Download Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang
China’s First Emperor
• Qin Shi Huang was the First Emperor of a
unified China, who ruled from 246 B.C. to 210
B.C.
• In his 35-year reign, he managed to create
magnificent and enormous construction
projects.
• He also caused both incredible cultural and
intellectual growth …and much destruction
within China
• Whether he should be remembered more for
his creations or his tyranny is a matter of
dispute,
• but everyone agrees that Qin Shi Huang, the
first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, was one of
the most important rulers in Chinese history.
• Ying Zheng became king of the Qin state in
246 B.C., upon the death of his supposed
father.
• He ruled as Qin Shi Huang, and unified China
for the first time.
• The young king was only 13 years old when he
took the throne, so his prime minister (and
probable real father) Lu Buwei acted as regent
for the first eight years
• This was a difficult time for any ruler in China,
with seven warring states vying for control of
the land.
• The leaders of the Qi, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei,
Chu and Qin states were former dukes under
the Zhou Dynasty, but had each proclaimed
themselves king as the Zhou fell apart.
• The Han kingdom fell in 230 B.C.
• In 229, a devastating earthquake rocked another
powerful state, Zhao, leaving it weakened. Qin Shi
Huang took advantage of the disaster, and
invaded the region.
• Wei fell in 225, followed by the powerful Chu in
223.
• The Qin army conquered Yan and Zhao in 222
• The final independent kingdom, Qi, fell to the Qin
in 221 B.C.
• With the defeat of the other six warring
states, Qin Shi Huang had unified northern
China.
• His army would continue to expand the Qin
Empire's southern boundaries throughout his
lifetime, driving as far south as what is now
Vietnam.
• The king of Qin became the Emperor of Qin
China.
Qin Shi Huang's Quest for Immortality
• As he entered middle age, the First Emperor grew more
and more afraid of death. He became obsessed with finding
the elixir of life, which would allow him to live forever.
• The court doctors and alchemists concocted a number of
potions, many of them containing "quicksilver" (mercury),
which probably had the ironic effect of hastening the
emperor's death rather than preventing it.
• The Emperor died while touring eastern China in 210 B.C.
• The cause of death most likely was mercury poisoning, due
to his immortality treatments.
The Controversy
• Modern historians all agree that Qin Shi
Huang is probably China’s most famous
emperor however they disagree on whether
he was…
– A great leader and reformer who tried to make
China great or…
– A brutal tyrant who was only concerned with
making himself more powerful no matter who or
what he destroyed.
A Great Reformer – His Achievements
• Though Qin Shi Huang expected his empire to last forever, Qin
Dynasty survived 15 years with two reigns only. However, Qin Shi
Huang had the greatest and longest-lasting influence among all
rulers in Chinese history.
• He ordered the unification of Chinese characters, currency, weights
and measures, not only benefited economic development and
cultural exchanges, but have had a strong and long-lasting influence
on China.
• He was the pioneer in implying legal system in Chinese history.
• He ordered the construction of road system which eventually
played an extremely important role in ancient transportation and
economic exchanges.
• He standardized the length of the axles of carts, so every cart could
run smoothly in the ruts of the new roads.
• He ordered the building and restoration of the Great Wall of China.
A Tyrant Ruler – His Brutal Ruling
• Extremely severe penal codes. For example, if one person was
guilty, he would be killed along with his family, his extended families
as well as his fellow classmates, villagers, teachers, friends and
acquaintances.
• Burden people with endless demands in wars, building of the Great
Wall and building of his Mausoleum, Terra Cotta Army, palaces and
roads.
• Burnt almost all classic books, excluding those of medicine,
divination and agriculture.
• Ordered to bury 460 scholars alive.
• Confiscated all weapons from the general public.
• Forced people (especially rich people) to migrate to the newly built
capital Xianyang (next to Xian).