Why can Qin Shihuang be like China?

An Analysis of the Reasons for Qin's Unification of China

At the end of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the country was divided for many years. The so-called general trend of the world, divided for a long time will be combined. Therefore, it is the general trend of historical development to end the warlord regime and complete national reunification. Economically, due to the improvement of productive forces and the development of social economy, the complementarity of local economies has strengthened ties and provided material conditions for reunification. At the end of the Warring States period, most vassal States abolished the enfeoffment system and implemented the county system, and some of them implemented the centralized system, which laid the social foundation for a unified feudal country. At the same time, in terms of ethnic relations, the links between ethnic groups are increasingly strengthened, and due to war or commerce, ethnic groups are integrated with each other. At the same time, the vast number of poor people also long for reunification and the end of the war. The long-term war for hegemony has formed partial unity.

As for Qin's eventual unification of China, it has its historical inevitability:

First, due to long-term social changes and thorough reforms, Qin established a relatively consolidated centralized feudal country. At the beginning of Qin Dynasty, Qin was participating in the Central Plains dispute. Qin Mugong has both ability and political integrity, and is good at recruiting talents. He has repeatedly used Baili, Jianshu and. These people have become an important factor in Qin Mugong's success. After the Battle of Kan, he was able to take the initiative to take the blame and continue to reuse the begging skills of the defeated Baili, Uncle Jian and the white people. In the end, he relied on three men to attack gold to avenge his victory. Later, "use Yu to attack Rong Wang, benefit twelve countries, drive thousands of miles, and then dominate Xirong." Laid the foundation for the reunification of Qin Neng.

The second important figure after Qin Mugong is Qin Xiaogong. Filial piety aims at reform, so it gives benefits, encourages widows, recruits and rewards meritorious deeds. At the same time, it also issued a historic order for seeking talents. Gong Sunyang, who defended the country, heard that he came to the State of Qin to be reused and began the famous "Shang Yang Reform" in history.

Shang Yang's first political reform was in Qin Xiaogong for six years (356 BC). The main contents of this political reform are as follows:

(1) promulgated Fajin, "What do people do", and formulated the law of sitting together.

(2) Reward the military, prohibit private fighting, and formulate a 20-level title system according to military rewards. Nobles, although they are the people of the monarch, can't get a title if they don't accept military service.

(3) Pay attention to agriculture and restrain business, reward farming and weaving, and develop agricultural production. Punish idlers. Attract "Sanjin" people with less land and more people to the state of Qin to reclaim land.

Agriculture is the most important department in ancient society, the source of people's food and clothing, and the foundation of the country.

In the political reform, Shang Yang formulated laws and measures to encourage the development of agricultural production, which greatly developed the agriculture of Qin State and made Qin State stronger.

In the 12th year of Qin Xiaogong, Shang Yang moved the capital of Qin from Liyang (now south of Gucheng Village, Wutun Town, northeast of Lintong County, Shaanxi Province) to Xianyang (northeast of Xianyang City), and carried out the second political reform, mainly including:

(1) "Open up the territory" and abolish the old well field system. Private ownership of land is established by law.

(2) the county system is generally implemented. County-level officials were appointed and removed directly by the central government, and county-level administrative power and military power were concentrated in the court, establishing a centralized feudal political system.

(3) unified measurement, "use the bucket to weigh the ruler". The purpose of unified measurement is to collect taxes and pay salaries to officials, which is also conducive to the development of business. This measure has been implemented in Qin Xiaogong for 18 years.

(4) Dingkou military tax is levied by households.

(5) Get rid of backward customs and "prohibit people, fathers, sons and brothers from resting indoors." Therefore, according to the customs of the Central Plains, we should get rid of backward customs, such as sharing a room with the whole family regardless of gender.

(6) Burning Confucian classics and prohibiting lobbyists. Did everything wrong? The article "He Shi" said that Shang Yang taught Qin Xiaogong "the legislation of book burning", which was the time when Shang Yang practiced book burning in the Qin Dynasty, rather than beginning with Qin Shihuang. Shang Yang advocated the rule of law, which was incompatible with the Confucian thought that "law precedes king", so he banned Confucian classics and took extreme measures to burn books and bury Confucianism. ""Shu? The article "Yi Yan Tang" says that "overseas students should be cheap", that is, people's thoughts should be unified by feudal legal system, so as to achieve the goal of "national customs can be changed and the people can control them".

The implementation of the new law 18 years has achieved great success. Qin has changed from a backward country looked down upon by the eastern countries to the country with the strongest economic and military strength among the Seven Heroes.

