Ep. 158B | The Rise and Fall of the Qin (Part 3)

In the final installment of this three-part series we’ll look at the conquests of Qin Shi Huang as he unifies the Chinese mainland. All the legendary stories associated with the First Emperor will also be discussed, including the Burning of the Books and the Burying of the Scholars. The Qin Emperor unified the land in 221 BC but passed away in 210. This bizarre ending with Lao Ai, Zhao Gao, Li Si, and Ziying will be presented as well as the aftermath which ended with the founding of the Han Dynasty in 202 BC.

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Terms in Episode

Pinyin/TermChineseEnglish/Meaning
Ba State巴国Ba State near Chongqing
Bai Qi白起Qin general served under Zhaoxiang. Undefeated
Baiyue百越The Hundred Yue
banjin baliang半斤八两Our English version of six of one and a half dozen of the other
banliang半两half a liang. 16 liang equaled a jin One Jin was 0.604 kilos or 1.3 lbs
banliangqian半两钱Qin standardized coin that weighed eight liang
Battle of Changping长平之战The bloody battle where the Qin demolished the Zhao 262-260 BCE
Battle of Julu钜鹿之战fought near present day Xingtai in Hebei, Xiang Yu, leading the Chu army knocked the Qin army out clean in 207 BCE
Battle of Yique伊阙near modern day Longmen, 293 BCE Qin defeated the combined armies of Wei and Han.
Beifang caoyuan北方草原The grasslands of the north
Chelie车裂An ancient punishment where a person was tied to five chariots and pulled apart
Chen Kaige陈凯歌Great Chinese film director. The Emperor and the Assassin
Chen Sheng陈胜also known as Chen She 陈涉 One of the leaders of the Dazexiang Uprising
Chengdu成都Largest city and capital of Sichuan, site of the ancient Shu Kingdom
chengyu成语Chinese saying or proverb, usually but not always four characters
Chongqing重庆Municipality formerly part of Sichuan
Chu State楚国Chu State near Hubei
Dapingtai Village大平台村The village in Hebei where the Qin emperor died
Dazexiang Uprising大泽乡起义The first major uprising against the Qin – July to December in the year 209 BCE
Dongting Lake洞庭湖the dividing marker between Hubei and Hunan
Dujiangyan都江堰One of the most important irrigation projects in Chinese history. It tamed the Min River and changed the face of agriculture in Sichuan
Duke Xiao秦孝公Qin Xiao Gong He lived 381 to 338 BCE
Fan Ju范雎died 255 BCE, gave his king Zhaoxiang the winning strategy
Fu Su扶苏Qin Shihuang’s heir, tricked into committing suicide
Fujian福建Province just north of Guangdong
Gaoping高平County level city in southeast Shanxi, site of the Battle of Changping
Gong Li巩俐Famous and talented Chinese actress
Guangdong广东southernmost province of continental China and a rich one at that
Guangxi广西An autonomous region just west of Guangdong
Guilin桂林Gorgeous city in Guangxi
Han韩国The Han Sate, sandwiched between Chu, Qin and Wei
Han Dynasty汉朝One of China’s greatest dynasties 206 BCE-220 CE
Han Wudi汉武帝Great conquering emperor of the Western Han Dynasty
Handan邯郸City in Hebei Province, also the capital of Zhao
Hu Hai胡亥Younger son of Qin Shihuang, allowed Lao Ai and Li Si to stack the deck and allow him to become the new emperor
Huaihai Campaign淮海战役One of the three final campaigns of the Chinese Civil War of 1948-49.
Huangdi皇帝Emperor
Huaxia华夏Ancient core China early name
Huizong宋徽宗Song Dynasty emperor, featured in a CHP four-part series
Ji clan姬家族The Zhou Dynasty ruling family
Jing Ke荆轲Assassin from Yan who wasn’t able to bury his poison dagger into Ying Zheng
Jinsha金沙Another great archaeological discovery near Chengdu
King Huiwen or King Hui秦惠文王King of Qin 338-311 BCE, son of Zhaoxiang
King Nǎn, Zhou Nan Wang周赧王Last emperor of the Zhou Dynasty
King Xiaocheng趙孝成王King of Zhao who pulled Lian Po from the roster and put in Zhao Kuo
King Xiaowen秦孝文王Also known as Lord Anguo, Qin Shihuang’s grandfather. Didn’t reign too long.
King Zhou商纣王Last Shang King, and a wicked one at that. Also known as Di Xin
King Zhāoxiāng, Qin Zhao Wang昭襄王Qin leader, reined 306-251 BCE
Lady Huayang华阳夫人Wife of Qin King Xiaowen
Lao Ai嫪毐Introduced to Zhao Ji after she became the Queen Dowager, tried and failed to seize power
Li Bing李冰The Qin governor down in Sichuan, directed construction of Dujiangyan
Li Jiang漓江the Li River (not to be confused with the other Li River 丽江)
Li Si李斯Took the philosophy of Legalism to great heights. Qin Shihuang’s right hand man
Lin Biao林彪Great military man and one time heir to Chairman Mao
Lingnan岭南the southern region of China comprising mostly Guangdong and Guangxi
Lingqu Canal灵渠The Ling Canal…linked the Xiang with the Li
Liu Bang刘邦Han Dynasty founder
Lu鲁国State to the south of Qi. Confucius came from Lu
Luoyang洛阳Eastern capital of the Zhou Dynasty
Lü Buwei吕不韦The man who put Qin Shihuang’s father on the throne. Regent for young Qin Shihuang.
