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State
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| Han | |
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| Location Info | |
| Name | Han |
| Kanji | 韓 |
| Capital | Shintei |
| Location(s) | Central Plains |
The state of Han, (韓, Hán), was one of the Seven Warring States of China, being located in the very core of the continent. In 230 B.C. it surrendered to Qin[1] and turned into a commandery of Qin's, named Eisen.[2]
Geography[]
The former state of Han was located in the center of the continent. It was the smallest of the Warring States in terms of landmass and population, and together with Wei, were the only states completely bordered by other Warring States; at the time of Qin's conquest of Han, Han was bordered on the west by Qin, the south and east by Wei, and the north also by Qin, though Qin bordering Han on its north was a new change as part of the territory captured during Qin's conquest of Zhao's Gyou. The Yellow River is Han's northern border.[3]
Because of Han's strategic location in the center of the greater landmass, its presence was crucial in maintaining the balance and status quo across the entire continent, hosting several important checkpoints and locations that connected eastern and western China.
To Qin, Han had always been considered as the main roadblock impeding their dreams of unifying China, used by Zhao and Wei as a shield against Qin invasions. Its then-position as a strategical buffer had allowed it to remain unconquered despite the numerous wars of the last centuries, until Qin committed to its conquer in 230 B.C..
Unlike the mountainous far western and northern parts of the continent, central China generally composed of massive plains, explaining the difference in Han's topography compared to other states.
History[]
Han was one of the successor states of the former state of Jin. After a brutal civil, the state of Jin, which has been a powerful nation for a long time and a formidable enemy of the Qin, divided into Han, Zhao, and Wei.
While the two other states managed to affirm themselves as major powers in China, the state of Han fell behind and was reduced to being the smallest and weakest state in the continent. Subsequently, Han found itself in a perpetual state of being harassed by its neighbors, focusing solely on surviving as a nation instead of trying to establish dominance over the other countries like all the other Warring States.
Despite this, Han has managed to stand proud amongst bigger sharks for 170 years, taking pride in having inherited the "capital of the Three Jins" Shintei, which is considered today as the largest and mightiest capital city in all of China.
40 years ago, they participated in the Coalition led by the Great General Gaku Ki of Yan against the superstate of the time, Qi.
Story[]
Training Arc[]
Han faced a massive invasion from Qin, when the General Mou Gou attacked them with 200,000 soldiers, with the objective of conquering the territory of Anhou. While waging war at a slow pace, the Han forces were powerless as Mou Gou and his talented Vice-Generals Kan Ki and Ou Sen managed to conquer the strategic city of Kouu and 11 more cities in a single month. The campaign was going so well for Qin that they questioned if the armies weren't going to be able to go straight for the capital Shintei.
The campaign was then canceled mid way after the state of Zhao invaded Qin, kickstarting the campaign of Bayou.
Coalition Invasion Arc[]
Han invaded Qin alongside all other Warring States after being approached by Ri Boku of Zhao, with the intent of utterly and completely annihilating Qin, being promised a portion of Qin's entire lands proportionally to the number of soldiers they sent. The Great General Sei Kai was sent at the head of 50,000 Han troops and besieged the Kankoku Pass alongside Wei's forces.
The Han army fought bravely despite its smaller size, and were close to being the ones making the Kankoku Pass thanks to Sei Kai's army poison weaponry, but the Great General of Han was surprisingly killed by the Qin General Chou Tou after a surprise attack.
Battle of Eikyuu Arc[]
After Qin declared that they were bringing back the Great Six Generals system that devastated China for many decades, the entire continent was shook by this announcement. This included Han, who knew that they would be amongst the first targets of this new system, which prompted the royal court to contact the state of Chu to form an alliance, in order for their rear to be protected adequately in case of a massive Qin invasion.
Nature of Humanity Arc[]
After the loss of one of their Six Great Generals Kan Ki, the state of Qin sent a delegation to Shintei in order to invite the Han royal legalist Kan Pishi in order to work there as an official. After heated discussions inside the royal court in front of the King of Han, Kan Pishi agrees to go to Kanyou and serve King of Qin, Ei Sei. While in Kanyou, Kan Pishi is suspected of committing espionnage for the benefit of Han, and his vassals are all put under arrest. He subsequently decides to commit suicide due to pressure from You Ka, a spy from the Qin government also employed by other states in China.
