Qin dynasty

The Chinese dynasty founded by Qin Shi Huang after unifying China in 221 BCE. It centralized government and standardized systems across much of China before falling in 206 BCE.

Qin Shi Huang: The king of Qin who unified China in 221 BCE and became its first emperor. His imperial authority drove the dynasty’s centralizing reforms and monumental projects.
Qin state: A Chinese state that emerged in the western Zhou world and became a leading power during the Warring States period. Its earlier reforms and territorial expansion supplied the institutions and resources of the dynasty.
Han dynasty: A Chinese dynasty that ruled after the Qin, from 206 BCE to 220 CE, with an intervening Xin period. The Han retained much of Qin’s centralized imperial framework while revising its governing practices.
Terracotta Army: Thousands of life-sized clay figures buried near the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang. The army’s scale and organization show how the emperor’s authority extended into the afterlife.
Qin legalism: A system of statecraft emphasizing codified laws, administrative controls, and rewards and punishments. Qin rulers used legalist methods to discipline officials and mobilize the population.
Duke Xiao of Qin: A Qin ruler of the fourth century BCE who sponsored reforms that strengthened the state. His reign created conditions for Qin’s later rise to supremacy.
Fall of the Qin dynasty: The collapse of Qin rule in 206 BCE after rebellions and struggles for succession. The dynasty’s rapid collapse exposed the limits of its coercive administration.
Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang: The burial complex constructed for Qin Shi Huang near modern Xi’an. Its vast construction illustrates the dynasty’s ability to command labor and resources.
Qin commandery system: A territorial administration in which centrally appointed officials governed commanderies and their counties. It replaced many hereditary regional states with direct imperial administration.
Shang Yang: A statesman whose reforms in fourth-century BCE Qin strengthened centralized rule, agriculture, and military service. His reforms shaped the state’s administrative and military foundations.

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