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Text: Yanyan
Edited by Yeon-yeon
preface
Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor in history to unify China, his name became almost synonymous with tyranny. However, as time went on, we began to re-examine this magnificent emperor.
Was his harsh rule merely a manifestation of tyranny? Or does it mean something else? The phrase "sin is in the present generation, and merit is in the future" is a high summary of his life's achievements.
Qin Shi Huang's unification of the six kingdoms, the construction of the Great Wall, and the implementation of the county system caused countless resentment and rebellion at the time, but laid the foundation for future generations. How great is his feat? What is the real meaning behind his tyranny?
Build a road, connect the north and south, and lay the cornerstone of transportation
In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang wiped out the Six Kingdoms in one fell swoop, ending more than 500 years of secession among the princes. However, the conquest of the Six Kingdoms was only the first step in Qin Shi Huang's grand blueprint. In order to consolidate this hard-won unified dynasty, Qin Shi Huang embarked on a series of ambitious infrastructure construction during his reign.
In order to strengthen the central government's control over the localities, Qin Shi Huang ordered the construction of galloping roads to all parts of the country in 220 BC. The so-called "Chi Road" is the earliest national highway.
According to historical records, these roads are "fifty steps wide, three feet and trees, thick outside, hidden with golden vertebrae, trees with green pine". Chidao takes Xianyang as the core, reaches Qilu in the east, reaches Yanzhao in the north, and borders the rivers and lakes in the south, extending in all directions.
According to expert research, the construction of the road is scientific and rigorous, the roadbed is rammed with mixed soil with fine sand, and the bottom of 20 to 30 cm of stone is built, which greatly enhances the strength and drainage of the road.
After the construction was completed, the imperial court also issued a decree requiring local officials to make regular repairs, otherwise they would be severely punished, which shows how much importance the Qin Dynasty attached to Chidao.
Chidao made it possible for Qin Shi Huang to centralize control of the world. Through these roads, he could quickly mobilize his army and suppress the rebellion; You can also go out on patrol frequently along the gallop road and directly manage local affairs.
It can be said that Chidao was an important link for Qin Shi Huang to maintain centralized power. These criss-crossing avenues also became the cornerstone of the transportation network for later generations.
Through the forest and sea, break through the dangers and obstacles, and expand the southern territory
In addition to building the Chi Road, Qin Shi Huang also focused on expanding transportation in the south. In 250 BC, the Qin general Li Bing built a plank road to the southwest in Shudi, known as the "Five Feet Road".
The road starts from Yibin and passes through the forests and mountains and finally arrives in Zhaotong. In order to dig the road, Li Bing invented the method of burning the rock with salary, first burning the rock with fire, then pouring cold water to make it burst, and finally organizing the people to chisel inch by inch, the difficulty can be imagined.
After the unification of Qin Shi Huang, the five-foot road was renovated again. General Chang'an led the army to open the road, which was repaired to Weining, Guizhou, and entered Yunnan, with a total length of more than 1,000 miles.
After further extension in the Han and Tang dynasties, this road became an important passage connecting the southwest and the Central Plains, and played a key role in consolidating the frontier and developing the south.
At the same time, Qin Shi Huang also sent Lu Jian to build the Ling Canal, which is the oldest canal in China. In 214 BC, the Qin army's 500,000-strong southern expedition to Baiyue encountered a setback, and logistics supply became a problem.
Therefore, Lu dug a spiritual canal to connect the Xiangjiang River and the Pearl River, so that the military supplies could be continuously transported to the front line, which greatly accelerated the process of the southern expedition. Since then, the Ling Canal has become a golden waterway connecting the north and the south, and has been playing an important role.
Build the Great Wall, resist the Huns, and consolidate the eternal policy of the country and the border
Faced with the constant invasion of the Xiongnu in the north, Qin Shi Huang decided to build the Great Wall. In 215 B.C., the general Meng Tian led an army of 300,000 and lasted 9 years, and finally completed this defense project spanning thousands of miles, creating a miracle in human history.
