Qin (state)
Encyclopedia
The State of Qin (778 BC–207 BC) was a Chinese
feudal
state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period
s of Chinese history
. It emerged as one of the dominant superpowers of the Seven Warring States
by the 3rd century BC and eventually unified China under its rule in 221 BC, after which it is referred to as the Qin Dynasty
.
by Sima Qian
, the Qin state traced its origin to Zhuanxu
, one of the Five Emperors in ancient times. Dafei, an ancestor of the royal clan of Qin, helped Yu the Great
in educating the people on flood
control techniques, and was granted the family name
of "Ying" by Shun.
During the Xia
and Shang
dynasties, the Ying clan split into two branches:
The occidental Ying clan was first ennobled in the beginning of the 9th century BC. Feizi
of Qin served King Xiao of Zhou
as a royal horse trainer and breeder, and was rewarded for his efforts with a fief in Quanqiu (present-day Tianshui, Gansu
province) and a marriage to a princess. Feizi's territory was named "Qin" and was surrounded by lands belonging to the minority Rong people. Qin was frequently attacked by the Rong in the 9th century BC as relations between the Rong and the Western Zhou Dynasty
worsened.
In 771 BC, Marquess
of Shen
formed an alliance with the Zeng state and Quanrong
nomads, and they attacked and conquered the Western Zhou capital city of Haojing
(鎬京; near present-day Xi'an
, Shaanxi
province). Xiang of Qin led his troops to protect King Ping of Zhou
as the king led his men on an eastward retreat to Luoyang
, where the new capital city of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was established. In recognition of Xiang's efforts, King Ping promoted him to the rank of a Bo (伯; equivalent of a count
), the third rank of nobility after Gong (公; Duke) and Hou (侯; Marquis) and promised that all the former lands of Zhou that were captured by the Rong people would become part of Qin's territories if Qin succeeded in retaking them. The future generations of the Qin rulers were encouraged by this promise, and they launched several military campaigns on the Rong, eventually expanding their territories to beyond the original lands lost by the Western Zhou Dynasty.
states in eastern and central China remained minimal throughout the Spring and Autumn Period (722-481 BC), except with its neighbour Jin. Qin maintained good diplomatic relations with Jin and there were also marriages between members of the royal clans of both states, but relations between both sides had also deteriorated to the point of armed conflict before. During the early reign of Duke Mu of Qin
, the Jin state was a formidable power under the leadership of Duke Xian of Jin
. However, after the death of Duke Xian, Jin plunged into a state of internal conflict as Duke Xian's sons fought over the succession. One of them won the contention and became Duke Hui of Jin
, but Jin was struck by a famine
not long later and Duke Hui requested aid from Qin. Duke Mu of Qin sent relief food supplies and agricultural equipment to Jin. However, Qin was struck by famine later and by then, Jin had recovered and it turned to attack Qin. Qin and Jin engaged in several battles over the next few years.
During the battles with Jin, Duke Mu heard that one of Duke Xian's sons, Chong'er
, was in exile
in the Chu state
. After consulting his subjects, Duke Mu sent an emissary to Chu to invite Chong'er to Jin, and Qin helped Chong'er defeat Duke Hui and Chong'er became the new ruler of Jin, with his title as "Duke Wen". Duke Wen was grateful to Duke Mu and relations between Qin and Jin improved. Qin used the opportunity when its eastern front was stable, to launch military campaigns against the minority tribes in the west. In 627 BC, Duke Mu of Qin planned a secret attack on the Zheng state
, but the Qin army retreated after being tricked into believing that Zheng was prepared for Qin's invasion. Duke Wen had died and his successor, Duke Xiang of Jin, ordered his troops to lay an ambush for the retreating Qin army. The Qin forces were defeated in the ambush at the Battle of Yao (殽; near present-day Luoning County
, Henan
province) by Jin and suffered heavy casualties. Three years later, Qin attacked Jin for revenge and scored a major victory. Duke Mu refused to advance east further after holding a funeral service for those killed in action
at the Battle of Yao, and focused on the traditional policy of expanding Qin's borders in the west. Duke Mu's achievements in the western campaigns and his handling of foreign relations with Jin earned him a position among the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period.
, as its neighbours in east and central China began rapidly developing, Qin was still in a state of underdevelopment and decline. The population of Qin comprised a large proportion of Sinicized
semi-tribal peoples, believed to be descendants of the Rong. This was believed to be a major cause of distinct unease and discrimination towards Qin from other states. The Wei state
, formed from the Partition of Jin
, became the most powerful state on Qin's eastern border. Qin was equipped with natural defenses, with Hangu Pass
(函谷關; northeast of present-day Lingbao
, Henan
province) in the east and Tong Pass (潼關; present-day Tongguan County
, Shaanxi
province) in the west. Between 413 and 409 BC during the reign of Duke Jian of Qin, the Wei army led by Wu Qi
, with support from Zhao
and Han
, attacked Qin and conquered Qin territories west of the Yellow River
.
, the Qin rulers were actively pursuing reforms to the legal, economic and social systems of Qin. When Duke Xiao came to the throne of Qin, he issued an announcement, calling forth men of talent (including scholars, administrators, theorists and militarists) from other states to enter Qin and help him with his reforms, promising rewards of high offices and lands in return. Among these foreign talents, Wei Yang
(later renamed to Shang Yang), a scholar from the Legalist School
, successfully conducted a series of reforms in Qin with the support of Duke Xiao, despite facing strong opposition from several Qin politicians. The aristocracy
system was abolished, with all slaves granted citizenship rights. People were forced to resettle in new clusters, where they focused on increasing agricultural output. Meritocracy
was practised in the military, with soldiers and officers receiving due rewards according to their contributions, regardless of their backgrounds. However, tough and strict laws were imposed as well, with draconian punishments being meted out for the slightest of offenses, and even nobles and royals were not spared. After decades, the reforms strengthened Qin economically and militarily and transformed it into a highly centralized state with an efficient administrative system.
After Duke Xiao's death, King Huiwen
became the new ruler of Qin and he put Shang Yang to death on charges of treason
, but some believed that the king harboured a personal grudge against Shang because he was harshly punished under Shang's reformed system in his adolescence for a minor infraction. However, King Huiwen and his successors retained the reformed systems and they helped to lay the foundation for Qin's eventual unification of China under the Qin Dynasty
in 221 BC. Shang Yang's theories were further elaborated later by Han Fei
, who combined Shang's ideas with those of Shen Buhai
and Shen Dao
, that would form the core of the philosophies of Legalism. Qin rose to prominence in the late 3rd century BC after the reforms and emerged as one of the dominant superpowers of the Seven Warring States
.
's reform, owing the success to the industriousness of its people. The Qin kings authorized many state development projects, including large public works such as irrigation canals and defensive structures.
One of the most obvious results of the reforms was the change in Qin's military. Previously, the army was under the control of Qin's nobles and comprised feudal levies. After Shang Yang's reforms, the aristocracy
system was abolished and replaced by one based on meritocracy
, in which ordinary citizens had equal opportunities as the nobles to be promoted to high ranks. In addition, military discipline was strongly enforced and the troops were trained to adapt better to different battle situations. Qin's military strength increased largely with the full support of the state. In 318 BC, the states of Wei
, Zhao
, Han
, Yan
and Chu
formed an alliance and attacked Qin, but did not manage to advance beyond Hangu Pass
, and were defeated by counter-attacking Qin forces. The alliance crumbled due to mistrust and suspicion and lack of coordination among the five states.