Lüshi Chunqiu吕氏春秋Master Lü’s Spring and Autumn Annals
Meixian陕西眉县Mei County in Shaanxi, west of Xian
Meng Tian蒙恬Great Qin general who did most of his fighting in the north. Key person in the construction of the Great Wall
Mengding Shan蒙顶山Mountain near Chengdu site of the first known cultivation of tea
Min岷江Min River in Sichuan, tamed by the Dujiangyan irrigation project
Nanhai Commandery南海郡The Qin office that administered the two Guang’s, based near Guangzhou
Nanyue南越the southern Yue
Qi齐国Qi State near Shandong
Qi Lu Liangguo齐鲁两国The two Shandong kingdoms of Qi and Lu
QinThe kingdom and later dynasty, led by the Ying Clan
Qin Shihuang秦始皇The First Qin Emperor, Ying Zheng
Qin Èrshì秦二世The Second Qin Emperor
Qinchao Sanda Shuiligongcheng秦朝三大水利工程The three great irrigation project of the Qin
Qinling Mountains秦岭Mountain range separating Shaanxi from Sichuan, also Qin Mountains (ling 岭means mountain range)
Ren Tu人屠The Butcher of Men, Bai Qi’s nickname (well-earned I might add)
San Huang Wu Di三皇五帝The mythical Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
Sanmenxia三门峡City in Henan in the cradle of Chinese civilization
Sanxingdui三星堆Archaeological discovery of an ancient non-Han civilization located halfway between Chengdu and Deyang
Shaanxi陕西Province in China, capital is Xian
Shandong山东Northeastern province of China
Shang Dynasty商朝The Shang Dynasty 1600 BCE – 1046 BCE
Shang Yang商鞅Great Qin statesman, helped make the Qin. 390-338 BCE
Shanxi山西Province in China just east of Shaanxi
Shennong神农The Divine Farmer, legendary discoverer of tea who gifted the Shen Nong Classic of Herbal Medicine
Shi Ji史记The Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian
Shi Lu史禄Architect of the Ling Qu, the Ling Canal
Shiniu Dao石牛道The Stone Cattle Road
Shi’er Jinren十二金人Twelve Gold Men made from all the melted down weapons handed in from the defeated warring states
Shu蜀国Shu State near Chengdu
Si Da Ming Jiang四大名将the four great generals of the day. Bai Qi白起, Lian Po 廉颇, Li Mu李牧 and Wang Jian 王翦
Sichuan四川Province in southwest China
Siku Quanshu四库全书The Emperor’s Four Treasures, commissioned by Qianlong. 36,381 Volumes divided up into 79,000 chapters, over two million pages and about 800 million characters
Sima Cuo司马错Qin general. Advised Huiwen to annex Shu and Ba
Sima Qian司马迁China’s Herodotus, writer of the Records of the Grand Historian
The Longmen Grottoes龙门石窟UNESCO Heritage site containing thousands of statues of Buddha and paintings
Tu Sui屠睢Qin general who got schooled when he invaded the Lingnan region
Wang Ben王贲Son of one of the four great generals of the Warring States period
Wei魏国Kingdom of Wei, east of Qin, south of Zhao
Wei River渭河One of the major tributaries of the Yellow River
Wey State卫国Different from Wei State 魏国. Absorbed by Jin before it broken up. Lü Buwei was from Wey
Wu Guang吴广The other leader of the Dazexiang Uprising
Wu Lizhen吴理真Planted seven tea trees on Mengding Mountain, first known tea cultivation
Wu Xíng五刑The Five Pains. Tattooing the face, nose cut off, foot cut off, private parts cut off and the fifth pain for Li Si was the old Yāozhǎn. Cut in half at the waist
Xiang Jiang湘江The Xiang River
Xiang Yu项羽The hegemon of Chu State, fought Liu Bang and lost. Featured in CHP episode 91
Xianyang咸阳Near modern day Xian. Capital of Qin
Xiongnu匈奴Also referred to sometimes as the Huns, a northern nomadic people
Yan燕国Yan State near Beijing
Yan Di炎帝The Flame Emperor, considered to be Shennong
Yichuan County伊川县is located in Henan just south of Luoyang near the famous Longmen Grottoes.
Ying Zheng嬴政Qin Shihuang’s name
Zhang Yimou张艺谋One of the great film directors of China
Zhao赵国Zhao State in the Yellow River Valley
Zhao Gao赵高Palace eunuch who conspired with Li Si against Qin Shihuang’s wishes
Zhao Ji赵姬Qin Shihuang’s mother and a lover to many men (so says Sima Qian)
Zhao Kuo赵括Son Zhao She, got beat bad at the Battle of Changping
Zhao She赵奢Zhao general who once gave the Qin a lickin’
Zhao Tuo赵佗Qin officer in charge of the Nanhai Commandery. Founded the Nanyue Kingdom
Zhengguo Canal郑国渠joined together the Jing and Luo Rivers, both tributaries of the Wei. Named after the builder Zheng Guo
zhishang tan bing纸上谈兵To discuss military strategy on paper
zhishi fenzi知识分子intellectuals
Zhou周朝The Zhou Dynasty
Zhou Wu Wang周武王Co-founder of the Zhou, brother of the Duke of Zhou
Zibo淄博Former capital of the Qi State
Zichu子楚Other name of Qin Shihuang’s father and later King Zhuangxiang
Ziying子婴The third and final Qin emperor, reigned for 46 days
Zuo Shu zhang秦朝左庶长Left militia general

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Ep. 159 | Chinese-American Stars and Entertainers of Old Hollywood

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Ep. 158 | The Rise and Fall of the Qin (Part 2)