A Biography of Qin Shi Huang

In 221 BC, after the Qin state unified the Six Kingdoms, King Ying Zheng believed that his virtue surpassed that of the Three Sovereigns and his achievements those of the Five Emperors. He therefore combined "Huang" from the Three Sovereigns with "Di" from the Five Emperors to create the title "Emperor." He was the first ruler in Chinese history to use this title, and called himself the First Emperor. At the central level, he established the Three Councillors and Nine Ministers to manage state affairs. Locally, he abolished the enfeoffment system and replaced it with commanderies and counties. He also standardized the written language and axle widths, and unified currency, weights, and measures. He campaigned against the Xiongnu in the north and the Baiyue in the south, built the Great Wall, and constructed the Lingqu Canal to link the Yangtze and Pearl River systems. In his later years, however, the First Emperor sought immortality, imposed harsh policies that oppressed the people, and suppressed their ability to think, undermining the foundations of Qin rule. In 210 BC, he died at Shaqiu in Xingtai while on an inspection tour of the east.