Apart from the effects on Qin's military, Shang Yang's reforms also increased labour for numerous public works projects aimed at boosting agriculture, and made it possible for Qin to maintain and supply an active military force of more than a million troops. This feat could not be accomplished by any other state, except Chu, during that time. Qin's conquests of the southern states of Ba
and Shu
in present-day Sichuan
province also provided Qin with major strategic advantages. The lands in the new territories were very fertile, and helped serve as a "backyard" for supplies and additional manpower. It was hard for Qin's rivals to attack Ba and Shu, since the territories were located deep in the mountains upstream of the Yangtze River
. At the same time, Qin's strategic position in Ba and Shu provided it with a platform for launching attacks on the Chu state, which lies downstream of the Yangtze.
, the Chu state
, to the southeast of Qin, became a target for Qin's aggression. Although Chu had the largest operationally-ready army of all the Seven Warring States
at over a million troops, its administrative and military strength was plagued by corruption and divided among the nobles. Zhang Yi
, a Qin strategist, suggested to King Huiwen to exercise Qin's interest at the expense of Chu. Over the following years, Zhang engineered and executed a number of diplomatic plots against Chu, supported by the constant military raids on Chu's northwestern border. Chu suffered many defeats in battles against Qin and was forced to cede territories to Qin. King Huai I of Chu was furious and ordered a military campaign against Qin, but he was tricked by Zhang Yi into breaking diplomatic ties with his allies, and his angered allies joined Qin in inflicting a crushing defeat on Chu. In 299 BC, King Huai I was tricked into attending a diplomatic conference in Qin, where he was captured and held hostage until his death. In the meantime, Qin launched several attacks on Chu and eventually sacked the Chu capital city of Chen (陳; present-day Jiangling County, Hubei
province). The crown prince
of Chu fled east and was crowned King Qingxiang of Chu in the new capital city of Shouchun (壽春; present-day Shou County
, Anhui
province).
In the next five decades after King Huiwen's death, King Zhaoxiang of Qin shifted his attention to northern China after Qin's victories in the south against Chu. In the early years of King Zhaoxiang's reign, the Marquis of Rang (穰侯) served as Qin's chancellor and he actively pushed for military campaigns against the Qi state
in the far eastern part of China. However, the marquis had his personal motives, as he intended to use Qin's powerful military to help him conquer a fief in Qi territories, since the lands were not directly linked to Qin and would not be under the Qin government's direct administration.
Subsequently, King Zhaoxiang's foreign advisor, Fan Sui, advised the king to abandon those fruitless campaigns against distant states. King Zhaoxiang heeded Fan's advice and changed Qin's foreign policy to adopting good diplomatic relations with distant states (Yan
and Qi), while concentrating on attacking nearby states (Zhao
, Han
and Wei
). As a consequence, Qin began to launch constant attacks on Han and Wei over the next decades, conquering several territories in its campaigns. By then, Qin's territories had expanded to beyond the eastern shore of the Yellow River
and Han and Wei were reduced to the status of "buffers" from Qin for the other states in the east.
and forced Han to cede its territory of Shangdang (上黨; in present-day Shanxi
province). However, Han offered Shangdang to Zhao
instead, which led to a conflict between Qin and Zhao for control of Shangdang. Qin and Zhao engaged in the three-year long Battle of Changping
, followed by another three-year siege by Qin on Zhao's capital city of Handan
. The conflict at Changping was deemed as a power struggle, as both sides pitted their forces against each other not only on the battlefield, but also in the domestic context. Although Qin had an abundance of resources and vast manpower, it had to enlist every man above the age of 15 for war-related duties, ranging from front-line service to logistics and agriculture. King Zhaoxiang of Qin even personally directed his army's supply lines. The extent of mobilization and the exhaustion in the aftermath was not seen in world history for another 2,000 years, until this concept of total war
re-entered the stage during World War I
. Qin's eventual victory in 260 BC was attributed to its use of schemes to stir up internal conflict in Zhao, which led to the replacement of Zhao's military leaders.
Following the Qin victory at the Battle of Changping, the Qin commander Bai Qi
ordered the 400,000 prisoners-of-war from Zhao to be executed by burying alive
. Subsequently, the Qin forces marched on the Zhao capital city of Handan in an attempt to conquer Zhao completely. However, the Qin troops were unable to capture Handan as they were already exhausted and also because the Zhao forces put up fierce resistance. King Xiaocheng of Zhao offered six cities to Qin as a peace offer and King Zhaoxiang of Qin accepted the offer after being persuaded by Fan Sui. Within Zhao, many officials strongly opposed King Xiaocheng's decision to give up the cities and subsequent delays caused the siege on Handan to be prolonged until 258 BC. Meanwhile, Bai Qi was consecutively replaced by Wang Xi, Wang Ling and Zheng Anping as the Qin commander at the siege.
In 257 BC, Qin was still unable to penetrate Handan after besieging it for three years, and Zhao requested aid from the neighbouring states of Wei
and Chu
. Wei was hesitant to help Qin initially, but launched an attack on Qin after seeing that Qin was already exhausted after years of war. The Qin forces crumbled and retreated and Zheng Anping surrendered. The combined forces of Wei and Chu continued to pursue the retreating Qin army and Wei managed to retake part of its original lands that were lost to Qin earlier.
, a hydraulic engineer from the Han state
, was sent to Qin to advise King Zhaoxiang of Qin on constructing irrigation canals. Qin had a penchant for building large-scale canals, as evident from its Min River irrigation system
. King Zhaoxiang approved Zheng Guo's idea on constructing an even bigger canal. The project was completed in 264 BC and the canal was named after Zheng
. Qin benefitted from the project as it became one of the most fertile states in China due to the good irrigation system, and also because it could now raise more troops as a consequence of increased agricultural yield.
became king of Qin after the sudden death of King Zhuangxiang. However, Ying Zheng did not wield state power fully in his hands until 238 BC, after eliminating his political rivals Lü Buwei
and Lao Ai. Ying formulated a plan for conquering the other six states and unifying China with help from Li Si
and Wei Liao.
In 230 BC, Qin attacked Han
, the weakest of the Seven Warring States
, and succeeded in conquering Han within a year. Since 236 BC, Qin had been launching several assaults on Zhao
, which had been devastated by its calamitous defeat at the Battle of Changping
three decades ago. Although Qin faced strong resistance from the Zhao forces, led by general Li Mu
, it still managed to defeat the Zhao army by using a ploy to sow discord between King Qian of Zhao and Li Mu, causing King Qian to order Li Mu's execution and replace Li with the less competent Zhao Cong. Zhao eventually fell to Qin in 228 BC after the capital city of Handan
was taken. However, a Zhao noble managed to escape with remnant forces and proclaim himself king in Dai. Dai fell to Qin six years later.
After the fall of Zhao, Qin turned its attention towards Yan
. Crown Prince Dan of Yan
sent Jing Ke
to assassinate Ying Zheng but the assassination attempt failed and Qin used that as an excuse to attack Yan. Yan lost to Qin at a battle on the eastern bank of the Yi River in 226 BC and King Xi of Yan fled with remnant forces to Liaodong. Qin attacked Yan again in 222 BC and annexed Yan completely. In 225 BC, the Qin army led by Wang Ben invaded Wei
and besieged Wei's capital city of Daliang for three months. Wang directed the waters from the Yellow River
and the Hong Canal to flood Daliang and King Jia of Wei surrendered and Wei was conquered.
In 224 BC, Qin prepared for an attack on Chu
, its most powerful rival among the six states. During a discussion between Ying Zheng and his subjects, the veteran general Wang Jian
claimed that the invasion force needed to be at least 600,000 strong, but the younger general Li Xin thought that 200,000 men would be sufficient. Ying Zheng put Li Xin in command of the Qin army to attack Chu. The Chu defenders, led by Xiang Yan, took Li Xin's army by surprise and defeated the Qin invaders. The defeat was deemed as the greatest setback for Qin in its wars to unify China. Ying Zheng put Wang Jian in command of the 600,000 strong army as he had requested and ordered Wang to lead another attack on Chu. Wang scored a major victory against the Chu forces in 224 BC and Xiang Yan was killed in action
. The following year, Qin pushed on and captured Chu's capital city of Shouchun, bringing an end to Chu's existence. In 222 BC, the Qin army advanced southward and annexed the Wuyue region
(covering present-day Zhejiang
and Jiangsu
provinces).
