History Of Ancient China | Dynasties, Confucius, And The First Emperor

Summary

This video explores the enduring legacy of China, the world's oldest continuous civilization. From the Xia dynasty to the rise of the Qin Empire, it covers the innovations like bronze casting and the concept of the Mandate of Heaven. It also delves into the philosophical schools of Confucianism, Legalism, and Taoism, and the Qin's revolutionary unification of China. The script discusses the Qin's standardization efforts, the Great Wall, and the eventual fall due to peasant revolts, setting the stage for future dynasties and China's cultural unity.

Takeaways

• 🌏 China is recognized as the world's oldest continuous civilization, with a history dating back over 4,000 years.
• 🌾 Early Chinese civilization was established along the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, where rice and millet farming began around 8000 BCE.
• 🔧 The Xia Dynasty, marked by the legendary figure Yu the Great, is considered China's first dynasty, known for its water management systems.
• 📜 The Shang Dynasty introduced oracle bone script, an early form of Chinese writing that documented divination practices and is a precursor to modern Chinese characters.
• 🏺 The Zhou Dynasty overthrew the Shang and introduced the concept of the 'Mandate of Heaven,' suggesting that rulers were chosen by divine right and could lose it through immoral behavior.
• ⚔️ The Warring States Period was a time of conflict and philosophical development, with the rise of significant Chinese philosophies like Confucianism, Legalism, and Taoism.
• 📚 Confucius, a key figure in Chinese philosophy, emphasized moral virtues like benevolence and respect within a hierarchy of relationships, influencing Chinese society for centuries.
• 🏰 The Qin Dynasty, through military conquest and centralization, established the first unified Chinese Empire, setting a precedent for future dynasties.
• 🛠️ The Qin Dynasty's standardization of laws, weights, measurements, and currency, along with the construction of infrastructure like roads and the Great Wall, laid the foundation for a cohesive empire.
• 🔥 The Qin Dynasty's焚书坑儒 (burning of books and burying of scholars) aimed to consolidate ideological control, reflecting the state's preference for Legalism over other philosophies.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Yellow River in the early history of China?

The Yellow River was significant in early Chinese history as it was a source of flooding that needed to be controlled for the safety of the people. The legendary figure Yu the Great is known for his efforts in controlling the floods, which led to the establishment of the Xia Dynasty, marking the beginning of China's first dynasty.

What is a dynasty in the context of Chinese history?

A dynasty in Chinese history refers to a family that ruled over China. When a ruling family dies out or is overthrown, a new family takes over, continuing the tradition of dynastic rule. This pattern continued until 1911 CE, with each dynasty contributing to the cultural and political development of China.

How did the Shang Dynasty's use of oracle bones contribute to the development of Chinese writing?

The Shang Dynasty used oracle bones, where priests would inscribe questions for the gods and then interpret the cracks that formed when heated as divine responses. These inscriptions are among the earliest forms of Chinese writing, and the characters inscribed on them are recognizable as ancestors of modern Chinese characters, thus playing a crucial role in the development of Chinese writing.

What is the 'Mandate of Heaven' and how did it influence Chinese politics?

The 'Mandate of Heaven' is a concept in ancient Chinese political philosophy that held that the right to rule was granted by Heaven and could be revoked if a ruler was deemed unfit. This concept influenced Chinese politics by providing a justification for the overthrow of dynasties and the rise of new ones, as it was believed that Heaven would transfer its mandate to more virtuous rulers.

How did the Zhou Dynasty's decentralization lead to its decline?

The Zhou Dynasty was a feudal state where lands were granted to lords. Over time, these local lords amassed more power, leading to the central Zhou authority losing control over its kingdom. This decentralization and the subsequent rise of powerful vassals contributed to the decline of the Zhou Dynasty.

What technological advancements did the Chinese make in ironworking that gave them an advantage?

The Chinese made significant advancements in ironworking by developing heat-resistant clay in their furnaces, allowing them to reach temperatures high enough to liquefy iron. This enabled them to cast iron into molds, resulting in stronger tools and weapons that could be mass-produced, a technology that was not matched in Europe for another 1800 years.

