Qin Shi Huang was the founder of the Qin dynasty in ancient China and the first emperor to unify the country. Born in 259 BCE as Ying Zheng, Qin Shi Huang ruled from 221 BCE until his death in 210 BCE, leaving a legacy that significantly shaped China's history.
As the emperor, Qin Shi Huang implemented various ambitious reforms, including standardizing writing, currency, weights and measures. He also ordered the construction of numerous infrastructure projects such as roads and canals, which facilitated trade and communication throughout the empire. One of his most well-known accomplishments was the beginning of the construction of the Great Wall of China, intended to protect the empire from invasions.
Qin Shi Huang is also famous for the burial complex known as the Terracotta Army. This massive underground army was created to accompany the emperor in the afterlife and consists of thousands of life-size terracotta soldiers, horses, and chariots.
However, Qin Shi Huang's reign was marked by authoritarianism and the persecution of intellectual dissent. He ordered the destruction of books and the persecution of scholars who opposed his rule, in an effort to maintain unified thought and suppress potential challenges to his authority.
Qin Shi Huang's accomplishments and the establishment of the Qin dynasty paved the way for the unification of China, laying the foundation for future imperial dynasties. Despite his controversial methods, his reign had a lasting impact on ancient China and he is remembered as a pivotal figure in Chinese history.
