Qin Shi Huang (260-210 B.C.) was the first person to unify all the seven states of China and entitled himself the First Emperor who reigned between 246-210 B.C. until his death. He was mostly known as a ruthless tyrant, a great warrior and also the developer of the Great Wall of China. This man-made masterpiece is the only landmark visible from space. Moreover, the creation of the Terracotta Warriors was also personally ordered and devised by him. He was driven by an ambition to create the greatest nation in the world. This vision drove him to insanity.
BIRTH
Yiren, Crown Prince of Qin ( Father of Qin Shi Huang ) befriended a merchant from the State of Han, Lu Buwei. Prince Yiren fell in love with Lu Buwei's wife (Zhao Ji) and in exchange for a great sum of money, the prince took her as his concubine. Yiren had his first child with Zhao Ji and named him Zheng ( the first month of the Lunar Calendar, Zhengyue ). Lu Buwei had plotted to seek opportunity to depose the King of Qin
SUCCESSION TO THRONE
Early life
In 246 B.C. King Zhangxiang (Yiren) died an early death at the age of 35. His young boy Ying Zheng, succeeded the throne at the age of 13. Since Zheng was still young, Lu Buwei became the regent prime minister of the Qin which was still waging war on the other six states. He also began work for the Mausoleum.
BIRTH
Yiren, Crown Prince of Qin ( Father of Qin Shi Huang ) befriended a merchant from the State of Han, Lu Buwei. Prince Yiren fell in love with Lu Buwei's wife (Zhao Ji) and in exchange for a great sum of money, the prince took her as his concubine. Yiren had his first child with Zhao Ji and named him Zheng ( the first month of the Lunar Calendar, Zhengyue ). Lu Buwei had plotted to seek opportunity to depose the King of Qin
SUCCESSION TO THRONE
Early life
In 246 B.C. King Zhangxiang (Yiren) died an early death at the age of 35. His young boy Ying Zheng, succeeded the throne at the age of 13. Since Zheng was still young, Lu Buwei became the regent prime minister of the Qin which was still waging war on the other six states. He also began work for the Mausoleum.
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATIONS AND REVOLTS
Lao Ai's Attempted Coup
As King Zheng became older and wiser, Lu Buwei became fearful that the king would learn about his past affairs with his mother, the Queen Dowager Lady Zhao. So he devised a plan to get rid of Zheng. According to the Records of the Great Historian, Lu Buwei found a man named Lao Ai. He then had Lady Zhao met Lao Ai and they had two sons which lived at the queen's residence in secret. But the people which served as slaves in the palace told King Zheng about the kids. Lao Ai began to know about this leak in information and told Lady Zhao whom he loved that for the sake of her and the children, he would gather forces around the state and rebel a few days later when the king would visit the ancient capital of Yong. This was Lu Buwei's plan to overthrow the king. When the king learnt about this, he asked two generals and their armies to attack the rebels. When they attacked they killed around two-thirds of the rebel army but Lao Ai fled the battle. A price of one million copper coins would be given to anyone who captured Lao Ai alive or half a million if dead. He eventually turned up and was tortured severely and told the emperor that Lu Buwei had set him up. After that Lao Ai was publicly executed by attaching heavy rope to each of his limbs and making horses pull the rope. He also learnt about the two boys and had them killed. After this he confronted Lu Buwei and he begged for his life. He thought about it and had him exiled and put his mother under house arrest. Lu Buwei then committed suicide by drinking some poison wine.
First Attempted Assassination
King Zheng began taking over other states in order to unify China. The Yan was a small and weak state which often received threats from larger states like Qin. In desperation, Crown Prince Dan of Yan schemed of a plot to assassinate the King Of Qin. Prince Dan asked a Ex General of Qin, who fled the battlefield in disgust of the King of Qin, to commit suicide. Two assassins Jing Ke and Qin Wuyang from Yan were missioned to present King Zheng with the Ex general's head and a map of China as gifts. But inside the scroll hid a dagger which would be used to kill the king. When the time came, Jing Ke presented Zheng with the map and thrust the dagger at Zheng's heart. But Zheng dodged and started running for a weapon. Zheng reached for a sword and as Jing Ke was only armed with a dagger he was easily incapacitated. Qin Wuyang was later executed
Lao Ai's Attempted Coup
As King Zheng became older and wiser, Lu Buwei became fearful that the king would learn about his past affairs with his mother, the Queen Dowager Lady Zhao. So he devised a plan to get rid of Zheng. According to the Records of the Great Historian, Lu Buwei found a man named Lao Ai. He then had Lady Zhao met Lao Ai and they had two sons which lived at the queen's residence in secret. But the people which served as slaves in the palace told King Zheng about the kids. Lao Ai began to know about this leak in information and told Lady Zhao whom he loved that for the sake of her and the children, he would gather forces around the state and rebel a few days later when the king would visit the ancient capital of Yong. This was Lu Buwei's plan to overthrow the king. When the king learnt about this, he asked two generals and their armies to attack the rebels. When they attacked they killed around two-thirds of the rebel army but Lao Ai fled the battle. A price of one million copper coins would be given to anyone who captured Lao Ai alive or half a million if dead. He eventually turned up and was tortured severely and told the emperor that Lu Buwei had set him up. After that Lao Ai was publicly executed by attaching heavy rope to each of his limbs and making horses pull the rope. He also learnt about the two boys and had them killed. After this he confronted Lu Buwei and he begged for his life. He thought about it and had him exiled and put his mother under house arrest. Lu Buwei then committed suicide by drinking some poison wine.
