Tristan Hughes

I'll see you in the next episode.

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It was one of the most revolutionary periods in history.

Over two centuries of fighting, when ancient China fragmented into several different powerful kingdoms, each vying for supremacy.

It was an age of industrialized warfare, of total war, where armies in the hundreds of thousands would clash in some of antiquity's bloodiest battles.

But it was also a time of philosophy,

where the successors of the famous Chinese philosopher Confucius would promote their own schools of thought during this tumultuous time.

And yet, for its great significance in shaping what would become China, this warring states period is little known today in the West.

We are going to introduce this fascinating period.

We'll explore the embers of the chaos, how it emerged from a weakened ruling dynasty whose mandate of heaven was on its last legs.

We'll look into how this turmoil would transform China forever and how it would ultimately pave the way for the rise of China's first emperor.

Welcome to the Ancients, I'm Tristan Hughes, your host, and this is the story of the Warring States.

Our guest today is Dr. Andrew Meyer, professor of history at Brooklyn College, the City University of New York, and the author of To Rule All Under Heaven, a history of classical China from Confucius to the first emperor.

Andrew, it is such a pleasure to have you on the podcast today.

You're more than welcome.