Difference between revisions of "Qin Shihuangdi"

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= Introduction =
 +
They call me brutal, a Tyrant, a visionary. Some men have cursed my name for millennia; others have blessed it. I was the First, and the greatest, Emperor of Qin. Without me, there would be no China as you know it today. Brutal? Tyrant? I think NOT!
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A new age is inaugurated by the Emperor;
 +
 +
Rules and measures are rectified,
 +
 +
The myriad things set in order,
 +
 +
Human affairs are made clear
 +
 +
And there is harmony between fathers and sons.
 +
 +
The Emperor in his sagacity, benevolence and justice
 +
 +
Has made all laws and principles manifest...
 +
 +
 +
Great are the Emperor's achievements,
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 +
Men attend diligently to basic tasks,
 +
 +
Farming is encouraged, secondary pursue discouraged,
 +
 +
All the common people prosper;
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 +
All men under the sky
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 +
Toil with a single purpose;
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 +
Tools and measures are made uniform,
 +
 +
The written script is standardized;
 +
 +
Wherever the sun and moon shine...
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 +
 +
He works day and night without rest;
 +
 +
He defines the laws, leaving nothing in doubt,
 +
 +
Making known what is forbidden.
 +
 +
The local officials have their duties,
 +
 +
Administration is smoothly carried out,
 +
 +
All is done correctly, all according to plan...
 +
 +
 +
No evil or impropriety is allowed,
 +
 +
All strive to be good men and true,
 +
 +
And exert themselves in tasks great and small;
 +
 +
None dares to idle or ignore his duties...
 +
 +
 +
Great is the virtue of our Emperor
 +
 +
Who pacifies ail four corners of the earth,
 +
 +
Who punishes traitors, roots out evil men,
 +
 +
And with profitable measures brings prosperity.
 +
 +
Tasks are done at the proper season,
 +
 +
All things flourish and grow;
 +
 +
 +
The common people know peace
 +
 +
And have laid aside weapons and armor...
 +
 +
 +
Men delight in his rule,
 +
 +
All understanding the law and discipline.
 +
 +
The universe entire
 +
 +
Is our Emperor's realm...
 +
 +
 +
Wherever human life is found,
 +
 +
All acknowledge his suzerainty,
 +
 +
His achievements surpass those of the Five Emperors,
 +
 +
His kindness reaches even the beasts of the field;
 +
 +
All creatures benefit from his virtue,
 +
 +
All live in peace at home.
 +
(Andrea and Overfield 97-100)
 +
 +
= Beginnings =
 +
I was born, as are all men, in the year 259 BC, according to your calendar, in the state of Qin. My name was Ying Zheng. Since my father was the King, when he died,in 247 BC, I took his place. I was 13 years old. One of the first commands I gave was to begin construction on my tomb, a wise decision as it turns out, for, as all men are mortal, I was not destined to live long after the completion of my great work. Not for me, the peace I strove for. I was born to strife and conflict and such a life was all I knew. (UNESCO)
 +
 +
My nation, Qin, was one of many states in existence at the end of the Zhou Dynasty. In 361 BC, following the advice of Lord Shang, my nation began to be ruled according to the tenants of Legalism. By the time I ascended the throne, Qin was strong, peaceful and prosperous. In 264 BC, shortly before I was born, our nation was visited by a follower of the man called Confucius. His name was Xunzi. He reported that our people "stood in deep awe" of the officials. The officials he described as "serious and sincere". Where, I ask, is the evidence of tyranny later ascribed to my state? Our people were well cared for; what other nation, at that same time, could say as much? (Ebrey 60)
 +
 +
When I first became king, my prime minister was a man named Lu Buwei. Some have argued that he was my true father. It is true that my mother was once his concubine, but my father, the king, did not doubt that I was his son. Lu Buwei ruled the kingdom, in all but name, until I was 21. Then I had him killed. He failed to understand that I was his king, not his puppet. It was not long after this, with my kingdom firmly under my control, that I began my campaign to unify the land.
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 +
=
 +
 +
 +
Becomes Emperor: 221 BC
 +
Dies: 210 BC
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
 +
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I was the Unifier.  
 
I was the Unifier.  
 
* I united the seven warring states.
 