The Great Wall stretches for tens of thousands of miles from Liaodong in the east to Lintao in the west. The construction process was arduous, and most of the people who passed through the poor mountains and rivers were poor, and the project was so vast that it used up 1/20 of the country's manpower and material resources.
As the saying goes, "Qin built the Great Wall and the Han guarded the fortress", and after the completion of the Great Wall, it played an important role in consolidating the northern frontier and resisting the invasion of the Xiongnu. During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the Great Wall became the frontier position of the Han army to counterattack the Xiongnu.
As a reporter accompanying the army, Sima Qian went out of the Great Wall many times, and he frequently mentioned the Great Wall in the "Historical Records", and his words were full of amazement.
For thousands of years, the Great Wall has been repaired by successive dynasties. Although it did not completely stop the nomads from moving south, the Great Wall always stood on the security barrier of the Central Plains Dynasty.
In particular, in the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Great Wall was built on the basis of the Great Wall of Qin, which is the majestic Great Wall we see today. It has long transcended the significance of national defense and has become a symbol of the Chinese nation's unremitting self-improvement and unity.
The extravagant palace and the underground palace are astonishing, showing the arrogance of a generation
The most extravagant buildings in Qin Shi Huang's life are none other than his palace Afang Palace and the mausoleum Lishan. Legend has it that every time he destroyed a country, he moved his palace back to Xianyang as it was, and gradually formed the extremely magnificent Afang Palace.
According to the "Historical Records", there are 145 kinds of palaces in Afang Palace, and 700,000 people were used to build it, and the resources of mountains and rivers were plundered. Archaeological discoveries show that Afang Palace covers an area of more than 540,000 square meters, which is a quarter larger than Tiananmen Square.
However, it is a pity that this unparalleled palace was burned to ashes by Xiang Yu. The ruins found today show that the palace was destroyed before it was fully completed after it was planned, leaving countless mysteries.
And the Lishan Mausoleum, the underground palace of Qin Shi Huang, is even more shocking. According to the "Historical Records", the mausoleum contains a huge amount of treasures, and there are even rivers and seas made of mercury.
Although the authenticity remains to be verified, the grandeur of its design and the complexity of its layout have amazed future generations. Unfortunately, due to the limitations of science and technology, it can only be seen from across the mountain, and the inner wonders have not yet been seen.
In any case, these two buildings reflect the craftsmanship of the time and the extravagance of Qin Shi Huang. Although they did not leave practical value for future generations, they reflected the microcosm of an era in an extreme way.
Is the merit in the future, or is the sin in the present generation? Qin Shi Huang's magnificent projects were undoubtedly both meritorious and criminal. On the one hand, they brought great suffering to the people of the time.
According to historical records, the taxes and forced labor of the Qin Dynasty were extremely heavy, and the people were struggling to make a living, and there were many complaints. In particular, during the construction of the Lishan Mausoleum, Qin Shi Huang also ordered that craftsmen and boys and girls from all over the country should be buried for themselves, and the cruelty was outrageous. Excessive labor and brutal rule hastened the fall of the Qin Dynasty.
On the other hand, these projects also reflect the foresight of Qin Shi Huang to a certain extent. Infrastructure such as Chidao, Lingqu, and the Great Wall objectively promoted the process of national integration and laid the foundation for a unified multi-ethnic state in later generations.
This effect continues to this day. The Lingqu not only accelerated the development of the south, but also became a link between the north and the south. The Great Wall has become the spiritual totem of the Chinese nation, inspiring generations of Chinese.
epilogue
After the unification of China, Qin Shi Huang carried out a series of grand infrastructure construction in order to consolidate this unprecedented unified dynasty.
Infrastructure such as Chidao and the Great Wall laid the cornerstone of China's transportation network and defense system. The Lingqu is an important link between the north and the south.
For thousands of years, whenever people talked about Qin Shi Huang, they inevitably called him a "tyrant". However, when the dust of history settles, its merits and demerits may need to be re-examined and judged by future generations from a broader perspective. #长文创作激励计划#
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