Qin Shi Huang (259 BCE – 210 BCE) was the first emperor of China and one of the most important figures in Chinese history. He was a visionary leader who unified the various warring states of China into a single, centralized empire and implemented a number of reforms that laid the foundation for China’s later success as a world power.
Early Life and Rise to Power
Qin Shi Huang was born in the state of Qin in 259 BCE, during the Warring States period of Chinese history. He was named Ying Zheng, the son of King Zhuangxiang of Qin, and became the king of Qin at the age of 13 after his father died.
During his early years as king, Ying Zheng was heavily influenced by his prime minister, Lü Buwei, who was known for his intellectual and political acumen. Lü Buwei arranged for Ying Zheng to be educated in the classics and trained in the arts of war, diplomacy, and governance.
In 238 BCE, when Ying Zheng was just 21 years old, Lü Buwei was implicated in a scandal involving the queen mother and forced to flee the court. This left Ying Zheng vulnerable, and he soon found himself embroiled in a power struggle with his mother and her advisers. In 235 BCE, Ying Zheng successfully ousted his mother’s faction and became the sole ruler of Qin.
Unification of China
Once he had consolidated his power in Qin, Ying Zheng set his sights on unifying the other warring states of China. This was a daunting task, as the various states were fiercely independent and had been at war with each other for centuries.
Ying Zheng began by strengthening Qin’s military and building a powerful army. He also implemented a series of reforms that strengthened the central government, including standardizing weights and measures, building roads and canals, and implementing a uniform system of writing.
In 230 BCE, Ying Zheng launched a campaign to conquer the state of Han, which was the first of many campaigns that would eventually lead to the unification of China. Over the next decade, Ying Zheng and his armies conquered one state after another until he had subdued all six major warring states and unified China under his rule.
Reforms
With China now unified, Ying Zheng set about implementing a series of reforms that would transform the country into a centralized empire. He replaced the feudal system with a centralized bureaucracy, with officials appointed based on merit rather than birth.
He also standardized weights and measures, introduced a uniform writing system, and built an extensive network of roads and canals that facilitated trade and communication across the empire. He standardized the currency and introduced a system of weights and measures that made commerce more efficient and fair.
Ying Zheng also launched a massive construction program that included building the Great Wall of China, which he ordered to be extended and connected with existing walls to create a continuous barrier against invaders from the north.
In addition to these practical reforms, Ying Zheng also implemented several cultural and intellectual policies that helped promote a sense of national identity and unify the diverse peoples of China. He ordered the burning of all books that did not conform to the official state ideology, but also ordered the compilation of a new official history of China, which became the basis for the traditional Chinese historical narrative.
Legacy
Qin Shi Huang’s legacy was mixed. On the one hand, he is remembered as a visionary leader who unified China and laid the foundation for its later success as a world power. His reforms and innovations were critical in transforming China from a collection of warring states into a centralized empire.
On the other hand, his reign was marked by brutality and authoritarianism. He ordered the execution of scholars who disagreed with his policies and burned countless books to seek unity in thinking, which incurred endless criticism in the following 2000 years.