Qin Shi Huang (or Shi Huangdi) was the first emperor of a unified China and ruled from 246 BC to 210 BC. In his 35-year reign, he succeeded in creating impressive and gigantic building projects. It also caused both astonishing cultural and intellectual growth and great devastation within China.Whether we should be remembered more for his creations or for 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.According to legend, a rich merchant named Lu Buwei befriended the prince of the state of Qin during the last years of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BC). The beautiful merchant's wife Zhao Jie was just pregnant, so he arranged for the prince to meet and fall in love with her. She became the prince's secret and then gave birth to Le Puy's child in 259 BC.
The child, born in Hanan, was named Ying Cheng. The prince believes that the child is his own. Ying Zheng became king of the state of Qin in 246 BC, upon the supposed death of his father. Ruling in Qin Shi Huang and unified China for the first time.The young king was only 13 years old when he took the throne, so Prime Minister (and possibly real father) Lu Pui acted as regent for the first eight years. This was a tough time for any ruler in China, as seven warring nations vie for control of the land.
The leaders of the states Qi, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, Zhou, and Qin were former dukes under the Zhou dynasty, but each declared themselves king as Zhou collapsed.
In this unstable environment, wars flourished, and so did books such as Sun Tzu's "The Art of War". Lu Buwei had another problem, as well; He was afraid that the king would discover his true identity.According to Sima Qian in Shiji, or "Records of the Grand Historian", Lu Buwei devised a new plan to depose Qin Shi Huang in 240 BC. He introduced the king's mother, Zhao Jie, to Lao Ai, a man famous for his large penis. The widowed queen and Lao Ai had two sons, and in 238 BC, Lao and Lou Buffy decided to launch a coup.Lao raised an army, with the help of the nearby Wei King, and tried to control it while Qin Shi Huang was traveling outside the area. The young king severely suppressed the rebellion. Law was executed by tying his arms, legs, and neck to horses, which were prompted to run in different directions. His entire family was also eliminated, including the king's two half-brothers and all other relatives to the third degree (uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.). The widowed queen was relaxed but spent the rest of her days under house arrest.Lu Buwei was sacked after the Lao Ai incident but he did not lose all of his influence in Qin. However, he lived in constant fear of execution by the mercurial young king. In 235 BC, Lu committed suicide by drinking poison. With his death, the 24-year-old king assumed full leadership over the Qin Kingdom.
Qin Shi Huang grew increasingly paranoid (not without reason), and banished all foreign scholars from his trial as a spy. The king's fears were well-established; In 227, the state of Yan sent two killers to his court, but he fought them with his sword. A musician also tried to kill him by hitting him with a bullet-weighted stick.The assassination attempts arose in part out of desperation in the neighboring kingdoms. The Qin King had the most powerful army, and the neighboring rulers shuddered at the thought of invading Qin.
The Han kingdom fell in 230 BC. In 229, a devastating earthquake shook another powerful country, Zhao, making it weak. Qin Shi Huang took advantage of the disaster and invaded the area. Wei fell in 225, strong Chu followed in 223.Yan and Zhao's army was occupied by Qin's army in 222 (despite another attempt to assassinate Qin Shi Huang by Yan's agent). The final independent Qi kingdom fell to Qin in 221 BC.With the defeat of the other six warring nations, Qin Shi Huang unified northern China. And his army would continue to expand the southern frontiers of the Epic Qin over the course of his life, driving as far south as now into Vietnam. The King of Qin was now the Emperor of Qin China.
As emperor, Qin Shi Huang reorganized the bureaucracy, abolishing the existing nobility and replacing them with his own appointed officials. He also built a network of roads, with the capital of Xianyang at the center. In addition, the emperor simplified written Chinese writing, standard weights and measures, and minted new copper coins.
According to legend, a rich merchant named Lu Buwei befriended the prince of the state of Qin during the last years of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770-256 BC). The beautiful merchant's wife Zhao Jie was just pregnant, so he arranged for the prince to meet and fall in love with her. She became the prince's secret and then gave birth to Le Puy's child in 259 BC.
The child, born in Hanan, was named Ying Cheng. The prince believes that the child is his own. Ying Zheng became king of the state of Qin in 246 BC, upon the supposed death of his father. Ruling in Qin Shi Huang and unified China for the first time.
The young king was only 13 years old when he took the throne, so Prime Minister (and possibly real father) Lu Pui acted as regent for the first eight years. This was a tough time for any ruler in China, as seven warring nations vie for control of the land.
The leaders of the states Qi, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, Zhou, and Qin were former dukes under the Zhou dynasty, but each declared themselves king as Zhou collapsed.
In this unstable environment, wars flourished, and so did books such as Sun Tzu's "The Art of War". Lu Buwei had another problem, as well; He was afraid that the king would discover his true identity.
According to Sima Qian in Shiji, or "Records of the Grand Historian", Lu Buwei devised a new plan to depose Qin Shi Huang in 240 BC. He introduced the king's mother, Zhao Jie, to Lao Ai, a man famous for his large penis. The widowed queen and Lao Ai had two sons, and in 238 BC, Lao and Lou Buffy decided to launch a coup.
Lao raised an army, with the help of the nearby Wei King, and tried to control it while Qin Shi Huang was traveling outside the area. The young king severely suppressed the rebellion. Law was executed by tying his arms, legs, and neck to horses, which were prompted to run in different directions. His entire family was also eliminated, including the king's two half-brothers and all other relatives to the third degree (uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.). The widowed queen was relaxed but spent the rest of her days under house arrest.
Lu Buwei was sacked after the Lao Ai incident but he did not lose all of his influence in Qin. However, he lived in constant fear of execution by the mercurial young king. In 235 BC, Lu committed suicide by drinking poison. With his death, the 24-year-old king assumed full leadership over the Qin Kingdom.
Qin Shi Huang grew increasingly paranoid (not without reason), and banished all foreign scholars from his trial as a spy. The king's fears were well-established; In 227, the state of Yan sent two killers to his court, but he fought them with his sword. A musician also tried to kill him by hitting him with a bullet-weighted stick.
The assassination attempts arose in part out of desperation in the neighboring kingdoms. The Qin King had the most powerful army, and the neighboring rulers shuddered at the thought of invading Qin.
The Han kingdom fell in 230 BC. In 229, a devastating earthquake shook another powerful country, Zhao, making it weak. Qin Shi Huang took advantage of the disaster and invaded the area. Wei fell in 225, strong Chu followed in 223.
Yan and Zhao's army was occupied by Qin's army in 222 (despite another attempt to assassinate Qin Shi Huang by Yan's agent). The final independent Qi kingdom fell to Qin in 221 BC.
With the defeat of the other six warring nations, Qin Shi Huang unified northern China. And his army would continue to expand the southern frontiers of the Epic Qin over the course of his life, driving as far south as now into Vietnam. The King of Qin was now the Emperor of Qin China.
As emperor, Qin Shi Huang reorganized the bureaucracy, abolishing the existing nobility and replacing them with his own appointed officials. He also built a network of roads, with the capital of Xianyang at the center. In addition, the emperor simplified written Chinese writing, standard weights and measures, and minted new copper coins.
