![]() ![]() Plans for the Emperor's tomb included flowing rivers of mercury, cross-bow booby traps to thwart would-be plunderers, and replicas of all the Emperor's earthly palaces. The Emperor also ordered the construction of a gargantuan tomb for himself, in case the immortality treatment failed. Slowly, the ironic effect of the potions resulted in the death of the Emperor, rather than preventing it. The court alchemists and doctors devoted day and night to find potions for the Emperor, many of them containing quicksilver (mercury). Qin Shi Huang became obsessed with finding an elixir of life, a potion for immortality. The Confucians portrayed the Qin dynasty as a monolithic tyranny, citing a purge which was known as the burning of books and burying of scholars.Īs the Emperor entered middle age, he grew more and more afraid of death. The military used the latest weaponry, transportation, and military tactics. The Qin introduced a standardized currency, weights, measures, and a uniform system of writing, which aimed at unifying the state and promote commerce. Yet, the Qin dynasty inaugurated an imperial system that lasted from 221 BCE until 1912. The 35-year reign of Qin Shi Huang brought both rapid cultural and intellectual advancement as well as much destruction and oppression within China. ![]() However, t he 15 years of the Qin dynasty was the shortest major dynasty in the history of China, consisting of only two emperors. He claimed that his dynasty would last 10,000 generations. Zheng assumed the sacred titles of legendary rulers and proclaimed himself Qin Shi Huang (First Sovereign Emperor of Qin). His most notable quote is: "I have collected all the writings of the Empire and burnt those which were of no use." Of not use for him, that is. Qin Shi Huang had around 50 children including Fusu, Gao, Jianglü, and Huhai, but had no empress. In 235 BCE, Lu Buwei committed suicide by drinking poison.Īfter the Lao Ai incident, Qin Shi Huang grew increasingly suspicious of everyone around him. Lu Buwei was banished after the incident. Zhao Ji was spared, but forced to spend the rest of her life under house arrest. Lao's whole family and all relatives to the third degree (uncles, aunts, and cousins) were also killed. The young King forced his mother Zhao Ji to watch, while soldiers went to kill his two half-brothers. Lao was executed by having his neck, arms, and legs tied to horses, which were spurred to run in different directions. However, Qin Shi Huang found out about the rebellion. He tried to seize control while Qin Shi Huang was traveling. Lao Ai raised an army with the help of the king of nearby Wei. In 238 BCE, Lao Ai and Bu Buwei decided to launch a coup. The queen dowager and Lao Ai had two sons. His prime minister and likely real father, Lu Buwei, acted as regent for the first eight years.Īccording to the Records of the Grand Historian, in 240BCE, Lu Buwei introduced the King's mother, Zhao Ji, to Lao Ai as part of a scheme to depose Qin Shi Huang. Ying Zheng became King of the Qin state upon the death of his supposed father. When Zhao Ji gave birth to Lu Buwei's child in 259 BCE, the King believed the baby was his own. A legend says that Lu Buwei, a rich merchant, and his wife, Zhao Ji, had got pregnant when Buwei arranged for Zhuangxiang to meet and fall in love with her. Ying Zheng was the son of King Zhuangxiang of Qin and Lady Zhao Ji. ![]() ![]() Some scholars, though, dismissed this etymology. It is believed that the name Qin is the etymological ancestor of today's name of the country, China. Qin Shi Huang (Ying Zheng) was born in 259 BCE in Hanan, but the exact date is unknown. The first Emperor of China's quest for immortality and his terrifying fear of death Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of China, Source: Wikipedia, public domain Our focus is on the tragic and ironic destiny of the First Emperor of China, who died during his search for the elixir of life after a life-long fear of death. The Qin Dynasty reunited China and laid the foundation for 21 centuries of imperial rule. The latter is the dynasty that occupies our interest. It lasted only 15 years, well against the First Emperor's wishes. The Qin Dynasty (pronounced chin), the first dynasty of Imperial China, was the shortest-ruling Chinese dynasty (221-206 BCE). The Zhou Dynasty was the longest-ruling Chinese dynasty. The birth of China's first imperial dynasty took place during a time of conflict, betrayal, and lust for power that shaped the future of the nation. This crucial chapter in Chinese history unfolded in one of the oldest cities in China, the city of Xi'an. ![]()
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