At the northern foot of Mount Li, five kilometers east of Lintong District in Xi’an, there is a earthen hill towering over it. This is a famous imperial tomb both domestically and internationally, covering an area of 56.25 square kilometers. The tomb cover still has a circumference of more than 1700 meters. The majestic and towering tomb, surrounded by towering peaks, is seamlessly integrated with Mount Li. Here lies a giant who has changed the course of Chinese history. He is known as Emperor Qin Shi Huang Ying Zheng, who put an end to the centuries long division of power on the land of China and achieved national unity. He is famous for completing the great cause of reunification. Qing Shi was once again criticized for his tyranny throughout history. The Qin Dynasty only existed for a short 15 years, and the imperial system he presided over and designed had an impact on China for thousands of years. The well-known Qin Shi Huang not only had his background, but also his life achievements and achievements were remarkable. Even the Mausoleum of the First Emperor, located at the foot of Mount Li, has attracted much attention due to its numerous unsolved mysteries. The mysterious the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and the unprecedented Terra Cotta Warriors attract thousands of tourists every day. Through the history of more than 2000 years, we can feel the great achievements of this great land king.
In the mid-3rd century BC, Handan, the capital of Zhao, was the place where Qin’s son Yiren was serving as a hostage. In 259 BC, Yiren’s eldest son was born, and he was later known as Qin Shi Huang – Ying Zheng. In 250 BC, Yiren inherited the throne of Qin and became known as King Zhuangxiang of Qin. In 247 BC, King Zhuangxiang of Qin passed away, and at the age of thirteen, Ying Zheng succeeded him. Due to his young age, political affairs were controlled by the prime minister Lv Buwei.
In 238 BC, at the age of 22, Ying Zheng held a coronation ceremony at the Qinian Palace in Yongcheng, wearing a crown and a sword. This not only meant that he had officially become an adult, but also that he would personally manage the court. Prior to this, the situation in Qin had undergone significant changes, and the power of the court had shifted from the prime minister Lv Buwei to the hands of the Changxin Marquis Yi. Yi was sent to the palace by Lv Buwei and had an affair with Empress Dowager Zhao. Yi relied on the power of the Empress Dowager to become increasingly arrogant, claiming to be the stepfather of the King of Qin and Ying Zheng was in power, which made Yi feel inexplicable fear. He stole the throne. Initiate a rebellion using the Qin King’s Jade Seal and the Empress Dowager’s Seal, and lead troops to attack the Qinian Palace. In the face of this sudden event, the young king showed extraordinary charm and leadership skills to the world. He quickly organized troops, quelled the rebellion, split the chariot of the Aizu, and then dismissed the prime minister Lv Buwei who recommended Aizu, exiling him to Bashu. Lv Buwei committed suicide in fear of guilt. Ying Zheng successfully eradicated the two major power groups and firmly controlled power in his own hands.
During the Warring States period, various feudal states fought against each other for land and population, with continuous wars, economic destruction, and people struggling to make ends meet. The people of the world yearned for peace, and spinning became an inevitable trend in historical development. However, in the fierce competition among the seven warlords of the Warring States period, Qin, which had undergone the baptism of Shang Yang’s reforms, gradually surpassed the six countries in the Kanto region in strength.
Bronze Sword Xianyang Museum
This is the bronze sword of the Qin Dynasty, collected in the Xianyang Museum, with a length of 81 to 94.8 centimeters, far exceeding that of the Warring States period. The surface of the sword is mostly blue white, with eight edges and a dense structure. The sword body is close to the waist, extremely sharp, and can pierce armor. The Qin sword is the pinnacle of bronze casting technology, and it also became the world’s closest military factory at that time, echoing the advanced military equipment. In terms of military construction, the Qin Dynasty continued to vigorously promote the system of military merit and nobility. Soldiers fought bravely to achieve meritorious titles and land awards, greatly enhancing the country’s military strength. In terms of internal affairs, the Qin Dynasty is steadfast in promoting military merit and nobility. We will continue to develop the economy and consolidate centralized rule. In terms of foreign policy, we will actively adopt various military and diplomatic activities, continuously annex weak neighboring countries, and expand our territory, The Qin army defeated the strong enemy Zhao State in Changping and buried 400000 soldiers of Zhao State alive. At this time, the trend of Qin State unifying the world was already very clear.
