New Delhi: China had many emperors in its history many of whom left behind a lasting legacy which has withstood the change of time. Notably, the first emperor the country was Qin Shi Huang, the man who founded the Qin dynasty. Before him, the Shang and Zhou rulers in China reigned with the title of ‘king’, but Qin assumed the title of ’emperor’, making him the first one in the long list of China’s emperors. Also, he is known today for making the Terracotta Army, which was supposed to protect him in the afterlife from evil spirits.
Qin Shi Huang: The first emperor of China
By the time China got its first emperor who unified the country, it already had a long history. Settlements in the Yellow and Yangtze River Valleys became an agricultural civilization which we know as the Chinese Civilization, one of the most prosperous places in the ancient world. Born in Handan as Zhao Zheng, his father was the king of Qin Zhuangxiang and his mother was Lady Zhao. With the help of Lü Buwei, a wealthy merchant, he became King Zheng of Qin. He unified other warring states and unified China by 221 BC, and became the first emperor of China.
Qin Shi Huang as the ruler of China
During the reign of Qin Shi Huang, the boundaries of China expanded significantly. He enacted several political and economic reforms to standardize the diverse practices prevalent in China earlier. As per reports, he banned many books and executed scholars. He laid the foundation of the Great Wall of China, an UNESCO Heritage Site and possibly the most popular historical place in the country. He also built a massive mausoleum for himself which is guarded by a life-sized Terracotta Army. He died in 210 BC and is considered one of the most prominent figures in the Chinese history.
The life-sized Terracotta Army
Several assassination attempts were made on Qin Shi Huang, which is probably why he became obsessed with immortality. He was told by his advisers that the herbs of immortality would not work unless he was able to keep his movements unobserved. To this end, he built passages which connected his palaces so that no one could see him move about.
He would go on to construct the Terracotta Army to ensure that his afterlife remained peaceful and guarded from enemies. It is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting his armies and the funerary art was buried with the emperor with the purpose of protecting him in his afterlife. In 1974, local farmers in Lintong County discovered the army. As per estimates, the Terracotta Army has over 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses. The thousands of life-size figures included archers, infantrymen, officials, servants, and even entertainers like musicians and a strongman. The ancient army was placed surrounding the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and was supposed to guard him in the afterlife. The figures of acrobats and musicians were placed so that they would entertain the emperor for infinity.
Qin Shi Huang, born Zhao Zheng, unified warring states to become China’s first emperor in 221 BC. His reign saw significant territorial expansion, standardization of practices, and the construction of the Great Wall and his elaborate mausoleum, guarded by the famed Terracotta Army. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
