Qin Shi Huang (259 BCE – 210 BCE), personal name Ying Zheng, is king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BCE to 221 BCE during the Warring States Period.

He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BCE.

He rules until his death in 210 BCE at the age of 49.

Calling himself the First Emperor after China's unification, Qin Shi Huang is a pivotal figure in Chinese history, ushering nearly two millennia of imperial rule.

After unifying China, he and his chief advisor Li Si pass a series of major economic and political reforms.

He undertakes gigantic projects, including building and unifying various sections of the Great Wall of China, the now famous city-sized mausoleum guarded by a life-sized Terra Cotta Army, and a massive national road system, all at the expense of numerous lives.

To ensure stability, Qin Shi Huang outlaws and burns many books and buries some scholars alive.