Jinghe Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province
Zhengguo Canal is one of the greatest water conservancy projects in ancient China. It flows through Jingyang, Sanyuan, Gaoling, Fuping and other areas in present-day Shaanxi Province, stretching for more than 300 years. This large-scale water conservancy project, built over two thousand years ago, originated from a famous espionage case. The Guanzhong Pingyuan, where Qin was located, was originally barren with scarce rainfall and low grain production, which greatly affected the national strength of Qin. In 246 BC, a Korean named Zheng came to the state of Qin and lobbied the King of Qin to dig a canal on the Guanzhong Plain, divert the Jing River to the east and irrigate the arid land along the Jing River. Upon hearing this, the King of Qin was overjoyed and adopted his suggestion. He began to mobilize a large number of manpower to build the canal. Today, there are many huge stones in the Jing River. Archaeologists speculate that these stones were left behind by Zheng when he blocked the river and built a dam. If this speculation is true, then these huge stones are historical evidence that Zheng attempted to obstruct Qin’s attack at that time.
Professor Xu Weimin from Northwestern University: At that time, South Korea should have been a relatively weak country. In Qixiong, a relatively weak country, it was adjacent to Qin, and the first country that Qin could possibly destroy was South Korea. In this situation, South Korea came up with a solution to exhaust Qin, and sent its hydraulic engineers to persuade the state of Qin. Then, north of the Wei River in the state of Qin, a man-made canal was built to divert the Jing River to the Luo River. Under the conditions of productivity at that time, it was not easy to build an artificial river. That is why, in the middle of the construction, the King of Qin… Zheng discovered this conspiracy in South Korea.
The Zheng incident caused a fierce reaction among the ministers, who believed that most foreign guests came to Qin in an attempt to weaken the country for their own interests. Therefore, they demanded the expulsion of all foreign guests. Ying Zheng accepted the minister’s advice and issued the “Exorcism Order” to expel guests from the six countries. Li Si was from Shangcai, Chu, and the then guest minister was also expelled. He angrily wrote the “Exorcism Letter”, urging: “Mount Tai does not allow soil, so it can become large, rivers and seas do not choose small streams, so it can be deep. If the King of Qin wants to achieve great success, he must not be bound by the country, only then can it be used.” After reading this, Ying Zheng was deeply moved. Abolish the expulsion order and allow talents from various countries to continue to stay in the state of Qin and serve it.
Professor Xu Weimin from Northwestern University: At this time, Qin Wangzheng still attached great importance to talent, so he did not let Zheng Che go back, nor did he let other politicians leave the state of Qin. The construction of Zheng Guoqu was completed, and it played a very, very important role in the later economic development of Qin. We know that the construction of Zheng Guoqu was a good material foundation for the unification of Qin, and it was also an important reason why Guanzhong later became known as the Land of Abundance.
Afterwards, the King of Qin, Ying Zheng, began to use the guest ministers of the Six Kingdoms, such as Wei Liao and Li Si, and soon promoted Li Si to the position of Yan Wei, becoming his important advisor. Li Si, who was highly regarded, devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Six Kingdoms. He suggested adopting a strategy of separation, assassination, and war against the Six Kingdoms, sending eloquent men to secretly visit the Six Kingdoms, using gold and jewelry to win over the nobles and ministers, and disrupting the relationship between the monarch and the subjects. If rejected, he sent assassins to assassinate, and the Qin army followed suit with armed occupation. This strategy proved effective, and the increasingly weakened Six Kingdoms became even more chaotic.
In 230 BC, the Qin army launched a powerful offensive, annihilating Korea in one fell swoop, opening the prelude to the unification of the six states. In 228 BC, Qin general Wang Jian led his troops to capture the capital of Zhao, Handan, and captured the King of Zhao. Zhao was destroyed, and the Qin army was unstoppable. In 225 BC, Qin conquered Wei, in 223 BC, Chu, and in 222 BC, Yan. In 221 BC, Qin conquered the last fortress of the six states, Qi, and incorporated all the territories of the six states into Qin’s territory.
