Welcome to The Things You Should Know About
China series on Daily Report. Many people told me China is going to rule the world. So you'd better start studying and trying to know more about China before Chinese come kick your ass. Is this a good insentive for study? For those guys who want to find a girlfriend or boyfriend from China, work harder!
If you want to know more about China, you should know its long history. If you wanna know more about its history, you should know some of the most famous emperors! So our first series are about the emperors you have to know.
How many Chinese emperors do you know right now? None? Ghengis Khan? No, he doesn't count! That's not good enough. To accomplish this course, you need to know at least 30-50, out of more than 300 of them, so it's not hard, is it?
Many people say China has a history of 5000 years civilization. I always doubt this number. Undoubtedly China has a long history, but the few evidences of written texts and records being recovered can only extend it to barely over 3500 years. The number 5000 years was based on legendary stories in historical records, but some of the rulers lived for more than 120 years, which was extremly unlikely for a society with average age of 25. This doesn't mean there wasn't neolithic society in China, especially along the Yellow River, there were many. But they were still behind their counterparts in other parts of the world, such as Egypt and Mesopotamia.
The thing in which Chinese history is distinct from others is its consistency. Egytian and Mesopotamian cilivization ceased to exist after foreign invasion, but China is still standing. All the foreign invasion resulted in invaders being assmiliated (Mongols, Manchus, etc), not the other way around, and the pillar of Chinese languages, confucionist philosophy, centralized imperial system and ancestral-worshipping traditions, sustained.
Today, I'm gonna talk about the first emperor in China. Though maybe you haven't heard his name, you should have known something about him. If you have watched the movie "Mummy 3", the antagonist in this movie is based on this emperor. Most of the facts I shared about are common knowledge to majority of Chinese people, so they are quite important.
Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇)
China series on Daily Report. Many people told me China is going to rule the world. So you'd better start studying and trying to know more about China before Chinese come kick your ass. Is this a good insentive for study? For those guys who want to find a girlfriend or boyfriend from China, work harder!
If you want to know more about China, you should know its long history. If you wanna know more about its history, you should know some of the most famous emperors! So our first series are about the emperors you have to know.
How many Chinese emperors do you know right now? None? Ghengis Khan? No, he doesn't count! That's not good enough. To accomplish this course, you need to know at least 30-50, out of more than 300 of them, so it's not hard, is it?
Many people say China has a history of 5000 years civilization. I always doubt this number. Undoubtedly China has a long history, but the few evidences of written texts and records being recovered can only extend it to barely over 3500 years. The number 5000 years was based on legendary stories in historical records, but some of the rulers lived for more than 120 years, which was extremly unlikely for a society with average age of 25. This doesn't mean there wasn't neolithic society in China, especially along the Yellow River, there were many. But they were still behind their counterparts in other parts of the world, such as Egypt and Mesopotamia.
The thing in which Chinese history is distinct from others is its consistency. Egytian and Mesopotamian cilivization ceased to exist after foreign invasion, but China is still standing. All the foreign invasion resulted in invaders being assmiliated (Mongols, Manchus, etc), not the other way around, and the pillar of Chinese languages, confucionist philosophy, centralized imperial system and ancestral-worshipping traditions, sustained.
Today, I'm gonna talk about the first emperor in China. Though maybe you haven't heard his name, you should have known something about him. If you have watched the movie "Mummy 3", the antagonist in this movie is based on this emperor. Most of the facts I shared about are common knowledge to majority of Chinese people, so they are quite important.
Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇)
Name: YING Zheng （嬴政)
Dynasty: Qin Dynasty (秦朝)
Time of reign: 246 BC - 210 BC (from 221 BC, he claimed to be the emperor of whole China)
Famous indicator: 100
Importance indicator: 100
Governance indicator: 60
Birth and taking power
Ying Zheng was born to Master Yiren, later King Zhuangxiang of Qin. At the time of his birth, because born to a concubine of the crown prince, his dad was a hostage prince living in the state of Zhao. (that was very common at that time to ensure peace between two states) But a merchant named Lü Buwei, using his wealth and wisdom, manipulated in the power struggle to make Master Yiren the successor of his dad, later King Xiaowen of Qin. Soon after this, Ying Zheng's greatgrandfather, grandfather and father died in 5 years (many believed those as result of conspiracy plotted by Lü Buwei). The young Ying Zheng became the king of Qin. Because of his young age, it was Lü Buwei, who proclaimed to be regent, controlled all the state affairs. When Ying Zheng got older, he became more suspicious of Lü Buwei, and finally purged, executed him and took over the power.Birth and taking power
"Do You Know"
Because Ying Zheng was born to a concubine of Master Yiren, who used to be a servant of Lü Buwei, many folklores claimed his biological dad was actually Lü Buwei. That makes Ying Zheng a patricide murderer.
Unify the country
When Ying Zheng became king, there were 7 strong states in China. But after several successful reforms and decisive military victories, Qin had stood up as the strongest. After foiling the attempt of other six states to form an alliance, Qin started the campaign of annexation. From 230 BC to 222 BC, the army of Qin crushed the other six states, Han, Zhao, Yan, Wei, Chu and Qi.
