Warring States Period - World History Encyclopedia
This is a good short web page covering the period. Here is the opening of it ending in a link to the page.
The Warring States period (481/403 BCE - 221 BCE) describes the three centuries when various rival Chinese states battled viciously for territorial advantage and dominance. Ultimately the Qin state was victorious and established the first unified Chinese state. Besides incessant warfare, and probably because of it, the period saw significant developments in society, commerce, agriculture, philosophy, and the arts, setting the foundations for the subsequent flourishing of Imperial China.
Here is the link to the article...
Why Chinese Study the Warring States Period - The Diplomat
This is a fascinating article written around 2013 and attempts to explain why the Warring States Period interests the CCP leadership. His explanation is very different than our author's. This article focuses heavily on the internal governance the Chinese have learned from this period. Below is the start of the article with the link to the page.
The Warring States Era is a fascinating period in Chinese history. Although scholars debate the exact start date and duration of the era, the general consensus is that the period spanned from around 475 BC to 221 BC. Put simply, the era consisted of interstate conflict in which the leaders of independent states (and sub-states) vied for hegemony. The leaders engaged in a series of conquests and annexations, power and territorial consolidations, and shifting alliances. The competition resulted in the emergence of several dominant states. And these states continued competing for power in the interstate system until the leader of the Qin state, Qin Shihuangdi, prevailed as the dominant ruler.
Follow this link to the rest of the article.
Qin Shi Huang - The Rise and Fall of the First Emperor of China
This is a very good video about the end of the Warring States period and this rise of Qin empire. Throughout the video you can see many of the strategies our author talks about the CCP using today and learning for the Warring States period. On a side note, I think the author of this video also made some really useful videos on how to DM Dungeons and Dragons.