In this year, at the age of 38, Ying Zheng, in less than ten years, Qin conquered the six Eastern states, ending the centuries long separation of feudal lords, separatist warfare, and the suffering of the people, and unifying China. According to legend, during the reign of King Wen of Zhou, there were thousands of states. As recorded in the Spring and Autumn period, there were still over 170 states. By the time of Mencius in the middle of the Warring States period, there were only twelve remaining, and only seven major powers. From the perspective of the long river of history, the unification of this land of China from thousands of states was the trend of history. However, this great historical mission was completed by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, which was both a necessity and a coincidence of history.
Yang Zhenhong, a historical researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: In fact, Qin started as Duke Xiaogong and continued to develop and expand eastward, then continuously moving towards unification. By the time of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, in just a few decades, he had achieved such a great feat of unity, which was closely related to his abilities, personality, and ambition.
During the Zhou Dynasty, the emperor of Zhou proclaimed himself king. In the late Warring States period, various feudal lords and monarchs successively usurped the title of king. After sweeping through the six states and unifying the Central Plains, King Ying Zheng of Qin believed that his achievements were unprecedented and were beyond the reach of the five emperors. He continued to use the title of king, which could not demonstrate his great achievements. Therefore, he took one character from each of the five emperors of Emperor Tai (also known as Emperor of Man) and created the title of emperor. In the past, after the death of a king, his courtiers recognized his posthumous title based on his conduct and merits during his lifetime. Ying Zheng believed that this was the responsibility of his son to discuss his father and his courtiers to discuss his ruler. Therefore, he abolished the posthumous title system and changed it to numerical order, calling it the first emperor. He hoped As for eternity, it will be passed down endlessly.
Water and soil support people. Qin people live in fertile fields in the central Shaanxi Plain. They are tall and tough. Their open and loud voices have a direct impact on the most famous local opera. The quality and characteristics of Qin Opera Opera. When it is getting late, Xianban Shadow Play will be staged in the Confucian Temple in Liquan County, Shaanxi Province. Old artists drink Qin Opera Opera and skillfully stir up shadow puppets. The audience gathers their eyes, the horses on the stage hiss, and the drums beat. Qin Opera Opera originated in the Zhou Dynasty and formed in the Qin Dynasty. It is one of the oldest operas in China. Qin Opera Opera has a rough and powerful feature It fully highlights the fierce and heroic character of the Qin people, and the army of the Qin State composed of the Qin people, just like this stirring Qin Opera, became the most powerful military force in China at that time. After completing the great task of unifying the Central Plains, the Qin people did not stop, and Ying Zheng continued to expand his territory. His goal in his heart was to unify the world that he had set his sights on.
In 218 BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered General Tu Sui to lead a 500000 strong army to launch a war to conquer the Yue ethnic group in Lingnan. After pacifying the south, Ying Zheng turned his attention to the north of the empire. In 215 BC, Ying Zheng ordered General Meng Tian to lead a total of 300000 Qin troops to attack the Xiongnu in the north. Meng Tian’s army achieved a great victory and recaptured the Hetao area in one fell swoop. In the autumn of the next year, Meng Tian led his army to cross the Yellow River to the north to drive the Huns out of Yin Mountain. Jia Yi of the Han Dynasty said that the Huns were more than seven hundred miles away. The Hu people dared not go south to herd horses, and the scholars dared not bend their bows to complain. Ying Zheng’s continuous exploration of remote areas such as the southeast, Lingnan, southwest, and north has great and far-reaching significance in both Chinese and world history.
Professor Li Kaiyuan from Japan’s Jushi University: Qin unified China. From our current perspective, he not only unified the Central Plains and the six countries, but more importantly, in the eyes of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and his contemporaries, he unified the world and the world.
After the unification of China by the Qin Dynasty, its territory was unprecedentedly expanded. In order to strengthen effective management of its vast territory and protect the border areas, Emperor Qin Shi Huang took a series of effective measures. In today’s Guyuan, Inner Mongolia, there is a section of Qin Chang Cheng ruins that is more than 100 kilometers long. It is located in a dangerous mountain area and is made of locally sourced materials. It is made of brown slate, which separates the northern grasslands and the Gobi Desert. Every section is equipped with beacon fires and barrier cities. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, in order to resist the invasion of the Xiongnu, the Qin, Zhao, and Yan kingdoms in the north once built the Great Wall on the border. Qin Shi Huang deeply realized the strategic value of the Great Wall. Millions of migrant workers were conscripted from the mainland to build the Great Wall from Lintao in the west to Liaodong in the east on the basis of the Yan, Zhao, and Qin Great Wall, spanning over 5000 kilometers and known as the Great Wall of Ten Thousand Miles, The Great Wall played an important role in consolidating the northern border of Qin State. For more than two thousand years, it effectively prevented the northern nomadic tribes from invading the inland residents, allowing the people to live and work in peace. In the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall was further comprehensively repaired and rebuilt. The Great Wall was only a part of Qin State’s massive military project, and there is still a great project that is still unknown to people today.
