The First Emperor of Qin Dynasty

Qin, from B.C.221 to B.C.207, is one of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. It developed to the first great unification in China from Qin kingdom in later warring states period.

Qin originally was one of the kingdoms that belonged to Zhou dynasty. The first emperor of Qin is called Ying Zheng. He conquered other six kingdoms and unified China. Then he conquered other minority tribes, Xiongnu, and Baiyue. The unprecedented unified  Empire was established and its story began. 

Qin and Confucianism 

In B.C.213,  in the banquet, one Confucian scholar criticized that an official flattered the emperor and also mentioned the system of enfeoffment. Qin’s prime minister, Li Si, disputed with him and blamed the Confucian scholar. He thought Confucian scholars are very dangerous to the country and suggested Qin to burn the book about Confucianism. The second year, some scholars were dissatisfied about Qin, so later about 460 scholars, who were against him were arrested and buried. It was not only about the Confucianism, but all the opinion showed disagreement about his control. We can tell Qin led us to the empire of autocratic monarchy.

From then on, the only approved school of thought was legalism: follow the emperor's laws, or face the consequences.

Qin and the Great Wall

The Great Wall of China is a military defensive project in the ancient China, from Shanghai pass to Jiayu pass. It is 21000 kilometers in total. It began to build in the Zhou dynasty and built fast during the Spring and Autumn; warring states period. In B.C.215, Qin began to build the Great Wall widely to defense the minority in the northern part. There was a story of the Qin Great Wall, about the gap in the Great Wall. Some people say when the Great Wall was building, Lady Meng Jiang came to the Great Wall to find his husband, but she failed. She cried and destroyed the Great Wall. It was said that at the first night when got married. Lady Meng Jiang’s husband was caught to build the Great Wall. We can know how difficult to build the Great Wall. Great Wall is the treasure of the Chinese culture and brightens the Chinese history. When astronauts go to space, the Great Wall and Delta Polder Works In the Netherland are the only structure can be seen.

Terracotta Army

Terracotta Army, which was found in 1973, is in the Mausoleum of the Qin in Xi an. In fact, the Terracotta Warriors are sacrificial objects of the Empire Qin. In the ancient china, when some empires and rich people, their slaves will be the sacrificial object to berry with them together. This is very cruel for those people. After the Qin dynasty, this system was totally abolished. It is said that when the First empire of Qin dynasty unified the China, he began to build his own mausoleum, at that he was only 22 years old. Empire Qin even ordered his official to find thousands of boys and girls to bury with him. His official said if you do so, people will rise up for rebellion. Qin emperor gave up this crazy idea and ask some craftsmen to make hundreds of ceramic people and horse as the sacrificial objects. Qin’s official said to the craftsman, if can make the ceramic people, they will be killed. oUtil that time, nobody made the ceramic person before, so a lot of craftsmen died. When Ying Zheng died, his son, next emperor of Qin, was worried that the craftsmen will tell the secret. He closed them in the mausoleum. 

Ying Zheng is a very controversial history figure in the China. He made a lot of great achievement in his life. However, he also made some mistakes. How do you judge him?