Despite all of this, Han decides to silently accept his death and issue an apology to Qin over Kan Pishi's dubious actions at Kanyou.
Three Pillars Arc[]
After enduring two major defeats recently, Qin decides to once and for all focus on completely subjugating the state of Han, which sends the royal court in Shintei under huge turmoil.
Conquest of Han Arc[]
Culture[]
Identity as a Central Plains state[]
Han's flag
Han occupied a unique position among the Warring States due to its geography. Located in the central plains of the Yellow River basin, it lacked the mountainous borders, steppe frontiers, or coastal margins that shape the cultures of its neighbors. This central position granted Han both historical prestige and strategic exposure. The small state inherited the inner regions of the former superstate of Jin, including its prestigious and mighty capital, Shintei, a thriving citadel that prospered at the very core of China and served as a source of immense pride for the people of Han.
The interior of Shintei's imperial court under Han rule
Shintei played a huge role in Han's prestige and might. A grand metropolis that acted as the imperial capital of the Han's predecessor, it can be assumed that it was the capital city by itself which gave the country enough prestige to be seated amongst the Warring States, despite its weaker power. Its palace is by far the largest, most extravagant and luxurious in China, and has been used by Han in order to assert dominance and impress foreign dignitaries. The city is also the largest in terms of size and population, and has been described as the most impregnable fortress in the entire continent.
This centrality influenced Han’s cultural self-perception. The state viewed itself as the center of civilization, in contrast to the more “peripheral” or “frontier” states such as Qin or Yan. Han’s elite culture emphasized refinement, education, and ritual correctness rather than raw military power. This outlook produced a strong sense of cultural superiority toward the peoples of other states, particularly Qin, whose inhabitants Han derogatorily described as “mountain monkeys” due to their close association with the western “barbarian” tribes integrated into Qin’s territories and armies.
However, this confidence in cultural refinement masked a deep strategic fragility. Han’s position at the geographic and political center of the Warring States leaves it surrounded by more powerful neighbors for generations : Qin to the west, Wei and Zhao to the north, and Chu to the south. As a result, while Han conceived of itself as the heart of civilization, it possessed little capacity to enforce that ideal militarily. This discrepancy between self-perception and actual power formed a central paradox in Han’s cultural identity.
Confucian Moralism and Intellectual Tradition[]
One of the most distinct features of Han’s culture was its strong alignment with Confucian ideology and moral governance. Unlike Qin, which was characterized by Legalist rationalism and state control, Han retained a cultural orientation toward ritual, hierarchy, and benevolent rule. This philosophical orientation was consistent with Han’s image as an old, civilized, and scholarly state.
This Confucian influence also shaped Han’s political behavior. The state’s rulers and diplomats displayed a tendency toward moderation, negotiation, and compromise. It manifested in a preference for maintaining diplomatic order over pursuing territorial ambition. Han’s bureaucracy, while less efficient than Qin’s centralized Legalist administration, valued scholarly competence and civil service ethics. The ideal Han official was a cultivated gentleman rather than a militarist or opportunist.
Absence of frontier influence and the ideal of cultural purity[]
Unlike the northern and western states such as Zhao, Qin, and Yan, Han showed no evidence of “barbarian” cultural integration or frontier hybridity. Its territory lay far from the steppe and did not border non-Chinese peoples. Consequently, Han’s culture remained internally homogeneous and ethnically continuous with the old heartlands. This isolation reinforced its perception of itself as the purest inheritor of classical civilization.
Culturally, Han’s elite regarded this stability as a mark of superiority. The people of Han were portrayed as proud of their refinement and skeptical of the rough manners of frontier states. The court’s etiquette, the scholars’ dress, and the cities’ urban planning all conveyed a sense of cultivated moderation. However, this cultural pride contributed to complacency. Han’s belief in its own civilizational centrality discouraged fundamental reform even as external threats intensified. Thus, the ideal of purity became a source of vulnerability.