Qin Zhidao Site, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province
In the towering mountains of Chongxian County in Fuxian County, Shaanxi Province, there are hidden roads made of mud and gravel. Vehicles pass by every day, and upon careful observation, the ruins of the construction of these roads are still clearly visible. This is the oldest highway in the world. The Qin straight road starts from the capital city of Xianyang and heads north to Jiuyuan, Inner Mongolia, with a length of about 700 li. The average width of the road is 20 meters, with the widest point reaching 60 meters. The straight road was built by General Meng Tian and hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians to attack and defend the Xiongnu, and is an important military road.
Director of Shaanxi Fuxian Cultural Relics and Tourism Bureau: Our current location is at both ends of Fuxian Che Road on Qinzhi Road. Qinzhi Road starts from Chunhua in Xianyang to Baotou in Inner Mongolia in the north, which is the historical construction method of Qinzhi Road. There are only four words: cutting mountains and valleys, splitting mountains when encountering them, and filling ditches when encountering them. Therefore, on this Qinzhi Road, we can see where he opened mountains and where he compacted soil.
The Qinzhi Road runs through the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi, heading north along the Ziwuling Mountains at an altitude of 1600 meters. The terrain is treacherous, with few human traces, and even when encountering large mountains, it does not avoid them. After more than two thousand years of wind and rain, most of the road surface is still well preserved, and some roads can still be used today. The Qinzhi Road was built with rammed loess, but due to its strong ramming, planting trees on the road still cannot survive. In order to confirm the historical description of the road, archaeologists surveyed the remains of the road.
Director of Fuxian County Cultural Relics and Tourism Bureau, Shaanxi Province: At both ends of the road, four archaeological trenches were dug. After the trench was dug out, its pavement structure was high in the middle and low on both sides. There was rammed earth on the side next to the trench. The highest rammed earth layer was 8 meters high and more than 4 meters wide, so it was rammed earth. At that time, this technology and drainage, as well as the structure of high in the middle and low on both sides of the pavement, were exactly the same as the construction structure of modern highways.
However, the Qin Zhidao was only one part of the transportation network of the Qin Empire, which was well connected in all directions. In order to effectively control the vast territory, Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of roads from the capital city of Xianyang to various places, called Chidao. Famous Chidao included Shangjun Road, Linjin Road, Dongfang Road, Wuguan Road, Xifang Road, etc. Emperor Qin Shi Huang established the most developed transportation network in the world at that time, with the capital city of Xianyang as the center. According to statistics, the total length of roads built by Qin was about 6800 kilometers. It was about four centuries later that the total length of Roman roads reached 5984 kilometers. The well connected transportation not only promoted the exchange of materials and commercial development in various places, but also contributed to the military’s development. The rapid transportation of personnel provided convenience and enhanced the central government’s jurisdiction and ruling ability over the country during the Qin Dynasty.
Director of the Institute of History, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Bu Xianqun: After the unification of Qin, in order to implement document management, he had to establish a huge road, transportation, and postal system, or to strengthen his rule. Because after the unification of Qin, he faced a very complex situation. For example, these countries in the east were not obedient to Qin and were always ready to rise again. Therefore, Qin, including the early Han Dynasty, was very vigilant against the forces of these six countries. Only by establishing these roads can he quickly suppress these possible resistance forces.
As the emperor, Qin Shi Huang had supreme power, overseeing all the political, economic, military and other major powers of the country. He was known for his diligent governance and submitted a large number of documents and memorials from all over the country to the central government every day. Qin Shi Huang had to review them one by one and personally give instructions. At that time, the documents were written on bamboo slips and wooden slips. Qin Shi Huang set himself a daily reading quantity, which was measured by weighing 120 pounds of weighing stones. He would not rest until the quota was completed.
