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01-13-2006 17:35

Two and a half thousand years ago, the state of Qin was the most powerful in China. It had come from obscurity to unifying the Chinese states within five centuries. This meteoric rise is mostly due to the extraordinary level of state control in every aspect of society. Standardised agricultural methods guaranteed the economic basis for the state’s expansion. The State of Qin’s control was nowhere more obvious than in its military. Efficient bureaucratic systems kept the armies under the king’s direct control. This was essential in protecting against the peasant uprisings in response to Qin exploitation.

Incursions by northern tribes, usually on horseback, were one motive for constructing the Great Wall. But at this time the wall had not been started. The Huns, known as Xiongnu（匈 奴） in Chinese, were much quicker than Qin Shihuang’s infantry and gained large amounts of territory. But they still had weak points. Xiongnu cavalry fought hand-to-hand with only light armour. The powerful Qin crossbow could pick them off from a distance.

Qin armaments were the most technically advanced of their time. Although iron was in use in other states, they could not match the technical skill and design of Qin weapons. Designs that had been tested over centuries of battle became the standard for production. Qin Shihuang promoted standardization as a way to unify his territory and ensure control. Standard weights and measures promoted commerce while standardized arms production made the Qin armies powerful. At the same time, the Emperor tried to maintain ideological control by ordering the burning of at anti-Qin books and histories. Despite the Qin dynasty’s improvements in technology and government, its excesses would lead to its downfall after only 15 years in power.

 

Editor:Wang Ping