By 221 BC, Qi
was the only rival state left. Qin advanced into the heartland of Qi via a southern detour, avoiding direct confrontation with the Qi forces on Qi's western border and arrived at Qi's capital city of Linzi swiftly. The Qi forces were taken by surprise and surrendered without putting up resistance. Following the fall of Qi in 221 BC, China was unified under the rule of Qin. Ying Zheng declared himself "Qin Shi Huang
" (meaning "First Emperor
of Qin") and founded the Qin Dynasty
, becoming the first sovereign ruler
of a united China.
One of these texts was Master Wu, written in response to a query by Marquis Wu of Wei
on how to cope with the other states. Wu Qi
, the author of the work, declared that the government and nature of the people were reflective of the terrain they live in. Of Qin, he said:
According to Wu, the nature of the people is a result of the government, which is in turn a result of the roughness of the terrain. Each of the states is expounded upon by Wu in this manner.
In his Petition against driving away foreigners (諫逐客書), Li Si
mentioned that guzheng
and percussion instruments made of pottery and tiles were the characteristics of Qin music.
's reforms, are chronicled into a historical novel by Sun Haohui. The novel, published in 2008, is adapted into a television series titled The Qin Empire
.
and 30 Capricorni , in Twelve States
asterism. Qin is also represented by the star Delta Serpentis
in asterism Right Wall, Heavenly Market enclosure
(see Chinese constellation
).
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
feudal
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
s of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. It emerged as one of the dominant superpowers of the Seven Warring States
Seven Warring States
The Seven Warring States or Seven Kingdoms refers to the seven warring states in China during the Warring States period of Chinese history...
by the 3rd century BC and eventually unified China under its rule in 221 BC, after which it is referred to as the Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
.
Legendary origins and founding of Qin
According to the 2nd century BC historical text Records of the Grand HistorianRecords of the Grand Historian
The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name Shiji , written from 109 BC to 91 BC, was the Magnum opus of Sima Qian, in which he recounted Chinese history from the time of the Yellow Emperor until his own time...
by Sima Qian
Sima Qian
Sima Qian was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han Dynasty. He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography for his highly praised work, Records of the Grand Historian , a "Jizhuanti"-style general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to...
, the Qin state traced its origin to Zhuanxu
Zhuanxu
Zhuanxu , also known as Gaoyang is a mythological monarch of ancient China.A grandson of the Yellow Emperor, Zhuanxu led the Shi clan in an eastward migration to present-day Shandong, where intermarriages with the Dongyi clan enlarged and augmented their tribal influences...
, one of the Five Emperors in ancient times. Dafei, an ancestor of the royal clan of Qin, helped Yu the Great
Yu the Great
Yu the Great , was a legendary ruler of Ancient China famed for his introduction of flood control, inaugurating dynastic rule in China by founding the Xia Dynasty, and for his upright moral character....
in educating the people on flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
control techniques, and was granted the family name
Chinese surname
Chinese family names have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic groups in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and among overseas Chinese communities. In ancient times two types of surnames, family names and clan names , existed.The colloquial expressions laobaixing...
of "Ying" by Shun.
During the Xia
Xia Dynasty
The Xia Dynasty is the first dynasty in China to be described in ancient historical chronicles such as Bamboo Annals, Classic of History and Records of the Grand Historian. The Xia Dynasty was established by the legendary Yu the Great after Shun, the last of the Five Emperors gave his throne to him...
and Shang
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
dynasties, the Ying clan split into two branches:
- an occidental one, who lived in Quanqiu (犬丘; near present-day TianshuiTianshuiTianshui is the second largest city in Gansu province in northwest China. Its population is approximately 3,500,000.Tianshui lies along the route of the ancient Northern Silk Road at the Wei River, through which much of trade occurred between China and the west...
on the upper valley of the Wei RiverWei RiverThe Wei River is a major river in west-central China's Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. It is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and very important in the early development of Chinese civilization.... - an oriental one, who lived east of the Yellow RiverYellow RiverThe Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
and became the ancestors of the rulers of the Zhao stateZhao (state)Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
The occidental Ying clan was first ennobled in the beginning of the 9th century BC. Feizi
Feizi
Feizi was a Zhou Dynasty Chinese royal horse trainer and breeder. King Xiao of Zhou rewarded him with him the surname of Ying and a fief in the city of Qin , which later became the state of Qin, whose rulers revered him as an ancestor, known as Qin Ying.----...
of Qin served King Xiao of Zhou
King Xiao of Zhou
King Xiao of Zhou or King Hsiao of Chou was the eighth sovereign of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty. Estimated dates of his reign are 891–886 BC or 872–866 BC ....
as a royal horse trainer and breeder, and was rewarded for his efforts with a fief in Quanqiu (present-day Tianshui, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
province) and a marriage to a princess. Feizi's territory was named "Qin" and was surrounded by lands belonging to the minority Rong people. Qin was frequently attacked by the Rong in the 9th century BC as relations between the Rong and the Western Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou Dynasty was a Chinese dynasty that followed the Shang Dynasty and preceded the Qin Dynasty. Although the Zhou Dynasty lasted longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history, the actual political and military control of China by the Ji family lasted only until 771 BC, a period known as...
worsened.
In 771 BC, Marquess
Marquess of Shen
The Marquess of Shēn was a ruler of the State of Shēn during the Zhōu Dynasty period of Chinese history. A vassal state of the Zhōu Kings, Shēn state covered the area of modern day Nanyang City in Henan Province....
of Shen
Shen (state)
The State of Shen was a Chinese vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty ruled by the Jiāng family as an earldom. At the beginning of the Spring and Autumn Period the State of Shen was annexed by the State of Chu and became one of its counties.-Territory:Located around the states of Chén and Zhèng,...
formed an alliance with the Zeng state and Quanrong
Quanrong
The Quǎnróng , literally "Dog Rong", were an ethnic group active in the north western part of China during the Zhōu and later dynasties. Their language is classified as part of the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages family....
nomads, and they attacked and conquered the Western Zhou capital city of Haojing
Haojing
This article is about the ancient Zhou Dynasty capital, for Haojing'ao see MacauHaojing was one of the two settlements comprising the capital of the Western Zhou Dynasty , the other of which was Fēngjīng . Together they were known as Fēnghào and stood on opposite banks of the Feng River with...
(鎬京; near present-day Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
province). Xiang of Qin led his troops to protect King Ping of Zhou
King Ping of Zhou
King Ping of Zhou , also referred to as Crown Prince Yijiu or King P'ing of Chou was the thirteenth sovereign of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty and the first of Eastern Zhou Dynasty...
as the king led his men on an eastward retreat to Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
, where the new capital city of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty was established. In recognition of Xiang's efforts, King Ping promoted him to the rank of a Bo (伯; equivalent of a count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
), the third rank of nobility after Gong (公; Duke) and Hou (侯; Marquis) and promised that all the former lands of Zhou that were captured by the Rong people would become part of Qin's territories if Qin succeeded in retaking them. The future generations of the Qin rulers were encouraged by this promise, and they launched several military campaigns on the Rong, eventually expanding their territories to beyond the original lands lost by the Western Zhou Dynasty.
