Create alliances so that you might prosper.
Create enemies and you might survive. Become ZHANSHEN!
Who are you? You are the Great Leader of a brave group
of towns and villages coming into their own during China's
 Warring
States Period. With recent economic changes and feuds
brimming, your people look to you for guidance. Which
mode of government will you choose to lead your people?
With whom will you decide to align your small nation?
Will you choose to lead your people to agriculture or
instead to weapons construction? Which enemy nation's
army will you decimate to steal their riches? You are
the leader and one day you shall be ZHANSHEN the mighty
War God and leader of a great nation!
How do you play?
One thousand pardons for not speaking of that here,
Great Leader, but spies abound and we had better not
let the nation to the north hear of our plans. For more
details, your faithful servants have prepared your instructions
here.
 The
Story
Remember that you are the favored child of your mother
and father, and as such you are expected to lead your
feudal people through this difficult time. Knowledge
of Chinese history is of utmost importance.
The Warring States Period (475-221 BCE) came about when the State of Qi was ransacked and government control fell to the Tian family. The State of Jin subsequently splintered into the three states of Han, Zhao and Wei, and eventually these seven nation states formed: Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, Wei and Qin. The Chinese emperor had little power as his scattered nations raised swords against each other. Can you bring the nations together again?
 From
armed conflict often comes light, and philosophy reigned
in the Warring States Period. Blossoming ideas spurred
achievements in astronomy, optics, agriculture and medicine.
Arts and culture flourished in China too. Government
systems were swayed by these new ideas and philosophies
and created a notion of "a hundred schools of thought
contending":
-The Legalists (known as "Fa Jia") wanted
strong laws and an even stronger army to enlarge the
nation.
-Mohists (known as "Mo Jia"), or followers
of Mo Di, emphasized innovation and technology rather
than war as a method to bring properity to a nation.
-Daoists (known as "Dao Jia") stressed an
almost laissez faire environment where the government
kept its hands away from citizens in order to let the
nation grow.
-Confucianists (known as "Ru Jia") taught
filial piety and education as paths to great nation
building.
-Military Srategists (known as "Bing Jia")
preached both strong national defenses and offenses
as the surest way to create a strong national identity
and a solid government.
-Political Strategists (known as "Zong Heng Jia")
actually fall into two different camps: a) followers
of Zhang Yi and b) followers of Sun Qin. The former
built nations by befriending one to defeat another while
Sun Qin relied on strong political ties among a vertical
group of friendly nations.
-Agriculturalists (known as "Nong Jia") believed
in a literal grassroots collection of farms and villages
to grow the economy and the nation while also trying
to stay away from armed conflicts.
 Which
government philosophy will you choose, Great Leader,
to guide your nation? What is the surest way for you
to become ZHANSHEN?
Now that you have a nice background, you are welcome to review the instructions
and methods of how to lead your nation to
glory! Become ZHANSHEN!
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