The Dian Kingdom (Chinese: ?? or ???) was established by the Dian people; who lived around Lake Dian in northern Yunnan; China from the late Spring and Autumn Period (771 - 476 BCE) until the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220 CE).

The Dian were first mentioned historically in Sima Qian's Shiji and according to Chinese sources; the Chinese Chu general Zhuang Qiao was the founder of the Dian Kingdom. Chinese soldiers who accompanied him married the local people. Zhuang was engaged in a war to conquer the 'barbarian' peoples of the area; but he and his army were prevented from going back to Chu by enemy armies; so he settled down and became King of the new Dian Kingdom.

The Classical Chinese character for money (?) originated as a stylized drawing of a cowrie shell. Words and characters concerning money; property or wealth usually have this as a radical.