Ascendancy during the Spring and Autumn Period
Qin's interaction with other feudalFeudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
states in eastern and central China remained minimal throughout the Spring and Autumn Period (722-481 BC), except with its neighbour Jin. Qin maintained good diplomatic relations with Jin and there were also marriages between members of the royal clans of both states, but relations between both sides had also deteriorated to the point of armed conflict before. During the early reign of Duke Mu of Qin
Duke Mu of Qin
Duke Mu of Qin , born Ying Renhao , was a ruler of the State of Qin from 659 or 660 to 621 BC in China. One of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period, he greatly expanded the territory of Qin during the reign of King Xiang of Zhou.He acquired many talented advisors, such as Baili Xi,...
, the Jin state was a formidable power under the leadership of Duke Xian of Jin
Duke Xian of Jin
Duke Xian of Jin , Ancestral name is Ji, given name is Guizhu , was the nineteenth ruler of the State of Jin. He was also the ninth ruler of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period and the second duke of Jin. When his father, Duke Wu of Jin, died in 677 BC, Guizhu ascended the throne of Jin and became...
. However, after the death of Duke Xian, Jin plunged into a state of internal conflict as Duke Xian's sons fought over the succession. One of them won the contention and became Duke Hui of Jin
Duke Hui of Jin
Duke Hui of Jin ,Ancestral name is Ji, given name is Yiwu , was the duke of the State of Jin during Spring and Autumn Period in China. He was the younger brother of Prince Shensheng and Duke Wen of Jin.-Before Reign as Duke:...
, but Jin was struck by a famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
not long later and Duke Hui requested aid from Qin. Duke Mu of Qin sent relief food supplies and agricultural equipment to Jin. However, Qin was struck by famine later and by then, Jin had recovered and it turned to attack Qin. Qin and Jin engaged in several battles over the next few years.
During the battles with Jin, Duke Mu heard that one of Duke Xian's sons, Chong'er
Duke Wen of Jin
Duke Jin Wen led the state of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history from 636 BC to 628 BC. His ancestral name is Ji,clan name is Jin Duke Jin Wen (晋文公) (697 BC - 628 BC) led the state of Jin in the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history from 636 BC to 628 BC. His ancestral...
, was in exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
in the Chu state
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
. After consulting his subjects, Duke Mu sent an emissary to Chu to invite Chong'er to Jin, and Qin helped Chong'er defeat Duke Hui and Chong'er became the new ruler of Jin, with his title as "Duke Wen". Duke Wen was grateful to Duke Mu and relations between Qin and Jin improved. Qin used the opportunity when its eastern front was stable, to launch military campaigns against the minority tribes in the west. In 627 BC, Duke Mu of Qin planned a secret attack on the Zheng state
Zheng (state)
Zheng （) was a vassal state in China during the Zhou Dynasty located in the centre of ancient China in modern day Henan Province on the North China Plain about east of the royal capital at Luoyang. It was the most powerful of the vassal states at the beginning of the Eastern Zhou...
, but the Qin army retreated after being tricked into believing that Zheng was prepared for Qin's invasion. Duke Wen had died and his successor, Duke Xiang of Jin, ordered his troops to lay an ambush for the retreating Qin army. The Qin forces were defeated in the ambush at the Battle of Yao (殽; near present-day Luoning County
Luoning County
Luoning County is a county of Henan, China. It is under the administration of the Luoyang city....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
province) by Jin and suffered heavy casualties. Three years later, Qin attacked Jin for revenge and scored a major victory. Duke Mu refused to advance east further after holding a funeral service for those killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
at the Battle of Yao, and focused on the traditional policy of expanding Qin's borders in the west. Duke Mu's achievements in the western campaigns and his handling of foreign relations with Jin earned him a position among the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period.
Decline in the early Warring States Period
During the early Warring States PeriodWarring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
, as its neighbours in east and central China began rapidly developing, Qin was still in a state of underdevelopment and decline. The population of Qin comprised a large proportion of Sinicized
Sinicization
Sinicization, Sinicisation or Sinification, is the linguistic assimilation or cultural assimilation of terms and concepts of the language and culture of China...
semi-tribal peoples, believed to be descendants of the Rong. This was believed to be a major cause of distinct unease and discrimination towards Qin from other states. The Wei state
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
, formed from the Partition of Jin
Partition of Jin
The Partition of Jin , the watershed between the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, refers to the division of the State of Jin between rival families into the three states of Han, Zhao and Wei....
, became the most powerful state on Qin's eastern border. Qin was equipped with natural defenses, with Hangu Pass
Hangu Pass
Hangu Pass was a strategic pass in ancient China just south of the great eastern bend of the Yellow River in today's Lingbao, Henan Province...
(函谷關; northeast of present-day Lingbao
Lingbao, Henan
Lingbao city is located in Henan Province, People's Republic of China. In ancient times, the Hongnong Commandery was located approximately 20 km south of there. Since 2005, there is a HVDC back-to-back station built by ABB with a transmission rate of 360 MW.Lingbao city has a population of...
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
province) in the east and Tong Pass (潼關; present-day Tongguan County
Tongguan County
Tongguan County is a county in Weinan, Shaanxi, China. It is located in the east of the Central Plain, north of the Qin Mountains, south of Wei and Luo River, east of the Mount Hua and in between the three provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan...
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
province) in the west. Between 413 and 409 BC during the reign of Duke Jian of Qin, the Wei army led by Wu Qi
Wu Qi
Wu Qi was a Chinese military leader and politician in the Warring States period.-Biography:Born in the State of Wei , he was skilled in leading armies and military strategy. He had served in the states of Lu and Wei. In the state of Wei he commanded many great battles and was appointed Xihe Shou...
, with support from Zhao
Zhao (state)
Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
and Han
Han (state)
Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....
, attacked Qin and conquered Qin territories west of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
.
Reformation
Despite suffering losses in the battles with rival states such as WeiWei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
, the Qin rulers were actively pursuing reforms to the legal, economic and social systems of Qin. When Duke Xiao came to the throne of Qin, he issued an announcement, calling forth men of talent (including scholars, administrators, theorists and militarists) from other states to enter Qin and help him with his reforms, promising rewards of high offices and lands in return. Among these foreign talents, Wei Yang
Shang Yang
Shang Yang was an important statesman of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born Wei Yang in the State of Wei, with the support of Duke Xiao of Qin Yang enacted numerous reforms in Qin...
(later renamed to Shang Yang), a scholar from the Legalist School
Legalism (Chinese philosophy)
In Chinese history, Legalism was one of the main philosophic currents during the Warring States Period, although the term itself was invented in the Han Dynasty and thus does not refer to an organized 'school' of thought....
, successfully conducted a series of reforms in Qin with the support of Duke Xiao, despite facing strong opposition from several Qin politicians. The aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
system was abolished, with all slaves granted citizenship rights. People were forced to resettle in new clusters, where they focused on increasing agricultural output. Meritocracy
Meritocracy
Meritocracy, in the first, most administrative sense, is a system of government or other administration wherein appointments and responsibilities are objectively assigned to individuals based upon their "merits", namely intelligence, credentials, and education, determined through evaluations or...
was practised in the military, with soldiers and officers receiving due rewards according to their contributions, regardless of their backgrounds. However, tough and strict laws were imposed as well, with draconian punishments being meted out for the slightest of offenses, and even nobles and royals were not spared. After decades, the reforms strengthened Qin economically and militarily and transformed it into a highly centralized state with an efficient administrative system.
After Duke Xiao's death, King Huiwen
Huiwen of Qin
King Huiwen of Qin , also known as Lord Huiwen of Qin or King Hui of Qin , personal name Ying Si , was the ruler of the Qin state from 338 BC to 311 BC during the Warring States Period of Chinese history.-Early life:...
became the new ruler of Qin and he put Shang Yang to death on charges of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
, but some believed that the king harboured a personal grudge against Shang because he was harshly punished under Shang's reformed system in his adolescence for a minor infraction. However, King Huiwen and his successors retained the reformed systems and they helped to lay the foundation for Qin's eventual unification of China under the Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
in 221 BC. Shang Yang's theories were further elaborated later by Han Fei
Han Fei
Han Fei was a Chinese philosopher who, along with Li Si, Gongsun Yang, Shen Dao and Shen Buhai, developed the doctrine of the School of Law or Legalism...
