GOVERNMENT
The government of the Qin dynasty was a centralized, autocratic system that remained largely in place for the next two-thousand or so years, although the dynasty itself lasted for barely fifteen. It was strongly influenced by the Legalist school of thought, and many of the emperor's closest ministers and advisers were influential Legalists. With Shi Huangdi (also referred to as the First Emperor) at its head, the Qin government ruled with an iron fist, armed with strict laws and harsh punishments.
BACKGROUND - RISE TO POWER
During the Warring States Period (259-210 BC), China was split into seven major states that were constantly at war with one another, each hoping to defeat the rest. The small, Legalist state of Qin in the far west regions was one of the most militaristic of the warring states. They were horse breeders, and with the invention of stirrups and other equipment, made the switch from chariot warfare to cavalry quickly and effectively. The Qin subdued the remaining of the warring states in 256 BC, and by 221 BC, all of China had become unified for the first time under the name of Qin (pronounced Ch'in, from which the name China most likely derived).
During the Warring States Period (259-210 BC), China was split into seven major states that were constantly at war with one another, each hoping to defeat the rest. The small, Legalist state of Qin in the far west regions was one of the most militaristic of the warring states. They were horse breeders, and with the invention of stirrups and other equipment, made the switch from chariot warfare to cavalry quickly and effectively. The Qin subdued the remaining of the warring states in 256 BC, and by 221 BC, all of China had become unified for the first time under the name of Qin (pronounced Ch'in, from which the name China most likely derived).
SHI HUANGDI
The First Emperor was born in Hanan during the late eastern Zhou dynasty (770-256 BC) under the name Ying Zheng. He was 13 years old when he inherited the throne from his father in 247 BC. Early on, he learned not to trust anyone after his mother was accused of plotting against him. He placed her under house arrest, and his mistrust grew into paranoia that would follow him for the rest of his life. He was constantly sending spies out to look for possible signs of dissent, for he feared that his enemies were plotting to overthrow him. He even disguised himself and mingled in markets, asking people what they thought about Shi Huangdi and life under his rule, and rarely let his ministers know where he would be sleeping. He chose the title Shi Huangdi because of several reasons: "Shi" means first, because he planned to have many successors after him; "Huangdi" means emperor, because he wanted to separate himself from past rulers who were only kings and perhaps also connect himself to the ancient sage ruler who had had the same title. The First Emperor was also known for his obsession with immortality and the afterlife. Workers labored for 36 years to build his elaborate tomb in which 6000 life-size, terracotta soldiers carrying real weapons and horses pulling real chariots stand guard, each one unique. It is perhaps his most impressive project, and definitely earns a place among the wonders of the ancient world. Besides his ostentatious tomb, he was always searching for some way to become immortal. Shi Huangdi sent thousands of people searching for an elixir of immortality he'd heard of, but to no avail. The First Emperor died during one of his many tours around his empire, in 210 BC at 50 years old. His decaying body was sent back to the capital next to a wagon-load of fish to hide the odor, for fear of revolt if word got out that the First Emperor, tyrant and reformer, had died.
The First Emperor was born in Hanan during the late eastern Zhou dynasty (770-256 BC) under the name Ying Zheng. He was 13 years old when he inherited the throne from his father in 247 BC. Early on, he learned not to trust anyone after his mother was accused of plotting against him. He placed her under house arrest, and his mistrust grew into paranoia that would follow him for the rest of his life. He was constantly sending spies out to look for possible signs of dissent, for he feared that his enemies were plotting to overthrow him. He even disguised himself and mingled in markets, asking people what they thought about Shi Huangdi and life under his rule, and rarely let his ministers know where he would be sleeping. He chose the title Shi Huangdi because of several reasons: "Shi" means first, because he planned to have many successors after him; "Huangdi" means emperor, because he wanted to separate himself from past rulers who were only kings and perhaps also connect himself to the ancient sage ruler who had had the same title. The First Emperor was also known for his obsession with immortality and the afterlife. Workers labored for 36 years to build his elaborate tomb in which 6000 life-size, terracotta soldiers carrying real weapons and horses pulling real chariots stand guard, each one unique. It is perhaps his most impressive project, and definitely earns a place among the wonders of the ancient world. Besides his ostentatious tomb, he was always searching for some way to become immortal. Shi Huangdi sent thousands of people searching for an elixir of immortality he'd heard of, but to no avail. The First Emperor died during one of his many tours around his empire, in 210 BC at 50 years old. His decaying body was sent back to the capital next to a wagon-load of fish to hide the odor, for fear of revolt if word got out that the First Emperor, tyrant and reformer, had died.
