Qin Shi Huang was the son of King Zhuangxiang of Qin. When his father King Zhuangxiang was held hostage in the state of Zhao, he took a fancy to a woman from the Lv Buwei family, married her, and had a son, Qin Shi Huang. Qin Shi Huang was born in Handan in the first month of the forty-eighth year of King Zhao of Qin. When he was born, he was named Zheng, with the surname Zhao. When he was thirteen years old, his father King Zhuangxiang died, and Zheng inherited the throne, becoming the King of Qin.
At that time, the state of Qin had already conquered Ba and Shu, occupied the capital of the state of Chu, and established Nanjun; reclaimed the area east of Shangjun in the north, establishing the counties of Hedong, Taiyuan, and Shangdang; and advanced to Xingyang in the east, destroying the Eastern and Western Zhou dynasties, and establishing Sanchuan County. Lv Buwei served as the Prime Minister, with a fiefdom of one hundred thousand households and the title of Marquis Wenxin. He recruited lots of advisors and hangers-on, aiming to unify the world. Li Si was Lv Buwei's trusted advisor. Meng Ao, Wang Yi, and Bao Gong were generals of Qin. Since the King of Qin was still young when he ascended the throne, major state affairs were handled by the ministers.
There was a rebellion in the Jinyang region. In the first year of the King of Qin, General Meng Ao led troops to quell the rebellion. In the second year, General Bao Gong led troops to attack Juandi, killing 30,000 of the enemy. In the third year, General Meng Ao attacked the state of Han and captured thirteen cities. General Wang Yi died. In October, General Meng Ao attacked the cities of Chang and You in the state of Wei. There was a massive famine that year. In the fourth year, the Qin army captured Chang and You. In March, the troops withdrew. Zhao's hostages, including their crown prince, returned home. On the day of Gengyin in October, locusts flew in from the east, blocking out the sun, and a nationwide epidemic broke out. People who donated over a thousand stones of grain got a promotion.
This account details events during the reign of a Qin king, focusing on military campaigns and political intrigue. In the fifth year, General Meng Ao attacked the State of Wei, capturing a total of twenty cities including Suanzhao, Yan, Xu, Changping, Yongqiu, and Shanyang. The state of Qin also established the Eastern County. There was a winter thunderstorm. In the sixth year, the states of Han, Wei, Zhao, Wei, and Chu joined forces to attack Qin, capturing Shouling. Qin counterattacked, and the allied forces retreated. Qin captured the State of Wei (卫国), approached the Eastern County, and the ruler of Wei (卫国) fled with his relatives to Ye Wang, using the mountains and rivers as a defense for the Henei region of Wei. In the seventh year, a comet appeared first in the east, then in the north, and in May it remained visible in the west for sixteen days. General Meng Ao died. The Qin army attacked Long, Gu, and Qingdu, and then attacked Jidi. In the summer, the Dowager Queen died. In the eighth year, Prince Cheng Jiao of Chang'an led an attack on the State of Zhao, but rebelled and died in Tunliu; his subordinates were all killed, and his populace was relocated to Lintao. General Bi died, and Tunliu and Pu Tao rebelled again, and General Bi's body was dismembered by the Qin army. There were many fish in the Yellow River, and the state of Qin used light wagons to transport a large number of troops to the east to deliver food. Lao Ai was appointed as Marquis Changxin, given the territory of Shanyang to live in. He enjoyed free access to palaces, carriages, horses, clothes, gardens, and hunting. He had absolute authority in all matters. Later, the Hexi and Taiyuan prefectures were changed to the State of Ai for him as his fiefdom.
Nine years later, a comet blazed across the heavens. Lao Ai led troops to attack the cities of Yuan and Puyang in the state of Wei. In the fourth month, the King of Qin camped in Yong. On the day of Jiyou, the King of Qin was in full regalia. The rebellion of Lao Ai, Marquis of Changxin, was exposed. He forged the jade seals of the King of Qin and the Queen Mother, mustered county troops, palace guards, officials, Rongdi nobles, and his personal attendants, planning to seize the Qin palace. When the King of Qin learned of this, he ordered the Marquis of Changping and the Marquis of Changwen to lead troops to attack Lao Ai. A battle erupted in Xianyang between the King's forces and Lao Ai's rebels, killing hundreds of people. All participants, including palace eunuchs, received promotions.
Lao Ai's forces were routed and scattered. The King of Qin ordered that a reward of one million coins be offered for Lao Ai's capture, and half a million for his death. In the end, all of Lao Ai's group were captured. Twenty individuals, including Wei Ji the Wei Wei, Si Neishi the Neishi, Zuo Yiji, and Ling Qi, were beheaded; their bodies were dismembered and displayed as a warning, their families destroyed. As for Lao Ai's subordinates, even minor offenders were burned. Because of this incident, more than four thousand households were stripped of their titles and relocated to Shu and Fangling. That winter was brutally cold, claiming many lives. Yang Duan attacked Yanshi. The comet first appeared in the west, then in the north, and appeared for eighty days south of the Dipper.
Ten years later, Chancellor Lv Buwei was dismissed due to the Lao Ai incident. Huan Yi was appointed as a general. Envoys from Qi and Zhao arrived in Qin for a diplomatic visit. Ma Jiao from Qi advised the King of Qin, saying, "Your Majesty's decision to send the Queen Mother away has damaged her reputation. I fear that the vassals will betray Qin when they hear about this!" The King of Qin then welcomed the Queen Mother back to Xianyang from Yong, allowing her to return to Ganquan Palace.
King Qin ordered a massive manhunt and also expelled the guest ministers. Li Si advised the king in a letter, which led to the order to expel the guest ministers being rescinded. Li Si then persuaded King Qin to first attack the state of Han to deter other feudal states, so King Qin sent Li Si to Han. The King of Han was very worried and discussed with Han Fei how to weaken the state of Qin. At this time, a man named Wei Liao from Daliang came to Qin and said to King Qin, "Qin is now so powerful that other feudal states are like officials in counties. I am only worried that the feudal states will unite and suddenly attack, just like what happened to Duke Zhao, King Fuchai, and King Min, who all ultimately faced destruction. I hope the king will not be stingy with money, bribe the powerful officials of those feudal states, and make them fight each other. This way, with less than three hundred thousand gold, all the feudal states can be conquered." King Qin accepted his advice, respected Wei Liao greatly, and treated him with every comfort and convenience. Wei Liao said, "King Qin, with his sharp, bee-like nose and piercing gaze, possessed a bird-like erectness and a voice like a jackal's howl. He was outwardly silent and unassuming, easily underestimated. But beneath the surface lurked a cruel and ruthless ambition. Although I am just a commoner, he has always treated me with great respect. If King Qin really unifies the world, everyone would be subject to his rule! I cannot stay with him for long." So he ran away. King Qin, upon learning this, quickly sent people to chase after him and appointed him as a minister of Qin, eventually using his strategy. With Wei Liao's strategy in place, Li Si's rise to power accelerated.
In the eleventh year, Wang Jian, Huan Yi, Yang Duanhe, and others attacked Ye City, capturing nine cities. Wang Jian attacked E and Luoyang, both of which were conquered by his army. After fighting for eighteen days, there was only enough food left for the soldiers to have one meal, and only two out of ten men volunteered to join the army. The capture of Ye City and Anyang was led by General Huan Yi. In the twelfth year, Marquis Wenxin Lü Buwei died and was secretly buried. His associate, a man named Lin from the Jin state, was expelled; officials in the Qin state with salaries of over 600 shi of grain were demoted and relocated, while those with salaries below 500 shi were also exiled if they did not attend the funeral, without being demoted. From now on, anyone who, like Lao Ai and Lü Buwei, manipulates state affairs and acts improperly will have their property confiscated as a warning. In the autumn, those followers of Lao Ai who had been exiled to Shu were relocated again. At that time, there was a severe drought until rain finally fell from June to August.
In the thirteenth year, Huan Yi attacked Pingyang in the Zhao state, killing Zhao's general Hu Xie and beheading one hundred thousand soldiers. The King of Qin inspected Henan. A comet blazed across the eastern sky in January. In October, Huan Yi attacked the Zhao state. In the fourteenth year, the Qin army fought against the Zhao army in Pingyang, capturing Yi'an, defeating the Zhao army, and killing Zhao's general. Huan Yi secured Pingyang and Wucheng. Han Fei, on a diplomatic mission to Qin, was imprisoned and executed in Yunyang at Li Si's behest. The ruler of Han requested mercy from the King of Qin and submitted to the Qin state.
Fifteen years into his reign, Qin launched a massive attack, with one army marching straight on Ye and another heading towards Taiyuan, also capturing Langmeng. That year, there was an earthquake. In the sixteenth year, in September, Qin conscripted soldiers and made the Nanyang governor in Han a Qin puppet. At the same time, Qin ordered a census of all men. The state of Wei ceded land to Qin, and Qin established the city of Li in the former territory of Wei. In the seventeenth year, Qin's chief minister attacked Han, conquered Han, and established Yingchuan County in that area. In that same year, another earthquake struck, Huayang, the Queen Mother, died, and the people suffered from severe famine.
In the eighteenth year, Qin launched a major attack on Zhao, with General Wang Jian attacking Shangdang and Jingxing, General Duan He attacking Henan County, and General Qiang Lei also leading troops against Zhao, with General Duan He even surrounding Handan. In the nineteenth year, Wang Jian and General Qiang Lei completely pacified the Dongyang area of Zhao, capturing the King of Zhao. The Qin army then prepared to attack Yan, stationed troops in the Zhongshan area. The Qin king arrived in Handan and had all those who'd wronged his mother slaughtered. The Qin king returned to his country, passing through Taiyuan and Shangjun to get back to Xianyang. That year, the Queen Mother of Qin Shi Huang died. Prince Jia of Zhao fled to Dai territory with hundreds of clan members, declared himself king of Dai, and allied with Yan, massing troops in Shanggu. That year, there was a great famine throughout the country.
Twenty years into his reign, Crown Prince Dan of Yan was worried about the imminent invasion of the Qin army into Yan State; he was terrified, so he sent Jing Ke to assassinate the King of Qin. The King of Qin foiled the assassination attempt, had Jing Ke publicly executed and his body displayed, and then sent Generals Wang Jian and Xin Sheng to attack Yan State. Yan State and Dai State counterattacked the Qin army simultaneously, but the Qin army routed the Yan army west of the Yi River. In the twenty-first year, General Wang Ben attacked Chu State. Qin reinforced Wang Jian's army, ultimately defeating the army of Crown Prince Dan, capturing Ji, and executing Crown Prince Dan. The King of Yan fled to Liaodong, where he proclaimed himself king. General Wang Jian, due to age and ill health, requested retirement. That winter saw heavy snowfall, with drifts reaching two and a half feet deep.
