In 259 BC, a great emperor was born in the state of Qin during the Warring States period. His name was Ying Zheng and was later honored as Qin Shi Huang. His birth heralded the dawn of a new era.
Ying Zheng's father was a monarch of the Qin state, and his mother was a queen from the royal family. When he was ten years old, his father died, and he succeeded him as the king of the Qin state. However, at that time, the Qin State was still facing many internal and external troubles. After taking the throne, he began to show his eloquence.
During his reign, a series of reforms were implemented that made the Qin state even stronger. He introduced strict laws, rectified social order, and made the country more stable. He also implemented a series of land reforms, which gave peasants more land and increased agricultural productivity. In addition, Ying Zheng also vigorously developed handicrafts and commerce, which led to unprecedented prosperity for the economy of the Qin state.
Politically, the government adopted a series of heavy-handed measures to strengthen the centralization of power. He abolished the system of princes, divided the country into 36 counties, established officials such as county guards and ministers, and strengthened local control. He also implemented a series of military reforms, strengthened the training and equipment of the army, and made the army of the Qin state stronger.
With the efforts of Ying Zheng, the national strength of the Qin State gradually surpassed that of the other six countries. In 230 BC, the Qin state began its conquest of other countries. In the following decade, the Qin state destroyed the six states of Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan, and Qi, achieving the first great unification in Chinese history.
After unifying the six countries, Qin Shi Huang carried out a series of political, economic and cultural reforms. He introduced a series of decrees that strengthened centralization and made the country more stable. He also implemented a series of land reforms, which gave peasants more land and increased agricultural productivity. In addition, Qin Shi Huang also vigorously developed handicrafts and commerce, which led to unprecedented prosperity in the economy of the Qin state.
However, during the reign of Qin Shi Huang, some mistakes were also made. He practiced strict rule of law and brutally oppressed the people. He also burned books and forbade private collections in an attempt to eliminate ideological dissent. These practices made Qin Shi Huang leave an image of a tyrant in history.
Despite this, Qin Shi Huang's exploits remain indelible. He unified the Six Kingdoms, ended the disputes of the Warring States period, and laid the foundation for the development of Chinese history. He introduced a series of reforms that made the Qin state more powerful and laid the foundation for the prosperity of the later Han Dynasty. Therefore, Qin Shi Huang is known as the first emperor of the ages, and his story will forever be passed down in the long river of history.