548 BOTANICON SINICUM. 
which was situated along the Wei and Ho rivers [in Shen si 
and Ho nan], and a number of larger and smaller feudal 
states, surrounding the royal dominions. Wvu-wane, the 
founder of the Chou dynasty, resided at # Feng and a 
Hao [both in Shen si, near present Si an fu]. He built 
also another residence in the east on the river ¥ Lo, which 
was called ¥§ 6 Lo i (afterwards ¥ [ Lo yang, near 
present Ho nan fu); but it was not until many centuries 
later, since Pina wane [770-717], that the royal residence 
was fixed at Lo yang, 
The Chou dynasty was overthrown in the middle of the 
3rd cent. B.C. by the princes of the powerful state of 
Ts‘in. One of them, Cheng, who ruled B.C. 249-210, 
reduced all the petty states to his sway and in 221 took 
the title Sur Huanxe-r1 (Emperor). His dynasty, which 
lasted only 20 years, is called Ze Ts‘in, Sar Hvane-t1 
sueceeded in establishing his authority over the greater — 
part of China proper, with the exception of the south-western 
regions (Kui chou and Yiin nan). He fixed his residence at 
Jax B Hien yang (now Hien yang hien, N.W. of Si an fa, 
Shen si) and divided the empire, including the vast exten- - 
sions he had annexed towards the south, into 40 Bb fain or 
provinces. 
The next dynasty was the # Han, which reigned mn 
China more than four centuries, The Chinese historians 
distinguish the Earlier and the Later Han. 
The #ij # Ts‘ien Han or Earlier Han, called also the 
Western Han [B.C. 202-A.D. 25]. In the reign of Wu 
Tr [140-86] China, which then had about the same limits 
as what is now called China proper, was divided into 13 
Wl chow or ab pu. The subdivisions were 103 Bp fin or 
prefectures on which depended 1,314 B% hien (districts) and 
& ¢ (towns). Besides these, there were scattered over the 
