The Xiongnu (Chinese: 匈奴; Hanyu Pinyin: Xiōngnú; Wade-Giles: Hsiung-nu) were a nomadic (and probably Hunnic/proto-Bulgar) people of Central Asia, generally based in present day Mongolia. From the 3rd century BC they controlled a vast steppe empire extending west as far as the Caucasus. They were active in the areas of southern Siberia, western Manchuria and the modern Chinese provinces of Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Xinjiang. Very anci ...

Including:

• Xiongnu - Origins and early history of the Xiongnu
• Xiongnu - Confederation under Maodun
• Xiongnu - Nature of the Xiongnu state
• Xiongnu - The marriage treaty system
• Xiongnu - War with Han China
• Xiongnu - Leadership struggle among the Xiongnu
• Xiongnu - Tributary relations with the Han
• Xiongnu - Northern and southern Xiongnu
• Xiongnu - The Xiongnu after the Han Dynasty
• Xiongnu - Did the Xiongnu become the Huns?
• Xiongnu - Footnotes

Read more here: » Xiongnu: Encyclopedia - Xiongnu

Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) (November/December 260 BC-September 10, 210 BC), personal name Zheng, was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 247 BC to 221 BC, and then the first emperor of a unified China from 221 BC to 210 BC, ruling under the name First Emperor. Having unified China, he and his prime minister Li Si passed a series of major reforms aimed at cementing the unification, and they undertook some gargantuan construction projects, most notably the precursor version of the current Great Wall of China. For a ...

Including:

• Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions
• Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror
• Qin Shi Huang - Unification of China
• Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath
• Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography
• Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction
• Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia - Qin Shi Huang

Zhao Gao 趙高 (died end of October 207 BC) was the chief eunuch during the Qin Dynasty of China, who played an instrumental role in the downfall of the Qin Dynasty. Note that although he is referred to as a eunuch, he was not castrated - he was born with a sexual disability. During the reign of the First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, Zhao was involved in the death of Marshal Meng Tian and his younger brother Meng Yi at the death of Qin Si Huang when Meng Tian was stationed at the northern border commanding more than 100,000 troops for the inconclusive Huns campaign. Meng was a reputable general and a faithful sup ...

Read more here: » Zhao Gao: Encyclopedia - Zhao Gao

Qin Shi Huang was born in the Chinese month zheng (正), the first month of the year in the Chinese calendar (in the 3rd century BC the Chinese year started before the Winter solstice, and not after as it does today), and so he received the name Zheng (政), both characters were being used interchangeably in ancient China. In Chinese antiquity, people never joined family name and given name together as is customary today, so it is anachronistic to refer to Qin Shi Huang as "Ying Zheng". The given name was never used except by close re ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - First Emperor: the unifier, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions

Qin Shi Huangdi was born in the Chinese month zheng (正), the first month of the year in the Chinese calendar (in the 3rd century BC the Chinese year started before the Winter solstice, and not after as it does today), and so he received the name Zheng (政), both characters were being used interchangeably in ancient China. In Chinese antiquity, people never joined family name and given name together as is customary today, so it is anachronistic to refer to Qin Shi Huangdi as "Ying Zheng". The given name was never used except by clos ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - Unification of China, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions

The Xiongnu's new power was met with a policy of appeasement by Emperor Guangwu. At the height of his power, Huduershi even compared himself to his illustrious ancestor, Modu. Due to growing regionalism among the Xiongnu, however, Huduershi was never able to establish unquestioned authority. When he designated his son as heir apparent (in contravention of the principle of fraternal succession established by Huhanye), Bi, the Rizhu king of the right, refused t ...

See also:

Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Origins and early history of the Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Confederation under Maodun, Xiongnu - Nature of the Xiongnu state, Xiongnu - The marriage treaty system, Xiongnu - War with Han China, Xiongnu - Leadership struggle among the Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Tributary relations with the Han, Xiongnu - Northern and southern Xiongnu, Xiongnu - The Xiongnu after the Han Dynasty, Xiongnu - Did the Xiongnu become the Huns?, Xiongnu - Footnotes

Read more here: » Xiongnu: Encyclopedia II - Xiongnu - Northern and southern Xiongnu

