Qin dynasty
In 897 BC, the area that would become Qin was allocated as a dependency dedicated to raising horses. Feizi, said to be a descendant of the legendary political advisor Gao Yao, received rule over this settlement near modern Qingshui County in Gansu. Duke Zhuang of Qin later joined a military campaign against the Western Rong under King Xiao of Zhou. This effort succeeded and earned him additional territory. In 770 BC, Duke Xiang helped escort the Zhou court from Fenghao to Chengzhou during an emergency evacuation. He then led an expedition to recapture lost territory, formally establishing Qin as a major vassal state. The state began military expeditions into central China in 672 BC. By the 4th century BC, neighboring tribes had been subdued or conquered, setting the stage for expansion. Shang Yang introduced advantageous military reforms between 359 BC and his execution in 338 BC. These reforms created a strong centralized state with a large army supported by a stable economy.
King Zheng acceded to the throne of Qin at age nine before engaging in wars of unification starting in 230 BC. The Qin first attacked Han directly to their east, taking Xinzheng that same year. They struck Zhao next, which surrendered in 228 BC. Yan fell in 226 BC, followed by Wei's capital Daliang in 225 BC. Chu was forced to surrender in 223 BC. Qi's capital Linzi was taken in 221 BC, completing the conquests. King Zheng became the effective ruler of all China upon this completion. He solidified his position by having Lü Buwei abdicate from prime minister duties. The emperor combined titles of earlier Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors into Shi Huangdi, meaning First Emperor. All weapons not possessed by Qin were confiscated and melted down. This metal sufficed to build twelve large ornamental statues at Xianyang. The subjugation of six states used efficient persuasion and exemplary strategy.
During the 330s BC, Qin began minting banliang coins round and made mostly of bronze. These marked a nominal weight though actual weights varied. After unification, banliang gained official status across the empire replacing regional currencies like spade money and knife money. This became the first standardized currency used throughout all of China. The state did not allow private sector coinage after unification, considering such coins counterfeit. Shang Yang introduced a registration system for its population initially collating individual names. Later it tracked entire households thought established around 375 BC. The oldest lists discovered date to the late 3rd century BC found at Shuihudi in Hubei and Liye in Hunan. Households organized into groups of five where heads mutually reported wrongdoing. King Ying Zheng ordered recording adult men's ages starting in 231 BC. Standard writing style consolidated under Qin Shi Huang into small seal script spread via public stone graphs. An imperial academy and library appointed scholars to interpret texts.
Qin Shi Huang developed plans to fortify northern borders against nomadic invasions forming the base of what later became Great Wall of China. Another project was the Terracotta Army intended to protect emperor after death. This army remained inconspicuous due to underground location until discovered in 1974. In 214 BC Qin secured boundaries north with roughly 100,000 men sending majority force south. Five hundred thousand men conquered territory inhabited by Baiyue peoples. Initial defeat cost over 100,000 lives before building canal used heavily supplying troops during second attack. After victories Qin moved over 100,000 prisoners exiles colonize newly conquered area including Guangzhou Fuzhou Guilin possibly reaching Hanoi. The state possessed unprecedented capacity transforming environment through managing people land. Large-scale construction projects involved labor hundreds thousands peasants convicts connecting walls along northern border creating national road system city-sized mausoleum guarded life-sized terracotta warriors.
Qin existing only fourteen years credited inaugurating Chinese imperial system persist form throughout Chinese history until overthrown Xinhai Revolution 1911. During second first centuries BC Han dynasty scholars began portraying Qin monolithic legalist tyranny often invoked example bad governance contemporary debates imperial policy. Purges 213 and 212 BC collectively known burning books burying scholars frequently cited end earliest account events contained Shiji veracity disputed some modern scholars. Qin deliberately contrasted characterised virtuous rule Han essentially inherited administrative state built Qin including household registration system. Medieval modern historians often grouped Qin Han together establishment Han treated mainly change ruling houses rather system method rule. Qin likely origin modern name China equivalents many European languages term appeared Indo-Aryan languages attested Sanskrit entered Greek vernacular languages Europe. Etymology questioned scholars suggest appears Sanskrit centuries before Qin dynasty founding other hypothesized origins Zhou-era state Jin existed prior fourth century BC Jing another name state Chu.
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Common questions
When did the Qin dynasty begin and end?
The Qin dynasty existed from 221 BC to 206 BC. This period lasted fourteen years before being overthrown by the Xinhai Revolution in 1911.
Who was the first emperor of the Qin dynasty and when did he accede to power?
King Zheng became the effective ruler of all China upon completing conquests in 221 BC. He acceded to the throne of Qin at age nine before engaging in wars of unification starting in 230 BC.
What currency did the Qin state introduce after unifying China?
Qin began minting banliang coins round and made mostly of bronze during the 330s BC. After unification, banliang gained official status across the empire replacing regional currencies like spade money and knife money.
How many commanderies were established under the Qin government administration system?
The empire divided into thirty-six commanderies further subdivided into more than one thousand districts. States assigned to dedicated officials rather royal family members.
When was the Terracotta Army discovered and what purpose did it serve?
This army remained inconspicuous due to underground location until discovered in 1974. The Terracotta Army was intended to protect emperor after death.