The first emperor of China
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Decisions, questions and your own progress, in the app
Terracotta warriors in Pit 1, Xi’an · Joe Hart from Southampton, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0 · Source page
The story
King Ying Zheng of Qin conquered six rival states and named himself Qin Shi Huang, "First Emperor". The name China probably comes from Qin.
What happened next
He made everyone use the same writing, coins and weights. He was buried with an army of life-size clay soldiers that farmers found while digging a well in 1974.
Remember
- The Terracotta Army has about 8,000 soldiers
- He joined older walls into an early Great Wall
- His dynasty collapsed four years after his death
Review question
How was the Terracotta Army discovered?
Answer: Farmers digging a well. In 1974 farmers near Xi’an hit pieces of clay figures while digging for water.
Image credits
- Terracotta warriors in Pit 1, Xi’an · Joe Hart from Southampton, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0 · Source page
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