At the time of the young Zheng's birth, China was divided into warring feudal states. This period of Chinese history is referred to as the Warring States Period. The competition was extremely fierce and by 260 BC there were only a handful of states left (the others having been conquered and annexed), but Zheng's state, Qin, was the most powerful. It was governed by Legalist philosophy and focused earnestly on military matters. Zheng was born in Handan (邯鄲), the capital of the enemy State of Zhao. He was the son of Zichu, a prince ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - First Emperor: the unifier, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror

According to Sima Qian, the Xiongnu were descendants of Chunwei (淳維), possibly a son of Jie, the final ruler of the Xia Dynasty. However, while there is no direct evidence contradicting this theory, there is no direct evidence supporting it either, and it should be noted that ancient Chinese historians often credit, without sufficient evidence, theories of origins for foreign nations that relate their ancestry back to ancient Chinese figures. It is unknown what the language of the Xiongnu was. It may have been Turkic based on their geographic location and their connection to the Huns (se ...

See also:

Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Origins and early history of the Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Confederation under Maodun, Xiongnu - Nature of the Xiongnu state, Xiongnu - The marriage treaty system, Xiongnu - War with Han China, Xiongnu - Leadership struggle among the Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Tributary relations with the Han, Xiongnu - Northern and southern Xiongnu, Xiongnu - The Xiongnu after the Han Dynasty, Xiongnu - Did the Xiongnu become the Huns?, Xiongnu - Footnotes

Read more here: » Xiongnu: Encyclopedia II - Xiongnu - Origins and early history of the Xiongnu

To avoid the anarchy of the Warring States Period, Qin Shi Huang and his prime minister Li Si completely abolished feudalism. They instead divided the empire into thirty-six commanderies (郡). Power in the commanderies was in the hands of governors dismissed at will by the central government. Civilian and military powers were also separated to avoid that too much power falls in the hands of a single civil servant. Thus each commandery was run by a civilian governor (守  shǒu) assisted by a military g ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - First Emperor: the unifier, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - First Emperor: the unifier

Qin Shi Huang was interested in immortality and visited Zhifu Island. These deeds became a very popular story of the emperor sending a Zhifu islander, Xu Fu (徐福), as the religious leader of ships with hundreds of young men and women in search of the pill of immortality. These people never returned, as they knew that if they did return without the "immortality pill", they would surely be executed. The legend claims that they settled down in one of the Japanese islands. The legend also claims that this is the reason why many aspects of the Japanese language are similar to their Chinese counterparts, and the fact that the ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - First Emperor: the unifier, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

In traditional Chinese historiography, the First Emperor was almost always portrayed as a brutal tyrant, superstitious (a result of his interest in immortality and assassination paranoia) and sometimes even as a mediocre ruler. Ideological prejudices against the Legalist State of Qin were established as early as 266 BC, when Confucian philosopher Xun Zi compared it to barbarian tribes and wrote "Qin has the heart of a tiger or a wolf … [and is ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - First Emperor: the unifier, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography

The emperor died while on a tour to Eastern China, searching for the legendary Islands of the Immortals (off the coast of Eastern China) and for the secret of eternal life. Reportedly he died of drinking a potion, which was made by his court scientists and doctors, containing too much mercury. Ironically, this potion was meant to make Qin Shi Huang immortal. His death occurred in the beginning of September 210 BC at the palace in Shaqiu prefecture, about two months away by road from the capital Xianyang. Prime minister Li Si, who acco ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - First Emperor: the unifier, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath

The Xiongnu have often been identified with the Huns, who populated the frontiers of Europe, starting with the writings of the French historian de Guignes in the eighteenth century. This theory remains at the level of speculation, although it is accepted by a large number of scholars including Chinese ones. DNA testing of Hun remains has not proven conclusive in determining the origin of the Huns. A variation of the name Xiongnu is Hs ...

See also:

Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Origins and early history of the Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Confederation under Maodun, Xiongnu - Nature of the Xiongnu state, Xiongnu - The marriage treaty system, Xiongnu - War with Han China, Xiongnu - Leadership struggle among the Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Tributary relations with the Han, Xiongnu - Northern and southern Xiongnu, Xiongnu - The Xiongnu after the Han Dynasty, Xiongnu - Did the Xiongnu become the Huns?, Xiongnu - Footnotes

Read more here: » Xiongnu: Encyclopedia II - Xiongnu - Did the Xiongnu become the Huns?