First Attempted Assassination
King Zheng began taking over other states in order to unify China. The Yan was a small and weak state which often received threats from larger states like Qin. In desperation, Crown Prince Dan of Yan schemed of a plot to assassinate the King Of Qin. Prince Dan asked a Ex General of Qin, who fled the battlefield in disgust of the King of Qin, to commit suicide. Two assassins Jing Ke and Qin Wuyang from Yan were missioned to present King Zheng with the Ex general's head and a map of China as gifts. But inside the scroll hid a dagger which would be used to kill the king. When the time came, Jing Ke presented Zheng with the map and thrust the dagger at Zheng's heart. But Zheng dodged and started running for a weapon. Zheng reached for a sword and as Jing Ke was only armed with a dagger he was easily incapacitated. Qin Wuyang was later executed
Second Assassination Attempt
Gao Jianli, a very close friend of Jing Ke and also a famous player of the Chinese zhu, wanted to avenge his death. Zheng of Qin summoned Jianli to play the zhu for him. But since Zheng knew that Jianli was trying to kill him, he had his eye slit out. When he began playing, the King praised him but little did he know that a heavy piece of lead was attached to the lute. Disappointedly because his vision was taken, he shot the lead but missed the king. He was later executed.
Gao Jianli, a very close friend of Jing Ke and also a famous player of the Chinese zhu, wanted to avenge his death. Zheng of Qin summoned Jianli to play the zhu for him. But since Zheng knew that Jianli was trying to kill him, he had his eye slit out. When he began playing, the King praised him but little did he know that a heavy piece of lead was attached to the lute. Disappointedly because his vision was taken, he shot the lead but missed the king. He was later executed.
UNIFICATION OF CHINA
Assassination attempts arose because the Qin King had the most powerful army and neighbouring rulers trembled at the thought of a Qin invasion. The Han state fell in 230 B.C. and became part of Qin. In 229 B.C, Zhao fell victim to a dramatic earthquake in which the Qin took advantage of and invaded Zhao as well. In 225 B.C, the Wei fell followed by the Chu in 223 B.C, with the Qin influence growing stronger. The remaining 2 states, Qi and Yan were defeated in two years. In the year 221 B.C, Ying Zheng named himself Qin Shi Huang (meaning First Emperor of Qin) and started the Qin Dynasty.
Assassination attempts arose because the Qin King had the most powerful army and neighbouring rulers trembled at the thought of a Qin invasion. The Han state fell in 230 B.C. and became part of Qin. In 229 B.C, Zhao fell victim to a dramatic earthquake in which the Qin took advantage of and invaded Zhao as well. In 225 B.C, the Wei fell followed by the Chu in 223 B.C, with the Qin influence growing stronger. The remaining 2 states, Qi and Yan were defeated in two years. In the year 221 B.C, Ying Zheng named himself Qin Shi Huang (meaning First Emperor of Qin) and started the Qin Dynasty.
Qin Shi Huang was also notorious for his executions. One of the common executions was the clean and scrub. The victim would be first put in boiling water until he screamed. After that he or she would be put in fire for 10 seconds. Afterwards the guard would use a knife and separate the skin from the flesh. Then came the gruesome part. The soldier would use a sharp metal scrub against their flesh. Sounds disgusting doesn't it'?
EMPEROR OF QIN
Emperor Qin Shi Huang worried that after he died he would be attacked by vengeful souls whom he killed in cold blood. He began looking for ways to achieve immortality, the Elixir of Life, but like many rulers before him, failed. He created the Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall of China. He changed the metric system, currency and writing of China which is still used today. He also burned books and people were punished severely if they were caught having one of their own book. 460 scholars were buried alive because of owning books.
Death
Qin Shi Huang died at the age of 50 while on a tour around China looking for the Elixir of Life. He died because of taking mercury pills which he thought would increase the span of his life.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang worried that after he died he would be attacked by vengeful souls whom he killed in cold blood. He began looking for ways to achieve immortality, the Elixir of Life, but like many rulers before him, failed. He created the Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall of China. He changed the metric system, currency and writing of China which is still used today. He also burned books and people were punished severely if they were caught having one of their own book. 460 scholars were buried alive because of owning books.
Death
Qin Shi Huang died at the age of 50 while on a tour around China looking for the Elixir of Life. He died because of taking mercury pills which he thought would increase the span of his life.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb1CcvqJ0gc - The First Emperor of China
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang - Qin Shi Huang
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/qinshihungbio.htm - Biography of The First Empeor
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/qin_shihuang_1.htm - Emperor Qin Shi Huang -- First Emperor of China
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_China
http://www.chinawhisper.com/10-most-brutal-execution-methods-in-ancient-china/
The Big Book of China: A Guided Tour Through 5,000 Years of History and Culture by Qicheng Wang
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb1CcvqJ0gc - The First Emperor of China
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Shi_Huang - Qin Shi Huang
http://asianhistory.about.com/od/profilesofasianleaders/p/qinshihungbio.htm - Biography of The First Empeor
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/terra_cotta_army/qin_shihuang_1.htm - Emperor Qin Shi Huang -- First Emperor of China
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_China
http://www.chinawhisper.com/10-most-brutal-execution-methods-in-ancient-china/
The Big Book of China: A Guided Tour Through 5,000 Years of History and Culture by Qicheng Wang