What is Confucius's concept of 'ren' and how does it relate to his philosophy?

Confucius's concept of 'ren' translates to benevolence or humanity. It is a central virtue in his philosophy, emphasizing the importance of acting with kindness and empathy towards others. Confucius believed that if everyone acted with 'ren,' society would function harmoniously, and this concept is key to his teachings on social order and moral conduct.

How did the Qin Dynasty's centralization and standardization efforts shape the future of China?

The Qin Dynasty's efforts in centralization and standardization, such as unifying laws, weights and measurements, and the writing system, created a cohesive and unified Chinese Empire. These actions laid the foundation for future dynasties and helped to maintain a continuous Chinese culture and identity, despite changes in rulers and periods of conflict.

What was the purpose of the 'burning of books and burying of scholars' event during the Qin Dynasty?

The 'burning of books and burying of scholars' was an event during the Qin Dynasty where books that did not align with state ideology were destroyed, and some Confucian scholars were executed or buried alive. The purpose was to eliminate dissenting ideas and strengthen the state ideology of Legalism, thereby consolidating the Emperor's control over thought and culture.

How did the Qin Dynasty's military innovations and strategies contribute to its conquest of other states?

The Qin Dynasty adopted and innovated various military technologies, such as siege weapons, iron swords, crossbows, and the use of cavalry. They also implemented a highly centralized state with strict laws and a system where households were held collectively responsible for each other's actions. These innovations and strategies, along with their disciplined and well-equipped army, contributed to their successful conquest of other states and the unification of China.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 The Origins and Early Dynasties of China

This segment delves into the ancient history of China, emphasizing its long-standing presence as a civilization. It discusses the country's origins along the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, where early farming societies emerged around 8000 BCE. The narrative highlights the significance of the Yellow River's floods and the legendary figure Yu the Great, who is credited with controlling the floods and establishing the Xia dynasty. The paragraph introduces the concept of dynasties in Chinese history and the evolution of Chinese culture through various dynasties, including the Shang and Zhou, with a focus on technological advancements like bronze working and the development of writing systems.

05:01

📜 The Rise of the Zhou Dynasty and Confucianism

The second paragraph focuses on the Zhou dynasty, detailing its rise to power and the cultural and political developments that occurred during its rule. It explains the concept of the Mandate of Heaven, which justified the Zhou's overthrow of the Shang dynasty. The paragraph also covers the Zhou's contributions to literature, bureaucracy, and infrastructure, such as the construction of canals. It introduces the philosopher Confucius and his teachings, which emphasized social order, benevolence, and the importance of hierarchical relationships within society. Confucius's ideas would later become integral to Chinese governance and culture.

10:02

🏰 The Unification of China and the Qin Dynasty

This section narrates the story of China's unification under the Qin dynasty. It discusses the military and administrative strategies that allowed the Qin to conquer other states, including the centralization of power and the standardization of laws, weights, and measurements. The paragraph also covers the Qin's construction projects, such as the Great Wall and the terracotta army, which were built with the labor of conscripted peasants. The narrative highlights the Qin's legacy in creating a unified Chinese Empire, despite the dynasty's short reign and eventual fall due to peasant revolts.

15:03

🛠️ The Legacy of the Qin and the Birth of the Han Dynasty

The fourth paragraph explores the aftermath of the Qin dynasty's fall and the rise of the Han dynasty. It discusses the Qin's impact on Chinese history, particularly in terms of unifying the country and establishing a centralized government. The paragraph also touches on the Qin's use of forced labor for monumental construction projects and the subsequent peasant revolts that led to the dynasty's collapse. The narrative sets the stage for the Han dynasty, which would build upon the Qin's foundations and enter a period known as the Golden Age, marked by inventions like paper and significant cultural and technological advancements.

20:03

🌐 The Expansion of the Han Dynasty and Cultural Exchanges

The final paragraph of the script outlines the expansion and cultural achievements of the Han dynasty. It mentions the invention of paper and other technological advancements, as well as the Han's military campaigns and interactions with foreign cultures along the Silk Road. The paragraph also discusses the Han's adoption of Confucianism as the state ideology and its role in shaping Chinese society. The narrative concludes by emphasizing the enduring legacy of the Han dynasty and the broader impact of Chinese history on the world.