In the twenty-second year, General Wang Ben attacked Wei State, diverting the river to flood Daliang City, breaching its walls, leading to Wei's surrender, and the entire territory of Wei was annexed by Qin. In the twenty-third year, the King of Qin once again called back Wang Jian, forcing him out of retirement to lead the army to attack Chu State. The Qin army captured the area south of Chen to Pingyu, capturing the King of Chu. The King of Qin toured Ying Chen. Chu General Xiang Yan installed Changping Jun as the King of Chu and revolted in Huainan. In the twenty-fourth year, Generals Wang Jian and Meng Wu attacked Chu State, defeated the Chu army, Changping Jun died in battle, and Xiang Yan ultimately committed suicide.
In 226 BCE, Qin launched a large-scale invasion of Yan State, sending General Wang Ben to lead the troops. They conquered Liaodong and captured King Xi of Yan, and then attacked Dai State, capturing King Jia of Dai. General Wang Jian subdued Jingnan, forced the King of Yue's surrender, and established Kuaiji County there. By May, the entire empire celebrated victory.
225 BC, King Jian of Qi and his prime minister Hou Sheng led troops to defend the western border, seeking to sever ties with Qin. Qin then sent General Wang Ben to attack Qi through southern Yan, ultimately capturing King Jian of Qi. In the twenty-fifth year, a large-scale military campaign was launched, with General Wang Ben dispatched to attack Liaodong in Yan, capturing King Xi of Yan. He then attacked Dai, conquering King Jia of Dai. Wang Jian subsequently conquered the southern lands of Jing and Jiang, subdued the King of Yue, establishing Kuaiji Commandery (a newly established administrative region). In May, a massive nationwide celebration took place. In the twenty-sixth year, King Jian of Qi and his prime minister Hou Sheng sent troops to guard their western border, cutting off communication with Qin. Qin sent General Wang Ben to attack Qi from Yan's south, capturing him.
Right after the Qin unified China, Emperor Qin Shi Huang told his prime minister and censor: "Previously, the King of Han offered land and a jade seal to become a vassal of the Qin state. However, they later violated the agreement and conspired with the states of Zhao and Wei to betray Qin. Therefore, I crushed them and captured their king. Good riddance, and peace followed. The King of Zhao sent his prime minister Li Mu to seal a treaty and even sent hostages. However, they later broke the treaty and attacked Taiyuan, so I conquered them and took their king prisoner. A Zhao prince crowned himself King of Dai, but I also wiped him out. The King of Wei initially agreed to submit to the Qin state, but later conspired with Han and Zhao to attack Qin. Our army completely routed them. The King of Chu offered land west of Qingyang but later violated the agreement by attacking our Nanjun, so I crushed them and captured their king, completely pacifying the Chu region. The King of Yan was a weakling, and his crown prince Dan secretly ordered Jing Ke to assassinate me, and so I destroyed them. The King of Qi tried to cut ties with Qin, planning a rebellion, but we defeated them, captured their king, and pacified the Qi region. By my own strength, I led troops to suppress rebellion, relying on the blessings of our ancestors. The kings of the six states got what they deserved, and finally, peace reigned. This title doesn't do my accomplishments justice; it doesn't reflect my achievements for history. Therefore, I wish to discuss the issue of the imperial title."
Prime Minister Wang Wan, Chief Justice Feng Jie, and Minister Li Si said together: "In ancient times, the rule of the Five Emperors only extended for a thousand miles, surrounded by subjugated peoples. The vassals sometimes paid tribute and sometimes did not, and the Emperor could not control them. Now that Your Majesty has raised an army to suppress the cruel rebels and pacified the world, the entire country is now divided into counties, with unified laws and regulations. This has never happened since ancient times, not even achieved by the Five Emperors. After discussing with the scholars, we believe that in ancient times, there were Heaven Emperor, Earth Emperor, and Great Emperor, with the Great Emperor being the most revered. We risk our lives to suggest to Your Majesty to adopt the title 'Great Emperor', with commands referred to as 'orders' and laws referred to as 'decrees', and for the Emperor to address himself as 'I'."
Emperor Qin Shi Huang said: "Remove the word 'Great', use 'Emperor', and adopt the ancient title of 'Emperor', so let it be called 'Emperor'. Do the rest according to your opinions." Emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered: "It shall be done." Emperor Qin Shi Huang posthumously honored King Zhuangxiang as the Retired Emperor. Emperor Qin Shi Huang decreed: "I have heard that in ancient times there were no posthumous titles, in the middle ages there were titles, and posthumous titles were given based on behavior after death. This would lead to discussions among sons about their fathers and subjects about their rulers, which is absurd. I will not adopt this practice. From now on, abolish the system of posthumous titles. I shall be known as the First Emperor. In the future, use numbers for counting, the Second Emperor, the Third Emperor, and so on, down to the Ten Thousandth Emperor, passing on without end."
Qin Shi Huang believed that the world should change according to the Five Elements cyclical theory. He thought that the Zhou Dynasty represented the virtue of fire, and the Qin Dynasty replacing the Zhou Dynasty was water conquering fire. Now is the beginning of the water virtue, so the new year now began on the first day of October. Clothing, flags, and all kinds of symbols were all in black. The year was counted using the number six; official headwear and legal documents featured ornaments six inches long, carriages were six feet wide, and a step measured six feet, with six-horse teams. He also renamed the Yellow River to De River, symbolizing the beginning of the water virtue. He was ruthless and severe, a man of cold calculation, handling all matters according to the law, callous and devoid of mercy, in order to conform to the number of the "Five Virtues." Therefore, he enforced strict laws, not even pardoning those imprisoned for a long time.
Next, the Prime Minister and others said to Qin Shi Huang, "The regional lords had only recently been wiped out. Yan, Qi, and Chu are far from Xianyang. If we don't make them kings, these regions will be difficult to manage. We suggest that you appoint your sons as kings; it's up to you." Qin Shi Huang presented this to his court, and everyone thought it was a good idea. However, the Minister of Justice, Li Si, expressed a different opinion: "During the Zhou Dynasty, Kings Wen and Wu invested many of their relatives with princely titles, but they grew estranged and warred amongst themselves. The princes killed each other, which the Zhou emperor could not control. Now, you have unified the country with divine power, changed everything to prefectures and counties, and rewarded his deserving sons and ministers handsomely. If the people are loyal, the country will naturally be stable. Therefore, establishing feudal kingships is not appropriate." Qin Shi Huang said, "The endless wars were all because of the feudal lords. Now that peace is finally here, creating more feudal states would be disastrous. The Minister of Justice's opinion is correct."
Therefore, Qin Shi Huang divided the whole country into thirty-six commanderies, each with a county governor, county lieutenant, and overseer. He also renamed the common people "the commoners." Then he held a lavish celebratory feast to celebrate. Afterwards, Qin Shi Huang collected all the weapons in the country to Xianyang, melted them down to make bells and gate rings, and also cast twelve bronze statues, each weighing one thousand dan, placed in the palace. He standardized weights and measures, unified the script, and standardized the width of chariot wheels. The territory of the Qin Dynasty extended from the coast and Korea in the east, to Lintao and Qiang territory in the west, south to Beixianghu, and north to the Yellow River as the border, all the way to the Yinshan Mountains, and then to Liaodong. Qin Shi Huang relocated all the wealthy households in the country to Xianyang, a total of twelve thousand households. Various temples, pleasure palaces, and Shanglin Park were all located south of the Wei River. Whenever the Qin Dynasty defeated a vassal state, they would dismantle their palaces and transport them to the northern slope of Xianyang, south along the Wei River, with palaces, pavilions, and connecting structures stretching endlessly from Yongmen eastwards to the Jing River and Wei River. The vassals' beauties and musical instruments were also brought into the palace.
In 227 BC, Qin Shi Huang went on an inspection tour to Longxi and Beidi, crossing Jitou Mountain and passing through Huizhong. Then he built Xingong in Weinan, later renamed it Jimo, meaning like the North Star in the sky. A road was built from Jimo to Lishan, and a front hall was built in Ganquan. A corridor was also built from Xianyang to there. That year, he elevated the ranks of his ministers and repaired the roads.
In 226 BC, Qin Shi Huang toured the eastern commanderies, climbing Zouyi Mountain. There, he erected a stele, discussed with Lu Confucians, inscribed words praising the merits of the Qin Dynasty on the stele, and discussed the matter of worshiping the mountains and rivers. Then he ascended Mount Tai, erected a stele for the worship, and sacrificed to heaven and earth. As he descended the mountain, a sudden storm hit, and he took shelter under a tree, thus naming the tree the Five Great Masters, bestowing upon it a noble title. He then went to Liangfu Mountain for another worship. The inscription on the stele read as follows:
"After the emperor ascended the throne, he established clear laws, which all his subjects obeyed without question. For twenty-six years, the empire was firmly under control, and there was no place that did not comply. I personally inspected the distant people, climbed Mount Tai, and toured the easternmost point. My ministers celebrated my accomplishments and praised my virtues. Governing the country, production proceeded in an orderly manner, all following established laws. The great achievements are glorious and enduring, to be passed down to future generations, to be inherited and carried forward by descendants without change. I ruled justly and cared for my people; after pacifying the world, I did not slack in governance. I dedicated myself to my duties, laying the foundation for long-term benefits, especially emphasizing education. My teachings spread far and wide, and all adhered to and inherited the sacred intentions. Everyone, from high to low, man and woman, knew their place and fulfilled their duties. My government was clean and honest, benefiting future generations. Education flourished, and future generations must adhere to the decrees, always upholding my laws."
