秦晋之好 — “A marriage alliance between two families”

During the Spring and Autumn Period in China, various feudal states were in a state of disunion. Numerous large and small feudal states were scattered throughout the land, constantly warring and vying for hegemony, using various means to protect their interests. They would sometimes ally with each other, sometimes confront each other, and even engage in warfare.

At that time, the State of Qin was located in parts of present-day Shaanxi, Gansu, and Sichuan, while the State of Jin was located in southern Shanxi. They were two neighboring powerful states that both contended with each other and took advantage of each other. During this period, marriage alliances between two feudal states or two influential families were an important way to signify friendly union, and such marriages often had political implications. The rulers of Qin and Jin had numerous instances of intermarriage.

Later, “Qin Jin Zhi Hao” gradually evolved into an idiom. However, it now simply refers to the marriage between two families, without necessarily implying any political content.