Keywords

💡China

China is a country with a rich history and culture, and it is a central theme in the video. The term refers to both the geographical region and the civilization that has existed there for millennia. The video discusses how China became the world's oldest continuous civilization, highlighting its historical significance and contributions to global history.

💡Dynasty

A dynasty in the context of the video refers to a hereditary ruling family that governs a country or territory for a prolonged period. The video explains that China has been ruled by various dynasties from ancient times until 1911, with each dynasty representing a distinct period in Chinese history, such as the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties.

💡Confucius

Confucius, also known as Master Kong, is a pivotal figure in Chinese philosophy. The video mentions him as the most important philosopher in East Asian history. His teachings, compiled in the Analects, emphasize moral virtues like benevolence and filial piety, which have significantly influenced Chinese society and governance.

💡Mandarin Heaven

The Mandate of Heaven is a Chinese political and religious doctrine that justifies the rule of the emperor. As explained in the video, it suggests that heaven bestows the right to rule upon a just and virtuous ruler, and if a ruler becomes corrupt or ineffective, heaven may withdraw its mandate, allowing for a new ruler to take over.

💡Oracle Bones

Oracle bones are turtle shells or animal bones that were used in divination practices during the Shang Dynasty. As described in the video, priests would inscribe questions on these bones and then apply heat, interpreting the resulting cracks as messages from the gods. These bones are significant as they contain some of the earliest forms of Chinese writing.

💡Bronze Age

The Bronze Age refers to a period in history characterized by the use of bronze, an alloy of copper and tin. The video notes that the Chinese developed advanced bronze smelting techniques, which allowed them to create sophisticated weapons and tools, contributing to their military and cultural advancements.

💡Iron Age

The Iron Age is marked by the widespread use of iron for tools and weapons. The video explains that while the Chinese started using iron later than the Middle East, they quickly mastered the technology, developing heat-resistant furnaces that enabled them to cast iron into molds, a significant advancement in metallurgy.

💡Legalism

Legalism is a Chinese philosophical school of thought that emphasizes strict laws and a strong central authority. In contrast to Confucianism, which the video also discusses, Legalists believe in governing through harsh punishments and regulations. This philosophy was adopted by the Qin state, leading to a highly centralized and efficient government.

💡Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang, or the First Emperor of Qin, is a key figure in Chinese history. The video describes how he unified China and initiated major projects like the Great Wall. His reign marked the beginning of the Qin Dynasty, which, despite its short duration, had a lasting impact on China's political and cultural development.

💡Terracotta Army

The Terracotta Army is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, discovered in 1974 near his mausoleum. As mentioned in the video, it is an impressive display of the craftsmanship and scale of projects undertaken during the Qin Dynasty, and it provides insight into the burial practices and military organization of the time.

Highlights

China has a long history, dating back to 2.2 million years and is considered the world's oldest continuous civilization.

The Yellow River was a significant challenge for early Chinese farmers due to its flooding, which led to the rise of hydraulic engineering.

The Xia Dynasty, China's first dynasty, began with the legendary King Yu who controlled the floods and was later named king.

The concept of a 'dynasty' in China refers to a family that rules over the country, which was a pattern that continued until 1911.

The Shang Dynasty, which succeeded the Xia, is known for its oracle bones, an early form of Chinese writing that communicated with gods.

The Zhou Dynasty overthrew the Shang, introducing the concept of the 'Mandate of Heaven', which justified their rule and set a precedent for future dynasties.

The Zhou Dynasty saw the rise of iron technology, which revolutionized tool and weapon production in China.

Confucius, a pivotal philosopher, introduced the concept of 'ren' (benevolence) and the five hierarchical relationships crucial to Chinese society.

The Qin State, through military innovation and centralization, unified China under the first emperor, Qin Shi Huang.

Qin Shi Huang standardized many aspects of Chinese life, including laws, weights and measurements, and the written language.

The Qin Dynasty's centralization and standardization laid the foundation for future Chinese empires, despite its short reign.

