Qin Shi Huang（秦始皇）, the founder of the Qin Dynasty, the first authoritarian centralised state in Chinese history, was the first Chinese monarch to claim the title of Emperor, and was known as the ‘First Emperor of the Ancient World（千古一帝）’.
Qin Shi Huang, whose name was Ying Zheng （嬴政）, was a very important emperor in ancient China.
He was born in the Qin State during the Warring States period and was intelligent and ambitious when he was young.
Through a series of political struggles and military conquests, he successfully unified the six rival states, ending a divided situation that lasted for hundreds of years.
In 221 BC, he established the first unified feudal dynasty in Chinese history, the Qin Dynasty, and called himself ”Qin Shi Huang,” meaning ”the First Emperor.”
To consolidate his rule, he implemented a series of reform measures.
He unified measures, weights, currencies, and writing systems, making national administration more orderly.
In addition, he ordered the construction of the Great Wall to defend against invasions from nomadic tribes in the north.
Legend has it that he searched for the elixir of life and sent Xu Fu on an expedition to the east.
Legend has it that Xu Fu was an ancestor of the Japanese.
However, Qin Shi Huang’s rule was also extremely harsh, placing a heavy burden on the people and causing widespread resentment.
In 210 BC, Qin Shi Huang died, and his tyranny laid the groundwork for the rapid collapse of the Qin Dynasty.
His tomb remains unopened and is full of mystery and splendour.
The world-famous Terracotta Warriors and Horses are just the tip of his huge tomb.
There are many, many more historical legends about him.