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Qin Shi Huang is remembered for unifying China. He was the first emperor of China, notable for building the Great Wall of China. Although described as brutal and a tyrant, Qin Shi Huang is considered one of the most significant rulers in Chinese history.
See the fact file below for more information on Qin Shi Huang, or you can download our 31-page Qin Shi Huang worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
EARLY LIFE
- Qin Shi Huang, also known as Ying Zheng or Zhao Zheng, was born in 259 BCE in Handan City, State of Zhao.
- His father was King Zhuangxiang (or Yiren or Zichu), while his mother was Lady Zhao (or Zhao Ji).
- His father resided in the court of Zhao as a hostage to ensure the armistice of the Qin and Zhao states.
- He fell in love at first sight with Lady Zhao, the concubine of the wealthy merchant Lu Buwei.
- Lu Buwei agreed for Lady Zhao to become Yiren’s wife.
- Lu Buwei also helped Yiren become a King.
- However, according to the Shiji or Records of the Grand Historian, Ying Zheng was an illegitimate child of Yiren and was Lu Buwei’s son.
- Lady Zhao was already pregnant when Lu Buwei introduced them to each other.
- These claims were widely believed throughout Chinese history but were not proven true.
REIGN
- King Zhuangxiang died after only three years of his reign.
- His son, Yiren, succeeded him when he was just thirteen years old.
- Since Yiren was still young, Lu Buwei served as the State of Qin’s regent prime minister.
- It was also considered a difficult time because the seven states were still at war for conquering lands.
- Nine years later, Yiren took over after Lu Buwei was exiled for being involved in a scandal with Queen Dowager Zhao (Lady Zhao).
- Yiren had a half-brother from his father, Zhao Chengjiao.
- After Yiren inherited the throne, his half-brother rebelled in Tunliu, a district city of Changzi, Shanxi province, but eventually surrendered to the state of Zhao.
- Yiren executed the whole family of Chengjiao.
LAO AI’S REVOLT
- According to the Shiji, Lu Buwei plotted to remove Qin Shi Huang from the throne.
- As Qin Shi Huang grew older, Lu Buwei feared that his affair and liaison with Lady Zhao would be discovered.
- To avoid being concealed, Lu Buwei ended his affair with Lady Zhao and introduced her to Lao Ai, disguised as a fake eunuch.
- Lao Ai and Lady Zhao became close and secretly had two sons.
- Lao Ai was given the title Marquis Lao Ai and was provided with many riches.
- However, he planned to remove Qin Shi Huang and replace him with one of his sons.
- While Qin Shi Huang was traveling in Yong, Lao Ai raised an army and attempted a coup using Lady Zhao’s seal for legitimacy.
- When Qin Shi Huang discovered the plan, he ordered Lu Buwei for Lord Changwen and Lord Changping to attack Lao Ai.
- Lao Ai’s supporters were quickly defeated.
- He was tied and torn apart by horse carriages.
- His entire family was also executed, and Lady Zhao was under house arrest until her death.
- Lu Buwei was banished, and because of his fear of being executed, he committed suicide by drinking a cup of poison.
- Li Si served as the new chancellor replacing Lu Buwei.
ASSASSINATION OF QIN SHI HUANG
- Qin Shi Huang and his army continued to conquer the neighboring states.
- He had the most powerful army, so other rulers feared being invaded by the Qin.
- There were different attempts to assassinate Qin Shi Huang.
- The Crown Prince Dan of Yan recruited Jing Ke and Qin Wuyang to try to kill Qin Shi Huang.
- The assassins, Jing Ke and Qin Wuyang pretended to present a diplomatic gifting of goodwill.
- However, Qin Shi Huang was able to defeat them with his sword.
- Five years later, the state of Yan was invaded entirely.
- The second assassination attempt was by a friend of Jing Ke named Gao Jianli to avenge his friend’s death.
- Gao Jianli was a musician who was a famous lute player.
- He was summoned to perform for Qin Shi Huang, but someone recognized him and unveiled his plan.
- Qin Shi Huang was hesitant to kill a skilled musician, so he turned a blind eye to the plans and let him proceed with his performance.
- He even praised Gao Jianli for the performance and let him come closer to him.
