Source:

01-13-2006 17:36

In Chinese culture, agriculture has usually been valued above commerce as the creator of wealth. Water control has played a large part in ensuring successful harvests and prosperity for thousands of years. The State of Qin harnessed the power of its rivers to irrigate farmland, control flooding and improve transportation. Its military strength was based on its thriving agricultural economy. The dynasty later went on to unify China for the first time. When the Qin were an obscure tribe based in modern-day Gansu（甘肅）, they battled with marauding nomadic tribes from the northwest. In 215 BC, the Huns, known in Chinese as the Xiongnu, emerged from the northwest. The first Qin Emperor, Qin Shihuang linked a series of existing walls, laying the basis for the Great Wall.

Emperor Qin Shihuang undertook many projects to unify his territory. Most were aimed at commercial and military control. Mountainous terrain in parts of the empire hampered transport and troop movements. The Zhidao（直 道） Road, literally Straight Road in Chinese, linked the capital with an important military supply base. This was just one of the major roads constructed. At the same time, technological advances made chariots faster and safer. The Emperor could maintain control over the most distant parts of his territory.

Qin government, attuned to the needs of a state in war, became increasingly exploitative. Strict rules and harsh punishments were enforced. The peasantry were forced to fight wars and serve in enormous projects, including the Great Wall and Epang（阿房） Palace. Many of them died during the construction. Qin rulers had long recognized the importance of agriculture for stability and prosperity. But they had lost the support of the people and the backlash was not long coming. The Qin dynasty was only 15 years old when a popular uprising, with the passive support of the military, removed it from power.

 

Editor:Wang Ping