QIN DYNASTY221-206 BCE

REVIEW: WARRING STATES PERIOD

Final End of Zhou Dynasty

Lasts 450? BCE-221 All Feudal States Battle

each other New weapons and

strategies brutal war, breakdown of social values

Smaller noble estates taken over by larger—10/12 major states 6

Qin wins

WHY WERE THE QIN THE MOST SUCCESSFUL?

Location—Western State far from Zhou capital always more independent

Underrated—Seen as Western Savages

Fertile land (food for troops), Mountains (protection)

Military Practice experience fighting the nomadic tribes, influenced by nomadic tribes. Not a ‘gentleman’s sport’

Shang Yang’s reforms

WHO WAS SHANG YANG AND WHAT WERE HIS REFORMS?

Influential, legalist, advisor in the Qin State during the Warring states Period

3 basic beliefs Things should be

standardized People should be

treated the same Loyalty to the state

was the most important thing

THE DIVISION OF QIN STATE

Learn from Zhou MistakesNeeds help with control because too big for 1 person to run but can’t have lords building their own little kingdoms

The Fix? Divide state into administrative units, districts,

counties, and units of 100 families Put competent people in charge—job, not friends

and family All report to superiors, to Shang Yang, then to King

Why does it work? Organized but without the loyalty and relationship

ties of the feudal system

WHAT ELSE DID SHANG YANG DO?

Took land from nobles

Wrongdoingslavery Farmers who didn’t

meet quotas—lost land

People who knew about crime, punished the same as if they committed the crime

Gave land as reward to people

Give slaves to loyal people

Peasant immigrants from other states gained land

People turned in criminals were rewarded

Punishment Reward

WHAT IS THE RESULT OF HIS POLICIES? The Qin had tight

control over their state. While other states dealt with uprisings and lack of loyalty, the Qin didn’t permit it

Qin focus was solely on defeating their enemies, total control by 221

BTW--Shang Yang is executed

WHO IS IN CHARGE?

Shihuangdi—”First Emperor”—brutal and very smart, very legalist

Applies the successful system of Shang Yang to all newly conquered territory

HOW DID THE QIN CONSOLIDATE THEIR POWER?

Broke down walls of cities they conquered Confiscated all weapons of people they

conquered Set up Spy System—reward those who

turned in disloyal people, punishments for others

Punishments—usually hard labor somewhere for the empire

Censorship of all dissenting ideas

Result? Fearful, dis-unified, population with no ability to rebel

•Joining defensive walls to protect from Nomads

•(The Great Wall)

•Built by forced labor

•Estimates—100s of Thousands died in constructing it

•“A thousand may die so that a million may live”

•Dual purpose—punishment and protection

•Also canals, irrigation, and roads

What was built with the punishment of Hard Labor?

Censorship:

No ideas allowed that contradicted Qin policies

Burning of Books—all philosophical texts burned

All books unless key texts on medicine, war, or agriculture

Anyone who discussed ideas, punished, anyone who didn’t turn others in--punished

Burying of Scholars: buried 460 scholars alive

QIN EFFICIENCY ACCOMPLISHMENTS Military Protection (Wall) Economy:

In an attempt to unify the empire Shihuangdi standardizes:

Coins Weights and measures Axle size—trade and

transport Script and language

Determined not to follow Zhou mistakes of many different ‘countries’ in one

Truly Unifies China

PROBLEMS FOR QIN

People in EVERY social class are unhappy Nobles have lost power and privilege Previous State Leaders are now under control of

1 Many peasants, farmers, commoners—hard labor Scholars/intellectuals—Harassed, silenced Community structure weakened by spy network

Shihuangdi is paranoid and unfocused Convinced people will try to kill him, how can he

live?

SHIHUANGDI’S PARANOIA AND OBSESSION Multiple Assassination

Attempts—slept in different place every night

Searching for the Elixir of Life--immortality

Terrified of death—never wanted to talk about it, refused to name an heir--instability

Built an elaborate tomb to protect himself in death

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS

Found in Shihuangdi’s tomb by farmers in 1974

6000 Clay Warriors Bronze weapons,

horses, and chariots Mercury Rivers 700,000 men to build Workers killed to keep

secrets UNESCO World

Heritage Site

THE END OF THE QIN

“Empire will last 10,000 years”, lasted 15 Shihuangdi dies in 211 after taking mercury

pills—meant to give him eternal life Was on a trip to the east, 2 months away from

the capital—assistants hide his death Back at the capital, conspiracy to put his

second son on the throne Second Son Huhai—terrible ruler without the

intelligence, charisma, or brutality of his father People immediately rebel, war begins By 206 Empire is defeated by Liu Bang—the

first emperor of the Han Dynasty

LEGACY OF THE QIN

Qin terminology ‘China’

First truly unified state

Centralized control—all power held by one but in an organized fashion=‘bureaucracy’

Unified economy, communication system, trade and transport

Legalistic example for future leaders

Chairman Mao? Current government? Other nations?