The History of the First Emperor of China - 1258 Words

On March 29, 1974, a couple of workers were digging a water well on the east side of Mount Li outside of the city of Xi’an. The workers uncovered a single terracotta figure and called the government authorities who investigated the matter. Soon, government archeologists were sent to the site. The unearthed great clay army that has baffled modern day craftsmen, intrigued archeologists, and amazed the general public. Before this discovery, no one knew about the First Emperor of China. Forty years later, we know a good deal about his legacy. Ying Zheng was born in 259 BCE to the King of Qin and his concubine. In 246 BCE, he took the throne at only thirteen. By the time he thirty-eight, he had unified the seven warring states involved in†¦show more content†¦Lack of historical records makes some historians question the association between the First Emperor and the construction of the wall. What is certain, however, is that if the First Emperor gave the orders to build the Great Wall, it was not built as we know it today. The walls would have been made of stones or earth, depending on what was more readily available. The philosophies of the time included Confucianism and Legalism, as simplified by modern scholar Arthur Waley in his book, Three Ways of Thought in Ancient China. Confucianism was considered bad and impractical, based on the idea that it was ruler-based and hind-sighted. The Legalists were considered good and practical because the administrations they set up were run by qualified men, used agriculture to stimulate the economy, and created clear laws. In fact, the First Emperor ordered the burning of several Confucius texts part of the Five Classics including the Book of Poetry and the Book of Documents. This was knows as the Burning of the Books. This burning also included other literature such as poetry, historical documents, and philosophical texts. This was done because the emperor felt threatened by those below him with something critical to say. [All] persons in the empire daring to store [these books] should go to the administrative and military governors so that these books may be indiscriminately burned. Those who dare to discuss the Odes and the Histories should be [executed andShow MoreRelatedThe Terra Cotta Army : China s First Emperor And The Birth Of A Nation965 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Mans book entitled The Terra Cotta Army: China’s First Emperor and the Birth of a Nation, published by Bantam Press. In this book review essay I will be talking about the Unification of China, The Terra Cotta Army, and the First Emperor. John Man’s main idea is the Unification of China in 221 BCE by king Ying Zheng also known as the First Emperor he ranks as one of the most historic events not only in Chinese history but also in world history. The story of the Qin Dynasty’s rise and sudden collapseRead MoreThe And Mausoleum Of The First Qin917 Words   |  4 PagesMausoleum of the First Qin Emperor are two monu ments from different ancient civilizations. Ara Pacis Augustae means the altar of Augustus peace in English. Augustus is also known as Octavian, he started to use the name Augustus after he was in power of Rome. Although Augustus was an elected consul after Actium war, he is literally a dictator according to actions he took during the period he was in power of Rome. He destroyed the republic Rome, and become the first emperor in Roman history. The MausoleumRead MoreTen Kingdoms That Made Up The Chinese Empire898 Words   |  4 Pagesmade up the Chinese empire. One of these kingdoms known as the Qin Dynasty, was led by Qin Shih Huang; the first emperor of China. From his accomplishments, he was able to unify all of the Warring States to what is today known as China. Throughout his 35-year reign, he was able to greatly increase the growth of both cultural and intellectual. He was the emperor who built the Great Wall of China which still stands as of today. He is also well known for h is work of the Terracotta Army; life sized clayRead MoreWu Zetian Perpetual Footprint on China Essay887 Words   |  4 Pagesinalterably changed life in China for woman as well the clergy and the poor. By doing so, she left a perpetual footprint on China’s long history that transcends the mere fact that she was the first woman to rule the â€Å"Red Dragon†. Wu Zetian was originally known as Wu Chao, born in 625 in Taiyuan in northern China. She adopted Wu Zetian when she seized the Chinese throne in 660. â€Å"Wu Zetian was a beautiful young woman†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Knight 372). Empress Wu ultimately assumed the title of emperor for herself in 690, becomingRead MoreThe Han Dynasty1217 Words   |  5 PagesBang.† He ruled from 202 BC to 195 BC. â€Å"Liu Bang was a commoner of peasant origin who would be known historically by his imperial title of Han Gaozu.† This made him one of the few dynasty creators in Chinese history to have emerged from peasant class to emperor. Before he became emperor he was a patrol officer. He used this to forge relationships with other officials in his country. This earned Liu a reputation for his hometown. Liu’s reputation was whenever he was drunk his friends would noticeRead MorePolitical Systems in Ancient China1151 Words   |  5 PagesPolitical Systems in Ancient China. Politic has always been defined as a pivotal point to human development, especially in structuring a civilization and nation. According to Wikipedia, the term politic was derived from the Greek word ‘politikos’, which means the theory and practice of influencing other people on many levels, or in other words, an exercise of governance over a community (Wikipedia). Politic is unique in all places: different country and state may have different types of ruling systemRead MoreEssay about Emperor K’ang-hsi957 Words   |  4 Pages nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Emperor K’ang-hsi ruled China from 1661 to 1722 and his reign is captured by Jonathan D. Spence’s book Emperor of China. The different chapters of the book deal with certain aspects of the Emperors life. Aspects that the history books to normally deal with. The information in Spence’s book is based on Emperor K’ang-hsi’s correspondence, his own writings. This writing maybe biased towards himself, but no other piece of information could provide insight into hisRead MoreQin Shi Huang Di As A Great Leader1190 Words   |  5 Pagesrulers in Chinese’s history, he has benefited China by many of his creations, but some see him as the emperor who killed millions and burned knowledgable books. Although, he only ruled for 15 years, he successfully united China after centuries of civil war and built an empire that has lasted to this very day, he is known as both a brutal tyrant and a great leader. He created a unified system of weights and measures, writing and currency, but used violence to take control of China which eventuallyRead MoreIndian Emperor Ashoka And Chinese Emperor Shi Huangdi1557 Words   |  7 PagesIn ancient history, there are quite a few well-known emperors, recognized for their achievements. Indian Emperor Ashoka and Chinese Emperor Shi Huang Di are two such rulers. The legends of their dynasties are one’s historians and scholars analyze and contemplate du e to their unique styles and abilities to rule massive land masses. Both rulers influenced the world in different ways. Chinese Emperor Shi Huangdi crafted his empire by consciously ignoring the moral standards left to him by his predecessorsRead MoreDevelopments in Ancient China1255 Words   |  6 Pages In the early years of China, the Chinese began a period of establishment in the world with ideas and teachings of new religions, changing powers, and building empires. In a nutshell the Chinese were progressing toward new technology, writings, and belief systems. The Chinese saw many dynasties come and go as well as many ups and downs experienced with societies over the course of history. As all nation’s go through change, the Chinese experienced changes from other lands far away and produced