The Han Dynasty, following the Qin, is known for inventing paper and contributing significantly to Chinese culture and technology.

The Silk Road, an ancient trade route, connected China with the rest of the world, influencing global history.

CuriosityStream is a platform supporting independent creators and offering educational content, including a documentary on the Silk Road.

The video discusses the importance of supporting educational content creators and the role of platforms like CuriosityStream.

Transcripts

this video is sponsored by a curiosity

stream get free access to my video

streaming service nebula when you sign

up a curiosity stream using the link in

the description this is China

it's big most of your stuff probably

comes from there and they have a solar

farm shaped like a panda but most

interestingly China is old for as long

as people have been talking about

history there has been a China 2.2 so

how did China become the world's oldest

continuous civilization

what's the dynasty who's Confucius and

is it ever okay to just bury people

alive well that's fine Oh

[Music]

China was born along two great rivers

the yellow and the Yangtze people began

farming rice and millet here around 8000

BCE silk cultivation would follow at

around 3,000 BCE and silk would remain a

Chinese trade secret for thousands of

years but these early farmers had a

problem the Yellow River which had this

nasty habit of unloading everyone to

death enter you well no not you

but like you you the engineer he spent

13 years traveling up and down the land

fighting the floods so dedicated was he

to his task but he walked past his own

home on several occasions but never went

inside to visit his wife or newborn

child you built canals that led the

excess flood water into the fields or

out to sea and so stopped the floods

everyone was very impressed with you he

gets named King and so starts at China's

first dynasty the Shia dynasty what's a

dynasty you might ask a dynasty is a

family that ruled over China if the

family dies or is overthrown a new

family takes over eventually China would

be ruled by dynasties from now up until

1911 C II it kind of tells you a lot

Chinese culture that one of the greatest

heroes is a hydraulic engineer the Shah

are said to have reigned from around

2589 which isn't wrong but isn't really

right either

we have evidence like bronze tools the

remains of cities and tombs near our Ito

and Yan Chi that point to an urban

civilization existing around 2100 to

1600 BCE but it probably wasn't an

actual unified state more a collection

of culturally similar cities and

villages it was once believed that a

distinct Chinese culture spread out from

the shower to the rest of China but now

examples of dozens of neolithic cultures

ranging from Manchuria to Guangdong have

been unearthed known is really more

advanced than the others Chinese

civilization seems to have been forged

by all of these cultures mixing together

but the 16th century BCE the Chinese had

learned to mix tin lead and copper

together to form bronze warriors writing

a new Eurasian import called the chariot

took these fancy bronze weapons and

clobbered the Shire to death these

people found that the Shang Dynasty

which was like an actual dynasty

sorry shaft but you just weren't at the

shine capital of an yang archeologists

have dug up tens of thousands of

so-called oracle bones priests would

scratch questions for the gods on these

bones and then applied heat to them the

heat will crack the bones and those

cracks would be read as a response from

the gods the incredible thing about

these are local bones is that the

questions were written on them the

Chinese independently invented writing

something that's only been done around

five times in human history these bones

have recognizably Chinese characters we

can still read a fair amount of them

this script on the oracle bones is the

ancestor of modern chinese the last of

the pre imperial three dynasties is des

l who overthrew the shine around 10:45

BCE they would still be there

nearly 800 years later China's later

dynasties wouldn't last half as long the

zero came from the way Valley and were

vassals to the Shang but getting tired

of that they called load their armies

marched in the shine territory and

whooped them at the Battle of Nooyi the

defeated shine King fled back to his

palace had himself a little bit of a cry

and then burned the palace down with

himself inside it this posed a question

to the Chinese the Shang ruled because

heaven had given them the right to rule

how could the Zhou just come along and

overthrow them surely the Zhou were in

the wrong here luckily the zo had an

answer heaven had dumped the Shang why

well according to ancient Chinese

historian Sima Qian the last shanking

may have hosted some festive orgies and

written some extremely pornographic

poems and tortured a bunch of people and

maybe just maybe built himself a giant

alcohol lake and inside of previously

said alcoholic built a meet for us

heaven frowns on that kind of behavior

this resulted in the shang losing

heavens mandate which heaven was happy

to transfer to a more virtuous people

like the Zhou from now heaven would