Afterwards, the Emperor continued eastward, crossing the Yellow River and the Huai River, reaching Chengshan, ascending Zhi Fu Mountain, where he also erected a stele extolling the merits of the Qin Dynasty before departing. Heading south to Langya, he was very pleased and stayed there for three months. He also moved thirty thousand families to the foot of Langya Terrace, where they lived for twelve years. He built a platform at Langya Terrace, erected steles inscribed with praises for the merits of the Qin Dynasty, and proclaimed his achievements. The inscription reads:
維二十八年，皇帝作始。端平法度，萬物之紀。以明人事，合同父子。聖智仁義，顯白道理。東撫東土，以省卒士。事已大畢，乃臨於海。皇帝之功，勤勞本事。上農除末，黔首是富。普天之下，摶心揖志。器械一量，同書文字。日月所照，舟輿所載。皆終其命，莫不得意。應時動事，是維皇帝。匡飭異俗，陵水經地。憂恤黔首，朝夕不懈。除疑定法，咸知所辟。方伯分職，諸治經易。舉錯必當，莫不如畫。皇帝之明，臨察四方。尊卑貴賤，不踰次行。奸邪不容，皆務貞良。細大盡力，莫敢怠荒。遠邇辟隱，專務肅莊。端直敦忠，事業有常。皇帝之德，存定四極。誅亂除害，興利致福。節事以時，諸產繁殖。黔首安寧，不用兵革。六親相保，終無寇賊。驩欣奉教，盡知法式。六合之內，皇帝之土。西涉流沙，南盡北戶。東有東海，北過大夏。人跡所至，無不臣者。功蓋五帝，澤及牛馬。莫不受德，各安其宇。
維秦王兼有天下，立名為皇帝，乃撫東土，至於琅邪。列侯武城侯王離、列侯通武侯王賁、倫侯建成侯趙亥、倫侯昌武侯成、倫侯武信侯馮毋擇、丞相隗林、丞相王綰、卿李斯、卿王戊、五大夫趙嬰、五大夫楊樛從，與議於海上。曰：「古之帝者，地不過千里，諸侯各守其封域，或朝或否，相侵暴亂，殘伐不止，猶刻金石，以自為紀。古之五帝三王，知教不同，法度不明，假威鬼神，以欺遠方，實不稱名，故不久長。其身未歿，諸侯倍叛，法令不行。今皇帝並一海內，以為郡縣，天下和平。昭明宗廟，體道行德，尊號大成。群臣相與誦皇帝功德，刻於金石，以為表經。
( In the twenty-eighth year, the Emperor began his great undertaking. He rectified and harmonized the laws and regulations, establishing the order of all things. To clarify human affairs and unite fathers and sons, with wisdom, intelligence, benevolence, and righteousness, he made clear the principles of the Way. He pacified the eastern lands to reduce the burden on the soldiers. Having completed great tasks, he then arrived at the sea.
The Emperor's achievements stemmed from his diligent efforts. He promoted agriculture and eliminated unproductive activities; thus, the common people were enriched. Under the whole heaven, all united their hearts and aspirations. Weights and measures were standardized, and the script was unified. Wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever boats and carts travel, all fulfill their destiny; none fail to be content. Acting in accordance with the times, initiating proper actions—this is the Emperor.
He rectified and reformed different customs, crossing rivers and traversing lands. Caring for the common people, he worked tirelessly day and night. He eliminated doubts and established laws; all knew what to avoid. Regional governors were assigned duties; all administered according to proper standards. Every action was appropriate; none deviated from the norm.
The brilliance of the Emperor overspread and inspected the four quarters. High and low, noble and humble, none overstepped their ranks. Treachery and wickedness were not tolerated; all strove for honesty and goodness. Great and small alike exerted their efforts; none dared to be negligent. From distant to near, all avoided concealment, focusing solely on solemnity and decorum. Upright and sincere, promoting loyalty, their undertakings were consistent.
The Emperor's virtue established and stabilized the four extremes. He punished disorder and eliminated harm, promoting benefit and bringing blessings. Managing affairs according to the times, all production flourished abundantly. The common people were at peace; weapons were not used. Relatives protected one another; there were no robbers or thieves. Joyfully they followed his teachings; all knew the laws and regulations.
Within the six directions, all is the Emperor's land. To the west, he crossed the Flowing Sands; southward, he reached the Northern Tribes; eastward to the Eastern Sea; north beyond Daxia. Wherever human footprints reach, there are none who are not his subjects. His achievements surpass those of the Five Emperors; his benevolence extends even to cattle and horses. None fail to receive his virtue; each is secure in their dwelling.
The King of Qin unified the world, establishing the title of Emperor, then pacified the eastern lands, reaching Langya. The marquises—Marquis of Wucheng, Wang Li; Marquis of Tongwu, Wang Ben; Noble Marquis of Jiancheng, Zhao Hai; Noble Marquis of Changwu, Cheng; Noble Marquis of Wuxin, Feng Wuze; the Chancellors Wei Lin and Wang Wan; Ministers Li Si and Wang Wu; and the senior officials Zhao Ying and Yang Qiu—accompanied him and conferred at the seaside.
They said, "In ancient times, the emperors' territories did not exceed a thousand li; the feudal lords each defended their own domains, sometimes paying court, sometimes not. They invaded and oppressed one another, ceaselessly waging destructive wars, yet still engraved metal and stone to record their deeds. The Five Emperors and Three Kings of old had differing teachings, and laws were unclear. They feigned the power of ghosts and spirits to deceive distant lands, but did not truly live up to their titles; therefore, they did not endure long. Before their demise, the feudal lords rebelled against them; laws and decrees went unenforced.
"Now, the Emperor has unified all within the seas, dividing the land into commanderies and counties; the world is at peace. He has glorified the ancestral temples, embodied the Way, and practiced virtue; his exalted title has been greatly fulfilled. We, his ministers, together praise the Emperor's merits and virtues, engraving them on metal and stone to serve as a lasting record." )
Next, a man named Xu Fu from the Qi state submitted a memorial stating that there were three sacred mountains in the sea, named Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou, where immortals resided. He requested the emperor to fast and take thousands of children to search for the immortals. Therefore, the Emperor dispatched Xu Fu with thousands of children to set sail in search of the immortals.
When Qin Shi Huang returned, he passed by Peng City, performed rituals of purification and prayer, wanting to retrieve the tripod of the Zhou Dynasty from the Si River. He sent a thousand people to search underwater, but they didn't find it. Then, he crossed the Huai River to the southwest, arriving at Hengshan and Nanjun. He traveled by boat along the river to Xiangshan to offer sacrifices. Encountering a strong wind, he almost couldn't pass. Qin Shi Huang asked the imperial scholar, "Who is Xiang Jun?" The scholar replied, "It is said that she is Yao's daughter, Shun's wife, buried here." Qin Shi Huang was furious upon hearing this and ordered three thousand prisoners to cut down the trees on Xiangshan, devastating the mountain. Afterwards, Qin Shi Huang returned from Nanjun via Wuguan.
In the twenty-ninth year, Qin Shi Huang made an inspection tour east. When he reached Yangwu Bolangsha, he was ambushed by bandits. Despite searching, they were not found, so he ordered a nationwide manhunt for ten days.
When he arrived at Zhifu, he carved a stone tablet. The inscription reads:
In the spring of 229 BC, the weather warmed up. The emperor went on an eastern tour and arrived at Zhifu Mountain, overlooking the sea. The accompanying officials were very happy, celebrating the emperor's achievements and extolling his great deeds at the beginning of the founding of the country. He was a wise and strong leader, setting down laws and keeping everyone in line. He educated the princes, bestowed favors, and explained right and wrong with reason. In the past, the six states fought each other, were greedy and cruel, and there was constant killing. The emperor took pity on the people, so he sent troops to suppress, demonstrating great military strength. The just suppression proceeded smoothly, and his reputation spread far and wide, with no one daring to disobey. He pacified the violent, rescued the people, and stabilized the world. He widely implemented clear laws, governed the world, and became an eternal model. Truly great! Everyone was on board. The officials praised the emperor's achievements, requesting that a stone be carved on Zhifu Mountain as a permanent memorial. The inscription on the east-facing stone reads:
In the year 229 BC, the emperor embarked on a springtime imperial progress to inspect the remote regions. Upon reaching the seaside, he climbed to the top of Mount Zhifu, bathed in the morning sun. Gazing at the vast and beautiful scenery, the accompanying officials all remembered the emperor's unparalleled wisdom. The imperial law was just beginning to be enforced, clearing the chaos within the country and quelling uprisings abroad. His military might resonated throughout the land, striking fear into the hearts of all, and eliminating the vassals of the six states. Unifying the world, suppressing rebellions, and permanently ending wars, his virtuous rule brought peace to the land. Handling all affairs diligently without slack, he established great policies and prepared various tools, all in order. Officials carried out their duties diligently and without question. The people embraced the new order, living under the same just laws, enjoying an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity. The positions have been determined, future generations follow the previous achievements, and forever inherit the emperor's rule of wisdom. The court, in recognition of his achievements, requested that a stone inscription be erected on Mount Zhifu. Afterwards, the emperor went to Langya, passing through Shangdang.
In the year 228 BC, there was peace throughout the land.
In December 227 BC, the twelfth month was renamed Jiaping. The people were rewarded with six stones of rice and two sheep per household. Emperor Qin Shi Huang went incognito to Xianyang, bringing only four warriors. While leaving the city at night, they encountered bandits at Lanchi; the situation was critical, and the warriors killed the bandits. A twenty-day manhunt swept through Guanzhong, capturing over 1600 stones of rice.
In the year 226 BC, Emperor Qin Shi Huang arrived at Jieshi, sending the Yan people to search for Xianmen and Gaoshi. Inscribed stones were erected at Jieshi. City walls were demolished, and embankments were dredged. The inscription reads:
Wow, with one decree from the emperor, troops were sent to fight and deal with those who were disobedient, wiping out the rebels! After the battle, the emperor was all sweetness and light, and the innocent common people were obedient. Rewards were given; things were so good, even the livestock prospered, and the entire country became prosperous! The emperor was majestic, and all the feudal lords listened to him, bringing peace to the land! He also ordered the repair of the city walls, dredging of rivers, and leveling of dangerous areas, making travel safer and life easier for everyone. Men happily planted crops, women diligently wove, everyone had their roles, and everything was in order. His benevolence brought stability and secure homes to all. The ministers praised the emperor's achievements, requesting the erection of a monument to record these events as an example. Then, the emperor sent Han Zhong, Hou Gong, and Shi Sheng to search for the elixir of immortality (the mythical potion of eternal life)! It is said that the First Emperor himself went on an inspection tour to the north, entering from Shangjun. There was a man from the Yan State named Lu Sheng, who returned from the sea and told the emperor about some ghost stories, presenting some books and saying, "The Xiongnu will be the downfall of the Qin Dynasty in the future." Upon hearing this, the emperor immediately sent the Grand General Meng Tian with thirty thousand troops to the north to fight the Xiongnu, and also conquered Henan.
