Qin Shi Huang, also known as Shih Huang Di (literally, the first emperor), lived from 259BC - 210BC. The date of his death is certain, but the cause has been the center of some controversy. The two main theories are that he died from sickness or he was murdered. Those who believe that he died from health problems point to his extensive travel throughout the empire, his thousands of concubines whom he had sexual relationships with, and the constant stress of maintaining such a large empire composed of several warring states. There are also several plausible theories that he was assassinated by family members or other powerful officials that aspired to control of the empire. This has been very common throughout history and the assassination of world leaders is still an occurrence in the present day.
Qin Shi Huang became the first emperor of a unified China in 221BC after several years of war resulted in all of the Chinese states being unified under the Ch'in. During his reign, Qin Shi Huang instituted several unifying reforms, including the standardization of money, currencies, weights and measures, and cart sizes. The First Emperor also built the Great Wall of China, joining together various stretches of existing barriers to protect the empire from invasions. Along with the building of The Great Wall, the emperor is also known for his death--particularly his tomb at Mount Li with its terra-cotta army.
His reforms also continued to reverberate even after his death. The standardization of coins and measures encouraged trade, which fostered China's relationships with its neighbors. Trade routes across China and Asia developed and the creation of trading posts and colonies meant that China's influence throughout Asia grew in the following centuries.
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