Name Date Mrs. Brannen Global I Emperor Shi Huangdi of China /31 Objective: Understand how Emperor Shi Huangdi unified China and determine if his rule was overall good or bad. Focus Question: Did Emperor Shi Huangdi improve China? Review: Where is China located geographically? How did the following HELP China develop? o Water o Mountains What does it mean to be Ethnocentric? Key terms: Dynasty Emperor Mandate from Heaven Feudalism Commandery Great Wall of China Terracotta Warriors What does the existence of architecture and artifacts such as the ones above say about the leader who ruled during their creation? What is their meaning and functionality? China Inquiry Assignment Day 1 - pg. 1
Before we can answer our focus question we must look at all the data available and answer other questions first. Unifying China Supporting Question 1: How did Shi Huangdi unify China politically? Document 1 NOTE: The 250 years between 475 and 221 BCE is called the Warring States period because the region of the Zhou Dynasty was divided among seven states. These states had frequent wars until 221 BCE when Shi Huangdi conquered them all. 1. Describe the area of the Warring States of China. 2. Hypothesize the type of leader that could unite these states, especially during this time period. China Inquiry Assignment Day 1 - pg. 2
Document 2 - description of Shi Huangdi s reforms by Han Feizi Hardly ten men of true integrity and good faith can be found today, and yet the offices of the state number in the hundreds. If they must be filled by men of integrity and good faith then there will never be enough men to go around; and if the offices are left unfilled, then those whose business it is to govern will dwindle in numbers while disorderly men increase. Therefore the way of the enlightened ruler is to unify the laws instead of seeking for wise men, to lay down firm policies instead of longing for men of good faith. Hence his laws will never fail him, and there is no felony or deceit among his officials. From The Five Vermin, in Han Feizi: Basic Writings, by Han Feizi, translated by Burton Watson. 1997 Columbia University Press. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. 3. What does it mean when the author states Hardly ten men of true integrity and good faith can be found today? 4. What types of jobs do these men hold? 5. Given the 2 answers above what is the main concern of the author? 6. How does the enlightened ruler (emperor Shi Huangdi) address this concern? 7. What is the main benefit of the emperor s decision? China Inquiry Assignment Day 1 - pg. 3
Document 3 - description of Shi Huangdi s reforms, Memorial on Annexation of Feudal States, Through military victories, the state of Qin has, in the time of the last six kings, brought the feudal lords into submission. And by now the feudal states [are submissive] to Qin as if they were its commanderies and [areas of control by a magistrate]. Now, with the might of Qin and the virtues of Your Highness, at one stroke, like sweeping off the dust from a kitchen stove, the feudal lords can be annihilated, imperial rule can be established, and unification of the world can be brought about. This is the one moment in ten thousand ages. If Your Highness allows it to slip away and does not press the advantage in haste, the feudal lords will revive their strength and organize themselves into an anti-qin alliance. Then no one, even though he possesses the virtues of the Yellow Emperor, would be able to annex their territories. From Memorial on Annexation of Feudal States, by Li Si (recorded by Sima Qian), in Sources of Chinese Tradition: From Earliest Times to 1600, compiled by William Theodore de Bary, Irene Bloom, and Joseph Adler. 1999 Columbia University Press. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. 8. What has happened to those who are in charge under the feudal system? 9. Who is the speaker addressing in this passage? 10. Summarize the suggestion of the speaker. 11. What is meant by like sweeping off the dust from a kitchen stove? China Inquiry Assignment Day 1 - pg. 4
How did Shi Huangdi unify China politically? From this set of documents, work with your group to come up with a list of actions that the emperor took to unify China. Next determine what the impact of these actions will be on the people of China. Actions taken by Emperor Shi Huangdi What that result would do for the people of China Summary documents Thinking of our focus question Did Emperor Shi Huangdi improve China? so far do you feel the actions of Shi Huangdi were positive or negative. Explain. China Inquiry Assignment Day 1 - pg. 5