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2 The Great Empire

The First Emperor T he Warring States Period ended in 221 bce , when the Qin state in the northwest of China managed to unite the whole country. The king of Qin then became the First Emperor—Shihuangdi (259-210 bce )—of China, reigning from 221-210 bce .

A map of the Qin Empire at its height. A portrait (below) of the First Emperor, Qin Shihuangdi. The picture (left) illustrates Qin’s soldiers burying scholars and burning their books. We can tell that this is a later drawing because books of Qin’s time were written on bamboo slips, not on paper (as in the picture).

To strengthen his rule, Qin Shihuangdi ordered that all works of literature and philosophy were to be burned and 500 scholars buried alive. He built lavish palaces, put up stone tablets that praised his achievements and traveled all over China. Qin Shihuangdi believed that it was possible to live forever. He sent hundreds of young boys and girls into the sea to search for the magic plant of long life. But they all drowned and Qin Shihuangdi only lived for 49 years. He died while touring China and his death was kept secret for weeks, until the smell of his body was overpowering. Just four years after Qin Shihuangdi’s death, the Qin Dynasty was overthrown by a peasant uprising in 206 bce .

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