When Ying Zheng became king, there were 7 strong states in China. But after several successful reforms and decisive military victories, Qin had stood up as the strongest. After foiling the attempt of other six states to form an alliance, Qin started the campaign of annexation. From 230 BC to 222 BC, the army of Qin crushed the other six states, Han, Zhao, Yan, Wei, Chu and Qi.
Jing Ke's assassination
During the unifying campaign, the prince of Yan knew his country had no chance to stop Qin. So, he sent a professional assassin, Jing Ke, to conduct a suicide mission to kill Ying Zheng with a dagger. He pretended to present a map of several cities, which was supposedly to accede to Qin. When he slowly unfolded the map, he picked up the dagger in the map, but he failed to kill Ying Zheng and was killed by the guards.
During the unifying campaign, the prince of Yan knew his country had no chance to stop Qin. So, he sent a professional assassin, Jing Ke, to conduct a suicide mission to kill Ying Zheng with a dagger. He pretended to present a map of several cities, which was supposedly to accede to Qin. When he slowly unfolded the map, he picked up the dagger in the map, but he failed to kill Ying Zheng and was killed by the guards.
First emperor
Being the first ruler of unified China, Ying Zheng coined a new title for himself, "Huang Di", which was tranlsated into emperor. Therefre, he was called Qin Shi Huang, which means the first emperor of Qin. His empire has covered most areas along the Yellow River and Yangtze River. He also standardized the measurement system and introduced a nation-wide currency. During his reign, the country was in constant fighting with tribes in the south, and the territory of the empire was expanding.
Being the first ruler of unified China, Ying Zheng coined a new title for himself, "Huang Di", which was tranlsated into emperor. Therefre, he was called Qin Shi Huang, which means the first emperor of Qin. His empire has covered most areas along the Yellow River and Yangtze River. He also standardized the measurement system and introduced a nation-wide currency. During his reign, the country was in constant fighting with tribes in the south, and the territory of the empire was expanding.
Burn books, bury confucionists
In order to prevent the scholars to compare his dynasties with the previous ones, he demanded all the books should be buried. This was a huge destruction of Chinese culture and made the historians much harder to understand how China was before his reign. Many historical texts were lost forever. In addition, he also asked his soldiers to bury many scholars alive because they secretly owned books.
In order to prevent the scholars to compare his dynasties with the previous ones, he demanded all the books should be buried. This was a huge destruction of Chinese culture and made the historians much harder to understand how China was before his reign. Many historical texts were lost forever. In addition, he also asked his soldiers to bury many scholars alive because they secretly owned books.
Building of Great Wall
In order to defend against the northern nomadic tribes, Huns, Qin Shi Huang order to build and rebuild the Great Wall, link the previous great walls built by other states together to defend his empire. Great Wall was renovated and rebuilt again and again in the following 2000 years, making it one of the greatest constructions in the world. But those heavy construction became a suffering for the people.
In order to defend against the northern nomadic tribes, Huns, Qin Shi Huang order to build and rebuild the Great Wall, link the previous great walls built by other states together to defend his empire. Great Wall was renovated and rebuilt again and again in the following 2000 years, making it one of the greatest constructions in the world. But those heavy construction became a suffering for the people.
Death
The emperor died during his tour to Eastern China. But the prime minister, Li Si, decided not to announce it for fear of uprising. After two months' trip back to the capital, his second son Ying Huhai, with the help of Zhao Gao, grasped the power thanks to the absence of will by Qin Shi Huang. But his son proved to be incapable of this job, and the dynasty ended in his hand.
"Do You Know"
Qin Shi Huang was famous for his obsession of immortality. He believed in those fables and once sent 300 people to Eastern Sea to find an immortal living there. They were believed to arrive in Japan. It is also believed that his death was a result of consumption of an alleged elixir.
The emperor died during his tour to Eastern China. But the prime minister, Li Si, decided not to announce it for fear of uprising. After two months' trip back to the capital, his second son Ying Huhai, with the help of Zhao Gao, grasped the power thanks to the absence of will by Qin Shi Huang. But his son proved to be incapable of this job, and the dynasty ended in his hand.
"Do You Know"
Qin Shi Huang was famous for his obsession of immortality. He believed in those fables and once sent 300 people to Eastern Sea to find an immortal living there. They were believed to arrive in Japan. It is also believed that his death was a result of consumption of an alleged elixir.
Mausoleum and Terracota Warrior
His son ordered a huge construction project to build a mausoleum for Qin Shi Huang. The result was the great Mausoleum with the Terracota Army, which wasn't found until 1970s. Most parts of it are still untapped because an extremly high level of mercury was detected. It showed the unbelievable level of technology at that time. But it also contribute to the end of that dynasty because people couldn't bear the burden of rocketing tax and hard labor exploitation.
His son ordered a huge construction project to build a mausoleum for Qin Shi Huang. The result was the great Mausoleum with the Terracota Army, which wasn't found until 1970s. Most parts of it are still untapped because an extremly high level of mercury was detected. It showed the unbelievable level of technology at that time. But it also contribute to the end of that dynasty because people couldn't bear the burden of rocketing tax and hard labor exploitation.
This is the end of Lecture One. I hope it is helpful. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. Before the next lecture, there will be a quiz about this one. So, study hard! Haha.
Posts
Thumbs up culture ambassador!
ReplyDelete