ESTABLISHING POWER
Shi Huangdi set about centralizing power and establishing his absolute authority after he had conquered all of China. He destroyed the feudal system of the Zhou dynasty first and foremost, for he feared that the division of power would cause his dynasty to fall apart just like the previous one. He sent men to kill the feudal lords, aristocrats, and other nobles or take away their land. Those who survived were forced to move into the capital where they were under the watchful eye of the emperor and had no chance to build up a power base. Now that he had concentrated all the power on himself, he could issue decrees and back them up with powerful armies over which he had absolute control. The First Emperor's word was law.
Shi Huangdi set about centralizing power and establishing his absolute authority after he had conquered all of China. He destroyed the feudal system of the Zhou dynasty first and foremost, for he feared that the division of power would cause his dynasty to fall apart just like the previous one. He sent men to kill the feudal lords, aristocrats, and other nobles or take away their land. Those who survived were forced to move into the capital where they were under the watchful eye of the emperor and had no chance to build up a power base. Now that he had concentrated all the power on himself, he could issue decrees and back them up with powerful armies over which he had absolute control. The First Emperor's word was law.
STRUCTURE
The government structure that Shi Huangdi made and employed became a basis for later imperial dynasties. He divided his empire into 36 provinces, called "commanderies", which were further divided into a large number of counties. Each one was controlled by a civil governor, a military commander, and an inspector. A chief magistrate, who was in charge of subordinate magistrates in every city, town, and significant village, ran each county. The Prime Minister in particular exercised great power. |
REFORMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
The First Emperor ordered many reforms in order to run his empire more effectively. Many roads, some of which still exist today, were built all over his vast empire and a law was passed that dictated that all cart and wagon axles must have the same width so they could all travel along the same deeply rutted roads. He standardized weights, measures, and currency to improve the economy and make it easier fro his officers to collect taxes. He also improved communication by simplifying some Chinese characters and standardizing how it was written (differences in writing had caused confusion with legal documents in the past).
One of the most widely hated deeds of Shi Huangdi is the burning of the books and the burying of the scholars. He knew that Confucian scholars strongly disapproved of his ways, so he ordered all but one copy of each Confucian classic and many other books burned and 460 scholars killed. The single copies were kept in the royal library.
The First Emperor is credited with the building of the precursor to the Great Wall of China. He ordered the various walls of the previous Warring States period to be connected in an attempt to discourage the nomads in the north. His ambitious goal cost the lives of many--tens of thousands--workers who could no longer fight exhaustion and harsh weather conditions. So many died that some call it the longest cemetery in the world. The workers were forced to build signal towers and earthen walls where there none. Despite his efforts, Shi Huangdi's wall was not very successful in keeping invaders out of China, but it did serve as the boundary between settled and nomadic areas, and it may have discouraged unwanted outsiders.
The First Emperor ordered many reforms in order to run his empire more effectively. Many roads, some of which still exist today, were built all over his vast empire and a law was passed that dictated that all cart and wagon axles must have the same width so they could all travel along the same deeply rutted roads. He standardized weights, measures, and currency to improve the economy and make it easier fro his officers to collect taxes. He also improved communication by simplifying some Chinese characters and standardizing how it was written (differences in writing had caused confusion with legal documents in the past).
One of the most widely hated deeds of Shi Huangdi is the burning of the books and the burying of the scholars. He knew that Confucian scholars strongly disapproved of his ways, so he ordered all but one copy of each Confucian classic and many other books burned and 460 scholars killed. The single copies were kept in the royal library.
