Empire of Qin

Qin
秦
221 BC–206 BC
Qin dynasty, circa 210 BC.
Capital		Xianyang
Languages		Old Chinese
Religion		Chinese folk religion Legalism
Government		Absolute monarchy
Emperor
•	221 BC – 210 BC	Qin Shi Huang
•	210 BC – 207 BC	Qin Er Shi
Chancellor
•	221 BC – 208 BC	Li Si
•	208 BC – 207 BC	Zhao Gao
Historical era		Imperial
•	Unification of China	221 BC
•	Death of Qin Shi Huang	210 BC
•	Surrender to Liu Bang	206 BC
Population
•	210 BC est.	20,000,000
Currency		Ban liang coins
Preceded by Succeeded by Zhou dynasty Qin (state) Eighteen Kingdoms Han dynasty Nanyue

Qin dynasty
"Qin dynasty" in Qin-era seal script (top) and modern (bottom) Chinese characters
Chinese	秦朝
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Qín cháo Bopomofo ㄑㄧㄣˊㄔㄠˊ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Chyn chaur Wade–Giles Ch'in2 ch'ao2 IPA [tɕʰǐn ʈʂʰǎu] Wu Suzhounese Zín záu Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Chèuhn chìuh IPA [tsʰɵ̏n tsʰȉːu] Jyutping Ceon4 ciu4 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Chîn tiâu Tâi-lô Tsîn tiâu Old Chinese Baxter–Sagart (2014) *[dz]i[n] m-t<r>aw

The Qin dynasty (Chinese: ; pinyin: Qín Cháo; Wade–Giles: Ch'in² Ch'ao²) was the first dynasty of Imperial China, lasting from 221 to 206 BC. Named for its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Gansu and Shaanxi, the dynasty was formed after the conquest of six other states by the Qin state, and its founding emperor named Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of Qin. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the "Legalist" reforms of Shang Yang in the fourth century BC, during the Warring States period. In the mid and late third century BC, the Qin accomplished a series of swift conquests, first ending the powerless Zhou dynasty, and eventually conquering the other six of the Seven Warring States to gain control over the whole of China. It is also the shortest dynasty in Chinese history, lasting only 15 years with two emperors.

Far from monolithic and demonstrating a sophisticated political outlook, excavated Qin texts show a more pragmatic and eclectic approach than a reading of traditional accounts of Shang Yang would suggest. Qin administration was by no means purely punitive, and was not harsher than was generally prevalent at the time. The Qin were not doctrinaire. Though often anathema to Legalist philosophy, Confucianism and its values too coexisted with "Legalism" during the reign of the First Emperor. Qin administrative documents considered such matters as filial piety, and one circulated letter reads that "The purpose of all standards (fa)... is to teach and lead the people, rid them of dissoluteness and depravity... and turn them toward goodness."