In the thirty-third year, the Emperor once again arrested those fugitives, men who married into families, and merchants, sending them to the Lu Liang region to open up new lands, establishing the three counties of Guilin, Xiang Jun, and Nanhai, essentially a form of exile. In the northwest, the Emperor continued to fight against the Xiongnu, from Yuzhong to east of the Yellow River, all the way to the Yinshan Mountains, establishing forty-four counties and building the Great Wall along the Yellow River. He also sent Meng Tian to cross the Yellow River, occupying places like Gaoque, Yangshan, and Beijiazhong, constructing many guard posts and watchtowers to defend against the Xiongnu. The criminals were exiled to the newly established counties, and sacrificial activities were prohibited. That year, a bright morning star appeared in the west. In the thirty-fourth year, the Emperor cleaned house among corrupt officials, continued to build the Great Wall, and turned his attention to the southern Yue region.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang held a banquet at Xianyang Palace, where seventy scholars paid their respects and wished him a long life. A high-ranking official named Zhou Qingchen approached to flatter him, saying, "In the past, the land of Qin was more than a thousand li, thanks to your wise and martial leadership, you have pacified the whole country, driven away the barbarians, and all the lands under heaven have submitted to you. You have turned the territories of the vassal states into counties, allowing everyone to live in peace and prosperity, with no more danger of war. This merit can be passed down forever! From ancient times to today, no one can compare to your achievements!" Emperor Qin Shi Huang was very pleased to hear this.
Then, a scholar named Chunyu Yue from the Qi state stood up and said, "I have heard that the rule of the Yin and Zhou dynasties lasted for over a thousand years; they granted land to descendants and meritorious officials, allowing them to support each other and assist the king together. Now, Your Majesty has unified the whole country, but your descendants are treated like ordinary people. If someone like Tian Chang or the Six Ministers rose up, and you had no one to support you, who would help you? I have never heard of a long-lasting rule without learning from historical experience. Now Zhou Qingchen is openly flattering, aggravating Your Majesty's fault; he is not a loyal subject!" Emperor Qin Shi Huang put the matter up for debate.
Prime Minister Li Si said: "The systems of the Five Emperors are all different, and the systems of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties are also different. They each have their own methods of governance, not contradictory to each other, but changing with the times. Your Majesty has now initiated a great cause and established an everlasting achievement, which is not something those out-of-touch academics can understand. Furthermore, Chunyu Yue's ideas are all about the old ways of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou; what is there worth emulating? In the past, the vassals fought each other, and those wandering scholars spread ancient teachings everywhere. Now that the world is unified, we've got one set of laws now; everyone should be working the land and doing their jobs, and scholars should study laws and regulations and obey prohibitions. These scholars today do not study the current laws and regulations, but study ancient teachings, using them to negate the present, confusing the people. Let me be blunt: in ancient times, the world was chaotic, and no one could unify it, which is why the vassals fought each other. Those people always used ancient teachings to attack the present, using false statements to disrupt reality. People like to delve into their own private studies, negating the system established by Your Majesty. Now that Your Majesty has unified the world, distinguished right from wrong, and established your authority, these private teachings go against our laws. When the common people hear orders, they use their own teachings to discuss, feeling dissatisfied, going out and spreading rumors, blowing their own trumpets and acting all smart, leading the people to spread slander. If we don't stop this, Your Majesty's authority will crumble, and rebellions will start. Therefore, it must be prohibited! I suggest burning all books that are not from the state of Qin; any books not approved by the court, if anyone dares to possess poetry, books, or works of various schools of thought, they must be sent to the county magistrate to be burned. Anyone caught talking about these books will be killed; anyone who uses old ideas to criticize the new order will be wiped out; officials who know and don't report will be punished just as severely; anyone who hasn't burned their books in 30 days will be shaved bald and forced to do hard labor. The only books not to be burned are those on medicine, divination, and tree planting. Want to learn the law? Learn it from the officials."
"Emperor Qin Shi Huang commanded, 'Get it done!'"
So, the story goes that when Qin Shi Huang reigned for thirty-five years, he ordered the construction of a road from Jiuyuan to Yunyang, with mountains leveled and ravines filled, making a straight shot. Then, Shi Huang thought Xianyang was getting overcrowded, and his old palace was way too cramped. He heard that King Wen of Zhou built Fengyi as his capital, and King Wu built Haojing as his capital, figuring that Fengyi and Haojing were prime spots for royal digs. Therefore, he began to build a new imperial palace in the Shanglin Garden in Weinan. The main hall of what would become the Afang Palace was first built, with a length of five hundred steps east and west, and a width of fifty zhang north and south. It could hold 10,000 people, with room for a 5-zhang flagpole. He also built a raised walkway around the palace, extending from the front hall all the way to the South Mountain, and built a tower on top of the South Mountain. He also built a double road from the Afang Palace to the Wei River, connecting Xianyang, like a constellation, with the raised walkway spanning the Han River and leading directly to the Yingshi Star. The Afang Palace wasn't finished yet, but after it was built, he wanted to choose another nice name for it. Because the Afang Palace was built first, people everywhere called it the Afang Palace. The construction of the Afang Palace, as well as other palaces, involved over 700,000 prisoners, some of whom were building the Afang Palace and some were building the Lishan Palace. Stone was quarried from the North Mountain, and they brought in lumber from the Shu and Jing regions. A total of three hundred palaces were built in the Guanzhong area, and more than four hundred were built beyond Guanzhong. He also had a stone tablet erected in the territory of Xuyi County in the East China Sea, marking Qin's eastern border. He also moved 30,000 families to Liyi and fifty thousand households to Yunyang; these folks got a ten-year break from forced labor.
Lu Sheng said to the First Emperor: "We, who are searching for immortal herbs and elixirs of immortality, always fail to find them and often encounter harmful things instead. The books say that sometimes a monarch must travel in disguise to avoid evil spirits, and only then will immortals appear. If the monarch's residence is known to the ministers, it will hinder the arrival of immortals. True immortals can enter water without getting wet, enter fire without getting burned, ride above the clouds, and have the same lifespan as heaven and earth. But you're still not exactly zen-like, are you? I suggest that Your Majesty's residence should remain unknown, so that the elixir of immortality may be obtained." So the First Emperor said: "I long for immortals; I prefer 'True Man' to 'Your Majesty.'" He then ordered the construction of 270 palaces within a radius of 200 li around Xianyang, connected by corridors and walkways, filled with curtains, bells, drums, and beautiful women serving, with each palace's layout not to be changed. Whenever he decided to take a spin, anyone who revealed his whereabouts would be executed. Once, the First Emperor went to Liangshan Palace for leisure and wasn't too thrilled to see the prime minister's massive entourage. Someone informed the prime minister about this, and the prime minister later reduced the number of carriages. The First Emperor was furious and said, "Someone's been blabbing!" He investigated the matter, but no one admitted to it. At that time, he ordered the arrest of everyone present and had them all killed. Since then, no one knew his whereabouts. When it came to actually running the country, the ministers obeyed the emperor's orders; all official business was conducted in Xianyang Palace.
Hou Sheng and Lu Sheng were whispering together, saying: "Emperor Qin Shi Huang is naturally stubborn and arrogant. He annihilated the six states, unified the world, and thinks he's the bee's knees, believing he is more powerful than anyone in history. He especially trusts those jailers, each of whom has gained his favor. Although there are seventy scholars, they are just window dressing; he doesn't actually need them. The prime minister and ministers only butter him up with sweet-talking in front of the emperor. Emperor Shi Huang likes to use executions to show his power, so everyone is terrified of doing anything wrong, only thinking about keeping their official positions, with no one daring to speak the truth. The emperor doesn't listen to criticism, becoming more and more full of himself, so those below him can only flatter and please him. Under Qin law, if the content of a memorial does not match reality, the person who submitted it will be executed. However, there are three hundred-plus astrologers, all of whom are the real deal, but they are afraid of offending the emperor and dare not speak up. The emperor personally decides on everything, with piles of memorials to review every day, working around the clock until he's finished them. He was so power-hungry, he had no time to seek the elixir of life!" So, the two of them ran away.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang heard that they had absconded, and he was furious. He said, "I had previously confiscated and destroyed those useless books, and gathered a large number of scholars and alchemists, hoping they would help me govern the world. Those alchemists were all thinking about refining elixirs and seeking immortality. Now Han Zhong has absconded, and Xu Fu and his group have spent a huge amount of money, ultimately failing to find the elixir. Instead, complaints from disgruntled individuals poured in daily. I treated Lu Sheng and the others well, rewarding them with many things, but they slandered me and added to my woes! I'll have those Xianyang scholars investigated to see if anyone is spreading rumors and disturbing the people." So, he ordered the imperial censor to investigate all scholars, and they ratted each other out, ultimately incriminating themselves. There were more than four hundred and sixty people who had committed crimes, and they were all executed in Xianyang, as a warning to the people, and he cracked down on exiles and relocations in the border regions.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang's eldest son, Fusu, advised, "We've just pacified the land; the outlying regions aren't fully under our control yet. Those scholars are all studying Confucius' teachings, but now you're cracking down on them with harsh laws. I fear unrest; I hope the emperor will consider this carefully." Enraged, he sent Fusu to Shangjun to keep an eye on Meng Tian.
In 211 BC – bad vibes all around! Mars was parked right over the Heart Star, a seriously bad omen! A shooting star landed in Dongjun County, turning into a rock. Some people carved a few words on the stone: "Emperor Qin Shi Huang died and the land was divided." When Qin Shi Huang heard this, he flipped his lid! He quickly sent the imperial censor to investigate and ask who did it, but no one admitted. He had everyone near the rock killed and then had the rock burned!
Qin Shi Huang was cheesed off and couldn't shake it, so he had the scholars write some poems about the gods and have poems written about all the best holiday spots in the country, and had the musicians sing and play music to divert attention. In the autumn, an envoy passing through Huayin Pingshu Road at night was stopped by a bloke who held a piece of jade bi and said, "Help me deliver this to the fella at Haichi." Then he added, "This year, the Dragon Ancestor has died!" When the envoy heard this, he quickly asked what was going on, but the man disappeared in a flash, leaving only the jade bi. The envoy took the jade bi and reported the matter to Qin Shi Huang.
Qin Shi Huang remained silent for a long time before saying, "Mountain spirits only know what's happened in the last year." He then explained, "The Dragon Ancestor refers to the people's ancestor." After investigating, it was found that this jade bi had sunk twenty-eight years ago when crossing the river! Qin Shi Huang then divined and the hexagram indicated that migration was auspicious, so he ordered the relocation of 30,000 families in Beihai Yuzhong and promoted the officials by one rank.
On the day of Guichou in October of 210 BC, Qin Shi Huang went out for another excursion. Si Cong, the top dog, followed, while Gao Jili, his number two, stayed behind. His youngest son Hu Hai also wanted to go, and Qin Shi Huang agreed. They went to Yunmeng in November, paid their respects to Emperor Shun at Mount Jiuyi, then cruised downriver, past Jike, across the Haizhu, through Danyang, to Qiantang. In Zhejiang, the current was too strong, so they went west for 120 li to find a narrower crossing. They reached Kuaiji, worshipped Great Yu, gazed at the South Sea, and erected a stele there, inscribed with words praising the achievements of the Qin Dynasty. The inscription went like this:
The Emperor, with profound benevolence, pacified the world. In his thirty-seven years of reign, he personally toured the empire, inspecting the provinces. When he arrived in Kuaiji, he familiarized himself with local customs, and the people were respectful and cautious. His ministers attributed his success to his wise rule. Qin Shihuang established a comprehensive legal code from the outset, clarifying existing systems and clearly defining the responsibilities of officials, creating a lasting system.