, who combined Shang's ideas with those of Shen Buhai
Shen Buhai
Shen Buhai was a Chinese bureaucrat who was the Chancellor of Han under Marquis Zhao of Han from 351 BC to 337 BC. Shen was born in the State of Zheng; he was likely to have been a minor official for the State of Zheng. After Han conquered Zheng in 375 BC, he rose up in the ranks of the Han...
and Shen Dao
Shen Dao
Shen Dao was an itinerant Chinese philosopher from Zhao, who was a scholar at the Jixia Academy in Qi. He is usually referred to as Shenzi 慎子.-Overview:...
, that would form the core of the philosophies of Legalism. Qin rose to prominence in the late 3rd century BC after the reforms and emerged as one of the dominant superpowers of the Seven Warring States
Seven Warring States
The Seven Warring States or Seven Kingdoms refers to the seven warring states in China during the Warring States period of Chinese history...
.
Effects of the successful Qin reforms
Qin's power continued growing in the following century after Shang YangShang Yang
Shang Yang was an important statesman of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born Wei Yang in the State of Wei, with the support of Duke Xiao of Qin Yang enacted numerous reforms in Qin...
's reform, owing the success to the industriousness of its people. The Qin kings authorized many state development projects, including large public works such as irrigation canals and defensive structures.
One of the most obvious results of the reforms was the change in Qin's military. Previously, the army was under the control of Qin's nobles and comprised feudal levies. After Shang Yang's reforms, the aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
system was abolished and replaced by one based on meritocracy
Meritocracy
Meritocracy, in the first, most administrative sense, is a system of government or other administration wherein appointments and responsibilities are objectively assigned to individuals based upon their "merits", namely intelligence, credentials, and education, determined through evaluations or...
, in which ordinary citizens had equal opportunities as the nobles to be promoted to high ranks. In addition, military discipline was strongly enforced and the troops were trained to adapt better to different battle situations. Qin's military strength increased largely with the full support of the state. In 318 BC, the states of Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
, Zhao
Zhao (state)
Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
, Han
Han (state)
Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....
, Yan
Yan (state)
Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji...
and Chu
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
formed an alliance and attacked Qin, but did not manage to advance beyond Hangu Pass
Hangu Pass
Hangu Pass was a strategic pass in ancient China just south of the great eastern bend of the Yellow River in today's Lingbao, Henan Province...
, and were defeated by counter-attacking Qin forces. The alliance crumbled due to mistrust and suspicion and lack of coordination among the five states.
Apart from the effects on Qin's military, Shang Yang's reforms also increased labour for numerous public works projects aimed at boosting agriculture, and made it possible for Qin to maintain and supply an active military force of more than a million troops. This feat could not be accomplished by any other state, except Chu, during that time. Qin's conquests of the southern states of Ba
Ba (state)
Ba was an ancient state in eastern Sichuan, China. Its original capital was Yicheng , Hubei. Ba was conquered by Qin in 316 BC. The modern ethnic minority Tujia people trace some of their origins back to the Ba people....
and Shu
Shu (state)
The State of Shu was an ancient state in what is now Sichuan, China. It was conquered by Qin in 316 BC. Shu was based on the Chengdu Plain, in the western Sichuan basin with some extension northeast to the upper Han River valley. To the east was the Ba tribal confederation. Further east down the...
in present-day Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
province also provided Qin with major strategic advantages. The lands in the new territories were very fertile, and helped serve as a "backyard" for supplies and additional manpower. It was hard for Qin's rivals to attack Ba and Shu, since the territories were located deep in the mountains upstream of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
. At the same time, Qin's strategic position in Ba and Shu provided it with a platform for launching attacks on the Chu state, which lies downstream of the Yangtze.
Later history
| Summary of major events | |
| Year | Events |
|---|---|
| c. 557 BC | Qin fought with Jin |
| 361 BC | Duke Xiao became ruler of Qin |
| 356 BC | Shang Yang Shang Yang Shang Yang was an important statesman of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born Wei Yang in the State of Wei, with the support of Duke Xiao of Qin Yang enacted numerous reforms in Qin... implemented his first set of reforms in Qin |
| 350 BC | Shang Yang implemented his second set of reforms in Qin |
| 338 BC | King Huiwen Huiwen of Qin King Huiwen of Qin , also known as Lord Huiwen of Qin or King Hui of Qin , personal name Ying Si , was the ruler of the Qin state from 338 BC to 311 BC during the Warring States Period of Chinese history.-Early life:... became ruler of Qin |
| 316 BC | Qin conquered Shu Shu (state) The State of Shu was an ancient state in what is now Sichuan, China. It was conquered by Qin in 316 BC. Shu was based on the Chengdu Plain, in the western Sichuan basin with some extension northeast to the upper Han River valley. To the east was the Ba tribal confederation. Further east down the... and Ba Ba (state) Ba was an ancient state in eastern Sichuan, China. Its original capital was Yicheng , Hubei. Ba was conquered by Qin in 316 BC. The modern ethnic minority Tujia people trace some of their origins back to the Ba people.... |
| 293 BC | Qin defeated the allied forces of Wei Wei (state) The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong... and Han Han (state) Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character.... at the Battle of Yique Battle of Yique Battle of Yique 293 BC, fought by King Zhaoxiang of Qin against the alliance of Wei and Han at Yique . For background see Warring States Period#The period of Qi . The Qin commander was general Bai Qi. With half of the alliance force, Bai Qi's army took the alliance's strongholds one by one... |
| 260 BC | Qin defeated Zhao Zhao (state) Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others... at the Battle of Changping Battle of Changping The Battle of Changping was a military campaign that took place during the Warring States Period in China. It concluded in 260 BC with a decisive victory by the State of Qin over the State of Zhao, and ultimately allowed Qin to conquer and unify China decades later... |
| 256 BC | Qin ended the Zhou Dynasty |
| 247 BC | Ying Zheng Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC... became ruler of Qin |
| 230 BC | Qin conquered Han Han (state) Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character.... |
| 228 BC | Qin conquered Zhao Zhao (state) Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others... |
| 225 BC | Qin conquered Wei Wei (state) The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong... |
| 223 BC | Qin conquered Chu Chu (state) The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong... |
| 222 BC | Qin conquered Yan Yan (state) Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji... , Dai and the Wuyue region Wu (region) Wu is a region in the Jiangnan area , surrounding Suzhou, in Jiangsu province and Zhejiang province of China. It is also the abbreviation of several kingdoms based in Wu. The two largest cities in the Wu region today are Shanghai and Hangzhou... |
| 221 BC | Qin conquered Qi Qi (state) Qi was a powerful state during the Spring and Autumn Period and Period of the Warring States in ancient China. Its capital was Linzi, now part of the modern day city of Zibo in Shandong Province.... and unified China under the Qin Dynasty Qin Dynasty The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring... |
Wars against Chu, Han and Wei
During the reign of King Huiwen of QinHuiwen of Qin
King Huiwen of Qin , also known as Lord Huiwen of Qin or King Hui of Qin , personal name Ying Si , was the ruler of the Qin state from 338 BC to 311 BC during the Warring States Period of Chinese history.-Early life:...
