Why was shi huangdi a bad emperor

Answered by Keren from Australia Nov. He made his slaves take a bite of his food in case it was poisoned. They would die if it was. See more answers How long did it take to build the tomb of Emperor Qinshihuang? When approx Asked by Carolyn from Canada Apr. Asked by hello from yakertall Mar. Asked by Mrs. Some bad things shi haungi did like killed alot of scholars just to enforce He sent magicians to distant lands to find the elusive potion and toured the empire himself in search of it.

On his last tour, he seemed to descend into madness on his quest for everlasting life. He apparently took concoctions containing mercury and other poisonous substances, which ironically probably shortened his life. The Qin dynasty did not last long after Shi Huangdi was buried in his elaborate tomb guarded by thousands of clay soldiers. Peasant revolts erupted followed by rebellions led by lords from the six kingdoms Shi Huangdi had conquered.

The rebels then burned Xianyang, the Qin capital. Although the Qin dynasty lasted only a short time, China remained unified under one emperor until the 20th century. Later dynasties merged the first emperor's severe Legalist law code with Confucian thinking to provide a more humane system of justice for China. Shi Huangdi may never have found the elixir for immortality, but his ideas and accomplishments influenced Chinese civilization for many hundreds of years.

What major differences do you see between the Confucian and Legalist ways of governing? Why do you think the Qin Dynasty collapsed so quickly after the death of the first emperor?

Guisso, R. The First Emperor of China. New York: Birch Lane Press, Twitchett, Denis and Loewe, Michael, eds. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, Form small groups to discuss the following questions. Each group should then report its discussion results to the rest of the class. Imagine that you were a "time traveler" who could go back to ancient China and advise the first emperor. What arguments would you give him that book burning is a bad idea? Time-traveling back to the United States today, do you think the government should have the power to censor materials it considers dangerous such as books, magazines, movies, music recordings, artwork, or software?

Cite specific kinds of material that people may think merit censorship and explain your position on each. Alumni Volunteers The Boardroom Alumni. Curriculum Materials. Add Event. Main Menu Home. Near the end of this violent time, an ambitious rich merchant, Lu Buwei , sought the favor of Zizhu, the crown prince of Qin. Later, this woman gave birth to a child, named Cheng, who eventually would become the first emperor of China.

In any case, when Cheng was years-old, Zizhu became king of Qin and made Lu Buwei his chief adviser. He also ordered all foreigners expelled from Qin. But a brilliant government official, Li Si, persuaded him to cancel the order. Li Si, himself a foreigner, convinced Cheng that many valuable people would end up serving the enemies of Qin if forced to leave. Li Si so impressed Cheng that the king promoted him minister of justice in place of Lu Buwei. Cheng did not actually lead his troops into battle, but was a master military strategist.

He also appointed his generals based on ability rather than family name. The young king used his mobile cavalry and lightly armored foot soldiers to outmaneuver the enemy's bulky war chariots. Cheng's warriors used the most advanced weapons including bronze swords, spears, and dagger-axes along with longbows and crossbows.

Acting on Li Si's advice, Shi Huangdi abolished the old feudal system, which had distributed most lands to powerful lords. Li Si organized China into 36 districts governed by officials appointed by the first emperor. Was Shi Huangdi a fair ruler? Was Qin Shi Huangdi a bad leader? Was Shi Huangdi a good leader or a tyrant?

Was the Qin Dynasty good or bad? How many years did the Qin dynasty last? What good things did Qin do for China? Why was Shi Huang Di not a popular leader? Is Qin Shi Huang cruel?

What did Shi Huangdi do to the scholars? How much is Qin Shi Huang Tomb worth? Who found Qin Shi Huang Tomb? What is the terra cotta? Is the terracotta army real? Why did the terracotta army face east? Previous Article What information should a client report contain?