The warring lords of the six states governed independently, greedy and cruel, arrogant and aggressive, leading armies to fight fiercely. They ruled tyrannically, proud of their powerful military, repeatedly starting wars. They secretly conspired and bribed messengers to further their schemes. They plotted invasions and ultimately caused chaos. The emperor, with his righteous authority, executed them, quelled the rebellion, and eliminated the traitors. His virtuous rule brought prosperity to the land.
The emperor governed the world, listening to various opinions and carefully considering all matters, big and small. He examined facts and provided evaluations. Regardless of status, good or bad, he faced everything openly. He reformed the court, promoted justice, and strictly enforced laws against women remarrying after the death of their husbands and against adultery. He prevented internal and external collusion, prohibited licentiousness, and required both men and women to maintain pure conduct. Adultery on the part of a husband was punishable by death; men were expected to adhere to moral standards. A wife who abandoned her family forfeited her parental rights, to uphold social order.
By cracking down on social ills, the world enjoyed the peace and prosperity of a harmonious era. Everyone followed the law, lived in peace, and worked hard. People lived peaceful, prosperous lives. Future generations would uphold the law, ensuring lasting peace and stability, a nation as steadfast as an unsinkable ship. His ministers praised his achievements and requested to carve this stone tablet to let his merits be remembered for generations to come.
Word was, Qin Shi Huang went on an eastern tour, crossing the Yangtze River from Jiang, traveling north along the coast, and arriving at Langya. At that time, there was a diviner named Xu Fu, who led a group of people to sail out in search of the elixir of life, but for several years they had not found it, spending a fortune. Fearing the emperor's blame, he lied, claiming the elixir was on Penglai Island but that giant sharks kept attacking them. He requested the emperor to send some expert archers with him to shoot the giant sharks with crossbows when they encountered them.
Before that, Qin Shi Huang had a dream where he fought with the sea god, who looked like a human. He had the dream interpreted, and the diviners said, "The sea god's invisible, but you can tell by the big fish and dragons. Since you've done all these sacrifices, and this evil god's shown up, you gotta get rid of it to bring in the good ones." Therefore, Qin Shi Huang ordered the people going out to sea to bring tools to kill giant fish, and he himself brought a crossbow to shoot any giant fish that appeared. They traveled from Langya north to Rongcheng Mountain without seeing any giant fish. When they reached Zhifu, they finally saw a huge fish, which Qin Shi Huang shot and killed. Then they headed west along the coast.
When reaching the Plain of Jìng, Qin Shi Huang fell ill. Qin Shi Huang was extremely sensitive about discussions of death, so the ministers did not dare to mention the word. As the emperor's condition worsened, he wrote a secret edict to Prince Fusu, instructing him to hurry to Xianyang to participate in the funeral and handle the aftermath. The edict was sealed and entrusted to Zhao Gao, who was responsible for safeguarding the imperial seal, but it had not been delivered to the messenger. On the seventh day of the seventh month, in the year of Bingyin, Qin Shi Huang passed away on the Sand Dune Platform. Prime Minister Li Si, fearing unrest among the princes and the realm if the emperor's death was revealed, secretly concealed it and did not announce the mourning. The emperor's coffin was placed on a mourning carriage, accompanied by favored eunuchs who took their meals en route. The officials continued to report as usual, with the eunuchs conveying the emperor's orders from the carriage. Only Hu Hai, Zhao Gao, and a few favored eunuchs knew of the emperor's death. Zhao Gao had previously taught Hu Hai to write and understand legal texts, and Hu Hai looked upon him with favor. Therefore, Zhao Gao conspired with Prince Hu Hai and Prime Minister Li Si to destroy the edict Qin Shi Huang had given to Prince Fusu, forging a decree in Li Si's name designating Hu Hai as crown prince at Sand Dune. They also fabricated a decree ordering the execution of Prince Fusu and Meng Tian, fabricating charges to justify their executions. The detailed account is recorded in Li Si's biography. Subsequently, the coffin was transported from Jingxing to Jiuyuan. Due to the hot weather, the stench in the carriage was unbearable, so orders were given for officials to transport several carts of abalone to mask the smell of the corpse.
On the journey to Xianyang, Qin Shi Huang died. His son, Hu Hai, inherited the throne and became the Second Emperor. He was buried in Mount Li in September. When Qin Shi Huang first ascended the throne, he began to build his tomb in Mount Li. After unifying the country, over 700,000 people were conscripted to build it. They dug three layers of underground palace, placed a bronze coffin inside, filled with palaces, government buildings, and countless treasures. They also installed self-triggering crossbows to kill anyone who approached. Mercury was used to create artificial rivers and seas, with intricate mechanisms and astronomical patterns above and geographical features below. Candles made of fish oil were said to burn for a long time. The Second Emperor decreed, "Any concubine who hadn't borne him a son should die!" After the burial, the craftsmen, all of whom knew the mechanisms, had designed them. Once the tomb was complete, the bodies were buried, the inner and outer doors were sealed, entombing the craftsmen alive. Trees were planted to create the illusion of a mountain.
In the first year of the second emperor's reign, he was twenty-one years old. Zhao Gao served as the Minister of Palace Attendants and held great power. The second emperor issued an edict to increase the sacrificial offerings for the First Emperor's tomb, as well as the rituals for worshipping the spirits of mountains and rivers. He also had his ministers discuss how to honor the First Emperor's shrine. The ministers bowed deeply and said, "Back in the old days, emperors had seven shrines, princes had five, and nobles had three, which would not be destroyed even after tens of thousands of years. Now the First Emperor's shrine is of the highest rank, receiving tributes from all over the country, with increased sacrificial offerings and complete rituals; there is no need to add more. The shrines of the former kings are located in Xiyong and Xianyang. The emperor should personally worship the First Emperor's shrine. Since the time of Duke Xiang, the shrines have been destroyed, and now there are only seven left. The ministers will perform the rituals according to the proper etiquette, using the First Emperor's shrine as the ancestral shrine of the emperors." The emperor then began referring to himself as "I."
The second emperor and Zhao Gao discussed, "I'm too young for this job, and the people aren't exactly loyal. The late emperor toured the various regions, showcasing his strength and intimidating the entire nation. Now I am staying calmly and appear weak, unable to control the world." In the spring, the second emperor toured the eastern regions with Li Si following. They went to Jieshi, followed the coast south to Kuaiji, where they inscribed new content on the stone tablets left by the First Emperor, alongside the names of the accompanying officials and ministers, to boost his old man's reputation.
The emperor said, "The deeds of the First Emperor are all recorded on the golden stone tablets. Now that I have inherited the throne, the words on the tablets do not mention the First Emperor. If this continues for a long time, it will be like what the descendants do, not praising his achievements and virtues." Prime Minister Si, Qu Ji, and the Grand Master of the Imperial Carriage, De, bowed deeply and said, "We request the production of stone tablets inscribed with edicts, so it is clear. We're willing to stake our necks on this." The emperor said, "It can be done." And with that, the Second Emperor of Qin journeyed to Liaodong, before returning to the capital.
Next, Second Emperor Qin followed Zhao Gao's advice and tightened his grip on power through harsher laws. Privately, he had a secret meeting with Zhao Gao, saying, "The ministers do not obey me, the officials are still powerful, and my own brothers will definitely compete with me for the throne. What should I do?" Zhao Gao said, "I originally wanted to say this, but I have been afraid to. The ministers of the late emperor all come from prominent families with a long history of accumulating merits and passing down for generations. I, Zhao Gao, come from humble origins, yet Your Majesty has promoted me to a high position to manage the court affairs. They pretend to obey, but secretly resent me. Now that Your Majesty has ascended the throne, why not take this opportunity to purge the disloyal officials to intimidate the world and eliminate those who could not be cleared during the late emperor's reign? Now's the time for action, not talk; I hope Your Majesty will firmly follow this method and not hesitate, so that the ministers will have no other thoughts. A wise ruler should elevate the lowly, enrich the poor, and bring those distant close, so that there is unity from top to bottom, and the country can be stable." The Second Emperor said, "Okay." So he began a purge of ministers and princes, dragging down countless connected officials in their downfall; none escaped. The sixth prince was executed in Dudi. Prince Jiang Lu and his two brothers were imprisoned in the palace, and their charges were finally tried. The Second Emperor sent envoys to see Jiang Lu, saying, "Prince, you have committed the crime of disloyalty and should be executed according to the law!" Jiang Lu said, "I have never violated etiquette in the court; I have never been negligent in my duties in the court; when given orders to answer questions, I have never misspoken. What is disloyalty? I hope to know my charges before I die." The envoy said, "I'm just following orders." Jiang Lu then shouted three times to the sky, saying, "Heaven! I am innocent!" He and his brothers wept, then fell on their swords. The royal family members were all frightened. Some courtiers advised against it, but were considered slanderous; the high officials all tried to please the Second Emperor to keep their positions, and terror gripped the populace.
In April, Qin Shi Huang's son returned to Xianyang and said, "My father felt that the palace in Xianyang was too small, so he built the Afang Palace. Sadly, he died before it was finished, leaving the project incomplete. The tomb's done, but the palace isn't. See? Dad made a mistake!" So, he began to rebuild the Afang Palace. Like his father, he kept the peace on the borders. He summoned fifty thousand skilled craftsmen and soldiers to station in Xianyang, training them in archery, horsemanship, and hunting.
Feeding so many people stretched supplies. He ordered food and fodder from all over and made every soldier carry their own rations. No one within 300 miles of Xianyang could eat local food. His rule grew increasingly brutal and oppressive.
In July, Chen Sheng, Wu Guang, and other soldiers launched a rebellion in the old Chu region under the banner of "Zhang Chu." Chen Sheng proclaimed himself King of Chu and stationed in Chen County, sending his subordinates to fight in various places. In Shandong, fed up with Qin rule, young men killed their magistrates and joined Chen Sheng, setting themselves up as kings. They attacked from the west – a seemingly endless tide. An official brought news of the rebellion; the Emperor, enraged, had him arrested. Later, another messenger arrived, and the Emperor asked about the situation of the rebellion. The messenger replied, "Just a few bandits; the local officials are rounding them up. Nothing to worry about." The Emperor was very pleased to hear this. Meanwhile, Wu Chen became King of Zhao, Wei Jiu King of Wei, Tian Dan King of Qi, and Liu Bang and Xiang Liang raised their own armies in Pei and Kuaiji.
