Qin Shi Huang

Author: Sun Wensheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Qin Shi Huang, whose surname was Ying and given name Zheng, was born in 259 BC and died in 210 BC. He was a legendary and epoch-making figure in Chinese history, as well as the founder of the first multi-ethnic centralized feudal empire in China. The era of Qin Shi Huang's birth coincided with the late Warring States period, a time of fierce competition among the seven states and constant warfare in Chinese history. His father, Zichu, was the grandson of King Zhao of Qin and the son of King An of Qin. Zichu was sent to Zhao as a hostage. At that time, a wealthy merchant named Lü Buwei from Yangyi (now Yucheng County, Henan Province), who was doing business in Handan, Zhao, saw Zichu's unique background and situation. Therefore, he vigorously planned to help Zichu return to Qin and even sent his beautiful and talented concubine, Zhao Ji, to become Zichu's wife. Soon after, they had a son, who later became the renowned and powerful Qin Emperor Ying Zheng. After Zichu returned to Qin, he ascended the throne as King Zhuangxiang and appointed Ying Zheng as his crown prince. In 247 BC, King Zhuangxiang passed away, and at the age of 13, Ying Zheng was enthroned as the King of Qin. In 238 BC, at the age of 22, Ying Zheng held his coronation ceremony and began to personally govern the state. This young and ambitious ruler could no longer tolerate the central power slipping away. He quickly suppressed rebellions, imprisoned the empress dowager, and the following year dismissed Lü Buwei from his position as prime minister. With the help of officials and generals such as Li Si, Wei Liao, Wang Jian, and Meng Tian, he seized the opportunity to launch the great campaign of unifying China by conquering the six feudal states—Han, Zhao, Yan, Wei, Chu, and Qi. From 230 BC to 221 BC, after 10 years of bloody and brutal warfare, he ended the centuries-long division and chaos of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, establishing the first multi-ethnic centralized feudal empire in Chinese history. After unification, Ying Zheng proclaimed himself the "First Emperor." To consolidate the newly established feudal regime, he implemented a series of unification policies, including standardizing characters, currency, and weights and measures, and introducing the prefecture-county system, dividing the country into 36 prefectures, with counties, towns, and villages under them. In the central government, he established the Three Ducal Ministers and Nine Ministers, who reported directly to the emperor. The key military and administrative officials at both central and local levels were appointed by the emperor, concentrating political power in his hands and forming a new highly centralized political system. Qin Shi Huang's reforms had a profound impact on the feudal political system of China for the following 2,000 years.