In order to establish a centralized system of one person and one country, Qin Shi Huang continuously strengthened his personal autocracy and vigorously strengthened the construction of national political power. At the central level, Qin Shi Huang began to establish a huge system of 100 officials, led by public ministers, commonly known as the system of public ministers. Under the emperor, there were Prime Ministers (Premier), Grand Commandants (Military Commissions), and Imperial Censors (Discipline Inspection Secretaries), respectively in charge of administration, military affairs, and supervision. Under him were appointed Fengchang, Langzhongling, and Weiwei, who were in charge of specific government affairs, as well as Grand Servants, Yanwei, Dianke, Zongzheng, Imperial Censors, and Shaofu, who were in charge of justice, finance, and the defense of the capital. Government affairs, military and political affairs of a country, are usually discussed by ministers and ministers in court, and ultimately decided by the emperor. All matters, big or small, are decided by the emperor.
(Yang Zhenhong, a historical researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: After the unification of China by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, a centralized system of counties and bureaucracies was established, which indeed allowed the emperor’s rule to be directly implemented to everyone and abolished the hereditary system of the nobility. Officials were selected and selected to manage these people.)
In 2002, archaeologists discovered over 36000 Qin Dynasty bamboo slips in an ancient well in Liye Ancient City, Longshan County, Hunan Province.
Tan Fu, Director of the Liye Ancient City Site Management Office in Hunan Province: The entire No. 1 ancient well we see in front of us is the No. 1 ancient well where more than 30000 bamboo slips have been discovered. All around its mouth are evenly sized nanmu, embedded in a mortise and tenon structure. The total number of unearthed bamboo slips and inscriptions is about 200000 words, which is more than ten times the total number of inscriptions discovered in Chinese archaeological history of the Qin Dynasty.
Archaeologists discovered a large number of bamboo slips with the names of Dongting during the sorting of Qin bamboo slips. The Records of the Grand Historian clearly records that after the unification of China by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the whole country was divided into thirty-six counties. However, there was no new discovery of Dongting County, which reflects the actual situation of setting up counties during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and is much more complex than recorded in literature.
Research Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – Yang Zhenhong: The discovery of Li Ye Qin bamboo slips. In the 25th year of Emperor Qin Shi Huang or the 15th year of King Qin’s reign, Dongting Commandery was established in Xiangxi. It mainly reflects how local administration in Qin was carried out, how the county system was developed, how the central government ruled and how the counties were connected.
The ancient city of Liye is located in the hinterland of Wuling Mountain, adjacent to the Youshui River. The structure and layout of the city walls, moats, wells, roads, and official offices are complete. The Liye Qin bamboo slips indicate that more than two thousand years ago, Liye was the county seat of Qianling County under the jurisdiction of Dongting County. The county and county system implemented by Qin throughout the country was divided into two levels of administrative system, with officials in charge of administration, military, and supervision. The county administrative officer was called the county governor, the military officer was called the county magistrate, and the prosecutor was called the county supervisor. The county was divided into counties, with county magistrate for households above ten thousand and county magistrate for households below ten thousand. At the same time, the county magistrate was in charge of military affairs, and the county magistrate was the deputy administrative officer. County and county officials are appointed and dismissed by the imperial court and cannot be inherited. Counties have townships and pavilions, townships have neighborhoods, townships and neighborhoods are administrative institutions, and pavilions are public security organizations. The emperor and the central government promote central policies and regulations nationwide through a strict system of documents, And timely grasp the local governance situation and trends.
Professor Xu Weimin from Northwestern University: There was a complete management system from the central to local levels, which later influenced Chinese history for two thousand years. We know that the imperial system was still implemented until the Qing Dynasty, and this county system not only affected China, but is still being implemented today, and many countries are also implementing county systems.
However, not everyone agreed with Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s abolition of the Zhou dynasty’s system of enfeoffment, which lasted for over 800 years, and the comprehensive implementation of the county system throughout the country.
