2023: Another Life of the First Emperor: A Story of Scholarly Biases. Journal of the American Oriental Society 143.3 (original) (raw)

Qin Shi Huang's Legacy: Assessing the First Emperor's Impact on Chinese History

Indonesian Journal of Applied and Industrial Sciences (ESA), 2024

The study evaluates the cultural achievements that define Qin Shi Huang's legacy, notably the Terracotta Army and monumental constructions like the Great Wall. Beyond the archaeological marvels, the paper probes the controversies surrounding his rule, including harsh legal measures, the suppression of Confucianism, and the burning of books. Modern perspectives offer a nuanced reevaluation of his legacy in contemporary China, exploring the relevance of his governance structures and the cultural significance of his achievements in the 21st century. Qin Shi Huang's influence on subsequent dynasties, particularly the Han, is scrutinized, highlighting the enduring elements of his governance that shaped Chinese political thought. The abstract concludes by emphasizing the continued relevance of Qin Shi Huang's legacy, providing insights into the complexities of leadership, governance, and the continuity of Chinese history. As debates surrounding his legacy persist, Qin Shi Huang remains an enigmatic figure whose historical significance extends beyond his time, contributing to a dynamic discourse on China's past and its implications for the present and future.

2014 Birth of an Empire: The state of Qin revisited

2013

In 221 BCE the state of Qin vanquished its rivals and established the first empire on Chinese soil, starting a millennia-long imperial age in Chinese history. Hailed by some and maligned by many, Qin has long been an enigma. In a path-breaking study, the authors integrate textual sources with newly available archeological and paleographic materials, providing a boldly novel picture of Qin’s cultural and political trajectory, its evolving institutions and its religion, its place in China’s history and the reasons for its success and for its ultimate collapse.

The Chairman and the Emperor: Historiography of Qin Shi Huang in the late Cultural Revolution Period: 1971-1976

The reign of Qin Shi Huang [259-210 BCE] is one of the most discussed in all of Chinese history. Tales of this emperor’s brutal first unification of China have been referenced by every major historian in Chinese history. Over time, appraisals of Qin Shi Huang became a way that Chinese intellectuals could discuss contemporary politics under the ever present eye of the censor. However, the Cultural Revolution of Mao Zedong [1893-1976 CE] sent that lively historiography into an unprecedented ideological frenzy. Every major figure, event, and system of the Qin era was politicized and analogized to their contemporaneous counterparts. Above all, the central analogy of Mao Zedong to Qin Shi Huang necessitated an unyielding defense of the Qin. The way the ideological historians of this period dealt with this long-passed era sheds dramatic light on the elite politics, the fractional infighting and the debates of the People’s Republic of China in 1973. Moreover, it also reflects the timeless and powerful relationship between China and its history.

Birth of an Empire: The State of Qin Revisited

2013

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ansi/niso z39.48-1992 (r 1997) (Permanence of Paper). Illustrations viii / Illustrations 2.2. Funerary Goods of Qin Culture, Stage 2 2.3a. Funerary Goods of Qin Culture, Stage 3: Bronze Vessels 76 2.3b. Funerary Goods of Qin Culture, Stage 3: Ceramic Imitations 76 2.4a. Funerary Goods of Qin Culture, Stage 4 2.4b. Funerary Goods of Qin Culture Found in Other Regions, Stage 4