Political realism and the culture of pragmatic submission[]
Han’s small size and military weakness produced a distinctive political culture characterized by realism and accommodation. In contrast to the expansionist ideologies of Qin or Chu, Han’s leadership long prioritized survival through diplomacy, alliances, and strategic concession. The state’s rulers recognized that open warfare with stronger neighbors almost invariably led to disaster, and as such, they preferred policies of limited engagement, tribute, or partial submission. This pragmatic approach evolved into a cultural trait: within Han’s political and intellectual classes, the capacity to “endure humiliation” or accept unfavorable terms was not seen as shameful but as an intelligent adaptation to reality.
This attitude was reflected in both governmental policy and popular perception. Han’s population grew accustomed to compromise as a means of preservation. The notion of survival over glory permeated the national ethos, which was most evident in Han’s willingness to concede territory or negotiate peace to avoid destruction. Its diplomats and monarchs tended to emphasize continuity and safety rather than victory. This contrasted sharply with Qin’s ideology of destiny and Zhao’s culture of vengeance, marking Han as a fundamentally pragmatic and self-preserving society.
Han existed for 170 years thanks to its wise rulers
Culturally, this produced an inversion of values: where other states equated honor with defiance, Han associated wisdom with restraint. The “wise man” in Han’s culture was one who knew when to retreat, when to yield, and when to preserve strength rather than squander it. This acceptance of weakness as a strategic reality often frustrated neighboring states that viewed Han as cowardly or opportunistic. Yet from Han’s internal perspective, such flexibility was a form of moral intelligence, consistent with some of the Confucian principles , which extolled moderation and balance over extremes.
Cultural stereotypes and external perceptions[]
In the broader political discourse of the Warring States, Han occupied an ambiguous position. To many of its neighbors, Han was seen as a strategic behemoth but also as a buffer zone. The state was regularily seen as insignificant during major political and military developments. They were respected for their wisdom, while mocked for timidity and military weakness.
This external perception influenced Han’s own self-image. On one hand, the people of Han took pride in being seen as civilized and learned. On the other hand, the awareness of being the smallest and weakest state generated a subtle inferiority complex. This manifested in a cultural preoccupation with legitimacy and recognition. Han’s rulers were often depicted seeking acknowledgment from more powerful neighbors, framing alliances and tributes not merely as political necessities but as gestures preserving Han’s relevance within the moral order of the Warring States. This combination of moral pride and political anxiety defined the psychology of Han’s elite culture.
The collective mentality of Han could be summarized as rational endurance. The people of Han did not define themselves through conquest or divine destiny but through the capacity to survive. This survivalism was not born of fatalism but of calculation. The state’s elite culture treated survival as a rational moral good: the preservation of order, population, and learning took precedence over the pursuit of military glory. This was evident in Han’s repeated decisions throughout their final war to submit to Qin’s demands or accept tributary status rather than risk annihilation.
This ethos affected the moral psychology of Han’s citizens. The population tended to value stability, predictability, and governance over passion or heroism. While this produced social harmony, it also engendered passivity. Han’s people were more accepting of subordination and defeat than those of other states, viewing endurance as preferable to ruin. This pragmatic acceptance of reality was both a cultural asset and a strategic liability: it enabled the state to endure longer than might be expected given its weakness, but it also ensured that Han never initiated great change or asserted itself as a leading power.
Government[]
Structure[]
Like the other Warring States, Han was a monarchy until it was conquered by Qin; it's 22nd ruler King Ou An being the ruler that surrendered the state to Qin.[1] Its royal family is large, extending through many different noble families with varying degrees of connection to the main lineage.
Han's capital city Shintei has a royal court, where the King and his government oversaw the country's situation, and discussed politics, economics, and military matters. The Han government was comprised of many ministers and officials, with the highest-ranking one being the then-current Chancellor Chou, who was also the chief of military affairs of Han before obtaining this position.
Diplomacy[]
Unlike more aggressive powers like Qin or Zhao, Han often pursued a reactive diplomatic strategy, seeking survival through appeasement, neutrality, or strategic alignment with stronger neighbors. This cautious approach was born of necessity: Han lacked both the martial prowess and charismatic leadership to assert itself independently. As a result, its envoys and rulers are frequently depicted as tentative and anxious, constantly evaluating which dominant power poses the greatest threat at a given time.