throw storms earthquakes and peasant

uprisings had rulers that it saw as

unfit if rulers didn't listen and change

the Mandate of Heaven with fall from

their grasp and into another's the

mandated heaven became central to

Chinese politics as different dynasties

lost and claimed the mandate for the

next few thousand years under the Zhou

China's first classical texts were

written irrigation and foot controls

spring up along with a large bureaucracy

a network of canals were built to

transport food and luxuries zero elite

families could live in fancy walled

cities and enjoy poetry and silk

clothing or commanding large armies and

taxing the peasants to death it was a

time of immense change iron appeared in

China around the 9th century BCE about a

thousand years later than in the Middle

East but the Chinese quickly became

experts Europe and the Middle East could

not figure out how to melt iron and so

were forced to use wrought iron which is

terrible but the 4th century BCE the

Chinese were using heat-resistant clay

in their furnaces which allowed them to

reach temperatures of over 1500 and 37

degrees Celsius so they could liquefy

iron and cast it into moles this

technology wouldn't reach Europe for

another 1800 years

this gave the Chinese much stronger

tools and weapons that could be produced

on a massive scale trade kicked off as

the population soared to 15 million and

cities turned into manufacturing centers

Chinese silk has been discovered as far

away as Germany in the 6th century BCE

suggesting that the famous Silk Road was

already emerging the zoo started using

money which was a novel idea at the time

it was shaped like knives or spades

which seems inconvenient but you know

they were figuring things out there's

elk ingdom had an issue though it was

very decentralized it was a feudal state

so the king handed out his lands to

Lords

but these local Lords began to amass

more and more power and the Zell began

to lose control of their own kingdom in

1771 BC the zel capital

was sacked and they fled to a new

capital at la yang the zou still had

about 500 years left in them but at this

point there were just puppets - they're

much more powerful vassals this end of

the Western Zhou period and began the

eastern zo period this period is divided

into two parts both named after the

historical texts that record them the

spring and autumn annals and the warring

States annals at the beginning of the

spring and autumn period 148 states were

all fighting to be top dog this whittled

down to about 30 or so and in the highly

volatile warring States Period brought

it down to seven and then three and then

finally won but troubled times bring new

ideas at around the same time the

warring city-states of ancient Greece

gave of Socrates and the competing Vedic

kingdoms of India Broadus mahavira and

the Buddha in ancient China the most

important philosopher in East Asian

history is about to be born master Kong

or Confucius as he is known to us lived

a fairly uneventful life a failed civil

servant dying in 479 BC without ever

having wielded any real power or

influence but he had managed to gather a

small group of followers who recorded

his sayings in the Analects Confucius's

philosophy was concerned with the chaos

that was destroying China he wanted to

restore order to a world I was falling

apart to do this Confucius advocated a

system of five hierarchical

relationships the five relationships

were ruler to subject husband to wife

father to son older brother to younger

brother and friend to friend

the younger partner was always supposed

to respect and honor the older or a more

male partner yeah

Confucius as a man from thousands of

years ago wasn't really great when it

came to women's so keep that in mind

most of these relationships were within

the family with the father holding the

highest position this led to a tradition

of filial piety still important in East

Asia today filial piety means to be good

to one's parents to respect them to

follow their orders and to act in a way

to positively reflects on them it worked

the other way - parents were supposed to

provide the best care possible for the

children and make sure they were safe

and their futures secure within this

system family came before anything else

confucius emphasized a concept called

ren which roughly translates to

benevolence or humanity this virtue was

key to confucius his golden rule which

is do not do unto others what you would

not wish done to yourself

confucius believed that if everyone

followed their role and acted with

benevolence then society would work

perfectly the ruler especially needed to

be benevolent because they were the one

that set the example for everyone else

people were only stealing or warring

because their rulers were greedy and

violent confucius said in administering

your government what need is there for

you to kill just desire the god yourself

and the common people will be good

confucius was a fairly outspoken critic

of the powerful of his day maybe his

most revolutionary idea was that the

government should work to benefit the

people and should be open to everyone

not just nobles this evolved into a new

concept the civil service examination