The emperor died while on a tour to Eastern China, searching for the legendary Islands of the Immortals (off the coast of Eastern China) and for the secret of eternal life. Reportedly he died of swallowing mercury pills, which was made by his court scientists and doctors, containing too much mercury. Ironically, these pills were meant to make Qin Shi Huang immortal. His death occurred in the beginning of September 210 BC at the palace in Shaqiu prefecture, about two months away by road from the capital Xianyang. Prime minister Li Si, ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - First Emperor: the unifier, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath

In 53 BC Huyanye decided to enter into tributary relations with Han China. The original terms insisted on by the Han court were that, first, the chanyu or his representatives should come to the capital to pay homage; secondly, the chanyu should send a hostage prince; and thirdly, the chanyu should present tribute to the Han emperor. The political status of the Xiongnu in the Chinese world order was reduced from that of a "brotherly state" to that of an "outer vassal" (外臣). During this period, however, the Xiongnu mai ...

See also:

Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Origins and early history of the Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Confederation under Maodun, Xiongnu - Nature of the Xiongnu state, Xiongnu - The marriage treaty system, Xiongnu - War with Han China, Xiongnu - Leadership struggle among the Xiongnu, Xiongnu - Tributary relations with the Han, Xiongnu - Northern and southern Xiongnu, Xiongnu - The Xiongnu after the Han Dynasty, Xiongnu - Did the Xiongnu become the Huns?, Xiongnu - Footnotes

Read more here: » Xiongnu: Encyclopedia II - Xiongnu - Tributary relations with the Han

In traditional Chinese historiography, the First Emperor was almost always portrayed as a brutal tyrant, superstitious (a result of his interest in immortality and assassination paranoia) and sometimes even as a mediocre ruler. Ideological prejudices against the Legalist State of Qin were established as early as 266 BC, when Confucian philosopher Xun Zi compared it to barbarian tribes and wrote "Qin has the heart of a tiger or a wolf … [and is ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - Unification of China, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography

The emperor died while on a tour to Eastern China, searching for the legendary Islands of the Immortals (off the coast of Eastern China) and for the secret of eternal life. Reportedly he died of drinking a potion, which was made by his court scientists and doctors, containing too much mercury. Ironically, this potion was meant to make Qin Shi Huang immortal. His death occurred in the beginning of September 210 BC at the palace in Shaqiu prefecture, about two months away by road from the capital Xianyang. Prime minister Li Si, who acco ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - Unification of China, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath

To avoid the anarchy of the Warring States Period, Qin Shi Huang and his prime minister Li Si completely abolished feudalism. They instead divided the empire into thirty-six commanderies (郡). Power in the commanderies was in the hands of governors dismissed at will by the central government. Civilian and military powers were also separated to avoid that too much power falls in the hands of a single civil servant. Thus each commandery was run by a civilian governor (守  shǒu) assisted by a military g ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - Unification of China, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Unification of China

At the time of the young Zheng's birth, China was divided into warring feudal states. This period of Chinese history is referred to as the Warring States Period. The competition was extremely fierce and by 260 BC there were only a handful of states left (the others having been conquered and annexed), but Zheng's state, Qin, was the most powerful. It was governed by Legalist philosophy and focused earnestly on military matters. Zheng was born in Handan (邯鄲), the capital of the enemy State of Zhao. He was the son of Zichu, a prince ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - Unification of China, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror

Qin Shi Huang was interested in immortality and visited Zhifu Island. These deeds became a very popular story of the emperor sending a Zhifu islander, Xu Fu (徐福), as the religious leader of ships with hundreds of young men and women in search of the pill of immortality. These people never returned, as they knew that if they did return without the "immortality pill", they would surely be executed. The legend claims that they settled down in one of the Japanese islands. The legend also claims that this is the reason why many aspects of the Japanese language are similar to their Chinese counterparts, and the fact that the J ...

See also:

Qin Shi Huang, Qin Shi Huang - Naming conventions, Qin Shi Huang - Youth and King of Qin: the conqueror, Qin Shi Huang - Unification of China, Qin Shi Huang - Death and aftermath, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in historiography, Qin Shi Huang - Qin Shi Huang in fiction, Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous

Read more here: » Qin Shi Huang: Encyclopedia II - Qin Shi Huang - Miscellaneous