In 213 BC, at a court banquet, Dr. Chunyu Yue criticized the county system and advocated for the re implementation of enfeoffment. He said that those who did not learn from the past could last for a long time, which was not something he had heard of. Prime Minister Li Si believed that all beings should learn from the past instead of the present, in order to confuse the people. He suggested that besides medicine, divination, and agricultural books, all the books of various schools of thought stored in the people should be burned. Those who dared to discuss the Book of Songs and the Book of Songs should be executed, and those who did not learn from the past and the present should be exterminated. This suggestion was in line with the wishes of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, and the burning of books in various parts of the country was a famous burning event in history. Books are a catastrophe in the history of human civilization, and many precious pre Qin literature and classics have been lost as a result. The following year after burning the book, Lu Sheng and others secretly discussed because they could not find the elixir of immortality and were afraid that Qin Shi Huang would blame them. Qin Shi Huang was stubborn and dedicated to serving as a prison official, enjoying the power of punishment and killing. It was impossible to obtain the elixir, so they made an appointment to escape. Upon hearing this, Qin Shi Huang was furious and asked people to thoroughly investigate whether there were any people who had fabricated rumors to deceive the people. A total of more than 460 people were discovered, and they were ordered to be buried alive, known as the “Ruan Incident”.
Bu Xianqun, Director of the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: Burning books and burying Confucianism, of course, was later magnified by some Confucian thinkers, intentionally magnifying it. Of course, it itself is a cultural and political policy, reflecting the extreme brutality of Qin Shi Huang. Such a policy should be said to be very detrimental to cultural development, and of course, it is also a reflection of ideological control. Therefore, his cultural policy is accompanied by his centralized system.
In order to facilitate communication and economic and trade exchanges among people from all over the country, strengthen control over the ideological and cultural fields, and consolidate the unified ideology, Qin Shi Huang promoted the practice of writing books in the same language, unifying the national writing system. Although the basic structure of the writing system in various countries during the Warring States period was roughly the same, there were differences in complexity and radical positions. Qin Shi Huang ordered Li Si to standardize it based on the small seal script commonly used by the Qin people during the Warring States period, promote it as an official standard writing system, and abolish other variant characters. At that time, the Qin Li script, which was more commonly used among the people, was written in a simple and easy way. It is said that it was written by Cheng Miao, but in reality, it has evolved continuously since the Warring States period. The Li script broke the tradition of ancient Chinese characters and laid the foundation for it. The foundation of regular script improves writing efficiency, unifies and simplifies writing, and contributes to cultural popularization, The promotion of national politics and religion and cultural exchanges between different regions have played an important role in the development of Chinese culture, and have also had a significant impact on the long-term maintenance of cultural identity and cohesion of the Chinese nation.
In terms of unifying the national economy, Emperor Qin Shi Huang mainly took two measures. The first was to unify the measurement and measurement system, promoting the measurement and measurement standard instrument formulated by Shang Yang to the whole country. The second was to reform the currency system, abolish the currencies of the six countries, and promote the half liang coins of Qin throughout the country. A dual currency system with gold as the upper currency and copper as the lower currency was implemented, and the currency was minted uniformly by the state, and private minting was strictly prohibited. If the unprecedented expansion and unification of territory and territory were the first step for Qin Shi Huang to complete the great cause of unifying China, then unifying culture and economy was his second step towards the great cause of unification. Only by taking this step can it be called true unity and establish a stable and unified Chinese Empire.
In the scene of the grand age of unification depicted by people at that time, the sage monarch mainly made regular inspections in his territory, called hunting tours, and also held a Buddhist ceremony in Mount Taishan Mountain. It was obvious that Qin Shihuang, who thought he had made contributions to the three emperors and the five merchants, could not lack such a ceremony. From the second year of unifying China, Qin Shihuang began to hold a grand parade.
In 219 BC, Qin Shihuang chose the East for his second tour. He climbed Mount Taishan, carved stones and erected monuments, held a ceremony of offering sacrifices, and inscribed his great achievements.
Qin Shi Huang pursued more realistic pleasures. After the start of the unification war, whenever Qin conquered a country, he imitated the palace of that country in Xianyang. In 212 BC, Qin Shi Huang began to build a larger imperial palace in the Shanglin Garden of Weinan, with a size of more than 300 li. He first built the front hall Afang Palace, which covers an area of over 80000 square meters and can accommodate tens of thousands of people on the top and five zhang flags on the bottom. Around it, a pavilion was built to reach the Zhongnan Mountain. Since inheriting the throne, Qin Shi Huang began to build a tomb for himself on the Lishan Mountain. He hoped that after his death, he could also enjoy glory, wealth, and honor just like during his lifetime.