centuries after his death the Han

Dynasty government would establish

examinations based on Confucian texts

that all government officials would need

to pass any male could take these

examinations this meant that careers in

government were opened to the best and

brightest men this exam based system was

in place in China thousands of years

before anywhere else

Confucius wasn't the only philosopher

travelling around China at this time in

fact it was the Golden Age of Chinese

philosophy often called the hundred

schools of thought it saw the rise of a

school known as legalists they disagreed

with Confucius as view that human nature

was good legalist argued to humans by

their very nature were evil and could

only be made good through guidance of

strict laws powerful rulers and a strong

state there was Amuro as the popularity

around the same time founded by Lao Zhu

or the old master there was a masala

though accepting what is happening it's

not action but in action called Wu Wei

the Taoism sees as important it's best

to act in harmony with universe and just

let nature take its course

these explanations of Confucianism

legalism and Taoism are far from

complete we simply don't have the time

but there are some links

down below you can follow to learn more

the state of chin lay on the outskirts

of what the warring States era Chinese

considered the civilized world the chin

were semi barbarians by their standards

the chin lived in a dangerous world

between Zhang knew nomads and the

warring States

this meant military might was needed for

survival they adopted every innovation

they came across siege weapons iron

swords crossbows sitting on horsey boys

rather than writing and chariots behind

them the Qin adopted all of these and

add their own innovations to rather than

being a feudal state with Lords the Qin

created a highly centralised state

strict laws now regulated trade and

harsh and punishments the entire

population was registered with the

government and now peasants pay taxes

and contributed labor and military

service directly to the state rather

than to their local Lord every household

in the state was grouped in fives or

tens and each group was held responsible

for the actions of their members

soldiers of the same group were punished

as a group if an individual was

currently disciplined drilled armored

and armed with swords and crossbows the

new armies of the Qin were ready to go

take on their era Socratic chariot

riding enemies King Zhuang is normally

given credit for conquering all of China

and creating the first Chinese Empire

however healed a lot to his

great-great-grandfather King Huai of Qin

who reigned around 311 to 338 BC he

cleverly shifted his focus off the drama

of the warring States and to the weaker

year rich states to the southwest there

over the Qinling mountains lay a land of

silk and money

the central plain of Sichuan has been

continuously farmed for more than 3000

years because of its rich soil and

benign climate the Chinese call it t on

foo the heavenly kingdom

this was Szechuan today China's fourth

most populous province the warring

States paid little attention to the

isolated Szechuan kingdoms of Shu unbar

they saw them as barbarians

King Huai saw them as an opportunity but

getting there remained the challenge

according to a much later and pretty

hilarious account he came up with a

fairy cunning plan he had five stone

cows sculpted to perfection with gold

spattered around their tails and back

legs then they were placed out in the

field where the end voice of the Shu

could see them the Shu Qing obviously

excited about the idea of these

infinitely gold pooping cows

asked for them as a gift but getting

these gifts over the impassable

mountains would be impossible until King

Huai offered to build the road this

stone cattle road does actually have

some archeological evidence it's

probably the earliest mountain highway

in China Qin engineers made the

mountains crossable by building gallery

roads

what's a gallery road you may ask this

this terrifying thing is a gallery road

they bored holes into the mountainside

and then plugged them with wooden planks

they made these things large enough to

accommodate chariots and horses and

carriages and stone cows along these sky

death roads as historians called them

the stone cows were brought to the king

of Shu an unexpected x-ray was the

thousands of Quin soldiers and war

wagons that came in behind them in 316

BCE with soldiers now pouring across the

new road the kingdoms of Shu and BA fell

and Szechuan now belonged to the Qin

this really was a land of silk and money

Szechuan had huge silk supplies and

massive amounts of mineral wealth mined

Szechuan copper was minted in the Qin

coins and made them filthy rich all

hyped up on Szechuan steroids the Qin

could steamroll over the other warring

States so when the young king Zhen came

of age and to tree eight BCE he already

possessed half of his future Empire

he just had to finish it off and by

two-to-one BCE

he had wiped out all of the other

warring states with China under his rule

he adopted the title Qin Shi Huang the

first emperor of Qin the Qin Dynasty had

