I have done my Shi Huang Di Essay and the results I got were...
5/10, 5/10, 5/10 and 5/8
I have another chance to improve my essay for the next unit so I will work hard to do better!
Here's my essay:
SHI HUANG DI
Word Count: 697
Although there are many negative reports regarding Shi Huang Di, such as how the phrase “a cruel ruler” (Col) was used and the phrase “harshest man in Chinese history” (Football) that was used as well, he had made life in China as it is today. Shi Huang Di, or Xing Ming, which was his personal name, was born in 259 B.C.E and he had died in 210 B.C.E. At 221 B.C.E, Shi Huang Di, became the first emperor of China (Encyclopædia Britannica). Shi Huang Di was a great emperor because of his great achievements. He unified the first Chinese empire (Encyclopædia Britannica), and he standardized the weight and measurement system (History). However, he was not a popular Emperor because of the numerous and extravagant measures he took to keep history on his side (Col).
Shi Huang Di was a great Emperor because he was the person who unified the first Chinese empire. However, it had become unsuccessful only 4 years after his death. Shi Huang Di also unified China in the way that he used 1 language (Encyclopædia Britannica). Shi Huang Di unified China by taking over the different states China was split into in the past. The first state was defeated, the Han state, in 230 B.C.E. The Zhao state was defeated in 228 B.C.E, due to the earthquake, which put the Zhao state at a disadvantage. Subsequently, the Wei state was defeated in 225 B.C.E. Then, the Chu state was defeated, in 223 B.C.E. And finally, the Yan state and the Qi state was defeated in 222 B.C.E. Although the Qin Dynasty, which Shi Huang Di made, was a very short time period, it was the most important (Noll 3).
Shi Huang Di had also standardized the weight and measurement system. The weight and measurement system helped with the making of the country roads, it also helped with creating buildings and making the carts roll smoother. He made the carts roll smoother by ordering the length of the axis on the carts to be adjusted on every cart; therefore, every cart would roll smoother (History). Because Shi Huang Di had standardized the weight and measurement system, it had become much more simplified compared to the system before that, therefore it made the system easy to understand, and because of that, the weight and measurement system was used more. Although it took 11 years, it was because of Shi Huang Di that the weight and measurement system was standardized, which helped advances to be made, improving the weight and measurement system (Jeananda).
However, Shi Huang Di was not too great because he took immense measures to keep history on his side. For example, he made books forbidden, except for the books, which were concerning medicine, agriculture, certain sciences specified by Shi Huang Di and the story of the Qin Dynasty, his own, and burned them. He also buried around 460 Confucian scholars alive for owning the forbidden books. He buried the Confucian scholars in Xian Yang City and Shaanxi Province. And because Shi Huang Di was the one who unified China, there was no such debate that Legalism would support the beliefs in the Qin Dynasty, no matter what others had to say. It is evident that Shi Huang Di was abysmal because he took extravagant measures to keep the history on his side, no matter what the cost was (Col).
On one hand Shi Huang Di was a great Emperor as a result of all the positive achievements he has made such as he unified China and standardized the weight and measurement system. On the other hand he was very unpopular because he had ordered that books were to be burned and scholars, whom had these books, to be buried alive. From the past evidence, it is safe to conclude that Shi Huang Di was a great ruler through the negative achievements that he also made. As mentioned before, the Qin Dynasty failed only 4 years after Shi Huang Di’s death, which makes it evident that the Qin Dynasty could not last without him. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that life wouldn't be anywhere close to as it is today without Shi Huang Di.
Work Cited:
Col, Jeananda. "Qin Shi Huangdi, First Chinese Emperor."
Enchantedlearning.com. N.p., 2010. Web. 12 Dec. 2011.
Football. Qin Shi Huang Di. N.P., 27 May 2010. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
"History of China Great Wall, Great Wall History in Qin, Han, Ming Dynasties." China Travel, China Travel Agency W/ Tour Packages, 24/7 Service. 1998. Web. 12 Dec. 2011. <http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china_great_wall/history/>.
Noll, Paul, and Bernice Noll. The Ming Dynasty Changes the Great Wall. N.p.,
Jan. 2012. Web. Jan. 2012. <http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Tourism/
history-Great-Wall-1-beginning.html>.
"Shihuangdi." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 10 Jan. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/
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