In remote ages, there were several principalities in present Hengshui. During the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC), it mostly belonged to the Jin Kingdom, while in the Warring States Period (476BC-221BC), it was a part of the territory of Yan and Zhao kingdoms. It was put into the Julu Shire after the First Emperor of Qin unified China in 221BC. Most domain of present Hengshui took shape in the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). Hengshui is located in alluvial plain area in North China, with its terrain gently sloping downward from southwest to northeast.