In the second winter, the generals led by Zhou Zhang, sent by Chen Sheng, brought hundreds of thousands, maybe even more, troops to Xi County. The Second Emperor of Qin was frightened and quickly consulted with his ministers: "What should we do?" Zhang Han, the construction minister, said: "The rebel army has already arrived, and their military strength is very strong. There's no time to round up the local troops. There are many laborers at Li Mountain repairing the tombs, so why not free them, arm them, and send them to fight?" The Second Emperor then ordered the pardon of criminals throughout the country and appointed Zhang Han as the general to suppress the rebel army. Zhang Han defeated Zhou Zhang's army, thrashed Xiang Liang twice, once at Chengfu and again at Dingtang, and eliminated Wei Jiu in Linji. The big shots of the Chu rebellion were all wiped out, so Zhang Han crossed the Yellow River to attack Zhao Wang Xie and others in Julu.
Zhao Gao said to Hu Hai: "The old guy had been emperor so long, the ministers were too scared to get any funny ideas. You are still young and have just become emperor. Why bother dealing with all this court stuff yourself? If you handle it wrong, won't it show that you are incompetent? Emperors hardly ever say 'I'. Therefore, Hu Hai often stayed in the palace and consulted with Zhao Gao on all matters.
After a while, ministers were rarely seen at court, and thieves were running rampant. The troops in the Guanzhong region were constantly sent to the east to suppress the rebellion, but it could not be stopped. The Right Chancellor Feng Quji, Left Chancellor Li Si, and General Feng Jie jointly memorialized: "Eastern bandits were running wild, and Qin's armies were getting slaughtered trying to stop them, but nothing worked. There are so many thieves because the border garrisons, transportation, and corvee labor are too harsh, and the taxes are too heavy. We need to stop building that fancy Afang Palace and cut back on the border troops and forced labor."
Hu Hai said, "I heard that Han Feizi said: 'Yao and Shun lived in houses made of rough beams without scraping or trimming, with thatched roofs, eating coarse food and drinking clear water. Even the officials guarding the palace gates did not live much better than this. Emperor Yu dug through the Dragon Gate, connected the Great Xia, dredged the rivers, and guided the great rivers to the sea, personally built dams with tools, and his calves were hairless from hard work. The toil of his subjects did not compare to his. A ruler of the world can indulge their every whim. If the ruler strictly enforces the law and subordinates dare not disobey, they can control the entire country. Emperors Yu and Shun, although they were emperors, personally experienced the hardships of the people to show concern for them. What need did they have for laws? As an emperor, I cannot truly enjoy the treatment of an emperor. I want to build a luxurious palace fit for an emperor like me. Furthermore, the late emperor pacified the rebellious states, unified the empire, repelled foreign invaders, and secured our borders, building palaces to showcase his achievements. You should look at the late emperor's great accomplishments. In my two years on the throne, outlaws are everywhere, and you cannot pacify them. You are also thwarting my father's plans. That's not only disrespectful to my father, it's treasonous! Do you still have the qualifications to hold office in the court?" So, Hu Hai arrested Feng Quji, Li Si, and Feng Jie on trumped-up charges. Feng Quji and Feng Jie said, "We ministers can't stand for this." They then committed suicide. Li Si was eventually imprisoned and subjected to torture.
Meanwhile, three years passed, and Zhang Han completely surrounded Julu City with the Qin army. Chu's General Xiang Yu led troops to rescue Julu. Winter arrived, and Zhao Gao simply had Li Si killed.
In the summer, Zhang Han and his troops suffered several defeats in battles against the Chu army. Qin Er Shi sent someone to persuade Zhang Han to surrender, but Zhang Han, afraid, sent his chief of staff Xin to intercede with Zhao Gao. However, Zhao Gao refused to see him or believe him. Xin, scared, fled, and although Zhao Gao sent people to chase him, they couldn't catch him. Xin found Zhang Han and told him, "Zhao Gao is all-powerful at court and will kill you even if you have achievements, and you will be killed even without achievements!" At this time, Xiang Yu attacked the Qin army fiercely, captured Wang Li, and when Zhang Han and his troops saw the situation was unfavorable, they bit the bullet and surrendered to the feudal lords.
On the day of Ji Hai in August, Zhao Gao wanted to rebel. Afraid that the ministers would not listen to him, he staged a demonstration. He presented a deer to Qin Er Shi, saying, "This is a horse!" Er Shi laughed and said, "Prime Minister, are you mistaken? Mistaking a deer for a horse?" He then asked the people around him; some remained silent, and some, in order to please Zhao Gao, also said it was a horse. If someone said it was a deer, Zhao Gao would secretly use the law to punish them. Later, the courtiers were all afraid of Zhao Gao.
Gaozu had previously said, "The eastern rebels are nothing to worry about," but after Xiang Yu defeated Qin general Wang Li and others in Julu, Zhang Han and the Qin army repeatedly retreated and requested reinforcements. The states of Yan, Zhao, Qi, Chu, Han, and Wei all declared themselves kings, and most of the areas east of the Hangu Pass betrayed the Qin Dynasty and responded to the call of the feudal lords. Liu Bang had already captured Wuguan with a sizable army and secretly contacted Gaozu. Gaozu was worried that Er Shi would be angry about this and bring him down, so he pretended to be ill and did not attend court.
The Emperor dreamed that a white tiger bit and killed the horse on his left while he was driving, and he was unsettled, so he went to ask for divination. The diviner said, "It's the Jing River's fault." The Emperor then performed rituals at the Wangyi Palace, preparing to sacrifice to the Jing River, and even sacrificed four white horses to the river. He then sent envoys to rebuke Gaozu, saying that he was tolerating the bandits' rebellion. Gaozu was very afraid, so he secretly discussed with his son-in-law Yan Le, the magistrate of Xianyang, and his brother Zhao Cheng, saying, "The Emperor's deaf to reason. We're in a tight spot, and he's trying to pin this on our family. I want to replace him and establish Prince Ying as the Emperor. Prince Ying is kind and frugal, and the people all support him." They had the Langzhongling positioned inside the palace, pretending that there were thieves causing chaos, and had Yan Le summon the officials to hunt down the bandits who kidnapped Le Mu, leading them to Gaozu's residence. Yan Le led more than a thousand soldiers to the gate of the Wangyi Palace, tied up the guards and attendants, and asked them, "Thieves have broken in, why didn't you stop them?" The guard scoffed, "Heavily guarded? Like bandits would dare!" Yan Le then killed the guard and led the soldiers straight in, shooting arrows as they went. The officials and eunuchs in the palace were all frightened; some ran away, while others resisted, and those who resisted were killed, with dozens of people dead. The Langzhongling and Yan Le rushed into the inner palace together, shooting through the Emperor's curtain. The Emperor was furious and called for the guards around him, but they were all in a panic and dared not fight. There was only one eunuch beside him, too scared to leave. The Emperor returned to the inner room and said to the eunuch, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? How could things have turned out like this?" The eunuch replied, "I kept my mouth shut and lived to tell the tale. If I had spoken earlier, we would have been killed long ago; how could we have survived until now?"
Yan Le went up to the Second Emperor and chewed him out, saying, "You are arrogant and tyrannical, killing the innocent. The whole world's turned against you. You need to figure out a solution yourself!" The Second Emperor asked, "Can I see the Prime Minister?" Yan Le replied, "No." The Second Emperor begged to be made king of a county, then a marquis, finally even just a commoner with his family, like any other noble. Yan Le said, "I've got orders from the Prime Minister to take you out. Ain't no amount of talkin' gonna change that." Yan Le waved his hand and ordered the soldiers to advance. The Second Emperor ultimately committed suicide.
Yan Le reported back to Zhao Gao. Zhao Gao quickly gathered all the ministers and nobles and told them about the plan to remove the Second Emperor. He said, "Qin was once just another vassal state; the First Emperor unified the six states and became Emperor. Now those six states are back, Qin's shrinking, and the Emperor title's meaningless. Better to be King again." So, they made the Second Emperor's nephew, Prince Ying, the King of Qin. They buried the Second Emperor in Yichun Garden, Dunan, then had Prince Ying cleanse himself, prepare for the temple rites, and receive the royal seal.
Following the brutal reign of the Second Emperor, the Qin Dynasty teetered on the brink of collapse. Ziying observed five days of ritual cleansing and discussed with his two sons, saying, "Prime Minister Zhao Gao killed the Second Emperor at Wangyi Palace. He is afraid that the courtiers will come to kill him, so he put me on the throne under the guise of righteousness. I heard that Zhao Gao had secretly made a pact with the Chu Kingdom to wipe out the Qin royal line and declare himself king in Guanzhong. He's making me accept the throne at the ancestral temple—a perfect opportunity to kill me. If I pretend to be sick and not go, Prime Minister Zhao Gao will definitely come in person, and I will kill him as soon as he arrives." Zhao Gao sent people to invite Ziying several times, but Ziying refused to go. Zhao Gao indeed went in person and said, "The ancestral temple rites are of utmost importance. Your Majesty, why don't you go?" Ziying then assassinated Zhao Gao in the fasting palace, executed Zhao Gao's entire clan, and displayed them in Xianyang. Ziying became the King of Qin for 46 days. The Chu general, Xiang Yu (later known as the Hegemon-King of Western Chu), defeated the Qin army, broke through Wuguan, and advanced to Bashang. He sent people to arrange my surrender with Ziying. Ziying bound himself, rode in a white carriage, bearing the imperial seal and scepter, and surrendered at the roadside. Xiang Yu then entered Xianyang, secured the palace and treasury, and withdrew the army to Bashang. About a month later, the armies of the various feudal lords arrived. Xiang Yu took command of the coalition forces, killed Ziying, the other sons of Qin, and their families. Then he massacred the people of Xianyang, burned down the palace, looted the treasures and valuables, and the lords shared the spoils. After destroying the Qin Dynasty, they divided the Qin territory into three parts, establishing the Kings of Yong, Sai, and Di, known as the Three Qins. Xiang Yu proclaimed himself the Hegemon King of Western Chu, controlled the world, enfeoffed the feudal lords, and thus the Qin Dynasty was no more. Five years later, the world was unified under the Han Dynasty.
