Shàolíng is an ancient place name located in present-day Linying County, Henan Province. It first appeared during the Western Zhou Dynasty as a fief granted to a noble, and later gained historical prominence as the site of the famous Battle of Shàolíng in 656 BCE — a pivotal confrontation between the State of Qi, led by Duke Huan, and a coalition of states including Chu. Though the battle ended without major fighting, it marked a turning point in Qi’s hegemony during the Spring and Autumn period.

The two characters each carry meaning: 召 (shào) was the name of an ancient state and noble clan, while 陵 (líng) originally means 'hill' or 'mound', often used in place names for elevated terrain or burial mounds. Together, they form a proper noun referring specifically to this historic location — not a generic term, and never used metaphorically or descriptively in modern speech.