Not much information can be found on the controversial and impressive figure of ancient China, First Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi.  His accomplishments were unsurpassed in Chinese history.

During his reign, First Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi (pronounced "chin shu hwang dee") conquered six warring states and unified China; built an infrastructure network of roads, canals, and bridges; erected the Great Wall; abolished the feudal system and replaced it with a civil administration; created a single written language; and standardized weights, measures, and coinage.

Perhaps the major reason for the insufficient information stemmed from the First Emperor who was a ruthless, tyrannical ruler.  Driven by power and domination, he demanded obedience and suppressed free thought.  He even made harsh, political decisions.

Scholars or people who opposed him were censored.  Books were burned.  Under his direct order, ten thousand prisoners were beheaded.

People either admired him or despised him, and many were afraid to speak his name.

The main source of information on his reign came from a book titled Records of the Great Historian by Sima Qian.  He included a biography that he wrote 100 years after the First Emperor's death, which was based on stories and legends.

The Man Behind the Throne

Born in the state of Qin in 259 B.C., the First Emperor was named Ying Zheng. According to Qian, he was not the son of the King of Qin.  His mother was a concubine who had a secret affair with a minister.  Unknown to the king, she was pregnant before she married him.

When Zheng was 13-years-old, the King of Qin died and Zheng took the throne.  It was also at this time when Zheng started building his mausoleum.  Approximately 720,000 laborers toiled on his new palace and tomb for 36 years.

Throughout the next two-and-a-half decades, his army defeated all of the six independent states and in 221 B.C., Zheng took control of the states and created China.  This was such a monumental achievement that he declared himself the First Emperor and changed his name to Qin Shi Huangdi.

"Qin" was the name of his state.  "Shi" meant first.  "Huangdi" meant emperor.

As the First Emperor approached middle age, he began to feel paranoid about death.  He worried about his mortality and went on a mission to find a way to prolong his life.

In ancient China, it was believed that mercury increased longevity, so the First Emperor ingested mercury pills that were made for him.  Instead of prolonging his life, the mercury pills eventually destroyed his nervous system and brain.

At the age of 49, the First Emperor died and was buried in his mausoleum at the foot of Mount Li.

The Terracotta Army

Terracotta Warriors Image Credit: wit via photopin cc

In 1974, workers from the Xiyang village were digging a well when they unearthed fragments of a clay statue. What they had discovered was a terracotta warrior from a massive army designed to protect the First Emperor in the afterlife.

Since the discovery 40 years ago, archaeologists have unearthed and reassembled approximately 2,000 life-size warriors out of an estimated 8,000, giving us just an introduction of the First Emperor's mighty army.

Divided into sections with distinct duties and distinct ranks, the warriors of the army vary greatly in their appearances. Duty as well as rank are reflected in their clothes, hairstyles, and armors--if they are wearing one.

The terracotta army is located outside of the mausoleum about one mile northeast of the tomb complex near Xi'an, China.  They are enclosed in a gigantic hangar, stand on brick floors, and occupy three pits.

These pits give archaeologists strong indications of the army's strength and form of strategy.