The Qin Dynasty (221BC-206BC), also known as Ch’in, is the first true empire in the history of China and the one that, actually, gave its name to this vast land. Founded by Shih Huang Ti (259BC-210 BC), the Qin dynasty unified China after conquering the six western states that existed during the Warring States Period since the 8th century BC.
The Qin state was formed under the ruling of King Xiao of Zhou, the 8th king of the Zhou Dynasty (1045 BC–256 BC) and, according to historical evidence, was one of the 150 small political entities that existed within the Dynasty’s territories. From 361BC until his death in 338BC, Xiao and a prominent Qin scholar, Lord Shang Yang, launched a series of military and political reforms to reorganize the Qin state. With the abolishment of feudalism, land was taken from hereditary landowners and was distributed to the peasants. Besides, excessive taxation for the peasants was abolished, while villages and settlements were put under county administration. Males with strong body structure were recruited to the army, while foreign workers were recruited to cultivate crops thus increasing state revenue.
In 337BC the Qin state proclaimed the unification of China under its rule. Over the next century, the Qin state gained increasing power and influence and dominated in the broader area. Having acquired political and military power, but also having excelled in bribery, espionage and assassination techniques, the Qin state had managed to solidify its position. Although it was the less culturally advanced of the Warring States, it had become military the strongest. By utilizing innovative technologies in warfare, it managed to dominate over the Han (230BC), the Wei (225BC), the Chu (223BC), the Yan (222BC), the Zhao (222BC) and the Qi (221BC) Warring States, control the provinces through efficient bureaucracy, separate civil and military power and complete the unification of China. In 221BC, Shih Huang Ti proclaimed the Qin Dynasty and announced himself the First Emperor, as his name literally meant, initiating the tradition of having emperors as rulers.
Established in the area that today is known as the province of Shaanxi, the Qin Dynasty is responsible for several notable reforms despite its short time in power.
One of the most remarkable reforms of Shih Huang Ti was advocating Legalism. Under the ruling of the Zhou Dynasty, leaders of the military forces were instructed to respect their enemies’ weaknesses. However, in the Warring States Period that followed, the philosophy of Legalism encouraged cruel warfare. The Qin Dynasty completely disregarded all noble military traditions and engaged into avaricious and insincere warfare. Governing under a completely totalitarian system, the Qin government placed absolute control in the hands of the rulers, who were highly efficient, but equally ruthless. Anyone who dared to criticize Qin politics was executed, purged or buried alive. The intense anti-intellectual campaign entailed a standardized education that involved material approved by the government and taught by government staff.
To reinforce the army, Shih Huang Ti introduced civil governors, military commanders and imperial inspectors (yushi), who were responsible for the orderly function of the state. Divided in 36 commanderies (jun) that were subdivided into counties, the Qin Dynasty involved a punishment – reward system and exercised absolute control on the people, who lived in groups of five to ten families for the better control of possible misbehavior. In spite of the harsh measures, with these reforms the Qin Dynasty acquired a large, efficient army that combined strong leadership with talented young soldiers, eager to employ latest developments in weaponry and transportation. Besides, these latter improvements allowed greater mobility over diverse terrain types of the Chinese mainland making Qin Dynasty militarily superior. Moreover, its geographical position offered to Qin Dynasty a strategic advantage, but also natural fertility that made available food and natural resources to sustain its large army.
Other reforms involved the standardization of the language and writing of Chinaduring the Warring States Period in order to ensure proper and consistent communication between the commanderies. Standardization of the currency and of measurements followed. Besides, at that period, many public projects were undertaken such as roads, irrigation canals and a Great Wall to protect against invasions.
In spite of all the reforms and developments, Shih Huang Ti was quite unpopular. Taxation was heavy, noblemen disliked him for having been deprived of all their power and scholars were against him for having been banned from education and having seen their writings being burned.
The death of Shih Huang Ti in 210BC signified the beginning of the fall of Qin Dynasty, that finally collapsed in 206BC.
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