Qin Shi Huang: Ruler of All Under Heaven

The Qin dynasty is a mystery, and Qin Shi Huang is the greatest mystery of all! In 259 BC, Qin Shi Huang was born in Handan, in the State of Zhao. In 257 BC, his father, Yiren, abandoned his three-year-old son and the boy's mother, Zhao Ji, and fled back to Qin alone to save himself. In 251 BC, the nine-year-old Qin Shi Huang and his mother reappeared and returned safely to Qin. In 247 BC, at just thirteen, he defeated his rivals by an undisputed margin and ascended the throne. In 238 BC, at the age of twenty-two, he began ruling in his own right, purging his enemies and suppressing rebellions. In 221 BC, at the age of thirty-nine, he conquered the six states, unified the realm, and founded the Qin dynasty, becoming the first “emperor” in Chinese history. From fleeing at the age of three to unifying the realm at thirty-nine, what did he go through in those years? How did he survive? How did he seize the throne? How did he command his subordinates? What clever methods did he use to meet the challenges posed by his rivals? What did he know that enabled him to crush and utterly dominate the six states with overwhelming superiority?