* I united the seven warring states.
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= '''I AM ''SHI HUANGDI''!!''' =
 
= '''I AM ''SHI HUANGDI''!!''' =
  
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[[File:Shihuangdi.jpg]]
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= Works Cited =
−
[[File:Qin Unification.jpg|400px|thumb|right| ]]
+
Andrea, Alfred J. and Overfield, James H. ''The Human Record: Sources of Global History'', Vol 1, 2d. ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1994, pp. 97-100
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[[File:coins.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Coinage was standardized.]]
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−
[[File:bronze-horses & chariot.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Even transportation was provided for me in the world to come]]
+
Ebrey, Patrica Buckley. T''he Cambridge Illustrated History of China''. New York, Cambridge University Press, 2010 2d ed.
 +
 
 +
World Heritage Site. UNESCO. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/441

Revision as of 05:22, 5 March 2012

Introduction

They call me brutal, a Tyrant, a visionary. Some men have cursed my name for millennia; others have blessed it. I was the First, and the greatest, Emperor of Qin. Without me, there would be no China as you know it today. Brutal? Tyrant? I think NOT!

A new age is inaugurated by the Emperor;

Rules and measures are rectified,

The myriad things set in order,

Human affairs are made clear

And there is harmony between fathers and sons.

The Emperor in his sagacity, benevolence and justice

Has made all laws and principles manifest...


Great are the Emperor's achievements,

Men attend diligently to basic tasks,

Farming is encouraged, secondary pursue discouraged,

All the common people prosper;

All men under the sky

Toil with a single purpose;

Tools and measures are made uniform,

The written script is standardized;

Wherever the sun and moon shine...


He works day and night without rest;

He defines the laws, leaving nothing in doubt,

Making known what is forbidden.

The local officials have their duties,

Administration is smoothly carried out,

All is done correctly, all according to plan...


No evil or impropriety is allowed,

All strive to be good men and true,

And exert themselves in tasks great and small;

None dares to idle or ignore his duties...


Great is the virtue of our Emperor

Who pacifies ail four corners of the earth,

Who punishes traitors, roots out evil men,

And with profitable measures brings prosperity.

Tasks are done at the proper season,

All things flourish and grow;


The common people know peace

And have laid aside weapons and armor...


Men delight in his rule,

All understanding the law and discipline.

The universe entire

Is our Emperor's realm...


Wherever human life is found,

All acknowledge his suzerainty,

His achievements surpass those of the Five Emperors,

His kindness reaches even the beasts of the field;

All creatures benefit from his virtue,

All live in peace at home. (Andrea and Overfield 97-100)

Beginnings

I was born, as are all men, in the year 259 BC, according to your calendar, in the state of Qin. My name was Ying Zheng. Since my father was the King, when he died,in 247 BC, I took his place. I was 13 years old. One of the first commands I gave was to begin construction on my tomb, a wise decision as it turns out, for, as all men are mortal, I was not destined to live long after the completion of my great work. Not for me, the peace I strove for. I was born to strife and conflict and such a life was all I knew. (UNESCO)

My nation, Qin, was one of many states in existence at the end of the Zhou Dynasty. In 361 BC, following the advice of Lord Shang, my nation began to be ruled according to the tenants of Legalism. By the time I ascended the throne, Qin was strong, peaceful and prosperous. In 264 BC, shortly before I was born, our nation was visited by a follower of the man called Confucius. His name was Xunzi. He reported that our people "stood in deep awe" of the officials. The officials he described as "serious and sincere". Where, I ask, is the evidence of tyranny later ascribed to my state? Our people were well cared for; what other nation, at that same time, could say as much? (Ebrey 60)

When I first became king, my prime minister was a man named Lu Buwei. Some have argued that he was my true father. It is true that my mother was once his concubine, but my father, the king, did not doubt that I was his son. Lu Buwei ruled the kingdom, in all but name, until I was 21. Then I had him killed. He failed to understand that I was his king, not his puppet. It was not long after this, with my kingdom firmly under my control, that I began my campaign to unify the land.

=


Becomes Emperor: 221 BC Dies: 210 BC








I was the Unifier.

  • I united the seven warring states.
  • I made the measures and tools uniform.
  • I united the separate scripts creating one uniform system of writing.
  • Under my rule all men knew their place and what was expected of them. The farmers farmed and the soldiers knew rest.
  • I brought peace and unity to the land.

I AM SHI HUANGDI!!

Works Cited

Andrea, Alfred J. and Overfield, James H. The Human Record: Sources of Global History, Vol 1, 2d. ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1994, pp. 97-100

Ebrey, Patrica Buckley. The Cambridge Illustrated History of China. New York, Cambridge University Press, 2010 2d ed.

World Heritage Site. UNESCO. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/441

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