, the Chu state
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
, to the southeast of Qin, became a target for Qin's aggression. Although Chu had the largest operationally-ready army of all the Seven Warring States
Seven Warring States
The Seven Warring States or Seven Kingdoms refers to the seven warring states in China during the Warring States period of Chinese history...
at over a million troops, its administrative and military strength was plagued by corruption and divided among the nobles. Zhang Yi
Zhang Yi (strategist)
Zhang Yi was born in the Wei state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. He was an important strategist in helping Qin to dissolve the unity of the other states, and hence pave the way for Qin to unify China...
, a Qin strategist, suggested to King Huiwen to exercise Qin's interest at the expense of Chu. Over the following years, Zhang engineered and executed a number of diplomatic plots against Chu, supported by the constant military raids on Chu's northwestern border. Chu suffered many defeats in battles against Qin and was forced to cede territories to Qin. King Huai I of Chu was furious and ordered a military campaign against Qin, but he was tricked by Zhang Yi into breaking diplomatic ties with his allies, and his angered allies joined Qin in inflicting a crushing defeat on Chu. In 299 BC, King Huai I was tricked into attending a diplomatic conference in Qin, where he was captured and held hostage until his death. In the meantime, Qin launched several attacks on Chu and eventually sacked the Chu capital city of Chen (陳; present-day Jiangling County, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
province). The crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of Chu fled east and was crowned King Qingxiang of Chu in the new capital city of Shouchun (壽春; present-day Shou County
Shou County
Shou County is a county in Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, under the jurisdiction of Lu'an City. It has population is 1,280,000 and its area is 2986 square kilometers...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
province).
In the next five decades after King Huiwen's death, King Zhaoxiang of Qin shifted his attention to northern China after Qin's victories in the south against Chu. In the early years of King Zhaoxiang's reign, the Marquis of Rang (穰侯) served as Qin's chancellor and he actively pushed for military campaigns against the Qi state
Qi (state)
Qi was a powerful state during the Spring and Autumn Period and Period of the Warring States in ancient China. Its capital was Linzi, now part of the modern day city of Zibo in Shandong Province....
in the far eastern part of China. However, the marquis had his personal motives, as he intended to use Qin's powerful military to help him conquer a fief in Qi territories, since the lands were not directly linked to Qin and would not be under the Qin government's direct administration.
Subsequently, King Zhaoxiang's foreign advisor, Fan Sui, advised the king to abandon those fruitless campaigns against distant states. King Zhaoxiang heeded Fan's advice and changed Qin's foreign policy to adopting good diplomatic relations with distant states (Yan
Yan (state)
Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji...
and Qi), while concentrating on attacking nearby states (Zhao
Zhao (state)
Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
, Han
Han (state)
Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....
and Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
). As a consequence, Qin began to launch constant attacks on Han and Wei over the next decades, conquering several territories in its campaigns. By then, Qin's territories had expanded to beyond the eastern shore of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
and Han and Wei were reduced to the status of "buffers" from Qin for the other states in the east.
Wars against Zhao
Starting from 265 BC, Qin launched a massive invasion on HanHan (state)
Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....
and forced Han to cede its territory of Shangdang (上黨; in present-day Shanxi
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
province). However, Han offered Shangdang to Zhao
Zhao (state)
Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
instead, which led to a conflict between Qin and Zhao for control of Shangdang. Qin and Zhao engaged in the three-year long Battle of Changping
Battle of Changping
The Battle of Changping was a military campaign that took place during the Warring States Period in China. It concluded in 260 BC with a decisive victory by the State of Qin over the State of Zhao, and ultimately allowed Qin to conquer and unify China decades later...
, followed by another three-year siege by Qin on Zhao's capital city of Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
. The conflict at Changping was deemed as a power struggle, as both sides pitted their forces against each other not only on the battlefield, but also in the domestic context. Although Qin had an abundance of resources and vast manpower, it had to enlist every man above the age of 15 for war-related duties, ranging from front-line service to logistics and agriculture. King Zhaoxiang of Qin even personally directed his army's supply lines. The extent of mobilization and the exhaustion in the aftermath was not seen in world history for another 2,000 years, until this concept of total war
Total war
Total war is a war in which a belligerent engages in the complete mobilization of fully available resources and population.In the mid-19th century, "total war" was identified by scholars as a separate class of warfare...
re-entered the stage during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Qin's eventual victory in 260 BC was attributed to its use of schemes to stir up internal conflict in Zhao, which led to the replacement of Zhao's military leaders.
Following the Qin victory at the Battle of Changping, the Qin commander Bai Qi
Bai Qi
Bái Qǐ was an outstanding military leader of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born in Mei , as commander of the Qin army for more than 30 years, Bai Qi was responsible for the deaths of a total over 890,000 enemy soldiers, earning him the nickname Ren Tu...
ordered the 400,000 prisoners-of-war from Zhao to be executed by burying alive
Premature burial
Premature burial, also known as live burial, burial alive, or vivisepulture, means to be buried while still alive. Animals or humans may be buried alive accidentally or intentionally...
. Subsequently, the Qin forces marched on the Zhao capital city of Handan in an attempt to conquer Zhao completely. However, the Qin troops were unable to capture Handan as they were already exhausted and also because the Zhao forces put up fierce resistance. King Xiaocheng of Zhao offered six cities to Qin as a peace offer and King Zhaoxiang of Qin accepted the offer after being persuaded by Fan Sui. Within Zhao, many officials strongly opposed King Xiaocheng's decision to give up the cities and subsequent delays caused the siege on Handan to be prolonged until 258 BC. Meanwhile, Bai Qi was consecutively replaced by Wang Xi, Wang Ling and Zheng Anping as the Qin commander at the siege.
In 257 BC, Qin was still unable to penetrate Handan after besieging it for three years, and Zhao requested aid from the neighbouring states of Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
and Chu
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
. Wei was hesitant to help Qin initially, but launched an attack on Qin after seeing that Qin was already exhausted after years of war. The Qin forces crumbled and retreated and Zheng Anping surrendered. The combined forces of Wei and Chu continued to pursue the retreating Qin army and Wei managed to retake part of its original lands that were lost to Qin earlier.
Qin's irrigation projects
In the middle of the 3rd century BC, Zheng GuoZheng Guo
Zheng Guo or Cheng Kuo was a hydraulic engineer from the ancient Chinese kingdom of Han who designed the Zhengguo Canal in the kingdom of Qin during the Warring States Period. The canal remains to this day, despite having been constructed in the third century BC. The canal was originally designed...
, a hydraulic engineer from the Han state
Han (state)
Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....
, was sent to Qin to advise King Zhaoxiang of Qin on constructing irrigation canals. Qin had a penchant for building large-scale canals, as evident from its Min River irrigation system
Dujiangyan Irrigation System
Dujiangyan is an irrigation infrastructure built in 256 BC during the Warring States Period of China by the Kingdom of Qin. It is located in the Min River in Sichuan province, China, near the capital Chengdu. It is still in use today to irrigate over 5,300 square kilometers of land in the region...
. King Zhaoxiang approved Zheng Guo's idea on constructing an even bigger canal. The project was completed in 264 BC and the canal was named after Zheng
Zhengguo Canal
The Zhengguo Canal, Zhengguoqu or Chengkuo Canal , named after its designer, Zheng Guo, is a large canal located in Shaanxi province, China. The canal irrigates the Guanzhong plain, north of Xi'an. Together with the Dujiangyan Irrigation System and Lingqu Canal, it is one of the three biggest water...
. Qin benefitted from the project as it became one of the most fertile states in China due to the good irrigation system, and also because it could now raise more troops as a consequence of increased agricultural yield.
