Transcript Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang 秦始皇
China’s First Emperor
"First Emperor"
(from 220 BC)
http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/firstemperor/firstemperor.html
• Qin Shi Huang was the First Emperor of a
unified China, who ruled from 246 B.C. to 210
B.C.
• In his 35-year reign, he managed to create
magnificent and enormous construction
projects.
• He also caused both incredible cultural and
intellectual growth …
• and much destruction within China
• Ying Zheng became king of the Qin state in
246 B.C., upon the death of his supposed
father.
• He changed his name Qin Shi Huang, and
unified China for the first time.
• The young king was only 13 years old when he
took the throne, so his prime minister (and
probable real father) Lu Buwei acted as regent
for the first eight years
• This was a difficult time for any ruler in China,
with seven warring states vying for control of
the land.
• The leaders of the Qi, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei,
Chu and Qin states were former dukes under
the Zhou Dynasty, but had each proclaimed
themselves king as the Zhou fell apart.
• The Han kingdom fell in 230 B.C.
• In 229, a devastating earthquake rocked another
powerful state, Zhao, leaving it weakened. Qin Shi
Huang took advantage of the disaster, and
invaded the region.
• Wei fell in 225, followed by the powerful Chu in
223.
• The Qin army conquered Yan and Zhao in 222
• The final independent kingdom, Qi, fell to the Qin
in 221 B.C.
• With the defeat of the other six warring
states, Qin Shi Huang had unified northern
China.
• His army would continue to expand the Qin
Empire's southern boundaries throughout his
lifetime, driving as far south as what is now
Vietnam.
• The king of Qin became the Emperor of Qin
China.
Qin Shi Huang's Quest for Immortality
• As he entered middle age, the First Emperor grew more
and more afraid of death. He became obsessed with finding
the elixir of life, which would allow him to live forever.
• The court doctors and alchemists concocted a number of
potions, many of them containing "quicksilver" (mercury),
which probably had the ironic effect of hastening the
emperor's death rather than preventing it.
• The Emperor died while touring eastern China in 210 B.C.
• The cause of death most likely was mercury poisoning, due
to his immortality treatments.
• His son only ruled 15 years before the Qin dynasty fell
The Controversy
• Everyone agrees that Qin Shi Huang, the first
emperor of the Qin Dynasty, was one of the
most important rulers in Chinese history.
– A great leader and reformer who tried to make
China great or…
– A brutal tyrant who was only concerned with
making himself more powerful no matter who or
what he destroyed.
A Great Reformer – His Achievements
• He ordered the unification of Chinese characters,
currency, weights and measures, that
• have had a strong and long-lasting influence on
China.
• He was the pioneer in creating the legal system in
China.
• He ordered the construction of road system which
eventually played an extremely important role in
ancient transportation and economic exchanges.
• He standardized the length of the axles of carts, so
every cart could run smoothly in the ruts of the new
roads.
• He ordered the building and restoration of the Great
Wall of China.
A Tyrant Ruler – His Brutal Rules
• Extremely severe penal codes. For example, if one person was
guilty, he would be killed along with his family, his extended
families as well as his fellow classmates, villagers, teachers,
friends and acquaintances.
• Burdened people with endless demands for taxes and labour
in wars, building of the Great Wall and building of his
Mausoleum, Terra Cotta Army, palaces and roads.
• Burnt almost all classic books, excluding those of medicine
and agriculture.
• Ordered 460 scholars to be buried alive.
• Confiscated all weapons from the general public.
• Forced people (especially rich people) to migrate to the newly
built capital Xianyang (next to Xian).
Video: The First Emperor
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Qin Shi Huang : The first emperor
Zhao Ji/Queen Zhao: his mother
King Zhuangxiang : His father
Lü Buwei: Prime Minister of China
Li Si : Second Prime Minister
Lao Ai : Queen Zhao’s lover
Jing Ke,Qin Wuyang, and Gao Jianli :
attempted assassins of Qin Shi Huang
How would you solve these questions
that Qin Shi Huang faced
• As the emperor of China it is essential that your
dynasty lives on after your death. How would
you ensure the imperial succession?
• As the emperor of China, you must deal with
opposition from within your Kingdom. What
course of action would you take?
• Barbarian tribes are at your gates, what do you
do to save your kingdom?
• As emperor of China you must delegate some
responsibility to important ministers. How do
you handle your subordinates?
• As emperor of China, you are responsible for
minding the imperial treasury/money. What
type of economic policy do you follow?
• The emperor of China controls the cultural
policy of his empire. How would you handle
academics and artists in your realm?
• As "Son of Heaven," you have a great influence
on the religious beliefs of your kingdom. Which
course would you choose?
• http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/firstemper
or/quiz/quiz.html
HERO : Movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yyBtdVVjLA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbA0GCq2niA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srFhXDZhUZI
• Hero is a 2002 film
directed by Zhang
Yimou. Starring Jet Li as
the nameless hero, the
film is based on the
story of Jing Ke's
assassination attempt
on the King of Qin in
227 BC.
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K58_z79I
Tkk
•
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299977/sy
nopsis
FILM: HERO
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbA0GCq2
niA
Chinese Films
• Hua Mulan
• http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=gTAETFTIo_I&featur
e=related
• http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=Qem3EKnH1kE&feat
ure=related
• http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=fOXlXlU5oRg&featur
e=related
• http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=nZffTT1gz4U&featur
e=related
• Hero
• http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=fbA0GCq2niA