Jump to content

User:Amir Ghandi/Qin dynasty

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Qin
秦
221 BC–206 BC
Territory controlled by the Qin dynasty c. 210 BC
Territory controlled by the Qin dynasty c. 210 BC
CapitalXianyang
Common languagesOld Chinese
GovernmentAbsolute monarchy
Emperor 
• 221–210 BC
Qin Shi Huang
• 210–207 BC
Qin Er Shi
Chancellor 
• 221–208 BC
Li Si
• 208–207 BC
Zhao Gao
Historical eraImperial
• Accession of Qin Shi Huang
221 BC
• Death of Qin Shi Huang
210 BC
• Surrender to Liu Bang
206 BC
Area
220 BC[1]2,300,000 km2 (890,000 sq mi)
CurrencyBan Liang
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Zhou dynasty
Qin (state)
Eighteen Kingdoms
Han dynasty
Nanyue

The Qin Dynasty[a] was the first imperial dynasty of China (221–206 BC) established by Qin Shi Huang. Although short-lived, the Qin period led by Qin Shi Huang and briefly by his son, Qin Er Shi, represents a major turning point in China's national history; this period inaugurated the imperial era which saw many other dynasties succeed one another until the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912 with the proclamation of the republic.

Originally an autonomous state under the Zhou dynasty (c. 1046–256 BC), the Qin state saw rapid developments under the legalist reforms of Shang Yang that ensured the superiority of its army compared to its rivaling kingdoms during the Warring States period (c. 475–221 BC). From 230 until 221 BC, King Ying Zheng of Qin carried out the wars of unification, during which he conquered all of the neighbouring kingdoms and established the Qin dynasty. He adopted the name Qin Shi Huang and became the first Emperor of China.

Qin Shi Huang implemented many centralising policies aimed at the cohesion of the new empire; standardisation of weights and measures, adoption of a single currency and a single script, construction of the Great Wall for demarcation of the empire's borders and development of an extensive network of roads to physically connect the realm together. The Commandery system was introduced throughout the empire, centralising the administration by seizing the power from autonomous regional rulers and allocating it to royal bureaucrats. This reform allowed the empire to gain direct administrative control over the peasantry.

In applying these programmes, the power behaved in a brutal and authoritarian manner, notably towards the scholars of the Confucian tradition. The state regulated knowledge by confiscating books and limiting their circulation. Later historians attest that the emperor ordered the 'burning of the books' though the extent of such an event or its historicity is often questioned by modern historians. Besides taxation and military service, the state obligated the peasantry to annually participate in public projects such as building the Great Wall and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The image of a despotic and immoral dynasty that the Qin would leave behind is explained in part by the resentment of the educated elites.

Despite its military power, the Qin dynasty collapsed shortly after its first emperor. When Qin Shi Huang died in 210 BC, his son, Qin Er Shi. ascended the throne with the support of two of his father's advisors, Li Si and Zhao Gao, who intended to control the administration of the empire. The rivalry between the two weakened the state, resulting in both of their deaths and that of the second Qin emperor. The political instability benefited General Liu Bang, who founded the Han dynasty in 206 BC. The latter, while seeking to distance itself ideologically from its predecessor, took up most of its unifying policy and ensured its sustainability.

Sources

[edit]
Three narrow strips of bamboo inscribed with ink
Qin-era bamboo slips discovered in Liye in 2002

The main source used to reconstruct the history and institutions of the Qin dynasty is Shiji, a universal history written by Sima Qian (145-86 BC), a historian in the court of the Han emperor.[3] Qian had access to the now lost annals of the Qin dynasty, which according to him did not record the dates of the events and were incomplete.[4] His chronological framework was drawn on other historical accounts (e.g., Zou Shi, a lost book on the deeds of Qin ministers and Zhan Guo Ce, an ancient text on the Warring States period)[b], popular historical romances and folklore.[4][5] Overall, Qian presents a balanced assessments of the Qin dynasty. According to him, Qin Shi Huang possessed the Mandate of Heaven, but failed due to his own faults.[6] There are some critical stories in Shiji designed to portray Qin Shi Huang negatively, for example, the story of his illegitimate parentage.[7] According to Derk Bodde these stories may have been added by later exegetes.[8]

Archaeological findings also pose as an important source for historians.[9] The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor and its Terracotta Army was discovered by chance in 1974 and since then has undergone multiple excavations.[10] In 2002, the largest hoard of Qin documents amounting to 36,000 bamboo slips were found in Liye.[11] These slips are mostly records of the Qin government. Their dates were recorded to the hour, from the earliest in the 25th year of Ying Zheng's reign to the first year of Qin Er Shi.[11]

History

[edit]

Origins and early developments

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ US: /tʃɪn/;[2] Chinese: 秦朝; pinyin: Qín Cháo
  2. ^ Zhan Guo Ce has survived to the present day, however it is of little historical value because of its anecdotal and episodic structure that makes it more of a literary work than a historical account.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Taagepera 1979, p. 121.
  2. ^ "Qin". Collins English Dictionary (13th ed.). HarperCollins. 2018. ISBN 978-0-008-28437-4.
  3. ^ Bodde 1986a, p. 90.
  4. ^ a b Barbieri-Low 2022, p. 24.
  5. ^ a b Bodde 1986a, p. 91.
  6. ^ Barbieri-Low 2022, p. 25–26.
  7. ^ Bodde 1986a, p. 94–95.
  8. ^ Barbieri-Low 2022, p. 25.
  9. ^ Portal 2007a, p. 29.
  10. ^ Portal 2007a, p. 14.
  11. ^ a b Yates 2013, p. 292.

Bibliography

[edit]

Books

[edit]

Articles

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://wiki.riteme.site/w/index.php?title=User:Amir_Ghandi/Qin_dynasty&oldid=1259151052"