Sima Qian said: The ancestor of Qin, Bo Yi, once made contributions during the time of Tang Yao and Shun and was granted a surname. During the Yin and Xia dynasties, Qin was relatively weak. When the Zhou Dynasty declined, Qin rose to power and established cities on the western border. Under Duke Mu's reign, Qin gradually annexed the territories of the vassal states, ultimately achieving the First Emperor. The First Emperor, though boasting achievements surpassing the Five Emperors and a realm exceeding the Three Kings, felt too shy to make the comparison. Mr. Jia Yi's comments were truly insightful! He said:
Qin annexed more than thirty counties in the Shandong region, fortified passes, occupied strategic positions, and reorganized the army for defense. But then Chen Sheng, with a few hundred deserters, raised the cry of rebellion. They wielded hoes and clubs, not bows and arrows, living off the land as they went. They swept all before them! Qin failed to defend the strategic locations; the passes lay undefended; spears and crossbows remained idle. The Chu army advanced unhindered, fought with the Qin army at Hongmen, and encountered no decent resistance. As a result, chaos broke out in the Shandong region, various vassal lords rose up in arms, and heroes emerged. The Qin dispatched General Zhang Han to the east to suppress the rebellion, but Zhang Han stationed his troops outside the city, wanting to discuss strategies with his superiors, revealing the Qin court's deep distrust of him. Even after assuming the throne, Zi Ying still couldn't figure out what was going on. Had Zi Ying possessed even average leadership skills, Qin might have survived the Shandong chaos, and their ancestors’ rites would have continued.
Qin's terrain is surrounded by mountains and rivers, easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it a country encircled by mountains on all sides. From Duke Mu to the last Qin emperor, over twenty rulers consistently dominated the other feudal lords. Were they all wise rulers? It was mainly down to their advantageous terrain. Moreover, the other feudal lords once united to attack Qin. At that time, there were many talented individuals who came forward, skilled generals and wise ministers, but they were blocked by Qin's dangerous terrain. Instead, Qin opened its gates, and a million-strong army fled north, bringing about Qin's downfall. Were they cowards or fools? Nah, it was just bad luck and bad geography! Qin's small towns were better fortified than its cities, relying on the treacherous terrain and military defense, building high walls and avoiding battle, keeping the gates closed, occupying strategic positions, and defending with spears. These feudal lords were all upstarts, united only by self-interest and lacking the virtue of ancient kings. They were disunited, their people disloyal, and their real aim was self-aggrandizement, not conquering Qin. We should calm the people, rebuild our strength, wait for Qin to fall, then support the weaker states, unite the lords, and rule the land. See? Qin became emperor, ruled the world, and still fell. Their downfall wasn't a fluke. The Qin kings were arrogant, ignored advice, and missed chances for reform. Qin II was even worse, and the final emperor was weak and alone. Three clueless kings – no wonder they fell!
Actually, back then, there were plenty of people with foresight who could see the social changes coming, but they didn’t dare to speak out because of the many taboos and prohibitions in the customs of the Qin state. Before they could even open their mouths, they'd be dead. So everyone kept their heads down, too scared to say a word. As a result, the three Qin emperors messed everything up. Loyal advisors were too scared to speak up, smart people wouldn't dare offer advice, the whole country was falling apart, and the emperor only heard bad news. It's a real shame, huh?
Before the Qin, the rulers knew that sweeping problems under the rug would ruin the country, so they had officials create and enforce laws to keep things running smoothly. When Qin was strong, they cracked down hard on rebellions, and everyone fell in line. When Qin got weak, the other five states jumped in for the kill. Even when Qin was weak, they held on tight and managed to survive for a while. So when Qin was strong, everyone was terrified of their harsh laws. But when they fell apart, people revolted everywhere. The Zhou dynasty followed these rules, and that's why it lasted for thousands of years. But the Qin dynasty threw it all away, and that's why it didn't last.
Like they say, "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it." So any smart ruler needs to study history, understand the present, keep an eye on who's who, know how things rise and fall, use power wisely, seize the moment, and make things happen to keep the country strong and stable.
Duke Xiao of Qin occupied the strategic location of Hangu Pass and possessed the fertile land of Yongzhou. With his ministers, he set his sights on the Zhou Dynasty, harboring ambitions to conquer the world and unite all under one rule. At this time, Shang Yang assisted him in establishing a legal system domestically, boosting agriculture and the textile industry, strengthening military defense and combat readiness, uniting with other countries, and competing with the feudal lords. As a result, the state of Qin quickly secured the land west of the Yellow River.
After Duke Xiao's death, Kings Hui and Wu inherited his foundation and, following his plan, recovered Han Zhong in the south, captured Ba Shu in the west, seized fertile and rich land in the east, and controlled important counties. Other feudal states grew fearful and conspired to weaken Qin, offering valuable treasures and fertile land to attract talented individuals from all over, banding together to support one another.
At that time, there were Mengchang of Qi, Pingyuan of Zhao, Chunshen of Chu, and Xinling of Wei. These four lords were all intelligent and insightful, loyal and reliable, generous and kind, respectful of talent, and valued skilled individuals. They sometimes united, sometimes separated, and sometimes re-allied, uniting the forces of the other states. Thus, many strategists like Ning Yue, Xu Shang, Su Qin, and Du He advised them; individuals like Qi Ming, Zhou Zui, Chen Zhen, Zhao Hua, Lou Huan, Zhai Jing, Su Li, and Yue Yi understood their intentions; and military leaders like Wu Qi, Sun Bin, Dai Tuo, Er Liang, Wang Liao, Tian Ji, Lian Po, and Zhao She were responsible for training their armies.
They’d often throw ten times the land area of Qin, and a million-strong army, at Qin’s gates. The Qin opened their gates, expecting an attack, but the coalition of nine states just sat there, then quietly buggered off, too scared to fight. Qin barely spent a penny, while the other states were knackered. So the alliance crumbled, and everyone was scrambling to give Qin land and pay tribute to get peace. Qin still had plenty of troops left, so they wiped out the weakened states, chased down the fleeing armies, and left the battlefield a bloody mess. Qin kept expanding, carving up the land, and soon the big states were begging to be conquered, while the smaller ones were paying tribute. Things were relatively peaceful under Kings Xiaowen and Zhuangxiang, though neither ruled for very long. Qin Shi Huang inherited six generations of Qin’s legacy, ruled brilliantly, smashed the Eastern and Western Zhou, wiped out the other states, and became the supreme ruler of all China. He ruled with an iron fist, cracking down on anyone who dared to oppose him. He conquered the Baiyue in the south, setting up Guilin and Xiang prefectures, and the Baiyue leaders were forced to submit and do as they were told. He sent Meng Tian to build the Great Wall, pushing the Xiongnu back over 700 miles, so they didn't dare raid the south anymore.
But he abolished the well-established systems left by the previous kings, burned books from various schools of thought, and intentionally fostered ignorance among the common people. He destroyed prominent cities, killed talented heroes, and confiscated weapons throughout the empire, bringing them to Xianyang, where he melted them down to cast twelve bronze statues to weaken the populace. Then, he used the terrain to build cities, set up ferry crossings, occupied tall city walls, and relied on deep rivers as defensive works. He arranged excellent generals and strong crossbowmen to guard important passes, while loyal subjects and elite soldiers lined up in neat formations, conducting rigorous inspections, and thus he pacified the world. Qin Shi Huang himself felt that the terrain in Guanzhong was impregnable, like a fortress, and the fertile land for thousands of miles could ensure his descendants would rule for generations!
After the death of Qin Shi Huang, although his influence was still present, it gradually weakened. Chen Sheng, a poor man living in a dilapidated house whose livelihood depended on menial labor, was an ordinary commoner and a displaced laborer. His talent was not outstanding; he did not possess the wisdom of Confucius, the talent of Mozi, or the wealth of Tao Zhu Gong and Yi Dun. He was just a common soldier, yet he rose to prominence, leading disbanded soldiers and hundreds of followers, daring to counterattack the Qin Dynasty. They cut down trees to make weapons, used bamboo poles as flags, and people across the land rallied to his cause, spontaneously sending food and forage. The army grew stronger and stronger, and heroes in Shandong also rose up, ultimately bringing down the Qin Dynasty.
The world wasn't some pushover. Yongzhou was still theirs, and Hangu Pass was still a fortress. Chen Sheng wasn't exactly royalty, not like the princes of Qi, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, Song, Wei, and Zhongshan. His tools – hoes and sickles – were no match for their fancy weapons. His army was nothing compared to the combined forces of the nine states. He wasn't exactly a Sun Tzu, not compared to those famous generals. Compared to Chen Sheng, those six Shandong states were small potatoes. Yet Qin, with its tiny territory and a few thousand chariots, ruled eight states, everyone bowing down, for over a hundred years. They treated the whole country like their backyard and Hangu Pass like their front porch. Then Chen Sheng's rebellion trashed the First Emperor's seven ancestral temples, and the Emperor himself ended up dead, a total joke. He didn't understand the game, so the tables turned.
Qin unified the country, took over the other states, declared themselves emperor, and everyone was suddenly doing pretty well. Because it had been ages since they'd had a real leader. The Zhou Dynasty was toast, the Five Hegemons were gone, and nobody was in charge. The strong bullied the weak, war was constant, and everyone was worn out. Now that Qin became emperor, finally someone was in charge, and people just wanted peace and quiet, so they backed Qin. So, keeping things under control was key – that's how you keep the peace.
Qin Shi Huang was greedy and stingy, only concerned with flexing his muscles, distrusting his ministers, and alienating the populace. He forsook the righteous path of kingship, only caring about his own power, stifling dissent, enforcing harsh laws, prioritizing brutality over benevolence, and ruling the world with tyranny. Those who conquered the world relied on violence and deception; those who could ensure enduring peace relied on following the will of the people. This highlights the fundamental difference between acquiring and retaining power. Qin unified the world through war, but its methods of seizing and ruling did not change, which is why it could gain the world but not hold onto it. It ruled the world in isolation, so its downfall was inevitable. If Qin Shi Huang had learned from the experiences of his predecessors and adopted the governing methods of the Yin, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, even if there were cruel and inept rulers in the future, the danger of the country's demise would not have arisen. Thus, the longevity and renown of the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties is explained.
After Emperor Qin Er Shi ascended to the throne, everyone was watching to see what he'd do to govern the nation. Those who were both cold and hungry would rather wear coarse clothes and eat coarse grains. The common people were openly suffering terribly, a situation the new emperor could easily exploit! This shows that it is easy to make the common people suffer, but it is difficult to treat them well. If Emperor Er Shi could be like an ordinary monarch, employing loyal and capable ministers, working together to solve the country's difficulties, wearing plain clothes to make amends for the previous emperor's mistakes, rewarding the descendants of meritorious officials with land grants and establishing feudal states, governing the world with rituals, releasing prisoners, pardoning crimes, and rooting out corruption, opening the granaries, distributing aid to the poor and needy, reducing taxes and corvée labor, and helping the people through tough times, while establishing clear laws to set a precedent for future generations, allowing the people to reform themselves, start afresh, and govern with caution, then the world would be peaceful. The entire country would then rejoice, living in peace and prosperity, fearful of any disruption. Even if there are cunning people, they would not betray the court. Those treacherous ministers with ulterior motives would not be able to carry out their schemes, and the chaos of evil would come to an end.
