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The Tomb of China’s First Emperor
A Look into the Legacy and Mystery of the Qin Dynasty
For thousands of years, China had existed not as a unified nation, but as opposing states competing for power.
It would take one man to unify them all into a sovereign nation; That man’s name was Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇), China’s first emperor.
While he no doubt lived a life of historical significance, much of his fame comes from after his death.
With the continued excavations of his tomb, his legacy lives on over 2,000 years after his death.
The Unifier of the Middle Kingdom
Born in 259 BCE as Ying Zheng (嬴政), the future emperor was born into royalty.
His father was the king of the Qin state, providing the young prince with powerful connections that he would rely on in the future.
After his father's death, Zheng became the new king; he used his newfound power to wage war against the other independent kingdoms.
Starting in 230 BCE, he had completed his goal of a unified China by 221. During his reign, the Emperor…