Although Shang Yang was killed after Qin Xiaogong's death, the political reform really made Qin rich and powerful, and the army was strong. With the support of the new powerful landlord class, he defeated the resistance of the old aristocracy and continued the political reform of Qin. After Qin Xiaogong, King Huiwen, King Wu, Zhao Haoqi and Qin Shihuang continued to carry out Shang Yang's political reform, which was the basic policy.

Other six countries have also carried out political reforms, such as Li Kui of Wei, Wuqi of Chu, Shen Buhai of South Korea, Le Yi of Yan, Wang Fu of Zhao Wuling, and Guan Zhong and Zou Ji of Qi. However, some of these reforms are only changes in individual systems, and some are only temporary reforms, and they have not touched the fundamental system that hinders social development-the hereditary hierarchy of slave society. Moreover, reform and transformation are also the existence of law, and the death of law disappears. Therefore, in terms of content and time, Qin's reform was the most thorough reform at that time.

Second, the geographical advantages of Qin:

Qin is convenient and the mountains and rivers are favorable. Qin's native land was first in Guanzhong, not a place of four wars. The terrain is dangerous and there are risks to keep. After Qin defeated Xirong, there was no enemy behind his stomach, so he could go all out to advance eastward. When the King of Qin was in power, the State of Qin had occupied all of Guanzhong, Shaanxi and Sichuan, encroached on large areas of Wei, Han, Yan, Chu and Zhao, and basically opened a strategic channel to the six countries. These passages include: 1, elevation passage: from Hanguguan (now northeast of Lingbao County, Henan Province) to Dachenggao (now Sishui Town, Yang Rong County, Henan Province). From here, we can March directly into the girder of Han capital and capital Wei (now northwest of Kaifeng, Henan). 2. Landing passage: This passage passes through the pass of Funiu Mountain Range and Nanyang Basin and reaches Chuxiacai (now southeast of Shouxian County, Anhui Province) in the southeast. 3. Jingxing Mengmen Passage: This passage is a strategic place leading to Zhao, Qi and Yan. This passage can directly advance into the North China Plain from Taihang Mountain area through Jingxingguan. Then drive the troops north and attack Yan directly; Send troops south, cross Mengmen Pass, and take Handan, the capital of Zhao State. Yan, Zhao and Qi opened their doors to the southwest, and Qi was just around the corner.

Guanzhong fertile soil. After Zheng Guoqu, 40,000 hectares of farmland were irrigated and agriculture developed greatly. Sichuan became the grain base and copper, iron and timber base of Qin State after Sima Cuo's Pingshu. Coupled with the cattle and horses in the northwest Rongdi area, these rich resources can support years of continuous wars. "Historical Records and Biography of Huo Zhi" said, "Therefore, the land in Guanzhong is one-third of the world and there are no more than three people; But it is rich, ranking sixth. "

Third, Qin implemented the correct strategic policy:

Facing the "integration" strategy of the six countries, Zhang Yi adopted the "Lian Heng" strategy and successfully destroyed the six-nation alliance. Later, Fan Sui adopted the strategy of "making friends far away and attacking near". After the king of Qin ruled himself, he prepared for the attack with Li Sizhi's tactics. "Historical Records" said: "The king of Qin is a long history of Mai's family. After listening to his plan, he secretly sent his ministers to lobby them with gold and jade. Celebrities of governors can keep those who have made money; Those who refuse, stab them with the sword. The king of Qin followed the plan of his monarch and ministers and made his good generals follow. " With the help of Reese and Liao Wei, he formulated a strategy to unify the six countries, that is, to annex South Korea, which is at the forefront of Qin State, then destroy the north and south wings, and finally send troops eastward to destroy Qi State, thus completing the reunification of China.

Four. Qin talent system:

In order to attract outstanding talents, the State of Qin doesn't care about the country, family status, nobility or even ethics. It recruits talents, appoints people on their merits, and employs people on their merits, so there are many talents. Sun Yang, Zhao Renlou, Zhang Yi, Wei, Wei Xunzi, Ze, Han and Chu Lisi participated in the founding plan of Qin State. The users of the other six countries are all their clans and clansmen, such as Tian Ji and Tian Yinghe of Qi, He Shu of North Korea, Fengyanghe of Zhao and Wang Wei. The six countries hold an exclusive and suspicious attitude towards foreigners, so they can't keep talents for a long time. At the same time, the king of Qin can treat people with sincerity, reward the military, and promote users from within the State of Qin, such as Meng Huo and Li Xin.

