* CHRONOLOGY OF THE QIN*
YEAR EVENT
314 BCThe Qin state scores its first great military exploit (over the northern nomads) after its reorganisation by Shang Yang.
311 BCQin annexation of the lands of Ba and Shu in Sichuan in Western China.
312 BCThe upper valley of the Han state occupied; Hanchung, the Han capital captured.
278-277BCExpansion into Hubei at the expense of the Chu state; General Bai Qi of Qin captures Ying, the capital of Chu.
c.261 BCLu Buwei, a merchant from Zhao, befriends Prince Zichu, future king of Qin and father of the First Emperor, while the latter was a hostage in Han Dan, capital of the state of Zhao.
258 BCBirth of Ying Zheng, future First Emperor of China
257 BCThe Qin army is forced to raise the seige of Handan, capital of the state of Zhao in the Hebei region.
251 BCPrince Zichu's father (An Guojun or King Xiao Wen) ascends the throne. Through the machinations of Lu Buwei, Prince Zichu was appointed the Crown Prince, with Lu Buwei as his tutor.
250 BCPrince Zichu ascends the throne as King Zhuang Xiang, and appoints Lu Buwei his Grand Councillor.
249 BCThe petty realm of Eastern Zhou in the Henan region is annexed, marking the end of the Zhou Dynasty.
246 BCDeath of King Zhuang Xiang. Ying Zheng ascends the throne of Qin at 13 years of age. Lu Pu Wei appointed as regent and Li Si appointed a senior scribe.
Commencement of work on Ying Zheng's tomb at Mount Li.
238-7 BCThe abortive Lao Ai rebellion. Lu Buwei, implicated in this matter, was exiled to faraway Shu.
Li Si appointed as Justice Minister.
236 BCLu Buwei commits suicide.
233 BCDeath of Han Feizi, a leading Legalist philosopher.
230 BCConquest of the state of Han.
228 BCThe state of Zhao is annexed.
227 BCFirst assassination attempt on King Ying Zheng by Jin Ke, of the state of Yan.
225 BCConquest of the state of Wei.
223 BCAnnexation of the Chu state.
222 BCThe state of Yan is conquered.
221 BCThe last feudal state, Qi, is finally annexed by Qin. Ying Zheng assumes the title of Qin Shi Huang Di (or, First Emperor) and promulgates the following policies:
  • Abolition of feudalism and the centralisation of power in the form of a non-hereditary bureaucracy loyal to himself.
  • Empire divided into 36 commanderies, which were sub-divided into prefectures and counties.
  • The standardisation of written language, currency, weights and measures, and legal code.
  • Confiscation of weapons, which were melted down to form bells and giant statues, as a deterrence to resistance.
219 BCQin Shi Huang's first tour of inspection of the empire. Li Si appointed Grand Councillor.
First expedition sent in search of the mythical island of Peng Lai and the Elixir of Immortality.
Second assassination attempt on the First Emperor by Gao Jianli with a lead-filled lute.
218 BCThird assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang by Zhang Liang, future strategist to Liu Bang, founder of the Han Dynasty.
215 BCSecond expedition sent in search of the mythical island of Peng Lai and the Elixir of Immortality.
214 BCCompletion of the Great Wall, under General Meng Tian.
213 BCBurning of the Books.
An expeditionary force of 100,000 men under General Meng Tian was dispatched against the Xiongnu barbarians in the Ordos region.
212 BC460 scholars buried alive on Qin Shi Huang's order. The First Emperor's eldest son, Prince Fu Su, is banished to the Great Wall for appealing clemency for the scholars.
Construction of Afang Palace started.
210 BCDeath of the First Emperor while on an inspection tour. Zhao Gao and Li Si send false decrees ordering the deaths of Prince Fu Su and General Meng Tian. Hu Hai ascends the throne as Qin Er Shi Huang Di (or, the Second Emperor).
209 BCFirst peasant rebellion in Chinese history.
208 BCChief eunuch Zhao Gao double-crosses Li Si and causes the execution of the latter to gain power.
207 BCMassacre of 200,000 Qin prisoners-of-war by order of Xiang Yu, the leading rebel leader.
The Second Emperor is forced to commit suicide by Zhao Gao. King Zi Ying (nephew of the Second Emperor) ascends the throne and orders the death of Zhao Gao.
206 BCZi Ying surrenders to the rebels, only to be executed by Xiang Yu. The Qin Dynasty comes to an end after 15 years.
Start of the Chu-Han rivalry between Xiang Yu and Liu Bang.
202 BCAfter many setbacks, Liu Bang defeats Xiang Yu and establishes the Han Dynasty.
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