now begun and the Emperor set about

turning china from a bunch of feudal

kingdoms into a united Empire with the

help of Li si the new chief minister

everything was standardized laws

standardized weights and measurements

standardized the length of chariots

carts roads swords walls tools all

standardized it was like a giant East

Asian IKEA the mining winemaking and

salt industries were all brought on

their state control this was all done to

form China into a single cohesive unit

Li si went about creating a government

where people were promoted based on

merit rather than birth which made it

extremely efficient he had the weapons

of the warring States melted down into

giant statues so that no one would get

any ideas about whether they could

challenge this new state which is some

gameofthrones type stuff Qin copper

coins became the Empire standard

currency there a design circular with a

square hole in the middle would last

more than 2,000 years people across

China were using the writing system

developed under the shine but in

different regions people were using

different characters it was making

communication difficult and it was

messing with the Empire's taxes which

just simply wouldn't do the Emperor had

each and every character you guessed it

standardized this new small seal script

created a written language that was

common throughout the empire regardless

of the brighter spoken dialect without

this standardization Chinese lawmakers

today would probably need about the same

amount of translators as the European

Union all the ideas that popped up

during the hundred schools of thought

were outlawed as legalism became the

state ideology they believed other

schools of thought threaten stability

and Confused the common people so in 2

1-3 BCE Li si and the Emperor ordered

the burning of all books that went

against state ideology preserving a few

copies of each in state libraries away

from public view it was followed

according to some sort

by a purge of Confucian scholars who are

either executed or buried alive in an

event called burning books and burying

Confucius which is that the best PR move

considering that Confucian Astana people

that wrote Chinese history to the north

the Qin state was constantly hassled by

nomadic Xiong nu to defend the frontier

a series of walls covering a distance of

about 10,000 Li or 5,000 kilometers were

constructed now this is a great wall in

China but it's not the Great Wall of

China that was built 1,500 years later

during the Ming Dynasty but some parts

of the Qin wall are still visible

the Emperor's centralization conquest

and constructions had created a lot of

enemies like the former powerful

families the Confucians and the common

people but he was apparently aware of

all the people that wanted him dead so

he created a class of eunuchs men who's

a yin and yang had been removed

to be the close servants of the royal

family as eunuchs couldn't have families

who was assumed that a eunuchs loyalty

was more reliable the rivalry between

eunuchs and the other members of the

court would go on to dominate Chinese

history the Emperor had ruled for about

eleven years now and he was getting a

bit old but he wasn't planning on dying

anytime soon because death is for

peasants he began to consult with

sorcerers to find an elixir of

immortality the potions prepared for him

by the immortality experts contained

cinnabar and cinnabar when ingested has

the unintended side effect of death the

first emperor had a tomb of unimaginable

scale built for himself to this day it

still remains one opened but parts of it

have revealed the famous terracotta army

which was reported to have taken over

700,000 workers to build which brings us

to an important point all the wonders of

these empires the Great Wall the canals

the tombs the palaces in the cities were

built with millions of hours and lives

of force or near forced labor

all of this depended on exploding the

peasants and the slaves who tended to

grow pretty tired of

the Han the Tang the one the mean and

the Qing dynasties were all brought down

by peasant revolts shortly after the

Emperor died in 210 BC II the dynasty

was paralyzed by rivalries and the

oppressed peasants rose up four years

later the dynasty was overthrown its 15

year reign was the shortest in Chinese

history but the chins revolutionary act

of creating a united Chinese Empire was

a monumental event in world history

the previous dynasties had been small

and decentralized so was the Qin that

really gave birth to the idea of China

I mean China from now on dynasties would

change more periods of warring States

would occur but China as a unified

culture will remain constant the Golden

Age of the Han is about to dawn they

will invent paper and flying machines

and earthquake detectors Confucianism

will become the state ideology where it

will remain until now really

the famous connections with India and

Rome along the Silk Road will shape

world history they'll fight nomads and

even Greeks as they expand north south

and west but that is a story for another

time and when that time comes that video

will be up first and ad-free over on

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watching