This diplomatic weakness leads Han to oscillate between temporary alliances and submissive negotiations, often making them an unreliable or irrelevant partner in the eyes of stronger states. Their participation in multilateral coalitions, such as the failed coalition army against Qin, is usually portrayed as symbolic rather than strategic. Han’s representatives tend to act more as messengers of caution than actors of ambition, frequently proposing ceasefires or trade-offs to buy time rather than gain influence.
Military[]
Qin's Great General Tou described Han as having the weakest military among the seven kingdoms, and that Han had continued to remain as one of the seven warring kingdoms by supplementing their military with wisdom, making them troublesome in their own way.[4]
Han is rarely seen embarking on large scale invasions against the other states, generally fighting for survival rather than supremacy. Exceptions have been seen; notably, Han participated in the Qi Coalition War, fighting against Qi with the six other states, and was part of the Coalition Army with five other states against Qin.
Raku'A Kan and Haku'Ou Koku marching to battle
Han's armies are seen ridiculed by foreign forces for being relatively few in number; Han contributed the fewest men to the Coalition Army, contributing 50,000 men, far fewer than the other states, which sent soldiers in amounts ranging from 100,000 men to 150,000 men. Despite this, Han manages to contribute in their own way; during a period of continuous warfare between the Three Jins, Raku'A Kan and Haku'ou Koku managed to repel multiple invasions led by generals such as Zhao's Ren Pa and Wei's Go Kei.
Espionage network[]
Han's exceptional espionage network was one of the main cornerstones of its survival during its 170 years of existence. In a time where strength was measured by armies and land, Han carved out a different kind of resilience, one built in the shadows. Its intelligence apparatus was considered by many as the most sophisticated and far-reaching in all of China, a quiet but formidable engine of statecraft that helping keep Han from being swallowed whole by its more powerful neighbors.
Through this network, Han was consistently able to anticipate invasions, exploit rivalries, and subvert enemy strategies. Its spies are deeply embedded not only in military ranks but within the political hierarchies of other states, gathering critical information that allows Han to weaken their enemies from the inside. Time and again, this hidden strength has allowed Han to survive sieges it should have lost, avoid wars it could not win, and play stronger states against one another. While other kingdoms expand primarily through brute force, Han endures through precision, foresight, and manipulation, a feat that demonstrates a different kind of power.
Han was thus not the mightiest state, but the most informed, and therefore the most dangerous in an unseen war.
Royal Family[]
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21st King of Han
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22nd King of Han
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Princess of Han
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Spy network officer
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Earl, leader of the Taiza clan
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Leader of the Ka Jyuu clan
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Earl, member of one Han's great houses
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Lord, member of the royal family
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Lord, member of the royal family
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Slain by Public Order Protection Army
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Slain by Public Order Protection Army
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Slain by Poison
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Slain by illness
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Chancellors & Prime Ministers[]
Officials and other[]
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Princess Nei's servant
City Lords[]
Battles[]
See also: Territory of the states
Locations within Han[]
| Image | Name | Description | Notable Residents |
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| Mai Plains | The Mai Plains is an unseen location in the Han. When Qin first begins the Conquest of Han, a report received by Shintei mentions that the 60,000 men of the Ri Shin Army are advancing east near the Mai Plains.[5] |
Cities/Villages[]
Han lies in the center of china
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| Han | |
|---|---|
| Royal Family | Ou Ou ‡ • Ou An • Nei • Kan Pishi † |
| Prime Minister | Chou |
| Officials | Kan Pishi † • Jou Sei • Ka Jyuu • Taiza • Ryuu Kaku • Sai En • Kan Bu • Rohaku Kyou • Kakou Ryuu † |
| City Lords | Ryuu'an |
| Citizens | On Kei • Sai Hi |
| Military | |
| Great Generals | Sei Kai † • Raku'A Kan † |
| Generals | Haku’ou Koku † • Chou In • Bi Kei † • Hai Don † • Tei Ko |
| Commanders | Yoko Yoko • Ba Kan † • Na Kon † • Ki'u |
| Strategists | TBA |
| Affiliates | Chu • Chu Military (Ka Rin) |
| Espionage | Ki Getsu • Mai Fu • Shuu Ho |