Person

Qin Shi Huang

259–210 BCE · 3rd century BCE · Also known as Ying Zheng, King Zheng of Qin, First Emperor of Qin

Qin Shi Huang, born Ying Zheng, became king of the State of Qin in 246 BCE and between 230 and 221 BCE conquered the six rival Warring States, unifying China. He took the new title Huangdi, emperor, and is known as the First Emperor. Advised by Li Si, he standardised script, coinage, weights and laws and built roads and walls. His tomb was guarded by the Terracotta Army.

Qin Shi Huang
Image: Unknown (18??–18??) · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 2 profiles

State of QiImpact, DeclineClassical ChineseOrigins, Summary

Mentioned in 3 state histories

State of QiState of QinQin dynasty

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Qin Shi Huang. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/qin-shi-huang
MLA
“Qin Shi Huang.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/qin-shi-huang. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Qin Shi Huang.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/qin-shi-huang.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Qin Shi Huang’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/qin-shi-huang (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