The First Emperor of China: Qin Shi Huang Di

Qin Shi Huang Di
Does the End Justify the Means?
Many debates have taken place about whether or not all the beneficial things Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di accomplished for the start of a great civilization -China- outweighs the extreme and cruel measures that he put in place to gain (and maintain) control of his people and country. Shi Huang Di improved warfare tactics; standardised laws, roads, writing, and measures- making trade between states easier-, had the Great Wall of China built to protect the people of China, and many other triumphs. However, he was also very harsh and had anyone who opposed him brutally killed, burned all books to do with China’s history, and taxed the people heavily- just to name a few cruelties. So was Shi Huang Di a great achiever, and does the end justify the means?
Qin Shi Huang Di- The Accomplisher
In 246 BC, Ying Zheng became king of Qin. Nevertheless, he was not satisfied. By the year 221 BC, King Ying Zheng had acquired a new name, Emperor Shi Huang Di. This was the first time that China had been unified under one ruler, into one country, an enormous achievement. "We wouldn't have a China without Qin Shi Huang," says Harvard University's Peter Bol. "I think it's that simple." One of the reasons that Shi Huang Di had been able to accomplish this was because he had improved warfare techniques and superiorly organised his troops- another success.
Another important attainment of the First Emperor’s rule was standardisation. Not only were laws to be unvarying across the states, but also the written language-this made it possible for people from all around China able to communicate. Currency, weights, measures, and a standard length of cart axles - so that all roads could be of the same width- as well as building an extensive network of roads and canals connecting the provinces, improved trade between them. Shi Huang Di was obviously perceptive in implementing such sensible and practical measures, as these improvements benefited both the economy and cultural exchange.
The First Emperor also used his armies to expand greatly the territory of his empire to the south, and drive the “barbarians” out of China. How? Shi Huang Di had the Great Wall of China built. This was a stroke of genius as it kept the civilised Chinese citizens safely in, and, as mentioned earlier, the ferocious northern nomadic tribes out. When you consider the briefness of Shi Huang Di’s reign, it is an amazing feat to have completed the Great Wall. In addition, not only did it provide security for the Chinese people, but it has also become one of humankind’s most spectacular landmarks- giving China a real sense of identity. Mao Zedong, a great admirer of Qin Shi Huang Di, wrote when he was young, "I considered the emperor as well as most officials to be honest, good and clever men."
Qin Shi Huang Di- The Merciless Monarch
King Ying Zheng of Qin, in a bloodthirsty conquest for power, brutally seized all of the other six states with extreme violence. Could there have been another way to achieve unification peacefully? "With his puffed-out chest like a hawk and voice of a jackal, Qin is a man of scant mercy who has the heart of a wolf. When he is in difficulty he readily humbles himself before others, but when he has got his way, then he thinks nothing of eating others alive” writes Sima Qian, an ancient Chinese historian. Once installed as Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di, influenced by Li Si, he took a Legalist point of view- believing that all people were essentially evil and that strict laws and harsh punishments were vital to keep them in order. Anyone that dared to oppose him was killed, together with their family in one of many gruesome ways. Sima Qian writes, "If the Qin should ever get his way with the world, then the whole world will end up his prisoner."
Shi Huang Di set up 36 commanderies in his new empire, each with their own county divisions. The commanderies were an ongoing military occupation, as the populations of the six defeated states did not fully accept the Qin Dynasty authority. This would have made the people live in fear, as the Qin soldiers and generals could easily kill them if they did anything to displease.
The Confucian scholars -the wisest men in the land- also lived in fear. They knew that the Emperor and Li Si despised them, and they were right. Li Si persuaded the Emperor that the Confucian scholars were a threat to him, that they were plotting his downfall. Consequently, he had 460 of them buried alive, as an example of what would happen to those conflicting the Emperor. When Shi Huang Di’s eldest son, Fu Su, showed sympathy towards the scholars, the Emperor sent him to the north to supervise General Meng Tian’s army in Shangjun Region, because Qin Shi Huang thought he was weak in character, and needed to grow into a capable heir through the hard life of war on the frontier.
Although the Great Wall of China was an outstanding success, the process of constructing and building it was not so grand. According to historical data, the labour force consisted of four groups: soldiers, common people, scholars and criminals. Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di ordered millions of people to finish this project. Many died from starvation, the cold, or exhaustion- and this is why the Great Wall is sometimes called “The Longest Cemetery in the World.”
However, as much as how terrible all of these offences are, probably the most atrocious crime that he committed was ordering the “burning of the books”. In 213 BC, once again advised by Li Si, Shi Huang Di ordered all books to be collected and burned, with the exception of those on medicine, prophecy, agriculture, astrology, and the history of the State of Qin. Why would he have done this? In order to create an everlasting empire, Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di believed he had to have history destroyed. He also wanted to suppress the intellectual writings, to unify all thoughts and political opinions. The punishment for those who had illegal books and would not burn them within 30 days were to have their faces branded before being sent to labour for four years on the Great Wall. Those who dared to talk about these books were executed; those who quoted the past to criticise the present were killed, together with their entire families. Those who knew and did not report violations were to suffer the same punishment.
The First Emperor was a selfish man. He put up excessive taxes and tolls to construct all of his luxurious palaces and his mausoleum. The Chinese historian, Sima Qian, wrote that it took 700,000 men to construct the emperor's mausoleum. These men were probably made up of craftsmen, prisoners, scholars, and peasants. Qin Shi Huang Di was buried with all of his splendid possessions and the magnificent Terracotta Army, because he wanted to have the same military power and imperial status in the afterlife as he had enjoyed during his earthly lifetime. Another self-centred act committed by Shi Huang Di was that he was completely obsessed with finding the coveted, “elixir of life”. He wasted many years, money, and the lives of people trying while trying to become immortal. Ironically, the potions he tested were probably the cause of his death, as most of them would have contained mercury- a highly poisonous substance.
Conclusion
Qin Shi Huang Di, the First Emperor of China was a strong leader, able to conquer six warring states and create a unified China. Using his power he improved many things and created the start of a great civilisation; that which would last for over 2200 years-and counting. Chinese historian and archaeologist, Yuan Zhongyi told National Geographic, "Qin Shi Huang gave impetus to all Chinese history. He did some bad things, yes; but he did more good than bad." However, despite all these amazing achievements, did the means he used justify this end? Could China have become unified without the brutality of Shi Huang Di’s rule? If asked, any one of the 1.38 billion Chinese citizens would likely say they are proud of being a powerful, unified country. Yet, this achievement does not justify the violence, suppression of intellectual thought and belief, heavy taxation, cruel executions and forced labour.