Was the tyrant image of Qin Shihuang smeared by the Han Dynasty?

In fact, according to historical data and common sense, there are only two types of people who "discredit" Qin Shihuang:

First, Qin Shihuang's book-burning policy not only led to the burning of a large number of Confucian classics, but also threatened to destroy Confucianism that has been circulating for hundreds of years, and directly blocked the way for Confucian scholars to be officials by theory, which was tantamount to smashing their "rice bowls" to make a living. Because of this, Confucian scholars hated Qin Shihuang's guts and have been looking for opportunities to retaliate and "discredit" him. Therefore, after the death of the Qin Dynasty, people began to popular the joke of Qin Shihuang's "burning books to bury Confucianism".

Sima Qian, the author of Historical Records, used Kong Jia, a Confucian scholar who served Chen Sheng, as an example to explain why Confucian scholars hated Qin Shihuang. Sima Qian commented in the book: "Chen She started as a human being, and he should keep it. In the tenth month, the king of Chu was destroyed, when it was less than half a year. This matter is superficial. Mr. Qian's disciples, however, took Confucius' ritual vessels and entrusted them to be ministers. Why? Burned his industry with Qin, and shared his anger "(see Historical Records Scholars 12 1).

Second, after the Han dynasty replaced the Qin dynasty, in order to show its legitimacy, it will consciously "smear" Qin Shihuang and shape him into a tyrant. At the beginning of Han Dynasty, the policy of rest and recuperation was implemented, so Huang Lao's theory of "governing by doing nothing" became popular. However, Taoist theory can't demonstrate the legitimacy of the replacement of the Qin Dynasty by the Han Dynasty. This task can only be completed by Confucianism, which hates Qin Shihuang.

Therefore, since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty "ousted a hundred schools of thought and respected Confucianism alone", rumors about Qin Shihuang's "cheating Confucianism" began to spread widely, which became a powerful proof that the Han Dynasty accused the Qin Dynasty of tyranny and showed its legitimacy. Rumors can be widely circulated, which must have been acquiesced or supported by the Han emperor. Although "Pit Confucianism" is not the most important one among the powerful men in Qin Dynasty, it can play the role of "the last straw to crush camels", and its influence should not be underestimated.