Rui Zhong (China)
作者
本期主题/专栏:
Ancient History
After China had been separated geographically into seven kingdoms for nearly five hundred years, the most powerful kingdom, Qin, achieved the final martial success over others and reunited China, leading to the foundation of the Qin Dynasty in 221 BCE. The Qin Dynasty, referred to as the first centralized dynasty of China, created countless great and influential political systems. For example, Qin Shi Huang ('First Emperor of Qin' in Chinese) created the Imperial system, enhancing the power of the highest ruler, the emperor. He also abolished principalities and established prefectures and counties. All the political systems aimed to improve the power of the government and the stability of the state. Thanks to these, China could stay united as one for most of its history, instead of being divided like the Roman Empire.
During the Qin Dynasty, many engineering wonders were constructed. Our ancestors built the Great Wall along the northern frontier to defend against barbarians. They also built Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, a UNESCO world heritage site, which stands out for the Terracotta Army. The Ling Canal, one of the oldest canals in the world, was constructed to help Qin Shi Huang rule the southern part of China and the northern part of Vietnam. Nevertheless, these great constructions required considerable labor, placing heavier burdens on the people's shoulders.
Qin's cruel domination and heavy burdens resulted in the people's misery. The angry farmers of Qin were the first in Chinese history to revolt. After only 15 years, Qin was dramatically engulfed in the anger of the people