Conquest of the six states and unification of China
In 247 BC, the 13-year-old Ying ZhengQin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
became king of Qin after the sudden death of King Zhuangxiang. However, Ying Zheng did not wield state power fully in his hands until 238 BC, after eliminating his political rivals Lü Buwei
Lü Buwei
Lü Buwei , Lord Wenxin 文信侯 was a Warring States Period merchant who schemed his way into governing the State of Qin. He served as Chancellor of China for King Zhuangxiang of Qin, and as regent and Chancellor for the king's young son Zheng, who became Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China...
and Lao Ai. Ying formulated a plan for conquering the other six states and unifying China with help from Li Si
Li Si
Li Si was the influential Prime Minister of the feudal state and later of the dynasty of Qin, between 246 BC and 208 BC. A famous Legalist, he was also a notable calligrapher. Li Si served under two rulers: Qin Shi Huang, king of Qin and later First Emperor of China—and his son, Qin Er Shi...
and Wei Liao.
In 230 BC, Qin attacked Han
Han (state)
Han was a kingdom during the Warring States Period in China, located in modern-day Shanxi and Henan. Not to be confused with South Korea which shares the same character....
, the weakest of the Seven Warring States
Seven Warring States
The Seven Warring States or Seven Kingdoms refers to the seven warring states in China during the Warring States period of Chinese history...
, and succeeded in conquering Han within a year. Since 236 BC, Qin had been launching several assaults on Zhao
Zhao (state)
Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
, which had been devastated by its calamitous defeat at the Battle of Changping
Battle of Changping
The Battle of Changping was a military campaign that took place during the Warring States Period in China. It concluded in 260 BC with a decisive victory by the State of Qin over the State of Zhao, and ultimately allowed Qin to conquer and unify China decades later...
three decades ago. Although Qin faced strong resistance from the Zhao forces, led by general Li Mu
Li Mu
Li Mu was a prominent military General of Zhao during the Warring States period of China. He, together with Bai Qi, Wang Jian, and Lian Po were known as the Four Greatest Generals in Warring States era.-Career:...
, it still managed to defeat the Zhao army by using a ploy to sow discord between King Qian of Zhao and Li Mu, causing King Qian to order Li Mu's execution and replace Li with the less competent Zhao Cong. Zhao eventually fell to Qin in 228 BC after the capital city of Handan
Handan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
was taken. However, a Zhao noble managed to escape with remnant forces and proclaim himself king in Dai. Dai fell to Qin six years later.
After the fall of Zhao, Qin turned its attention towards Yan
Yan (state)
Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji...
. Crown Prince Dan of Yan
Crown Prince Dan of Yan
Crown Prince Dan of Yan was a crown prince of the state of Yan during the Warring States Period in China. Originally a hostage in the State of Qin, he was sent back to Yan in 232 BC. He sent Jing Ke to assassinate Qin Shi Huang, then Emperor of China, but he failed...
sent Jing Ke
Jing Ke
Jing Ke was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination attempt of Ying Zheng, King of Qin state, who later became China's first emperor...
to assassinate Ying Zheng but the assassination attempt failed and Qin used that as an excuse to attack Yan. Yan lost to Qin at a battle on the eastern bank of the Yi River in 226 BC and King Xi of Yan fled with remnant forces to Liaodong. Qin attacked Yan again in 222 BC and annexed Yan completely. In 225 BC, the Qin army led by Wang Ben invaded Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
and besieged Wei's capital city of Daliang for three months. Wang directed the waters from the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
and the Hong Canal to flood Daliang and King Jia of Wei surrendered and Wei was conquered.
In 224 BC, Qin prepared for an attack on Chu
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
, its most powerful rival among the six states. During a discussion between Ying Zheng and his subjects, the veteran general Wang Jian
Wang Jian (Qin)
Wang Jian , a military leader of Qin in the Warring States Period. He was born in Guanzhong county, city of Pinyang, Dongxiang village .-Major Achievement:...
claimed that the invasion force needed to be at least 600,000 strong, but the younger general Li Xin thought that 200,000 men would be sufficient. Ying Zheng put Li Xin in command of the Qin army to attack Chu. The Chu defenders, led by Xiang Yan, took Li Xin's army by surprise and defeated the Qin invaders. The defeat was deemed as the greatest setback for Qin in its wars to unify China. Ying Zheng put Wang Jian in command of the 600,000 strong army as he had requested and ordered Wang to lead another attack on Chu. Wang scored a major victory against the Chu forces in 224 BC and Xiang Yan was killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
. The following year, Qin pushed on and captured Chu's capital city of Shouchun, bringing an end to Chu's existence. In 222 BC, the Qin army advanced southward and annexed the Wuyue region
Wu (region)
Wu is a region in the Jiangnan area , surrounding Suzhou, in Jiangsu province and Zhejiang province of China. It is also the abbreviation of several kingdoms based in Wu. The two largest cities in the Wu region today are Shanghai and Hangzhou...
(covering present-day Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
and Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
provinces).
By 221 BC, Qi
Qi (state)
Qi was a powerful state during the Spring and Autumn Period and Period of the Warring States in ancient China. Its capital was Linzi, now part of the modern day city of Zibo in Shandong Province....
was the only rival state left. Qin advanced into the heartland of Qi via a southern detour, avoiding direct confrontation with the Qi forces on Qi's western border and arrived at Qi's capital city of Linzi swiftly. The Qi forces were taken by surprise and surrendered without putting up resistance. Following the fall of Qi in 221 BC, China was unified under the rule of Qin. Ying Zheng declared himself "Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC...
" (meaning "First Emperor
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
of Qin") and founded the Qin Dynasty
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
, becoming the first sovereign ruler
Chinese sovereign
Chinese sovereign is the ruler of a particular period in ancient China. Several titles and naming schemes have been used throughout history.-Emperor Title:...
of a united China.
Culture and society
Before Qin unified China, each state had its own customs and culture. According to the Tribute of Yu, composed in the fourth century BC, there were nine distinct cultural regions of China, described in detail in the work. The work focuses on the travels of the titular sage, Yu Gong, throughout each of the regions. Other texts, predominantly military, also discussed these cultural variations.One of these texts was Master Wu, written in response to a query by Marquis Wu of Wei
Wei (state)
The State of Wei was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Its territory lay between the states of Qin and Qi and included parts of modern day Henan, Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong...
on how to cope with the other states. Wu Qi
Wu Qi
Wu Qi was a Chinese military leader and politician in the Warring States period.-Biography:Born in the State of Wei , he was skilled in leading armies and military strategy. He had served in the states of Lu and Wei. In the state of Wei he commanded many great battles and was appointed Xihe Shou...
, the author of the work, declared that the government and nature of the people were reflective of the terrain they live in. Of Qin, he said:
According to Wu, the nature of the people is a result of the government, which is in turn a result of the roughness of the terrain. Each of the states is expounded upon by Wu in this manner.
In his Petition against driving away foreigners (諫逐客書), Li Si
Li Si
Li Si was the influential Prime Minister of the feudal state and later of the dynasty of Qin, between 246 BC and 208 BC. A famous Legalist, he was also a notable calligrapher. Li Si served under two rulers: Qin Shi Huang, king of Qin and later First Emperor of China—and his son, Qin Er Shi...
mentioned that guzheng
Guzheng
The guzheng or "gu zheng", also called zheng is a Chinese plucked zither. It has 18-23 or more strings and movable bridges....
and percussion instruments made of pottery and tiles were the characteristics of Qin music.
