| 1 | From a vassal small to independent fiefdoms, qin dynasty. | |
| 2 | Before that, China was a confederation of states, called "the middle kingdoms". | |
| 3 | Ducal states at that time built walls to defend their own territories. | |
| 4 | The Hum nationality in the north China often harassed the feudal states of the Zhou Dynasty to the south. | |
| 5 | Before unification in the 19th century, Italy was made up of dozens of principalities and kingdoms. Some, like San Marino, still survive. |