In 1974, the unexpected discovery of several farmers in Lintong, Shaanxi shocked the world. The eyes of the whole world were attracted to the massive and orderly Terra Cotta Warriors. These tall, burly and imposing Terra Cotta Warriors were clearly modeled by the officers and soldiers of the Qin army and carefully made by potters.
Lintong is the hometown of the Terra Cotta Warriors. Up to now, in the villages near the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, the local people still make the Terra Cotta Warriors according to the ancient method. The Terra Cotta Warriors are mostly made by the combination of pottery and treatment. First, they make the first embryo with a mold, then cover it with a layer of fine mud for processing, marking and coloring, and then burning and then knot. In this huge Terra Cotta Warriors pit, there are thousands of terracotta Warriors, each of which is lifelike and lively. Dozens of chariots, hundreds of horses, and thousands of soldiers are neatly lined up into a military array. The first three rows are vanguard archers, and crossbows, and then They are infantry and chariots, forming 33 columns, which is the main body of the military array. The last three columns are the guards. The two sides of the military array are flanked, and the soldiers and soldiers are all facing outside. They guard the squadron. 6000 vibrant and different looking terracotta figures form a powerful military array, vividly representing the majesty of the Qin army, Only about one kilometer away from the Terra Cotta Warriors pit, Qin Shihuang, the supreme commander of the Qin army, was buried under this huge mound and continued to command his huge underground army.
Tian Jing, a researcher at the the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor Museum in Shaanxi Province: The construction of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum began when Qin Shihuang inherited the throne at the age of 13 and ended when he died. After 38 years of construction, it covers an area of 56.25 square kilometers, which is very large. It extends 7.5 kilometers from the center of the Qin Shihuang Mausoleum to four directions, east, west, north and south. More than 600 funerary tombs and canals were found within the 56.25 square kilometers.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang spent a huge amount of money building both the Afang Palace and the Lishan Tomb, with a total of 700000 craftsmen and criminals. In just a few decades, Emperor Qin Shi Huang launched a large-scale military campaign both externally and internally, reforming the system and carrying out large-scale construction work. This quickly led to the crisis of the newly established empire.
In 211 BC, a meteorite fell to Dongjun, and someone engraved on the meteorite that Emperor Shi died and divided the land. They predicted that the Qin Empire would collapse after Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s death. Emperor Qin Shi Huang was furious and ordered officials to quickly solve the case, but found nothing. Emperor Qin Shi Huang then ordered that all those living in the surrounding area be killed.
In 210 BC, Qin Shi Huang made his fifth tour, accompanied by his youngest son Hu Hai, Left Prime Minister Li Si, and Zhongche Prefectural Commander Zhao Gao. While traveling to the south of Pingyuan County in Shandong Province, Qin Shi Huang, who had always been physically strong, suffered from a severe illness. Qin Shi Huang knew that he was about to pass away, so he wrote a letter to his eldest son Fu Su, who was in charge of supervising the army in Shangjun, asking him to quickly return to Xianyang to bury his successor. This letter was intercepted by Zhao Gao, who was in charge of the imperial seal. Zhao Gao had once served as the master of Hu Hai and was deeply favored by him. The ambitious Zhao Gao wanted to use his power to make Hu Hai emperor, in order to change the situation. His own fate, in July, Emperor Qin Shi Huang endured to the sand dunes (now northwest of the He Bei Zong) and finally died at the age of 49.
Bu Xianqun, Director of the History Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences: During Qin Shi Huang’s fifth tour, he died of illness in a sand dune. After his death, very few people knew about him at that time. In order to prevent the situation from being exposed, he pulled a cart of abalone and Qin Shi Huang’s car to cover up the stench of Qin Shi Huang’s body. Later, they traveled from Hebei to Inner Mongolia to Baotou, then south from Baotou to Xianyang, and then took the Qin Corridor to return to Xianyang.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who dominated the world during his lifetime, could never have imagined that he would end up bidding farewell in such an unbearable way. After Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s death, Zhao Gao coerced Li Si to forge a posthumous move, appointing Hu Hai as the crown prince, and executing Fu Su and General Meng Tian. After Hu Hai returned to Xianyang, he ascended to the throne and became the second emperor of Qin.