The First Emperor is credited with the building of the precursor to the Great Wall of China. He ordered the various walls of the previous Warring States period to be connected in an attempt to discourage the nomads in the north. His ambitious goal cost the lives of many--tens of thousands--workers who could no longer fight exhaustion and harsh weather conditions. So many died that some call it the longest cemetery in the world. The workers were forced to build signal towers and earthen walls where there none. Despite his efforts, Shi Huangdi's wall was not very successful in keeping invaders out of China, but it did serve as the boundary between settled and nomadic areas, and it may have discouraged unwanted outsiders.
POPULARITY
The Legalist-militarist methods of the Qin government and the emperor was extremely effective in unifying China and keeping order, but the heavy taxation, corvée labor, military service, and ruthlessness that came with it made many enemies and garnered much hatred and unrest among the people. The First Emperor knew it, and it contributed to his intense paranoia. It was also this hatred and unhappiness among the people that caused them to revolt when news of the emperor's death got out, ending the dynasty that was meant to last forever in 206 BC, a mere fifteen years after its creation.
The Legalist-militarist methods of the Qin government and the emperor was extremely effective in unifying China and keeping order, but the heavy taxation, corvée labor, military service, and ruthlessness that came with it made many enemies and garnered much hatred and unrest among the people. The First Emperor knew it, and it contributed to his intense paranoia. It was also this hatred and unhappiness among the people that caused them to revolt when news of the emperor's death got out, ending the dynasty that was meant to last forever in 206 BC, a mere fifteen years after its creation.
After the First Emperor died in 210 BC, corruption within the government, a weak successor, and civil war all had a part in the fall of the mighty Qin dynasty. The Qin dynasty is the shortest among the many in Chinese history, but it is among the most important because it was under Qin rule when imperial rule was first established and the basic structure of Chinese government first laid out.
ESSAY on the Qin Government:
IMAGE SOURCES (left to right, top to bottom):
Digital image. Legalism: A Central Governing Idea in the Qin Dynasty. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://history.cultural-china.com/en/167History9476.html.
"Qin Shihuang The First Emperor Shihuang-di." Digital image. The Warring States Period of Ancient China 480 BCE to 221 BCE. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/warringstates.htm.
"Qin Dynasty Government Organization." Digital image. The Qin Revolution and the Fall of the Qin. 2008. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.indiana.edu/~e232/08-Qin.pdf.
WORKS CITED:
Johnson, Jean, and Donald Johnson. The Human Drama: World History: From the Beginning to 500 C.E. Princeton: Wiener, 2000. 247-252.
"Qin Shihuang." China Culture. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22854.htm.
"Qin Shihuangdi - The Rise to Power." Explore / Leaders and Rulers. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/themes/leaders_and_rulers/qin_shihuangdi.aspx.
The Qin Revolution and the Fall of the Qin. January 1, 2008. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.indiana.edu/~e232/08-Qin.pdf.
Digital image. Legalism: A Central Governing Idea in the Qin Dynasty. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://history.cultural-china.com/en/167History9476.html.
"Qin Shihuang The First Emperor Shihuang-di." Digital image. The Warring States Period of Ancient China 480 BCE to 221 BCE. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/warringstates.htm.
"Qin Dynasty Government Organization." Digital image. The Qin Revolution and the Fall of the Qin. 2008. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.indiana.edu/~e232/08-Qin.pdf.
WORKS CITED:
Johnson, Jean, and Donald Johnson. The Human Drama: World History: From the Beginning to 500 C.E. Princeton: Wiener, 2000. 247-252.
"Qin Shihuang." China Culture. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_22854.htm.
"Qin Shihuangdi - The Rise to Power." Explore / Leaders and Rulers. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/themes/leaders_and_rulers/qin_shihuangdi.aspx.
The Qin Revolution and the Fall of the Qin. January 1, 2008. Accessed November 23, 2014. http://www.indiana.edu/~e232/08-Qin.pdf.