According to the sinocentric viewpoint and the Mandate of Heaven, China was the center of the world and the incumbent emperor its only ruler; all other would-be potentates and rulers were merely vassals of the Middle Kingdom or Zhōngguó (中国/中国). As a result, from the earliest times the Chinese viewed the world as a series of concentric spheres of influence emanating outward from their capital. Within the closest circle lay the vassal states who pledged allegiance to the Zhou ruler. Apart from Zhou itself which occupied territory around its capital, each state bore the suffix Guó (国/国) meaning state or nation. Of the 150 or so states, some were little more than a small fortified town or city whilst others possessed a capital as well as other urban areas and controlled significant amounts of territory.
Read more about this topic: Ancient Chinese States
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