In July 209 BC, during the torrential rain, nine hundred strong soldiers stationed at the border, led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, were delayed in their journey due to heavy rain. According to the Qin law, they were mistakenly executed. As a result, they rose up and people from all over responded. The anti Qin uprising quickly spread throughout the country.
In 207 BC, Zhao Gao forced Qin II to commit suicide and appointed his nephew Ziying as the emperor, renaming him the King of Qin. Ziying killed Zhao Gao. In October of the following year, the uprising led by Liu Bang captured Wuguan (now east of Danfeng County, Shaanxi), and Qin Prince Ziying surrendered. Qin Shi Huang created it with his own hands. The once prosperous Great Qin Empire, which lasted only fifteen years, collapsed with a loud bang.
Professor Li Kaiyuan from Japan’s Jushi University: The unification of Qin ended the long-term war since the Zhou Dynasty and established a unified country. This historical process is a development trend in history, but on the other hand, we need to consider that at that time, Qin’s unification was achieved through military conquest, which was violent conquest. Therefore, it did not take into account the specific public opinion of various countries and regions. He used a large amount of manpower not for economic development, but for large-scale construction projects, such as repairing the Great Wall, straight roads, raceways, and large palaces like Afang Palace. These projects actually utilized 10% to 15% of the national population and effective labor force
In history, there have been few great figures like Qin Shi Huang, who have been controversial behind him. Some have hailed him as the emperor of the ages, while others have referred to him as a tyrant. It seems difficult for Westerners to understand this point. In their view, Qin Shi Huang is Caesar the Great of the Eastern world, or Napoleon, one of the greatest conquerors in Chinese history. He opened a new era in Chinese history, and the great achievements established by Qin Shi Huang are rarely comparable. The series of important measures he took to achieve China’s reunification not only left China but also the world with immeasurable wealth of heritage.
Professor Li Kaiyuan from Japan’s Jushi University: In terms of myself, Qin Shihuang is a strong and very powerful monarch, not a tyrant. His achievements in history are about unifying China. After Qin’s unification, a complete system was established, which we cannot move for two thousand years. This unified country, this system, including the concept that China needs to unify the country, has been fixed in the future.
Qin Shi Huang devoted his entire life to accomplish the great cause of reunification, which was the trend and the aspiration of the people. However, years of war also brought heavy disasters and suffering to the people. During his reign, Qin Shi Huang carried out large-scale construction and held various grand ceremonies, which also brought huge burdens to the people. All of these inevitably contributed to the rapid decline of Qin. However, Qin Shi Huang’s unification of China not only forged an unshakable and solid foundation for the Chinese nation as an Eastern power from the perspective of territory, culture, and national psychology. The reunification of the motherland and national unity has become an inevitable trend in the development of Chinese history.
90 Seconds of History: Hongmen Banquet
In the Hanhua Museum in Nanyang, Henan Province, there is a collection of very precious Hanhua stone statues, and the content depicted on them is a timeless feast in Chinese history. The Hongmen Banquet shows that although it is not lacking in fine wine, this banquet that hides hidden dangers has long been spread by people. At that time, when Xiang Yu was leading a 400000 strong army into Xianyang, Liu Bang, who had entered the border first, blocked his way. Upon seeing this, Xiang Yu was furious and stationed his troops at Hongmen to prepare for the attack on Liu Bang’s army the next day. At this time, Liu Bang was stationed on Ba with a weak force of 100000 troops, forming a standoff between the two armies across the Ba River. The war was about to break out, and on the second day after Liu Bang learned that Xiang Yu was going to attack him, Liu Bang appeared in front of Xiang Yu’s camp. He sincerely apologized and listened to Xiang Yu very comfortably. During the banquet, Fan Zeng signaled to Xiang Yu several times to kill Liu Bang, but Xiang Yu ignored him. Fan Zeng asked Xiang Zhuang to dance his sword to aid in drinking, but in fact, his intention was for Pei Gong. Xiang Bo saw the situation was critical, making it easier for him to draw his sword and dance to protect Liu Bang. At a dangerous moment, Fan led his sword and shield to enter the banquet alone. Liu Bang was able to take the opportunity to escape.