Rulers
All dates according to the Table chapters (14 and 15) of the Shiji. Other texts and others chapters in the Shiji, might have slightly different years. Reigns begin at the death of the former ruler, i.e. one year before the first year recorded in chronicles.| Title | Name | Period of reign | Relations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feizi 非子 |
900 BC–858 BC | fifth generation descendant of Elai | ||
| Qin hou 秦侯 |
857 BC–848 BC | son of Feizi | ||
| Qin Gongbo 秦公伯 |
847 BC–845 BC | son of Qin hou | ||
| Qin Zhong 秦仲 |
845 BC–822 BC | son of Qin Gongbo | ||
| Duke Zhuang 秦莊公 |
Qi 其 |
822 BC–778 BC | son of Qin Zhong | |
| Duke Xiang 秦襄公 |
778 BC–766 BC | son of Zhong; brother of Duke Zhuang | ||
| Duke Wen 秦文公 |
766 BC–716 BC | son of Duke Xiang | ||
| Duke Jing 秦靜公 |
son of Duke Wen | did not rule, ducal title granted posthumously | ||
| Duke Xian 秦憲公 |
Li 立 |
715 BC–704 BC | son of Duke Jing | alternative title Duke Ning (秦寧公) |
| Chuzi 秦出子 |
Man 曼 |
704 BC–698 BC | son of Duke Xian | not granted the posthumous ducal title because he was an usurper |
| Duke Wu 秦武公 |
698 BC–678 BC | son of Duke Xian | ||
| Duke De 秦德公 |
678 BC–676 BC | son of Duke Xian; younger brother of Duke Wu |
||
| Duke Xuan 秦宣公 |
676 BC–664 BC | son of Duke De | ||
| Duke Cheng 秦成公 |
664 BC–660 BC | son of Duke De; younger brother of Duke Xuan |
||
| Duke Mu Duke Mu of Qin Duke Mu of Qin , born Ying Renhao , was a ruler of the State of Qin from 659 or 660 to 621 BC in China. One of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period, he greatly expanded the territory of Qin during the reign of King Xiang of Zhou.He acquired many talented advisors, such as Baili Xi,... 秦穆公 |
Renhao 任好 |
660 BC–621 BC | son of Duke De; younger brother of Duke Cheng |
|
| Duke Kang 秦康公 |
Ying 罃 |
621 BC–609 BC | son of Duke Mu | |
| Duke Gong 秦共公 |
Dao 稻 |
609 BC–604 BC | son of Duke Kang | |
| Duke Huan 秦桓公 |
Rong 榮 |
604 BC–577 BC | son of Duke Gong | |
| Duke Jing 秦景公 |
Hou 後 |
577 BC–537 BC | son of Duke Huan | |
| Duke Ai 秦哀公 |
537 BC–501 BC | son of Duke Jing | alternative title Duke Bi (秦畢公) | |
| Duke Yi 秦夷公 |
son of Duke Ai | did not rule, ducal title granted posthumously | ||
| Duke Hui I 秦惠公 |
501 BC–491 BC | son of Duke Yi | ||
| Duke Dao 秦悼公 |
491 BC–477 BC | son of Duke Hui I | ||
| Duke Li 秦厲公 |
Ci 刺 |
477 BC–443 BC | son of Duke Dao | alternative titles Duke Cigong (秦剌龔公) and Duke Ligong (秦利龔公) |
| Duke Zao 秦躁公 |
443 BC–429 BC | son of Duke Li | alternative title Duke Zao (秦趮公) | |
| Duke Huai 秦懷公 |
429 BC–425 BC | son of Duke Li; younger brother of Duke Zao |
||
| Duke Ling 秦靈公 |
Su 肅 |
425 BC–415 BC | grandson of Duke Huai; son of crown prince Zhaozi | alternative title Duke Suling (秦肅靈公) |
| Duke Jian 秦簡公 |
Daozi 悼子 |
415 BC–400 BC | son of Duke Huai; uncle of Duke Ling |
|
| Duke Hui II 秦惠公 |
400 BC–387 BC | son of Duke Jian | ||
| Duke Chu 秦出公 |
387 BC–385 BC | son of Duke Hui II | alternative title Shaozhu (秦少主) | |
| Duke Xian 秦獻公 |
Shiti 師隰 |
385 BC–362 BC | son of Duke Ling | alternative titles Duke Yuanxian (秦元獻公) and King Yuan (秦元王); alternative name Lian (連) |
| Duke Xiao 秦孝公 |
Quliang 渠梁 |
362 BC–338 BC | son of Duke Xian | alternative title King Ping (秦平王) |
| King Huiwen Huiwen of Qin King Huiwen of Qin , also known as Lord Huiwen of Qin or King Hui of Qin , personal name Ying Si , was the ruler of the Qin state from 338 BC to 311 BC during the Warring States Period of Chinese history.-Early life:... 秦惠文王 |
Si 駟 |
338 BC–311 BC | son of Duke Xiao | alternative title King Hui (惠王); claimed royal title in 325 BC first Qin ruler to adopt the title of "King" |
| King Wu Wu of Qin King Wu of Qin , also known as King Daowulie of Qin or King Daowu of Qin or King Wulie of Qin , was the ruler of the Qin state from 310—307 BC during the Warring States Period of Chinese history.... 秦武王 |
Dang 蕩 |
311 BC–307 BC | son of King Huiwen | alternative titles King Daowu (秦悼武王) and King Wulie (秦武烈王) |
| King Zhaoxiang 秦昭襄王 |
Ze 则 |
307 BC–251 BC | son of King Huiwen; younger brother of King Wu |
alternative title King Zhao (昭王); alternative name Ji (稷) |
| King Xiaowen 秦孝文王 |
Zhu 柱 |
251 BC–250 BC | son of King Zhaoxiang | alternative title Lord Anguo (安國君) |
| King Zhuangxiang 秦荘襄王 |
Yiren 異人 |
250 BC–247 BC | son of King Xiaowen | alternative title King Zhuang (秦荘王); alternative name Zichu (子楚) |
| First Emperor Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang , personal name Ying Zheng , was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BC... 秦始皇 |
Zheng 政 |
247 BC–210 BC | son of King Zhuangxiang | ruled as king of Qin state until 221 BC; ruled as First Emperor of Qin Dynasty Qin Dynasty The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring... from 221 BC |
Popular culture
The events during Duke Xiao's reign, including Shang YangShang Yang
Shang Yang was an important statesman of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born Wei Yang in the State of Wei, with the support of Duke Xiao of Qin Yang enacted numerous reforms in Qin...
's reforms, are chronicled into a historical novel by Sun Haohui. The novel, published in 2008, is adapted into a television series titled The Qin Empire
The Qin Empire (TV series)
The Qin Empire is a 2009 Chinese television series based on Sun Haohui's novel of the same Chinese title. The 51 episodes long series chronicles the rise of the Qin state in the Warring States Period during the reign of Duke Xiao of Qin...
.
Qin in astronomy
Qin is represented by two stars, Theta CapricorniTheta Capricorni
Theta Capricorni is a star in the constellation Capricornus. θ Capricorni is a white A-type main sequence dwarf with an apparent magnitude of +4.08...
and 30 Capricorni , in Twelve States
Girl (Chinese constellation)
The Girl mansion is one of the Twenty-eight mansions of the Chinese constellations. It is one of the northern mansions of the Black Tortoise.- Asterisms :...
asterism. Qin is also represented by the star Delta Serpentis
Delta Serpentis
Delta Serpentis is a star system in the constellation Serpens, in its head . It was a member of indigenous Arabic asterism al-Nasaq al-Yamānī, "the Southern Line" of al-Nasaqān "the Two Lines"., along with α Ser , ε Ser , δ Oph , ε Oph , ζ Oph and γ Oph .According to the...
in asterism Right Wall, Heavenly Market enclosure
Heavenly Market enclosure
Tian Shi Yuan, the Heavenly Market Enclosure , is one of the San Yuan or Three enclosures. Stars and constellations of this group are visible during late summer and early autumn in the Northern Hemisphere . The summer triangle lies directly to the northwest.-Asterisms:The asterisms are :...
(see Chinese constellation
Chinese constellation
Chinese constellations are the way the ancient Chinese grouped the stars. They are very different from the modern IAU recognized constellations. This is because the IAU was based on Greco-Roman astronomy instead of Chinese astronomy....
).