- Gao Jianli swung his lead-weighted lute to Qin Shi Huang, but he missed.
- The assassination was not successful, and Gao Jianli was executed.
- The third assassination happened in 218 BCE, Zhang Liang, a former Han aristocrat, plotted revenge on Qin Shi Huang for conquering the state of Han.
- Zhang Liang sold his valuables and hired a strong assassin.
- The assassin built a heavy metal cone of around 160 pounds.
- During one of Qin Shi Huang’s travels, two men hid in the bushes along the route of the First Emperor.
- There was a signal to throw the heavy metal cone that shattered the first carriage of the group.
- However, two carriages were used by the First Emperor, and luckily he was on the second.
- The attempt failed, but the two men were able to escape.
UNIFICATION OF CHINA
- Qin Shi Huang continued his plans of conquering the warring states Qi, Zhao, Han, Wei, Yan, and Chu.
- Han kingdom was the first to fall during 230 BCE.
- When Zhao was hit by a natural disaster in 229 BCE, the Qin took advantage and invaded the state.
- He got his revenge on the people of Zhao who mistreated him when he was a child.
- In 228 BCE, the Qin army invaded Zhao completely.
- Yan was next to conquer in 226 BCE, followed by Wei in 225 BCE.
- The largest and most challenging state the Qin conquered was the kingdom of Chu in 223 BCE.
- There were 200,000 men sent by the King of Qi to defend its borders, but they were still defeated by the Qin armies in 221 BCE.
- In 221 BCE, Qin Shi Huang had completely conquered all warring states, and these Chinese lands eventually became unified under one ruler.
- Qin Shi Huang proclaimed himself the First Emperor to signify his achievements and success in surpassing the Zhou Dynasty leaders.
- By Qin Shi Huang’s order, a sacred piece of jade known as Heshibi was turned into the Heirloom Seal of the Realm, which served as the Chinese imperial seal.
- Attempts to expand the Qin territory were made during 215 BCE.
- In the North, there were orders for military campaigns against the Xiongnu nomads, while in the South, there were campaigns against the Yue tribes.
QIN SHI HUANG’S REFORMS
- Qin Shi Huang and Li Si worked to abolish the feudal system to avoid the recurrence of the political disputes of the Warring States period.
- They also standardized the weights and measures.
- Qin Shi Huang built a network of roads and canals to improve trade and communication.
- He also minted new copper coins, and the currency of the different states was all regulated by Ban Liang coins.
- The Chinese script was also simplified and unified by the First Emperor.
- Qin Shi Huang abolished the Hundred Schools of Thought, including Confucianism, and legalism became the requisite ideology during the Qin Dynasty.
- In 213 BCE, Qin Shi Huang ordered several existing books to be burned to avoid comparisons to his past reign by scholars.
- Books containing astrology, medicine, agriculture, divination, and the history of the Qin state were exempted.
GREAT WALL OF CHINA AND LING CANAL
- There were threats from the North that were made by the Xiongnu nomadic tribes.
- The Great Wall of China was built for defense from them.
- Hundreds of thousands of workers were deployed, and quite a number died while constructing the Great Wall of China.
- In 214 BCE, the Ling Canal was built through the First Emperor’s order.
- The Ling Canal linked the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers.
- The project allowed water transport between North and South China, which was useful for military use.
IMMORTALITY AND DEATH
- As Qin Shi Huang aged, he became more afraid of death.
- He became obsessed with looking for the elixir of life, which he believed would bring him immortality.
- There were a lot of potions made by the court doctors and alchemists, which only caused him near death rather than a long life.
- His desperation made him fall for a lot of fraudulent elixirs.
- He even searched Zhifu Island thrice.
- In his belief and goal to travel unseen in order to keep himself safe from evil spirits, Qin Shi Huang built a system of tunnels and passageways in all of his over 200 palaces.
- In case the elixirs did not work, he also ordered the construction of his huge tomb.
- His tomb would include rivers of mercury, cross-bow traps, and replicas of his palaces.
- The First Emperor placed a terracotta army of around 8000 clay soldiers with unique facial features in his tomb to guard him in the afterworld.
- It also included terracotta horses with real chariots and weapons.