After Qin became a country of filial piety, its successive kings were King Huiwen, King Xiang, King Xiaowen, King Zhuang Xiang, and so on. At that time, Xi Shou, Zhang Yi, Li Zi, Gan Mao, Wei Ran, Fan Sui, Lv Buwei and Li Si, who assisted the National Government, were all talented people, including Sima Cuo, Bai Qi, Meng Ao and Wang Bi.

Five, Qin's own talents:

Due to the miserable life of childhood, Qin grew up in the eyes of hatred and innocent abuse from people around him. He learned to endure adversity, but at the same time he became aloof and indifferent. At the same time, the superior lineage of the royal family makes him feel inferior and proud, cold and fanatical, enterprising and tolerant, and has a desire to achieve extraordinary things. History has shaped a resolute and indomitable iron emperor in a unique way and experience. But at the same time, the king of Qin had the magnanimity and mind to admit his mistake, dared to accept Cambodia and was polite to the corporal.

After returning to the State of Qin, Wang Zheng of the State of Qin took Lv Buwei as an example, read widely, broadened his horizons and accumulated political experience. After leading the country, Lao Ai was eradicated first, and then he moved to Lv Buwei. The kingship was firmly in his own hands, which cleared the domestic obstacles for reunification. So, with the help of a group of outstanding talents such as Li Si, Wei Duo, Bai Qi, Wang Jian, Meng Tian, Dunwei, Yao Jia and Cai Ze, China was finally unified.

Sixthly, Legalism provided a theoretical basis for the unification of Qin State.

Shang Yang's political reform made Qin increasingly powerful. Although Shang Yang was hurt by nobles, the reform brought benefits to Qin State and its people, so the legal system of Qin State was deeply rooted in people's hearts, and even if people died, the law survived. Han Feizi enriched the wisdom of legalists for the Qin government. Han Feizi mentioned six points in his five letters: "advocate reform, oppose morality, implement the rule of law, eliminate heresy, encourage agricultural struggle, and curb the last industry." Han Feizi also listed five kinds of people as the targets of the state's crackdown (five evils), namely, "Confucian scholars who preach benevolence and righteousness and doubt the existing laws;" A strategist who betrayed national interests and shook his lips; Mohist Rangers who carry swords and arbitrarily violate national laws and regulations; Fool the monarch's cronies; People who earn ill-gotten gains. " These views were later fully accepted by Qin Wang's political office. Li Si, on the other hand, made suggestions for Zheng's rule of law, formulated various national legal systems, and put forward the famous "theory of unifying the world by force" in time. Respecting legalists and implementing the rule of law were suitable for the historical development at that time.

Seven, the correct tactics when conquering the six countries.

With correct strategic thinking, we need to implement correct tactics.

The means to implement the strategy of "making friends far away and attacking near" is to cooperate with "money, sword and soldiers" to strike: materially, to provide sufficient financial resources necessary for Lian Heng counselors to lobby far away, to ensure the smooth implementation of their activities, to buy off enemy dignitaries or plot against each other, and to collect confidential military information from various countries; Strategically, providing a warrior with both wisdom and courage as a counselor can be used to assassinate enemy dignitaries who undermine Lian Heng's activities at any time; There is a powerful military force in force, which can combine hard and soft, divide and disintegrate, intimidate and shock the six countries.

In Lian Heng's activities to undermine the six-nation alliance, Qin's successful activities include:

1, Chen Chi Mengqi: If you want to eat the Han, Zhao and Wei in the Central Plains, you must first isolate the three countries and not merge with the two powerful countries of Qi and Chu. The King of Qin sent Chen Chi to the State of Qi and bought Hou Xiangsheng and Hou Sheng, guests of the State of Qi, with huge sums of money. These people instilled pro-Qin thoughts in the king of Qi, but did not help the five countries attack Qin. The fatuous State of Qi listened to rumors, entered the west to form an alliance with the State of Qin, and watched the success or failure of the other five countries in the process of unifying the world.

2. Yao Jia United with Chu: Yao Jia carefully planned in Chu, bribed Chu Chenquan everywhere with a large sum of money, spread public opinion that was harmful to Qin and pro-Qin, and created public opinion effect. The fatuous king of Chu could not distinguish the interests, but also made an alliance with Qin and remained neutral.

3. Cai Zemeng Yan: After three years in Yan, he bribed Yan, persuaded him to get close to Qin, and made him like to send Taizi Dan as a hostage.

All five countries are weak. He was so adept in Zhao that Zhao mourned that the King of Qi had abandoned the famous minister Lian Po, and bought off the famous framed minister Li Mu, whom Zhao prized, and put Li Mu to death.