However, the Second Emperor did not adopt this method. Instead, he became even more cruel and oppressive, destroying ancestral temples, oppressing the people, constructing the extravagant Afang Palace, enforcing harsh laws, having strict officials, unclear rewards and punishments, and excessive taxes, which caused chaos throughout the country. Officials were unable to manage, and the whole damn country was miserable, but the Emperor turned a blind eye. Consequently, crooks and villains popped up, all stabbing each other in the back, and people were executed daily. From the Emperor's ministers to the common people, everyone was scared stiff, dirt poor, and easy to manipulate. Chen Sheng didn't need wise individuals like Tang and Wu, nor did he rely on the power of princes. He kicked off a rebellion in Daze Township, and the whole country joined in because the people were in such dire circumstances. Those old kings knew the score – keep the people happy and you'll be alright. Even if some ministers got rebellious, they wouldn't get any support. So, the saying goes: "Happy people do the right thing, scared people do wrong." That's the truth of it. Even if you're the emperor, you can still get whacked if the politics are screwed up, right? This was the fault of the Second Emperor. Duke Xiang took the throne and reigned for twelve years. He initially performed sacrifices at Xishi and was buried at Xichui upon his death. He had a son, Duke Wen. Duke Wen became king and resided at Xichui Palace. He died fifty years later and was buried at Xichui. He had a son, Duke Jing. Duke Jing died before becoming the ruler. He had a son, Duke Xian. Duke Xian ruled for twelve years, resided at Xixinyi, and was buried at the government office upon his death. He had sons, Duke Wu, Duke De, and a commoner son. Next was his commoner son, who ruled for six years, resided at Xiling. His three elder commoner brothers, Fuji, Weilei, and Canfu, led a rebellion, killed him, and buried him at the government office. Afterwards, Duke Wu took the throne.
Duke Wu ruled for twenty years from Pingyang Palace and was buried southeast of Xuan Yang Ju after his death. Three of his younger brothers were punished as a result. Then, Duke De succeeded to the throne.
Duke De ruled for two years from the Da Zheng Palace in Yongdu. He had three sons: Duke Xuan, Duke Cheng, and Duke Miao, and was buried in Yang after his death. Upon ascending the throne, he used shamanistic practices to counter the effects of poison.
Duke Xuan ruled for twelve years from the Yang Palace and was buried in Yang after his death. During the early years of his rule, a leap month occurred (a month added to the lunisolar calendar).
Duke Cheng ruled for four years from the palace in Yongdu and was buried in Yang after his death. During his reign, the state of Qi attacked the Shanrong and Guzhu tribes.
Duke Miao ruled for thirty-nine years, becoming a hegemon among the princes. He was buried in Yong after his death. Duke Miao was very knowledgeable and renowned; he was succeeded by his son, Duke Kang.
Duke Kang ruled for twelve years from the Gaozhen in Yongdu and was buried in Qiu She after his death. His son was Duke Gong.
Duke Gong ruled for five years from the Gaozhen in Yongdu and was buried south of Duke Kang after his death. His son was Duke Huan.
Duke Huan ruled for twenty-seven years from the Taizhen in Yongdu and was buried north of Yiliqiu. His son was Duke Jing.
Duke Jing ruled for forty years from the Gaozhen in Yongdu and was buried south of Quli. His son was Duke Bi.
Duke Bi ruled for thirty-six years and was buried north of Cheli after his death. His son was Duke Yi.
Duke Yi passed away before becoming the ruler and was buried in the Left Palace. His son was Duke Hui.
Duke Hui ruled for ten years and was buried in Cheli after his death. His son was Duke Dao.
Duke Dao ruled for fifteen years and was buried west of Xi Gong after his death. He also built city walls in Yongdu. He had a son named Duke La Gong.
Duke La Gong ruled for thirty-four years and was buried in Ru Li after his death. He had two sons: Duke Zao and Duke Huai. In the tenth year of his rule, a comet appeared.
Duke Zao ruled for fourteen years from Shou Qin and was buried south of Duke Dao after his death. In the first year of his rule, a comet appeared.
Duke Huai returned from the state of Jin, ruled for four years, and was buried in Li Yushi after his death. His son was Duke Ling. Duke Huai was besieged by his ministers and took his own life.
This is a chronicle of the Qin rulers from Duke Su Ling to Qin Shi Huang.
Duke Su Ling was the son of Duke Zhao, living in Jingyang. He ruled as king for ten years and was buried to the west of Duke Dao. He had a son, Duke Jian.
Duke Jian returned from the state of Jin and ruled as king for fifteen years. He was buried to the west of Duke Xi. He had a son, Duke Hui. Seven years into his reign, people started carrying swords.
Duke Hui ruled as king for thirteen years and was buried in Lingyu. He had a son, Duke Chu.
Duke Chu ruled as king for two years, killed himself, and was buried in Yong.
King Xian ruled as king for twenty-three years and was buried in Xiaoyu. He had a son, King Xiao.
King Xiao ruled as king for twenty-four years and was buried in Diyu. He had a son, King Huiwen. In his thirteenth year of reign, the state of Qin began to build the capital Xianyang.
King Huiwen ruled as the King of Qin for twenty-seven years and was buried in Gongling, and had a son, King Daowu.
King Daowu ruled as the King of Qin for four years and was buried in Yongling.
King Zhaoxiang ruled as the King of Qin for fifty-six years and was buried in Zhiyang, and had a son, King Xiaowen.
King Xiaowen ruled as the King of Qin for one year and was buried in Shouling, and had a son, King Zhuangxiang.
King Zhuangxiang ruled as the King of Qin for three years and was buried in Zhiyang, and had a son, Qin Shi Huang. At that time, Lv Buwei was the Prime Minister.
King Xian spent seven years trading in the marketplace before becoming registrar ten years later.
King Xiao ruled for sixteen years. That year, incredibly, peach and plum trees bloomed in winter.
King Huiwen turned nineteen, and two years later, he began to issue currency. At that time, there was a newborn baby, and people said he was the "future King of Qin."
King Daowu turned nineteen, and three years later, the Wei River turned red for three days.
King Zhaoxiang turned nineteen, and four years later, he started farming and building farm roads.
King Xiaowen turned fifty-three.
King Zhuangxiang of Qin reached adulthood at the age of thirty-two, and two years later, he conquered the Taiyuan region. In the first year of King Zhuangxiang's reign, he declared a nationwide pardon, honored loyal servants of past kings, treated relatives kindly, and bestowed favors on the people. The Eastern Zhou and other vassal states ganged up on Qin. Qin sent Prime Minister Lü Buwei to attack them, and wiped out the Eastern Zhou. Qin kept the sacrifices going for the Eastern Zhou and gave the Zhou king the Yangren region to keep the sacrifices going.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang reigned for thirty-seven years and was buried in Linyi, and was succeeded by Emperor Qin Er Shi. Emperor Qin Er Shi reigned for three years and was buried in Yichun. Zhao Gao became Prime Minister and was titled the Marquis of Anwu. Emperor Qin Er Shi reached adulthood at the age of twelve.
From Duke Xiang of Qin to Emperor Qin Er Shi, a total of six hundred and ten years passed. [Emperor Xiaoming – this section appears to be a later addition, referencing a Han Dynasty emperor and contradicting the preceding Qin Dynasty context.] On the fifteenth day of the tenth month of the seventeenth year, he said: The Zhou Dynasty's calendar has changed, and benevolence cannot replace a mother (The meaning of this passage is unclear; it may refer to the loss of benevolent rule in the Zhou Dynasty, or to a political succession issue). The state of Qin directly inherited the throne, and the Lü clan ruled with an iron fist, brutalizing the people. However, Qin destroyed thirteen vassal states, unified the world, were wildly decadent, and favored their relatives. For thirty-seven years, the Qin army swept all before it, creating laws for future emperors. Emperor Qin Shi Huang enjoyed the prestige of a sage, with the river god giving him prophecies. He adopted the wolf and fox as his totems and claimed to be guided by the stars Canopus and the Big Dipper, assisted in government affairs, expelled evil, and was therefore known as the First Emperor.
Emperor Qin Shi Huang died, and the incompetent Hu Hai, the Afang Palace had not yet been completed, but he insisted on continuing its construction to fulfill Emperor Qin Shi Huang's plans. He even proclaimed, "Ambition often leads to excess, and the ministers even wish to abandon the late king's plans." He killed Meng Tian and Meng Yi, promoting Zhao Gao instead. Alas, it's truly tragic! The streets ran red with blood, the air thick with the cries of terrified animals, and the city descended into utter chaos. Hu Hai disregarded authority, military strategy, and loyalty, ultimately leading to the downfall of the Qin Dynasty. His brutal rule hastened the demise of the Qin Dynasty; despite its advantageous location, it could not be preserved.
Ziying inherited the throne, wearing a jade crown, adorned in splendid attire, riding a yellow carriage, leading the officials, performing sacrifices at the seven temples. Those in power had grown complacent, seeking only ease and luxury; only Ziying could think long-term. The father and son worked in concert, swiftly purging the court of traitors, leading the Qin state to combat the rebels. After Zhao Gao's death, before Ziying could even consolidate his power or celebrate his ascension, the Chu army had already invaded Guanzhong. Xiang Yu appeared in Ba, and Ziying rode a plain carriage, dressed in mourning, holding the imperial seal, surrendering to the King of Chu. A Zheng general, bearing his standard and ceremonial blade, ordered the Qin king to retreat. The Yellow River's breach was irreparable; the damage was done. Jia Yi and Sima Qian lamented that even a moderately competent ruler, or even a capable advisor, could have saved the Qin, preserving its lands and ancestral rites, despite the turmoil in Shandong. The deep-rooted problems of the Qin Dynasty led to its collapse; even with the talent of Zhou Gong, there was no solution, let alone relying on an orphan in a time of crisis. A tragic end to a dynasty, undone not by external forces alone, but by its own internal failings.
Legend has it that Qin Shi Huang planted the seeds of evil, and Hu Hai took it to the absolute extreme. People also blame Ziying, claiming that Qin could have been preserved, but they just didn't get it! Ji Ji got so drunk he's not even a footnote in the Spring and Autumn Annals. In the *Qin Ji*, Ziying's execution of Zhao Gao always impressed me – such decisiveness, such a tragic fate. You really see Ziying's bravery and commitment in that story.