- In 211 BCE, a big meteor fell in Dongjun, and someone inscribed the words “The First Emperor will die and his land will be divided” in the stone.
- Qin Shi Huang ordered the prophecy to be investigated but no one would admit to the deed.
- Since no one confessed, all people living nearby were put to death, and the stone was crushed.
- In 210 BCE, Qin Shi Huang became seriously ill during his tour in Eastern China.
- Around July or August of 210 BEC, he died in the palace at Shaqiu prefecture at 49 years old.
- The cause of death was unknown, but some believed that it was caused by poisoning from the mercury from the elixirs that were given to him by the court doctors and alchemists.
- Li Si feared that the death of Qin Shi Huang would cause an uprising during the two-month travel return to Xianyang.
- The prime minister hid the news informing only some members of the entourage.
- They included Qin Shi Huang’s younger son, Ying Hu Hai, eunuch Zhao Gao, and five or six more trusted eunuchs.
- To hide the smell of the decomposing body of Qin Shi Huang, Li Si instructed carts of rotten fish to be carried before and after the carriage of the First Emperor.
- They also changed his clothes daily, brought him food, and pretended to relay messages behind the wagon’s shade to keep their secret.
- His death was only announced upon reaching Xian Yang.
- Qin Shi Huang had no written will.
- His eldest son, Fusu, was supposed to be his successor.
- However, Li Si and Zhao Gao conspired to kill him because of his alliance with their enemy, General Meng Tian.
- Li Si and Zhao Gao forged a letter from the First Emperor stating that Fusu and Meng Tian must commit suicide.
- They were tricked and committed suicide.
- Hu Hai, the younger son, became the Second Emperor.
- However, the empire came into chaos, and in 207 BCE, the rebels led by the Chu defeated the Qin army during the Battle of Julu.
- This ended the Qin Dynasty.
Qin Shi Huang Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Qin Shi Huang across 31 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Qin Shi Huang. Qin Shi Huang is remembered for unifying China. He is the first emperor of China, notable for building the Great Wall of China.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Qin Shi Huang Facts
- Seven Warring States
- Conquering States
- Tell Me The Truth
- Just Gibberish
- About Qin Shi Huang
- Legalism
- Do You Remember?
- Achieving Great Things
- Who Are They?
- Qin’s Quotes
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Qin Shi Huang?
Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, which lasted from 221 BC to 206 BC. He was also known as Ying Zheng and was born in 259 BC in the state of Qin, one of the seven warring states of China during the Warring States Period.
What is Qin Shi Huang famous for?
Qin Shi Huang is famous for unifying China and establishing the first imperial dynasty, the Qin Dynasty. He is also known for his ambitious construction projects, including the construction of the Great Wall of China, the standardization of weights and measures, and the creation of the Terracotta Army, a massive collection of terracotta statues of soldiers, horses, and chariots.
How did Qin Shi Huang unify China?
Qin Shi Huang unified China through a series of military conquests and political reforms. He defeated the other six warring states and annexed their territories, effectively unifying China under his rule. He also implemented centralizing reforms, including standardizing the Chinese script, currency, weights, and measures, and building a network of roads and canals to facilitate communication and trade.
What were some of Qin Shi Huang’s accomplishments?
Some of Qin Shi Huang’s major accomplishments include the unification of China, the standardization of various aspects of Chinese society, such as the script, currency, weights, and measures, the construction of the Great Wall of China, and the creation of the Terracotta Army. He also implemented legal and administrative reforms, abolished feudalism, and centralized power in the emperor, laying the groundwork for China’s imperial system that lasted for centuries.
What was Qin Shi Huang’s legacy?
Qin Shi Huang’s legacy is complex and controversial. While he is credited with unifying China and establishing the first Chinese empire, his reign was also marked by ruthless policies, harsh punishments, and authoritarian rule. His pursuit of immortality, including consuming toxic elixirs, is believed to have contributed to his premature death. Despite his achievements, Qin Shi Huang’s dynasty was short-lived, and his harsh rule and policies led to revolts and discontent among the people, resulting in the collapse of the Qin Dynasty after his death. Nevertheless, his unification of China and standardization efforts had a lasting impact on Chinese history and culture, and he is remembered as one of the most significant figures in Chinese history.
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