In the war to unify the six countries, flexible and multilateral military strategies were adopted:

1, in the face of the enemy Zhao Jun, the State of Qin attacked Zhao four times, all of which took the tactics of attacking from both sides and pushing Handan, forcing Zhao Jun to be attacked in the front abdomen and passively beaten. In the case of Zhao's stubborn resistance and failure to capture, Qin adopted the strategy of only outwitting but not storming in time, and got rid of Li Mu with extreme measure, and finally defeated Zhao.

2. Attacking the Yan army adopts the tactics of quick decision, circuitous encirclement and pursuer. The allied forces of Yan were a mob, and Qin Jun easily occupied Ji Cheng, Yan Dou.

3. The attack on Chu was a large-scale annihilation tactic, that is, looking for fighters in the movement, flexibly grasping the opportunity, and annihilating the effective forces of Chu army. Li Xin turned the war of annihilation into a surprise attack, mainly attacking the city and occupying an area, without paying attention to mobilizing the Chu army, so he failed. After the veteran Wang Jian increased his troops, he seized fighters and destroyed a large number of enemies.

4. attack qi and take surprise attack tactics. Qin Jun cavalry all the way, straight to the capital, with intrigue to capture Wang Jian, achieve the purpose of bloodless.

8. Qin established a powerful military armed force.

Unify the world by force. Without an army that can fight well, it is empty talk. Strong folk customs and the implementation of the rank system have created Qin Jun, who can be good at fighting. With the military title system and strict legal provisions, driven by personal interests, Qin Jun's combat effectiveness has been fully exerted, soldiers are brave, and generals are scrambling to create a tiger-wolf teacher. At the same time, the king of Qin saw the importance of the unity between the army and the people, and carried out military mobilization in a large-scale military war throughout the country. Qin Wangzheng strengthened and reformed army building. For example, after organizational reform in Qin Jun, all adult Qin people must perform military service; In the ideological reform of Qin State, legalist thought was replaced by legalist thought. Cultivate a strong folk custom into a martial spirit and arm the army with it; Reward the war of ploughing and support the war with agriculture. In this way, a United and powerful army capable of fighting was finally established.

To sum up, it is the general trend that the Qin State, with favorable weather, favorable geographical position and harmonious people, reunites the whole country by force. There is a reason why the other six countries can't accomplish the great cause. The situation in the other six countries is as follows:

1, South Korea: It is a land of "four stops" surrounded by Wei, Chu, Qin and Zhao. Han Zhaohou appointed Shen Buhai for reform. However, Shen Buhai's political reform did not touch the essence of the state system and had little effect. After the death of Han Zhaohou and Shen Buhai who presided over the political reform, the backward feudal aristocratic forces made a comeback, and some achievements made in the political reform were gradually abolished. The national situation in South Korea is declining.

2. Wei was also the transportation hub of World War IV. Although Wei was the earliest and most successful country in the Warring States period, it failed to keep the achievements of the reform because it did not completely eradicate the decadent political forces. What's more, Shang Yang was persecuted in Wei and had to go abroad. Wei's incomplete reform will inevitably go downhill and eventually become a weak country.

Zhao is located in the north of Central Plains, bordering five countries. Zhao's political reform mainly focused on military reform. King Wuling of Zhao learned riding and shooting from Khufu, a grassland nationality who was able to enlist good warfare in the north, and achieved success. When Zhao Huiwen was king, Zhao had Lian Po, Zhao She, Lin Xiangru and others, and his national strength was strong. However, due to his stupidity and incompetence, Zhao Haoqi Cheng Xiao lost the battle of Changping. Since then, his strength has been greatly weakened, and he can only parry the attack of Qin, but no one can bear it.

The territory of Chu State is the largest among the Seven Heroes in the Warring States Period. With the support of King Mourning of Chu, Wuqi made remarkable achievements, but when King Mourning of Chu died, Wuqi was killed and the reform failed. Therefore, Chu's politics, military affairs and diplomacy have not improved much.

5. When Qi was in Duke Heng of Qi, Guan Zhong was appointed as the Prime Minister to carry out reforms. Since then, his national strength has become stronger and stronger, and he won a great victory in the battle between Guiling and Maling. In 288 BC, Qin Zhao became the Eastern Emperor and Qi Min was called the Western Emperor. However, the good times did not last long, and the five countries were cut vertically, and Qi was hit hard and weakened. During the period of Wang Jianshi, the monarch and his subjects were short-sighted, did not prepare horses, did not make weapons, and would sit still and watch tigers fight. Coupled with the lack of training in the army, morale was low, and etiquette was bought by Qin. Without good ministers and generals, the country can only wait for death.

The great cause of China's reunification was finally completed by Qin.