Qin Shi Huang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Qin Shi Huang秦始皇 |
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| 1st Emperor of the Qin Dynasty | |||||
A depiction of Qin Shi Huang from the late Qing dynasty
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| King of Qin | |||||
| Reign | 7 May 247 – 220 BC | ||||
| Predecessor | King Zhuangxiang | ||||
| Emperor of China | |||||
| Reign | 220 BC – 10 September 210 BC | ||||
| Successor | Qin Er Shi | ||||
| Born | 18 February 259 BC | ||||
| Died | 30th September 210 BC (aged 49-50) | ||||
| Issue | Crown Prince Fusu Qin Er Shi Prince Gao Prince Jianglü |
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| House | Qin | ||||
| Father | King Zhuangxiang | ||||
| Mother | Queen Dowager Zhao | ||||
Qin Shi Huang (Chinese: 秦始皇 February 259 – 12 July 210 BC) was a very important leader in ancient China. He was the founder of the Qin dynasty and became the first ever Emperor of China. This means he was the first ruler to unite all the different Chinese states into one big empire.
During his time as emperor, his armies made China much bigger. They expanded the country south into lands that are now Hunan and Guangdong. They also pushed north into Inner Asia, taking land from the nomadic Xiongnu people.
Qin Shi Huang worked with his main helper, Li Si, to make big changes. They wanted to make sure everyone in China followed the same rules and ways of doing things. He is known for ordering the burning of many books and executing scholars who disagreed with him. He also started huge building projects, like connecting different walls to create parts of the Great Wall of China. He also built a massive new road system. His most famous project is his city-sized tomb, which is guarded by a life-sized Terracotta Army. He ruled until he died in 210 BC.
Contents
Becoming the First Emperor: Qin Shi Huang's Rise to Power
Qin Shi Huang's father, Yiren, was a prince from the state of Qin. He was sent as a hostage to the state of Zhao to help keep peace between the two warring states. This was a common practice back then.
While in Zhao, Prince Yiren met a clever merchant named Lü Buwei. Lü Buwei saw a chance to gain power. He helped Yiren become the adopted son of a powerful woman who was loved by Yiren's father, Lord Anguo. This was important because Lord Anguo was next in line to rule Qin.
Lü Buwei's plan worked. Yiren, who changed his name to Zichu, secretly left Zhao. When the old king and Lord Anguo died, Zichu became the new ruler of Qin. The ruler of Zhao was very angry, but Zheng's mother and Zheng himself were hidden and safe.
When Zichu died, his young son Zheng became the new ruler of Qin. Because he was so young, his mother and Lü Buwei helped him rule.
Ruling the Empire: Qin Shi Huang's Policies and Projects
As Zheng grew older, he took full control of the government. He and his main helper, Li Si, followed a strict way of thinking called Legalism. This idea said that old traditions were not good enough. Instead, everyone should follow the ruler's orders and strict laws. They believed that a strong ruler with all the power would create a peaceful and orderly country.
As the ruler of Qin, Zheng liked these ideas. When he became the Emperor of all China, he made Legalism the only accepted way of thinking. He made other ideas, like Confucianism, against the law. Only the library in his palace was allowed to have books with old ideas or different historical accounts. All other books were burned, and some scholars who tried to hide them were even executed.
As the Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang ordered many huge projects:
- The Great Wall: His men connected earlier walls to create parts of the Great Wall of China. This was to protect the empire from northern invaders.
- New Rivers and Roads: He ordered the building of a new canal, the Lingqu Canal. This allowed boats to travel from the Yangtze River in central China to the Pearl River in the south. He also built many new roads across the empire.
- His Mausoleum: He ordered a massive tomb for himself, which was as big as a city. This resting place was guarded by thousands of life-sized statues of the Terracotta Army.
Many people did not like doing what the First Emperor ordered. Some even tried to kill him, but all their attempts failed.
The End of an Era: Qin Shi Huang's Death
Qin Shi Huang did not want to die. He traveled to different parts of China, like Shandong and Jiangsu, looking for people who could help him live forever. No one could do this. Some people believe that his search for eternal life led to important journeys to a mythical island called Mount Penglai. These journeys might have played a role in the early history of Japan.
The First Emperor died in 210 BC. He had many sons. However, his helpers Li Si and Zhao Gao tricked his favorite son, Fusu, into taking his own life. This allowed a younger son to become the Second Emperor. For a while, Li Si and Zhao Gao were the real rulers behind the scenes.
The time when Qin Shi Huang's family ruled China is called the Qin dynasty. But it was very short. After the Qin dynasty, there was a lot of fighting. During this fighting, all the old books in the First Emperor's library were accidentally burned. More fighting followed until Liu Bei became the new ruler of China. His family started the Han dynasty.
Images for kids
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A portrait painting of Qin Shi Huangdi, first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, from an 18th-century album.
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Qin's unification of seven warring states into one empire.
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Map of the Qin dynasty and its administrative divisions.
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Bronze swords (jian) from the Qin dynasty.
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Lifelike terracotta soldier statues from the Terracotta Army, found near modern Xi'an. They were meant to guard the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor.
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Statue of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in Handan.
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See also
In Spanish: Qin Shi Huang para niños
