The First Emperor – Qin Shi Huang

Qin Shi Huang which means the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, named Ying Zheng , was the son of  King Zhuangxiang of state Qin . He ascended the throne at 13, and became the emperor at 19. His rule over the Qin lasted for 37 years.

At the time of King Zhaoxiang, state Qin had been so powerful that it was about to take charge of the whole world .In 238 B.C., King Zheng began to take order with state affairs himself. After the pacification of the rebels and elimination of the party led by Lu Buwei, he appointed Li Si as prime minister and started wars of annexing six states.

Qin eliminated Han, Wei,Chu,Yan,Zhao and Qi one after another and accomplished the unification in 221 B.C. Then, he drove away Xiongnu (an ancient ethnicminority in the north also known as the Huns), expanded further to the south and set up an empire of huge territories. The great unification of six states was the fruit of downright reforms. As Qin appointed people according to their capacity ,all the talents of six states were at its service. Shang Yang, Zhang Yi, Fan Wei, Lu Buwei, Li Si and Wei Liao all made contributions to the strengthening of the Qin.

After the unification, King Ying Zheng thought that he was even greater than the three sage kings’(Fuxi, Suiren and Shennong)and five virtuous emperors (Huang Di, Zhuanxu, Di Ku, Tang Yao and Yu Shun),thus giving himself a more distinguished title, the first Emperor (Qin Shi Huang),and decreed that his successors be titled the Second Emperor,the Third Emperor and so on, so that his dynasty and empire would never collapse. He set up a complete autocratic system of state administration with emperor as the center and “Three Gong and nine Qing (Gong and Qing both refer to the highest rank officials)”at the frame. Besides, he abolished the system of enfeoffment and set up the prefecture-county system.

Qin Shi Huang ordered the written language, measures and currency be standardized. He also stipulated universal law , removed all the fortresses that obstructed the transportation, built roads stretching every direction with Xianyang as the center and Canal Lingqu connecting the south with the north. In order to stop the  northern Xiongun (an nomadic people) going southward, he ordered the walls of the original six states be linked to form the Great Wall extending from Lintao in the west to the Liaodong Peninsula in the east, which created a wonder of human civilization.

Besides, Qin Shi Huang went in for large-scale construction. He built six palaces modeled on those of the six states and got all the beauties to fill them; and had the Epang palace and Lishan Tomb constructed .He went on five large-scale tours,carving characters and observing his achievements on every famous mountain that he had visited so as to display his power. In pursuit of an elixir that could keep him from dying, he sent thousands of men and women to the East Sea to seek help from the immortal, which cost so much national strength and manpower that people have neither enough to eat though men never ceased farming nor enough to clothe themselves though women never ceased weaving .Meanwhile, he governed the country by exhorting to heavy punishment and harsh control of people’s mind. He once burned books and buried Confucian scholars alive, which snuffed out the contention of a hundred schools of thoughts that flowered during the Warring States Period.

Words and Expressions(单词与短语)

emperor   皇帝   

dynasty 朝代，王朝 朝，代

King  君主，国王 国王的称号

ascend  上升，升高

throne  宝座，王权，王位

rule  统治（某人/某物） 管理， 规则，规定

last  延续，持续，

At the time of  在   时代

powerful  强有力的，力量大的，权力大的，有势力的

take charge of  控制或掌管某物，承担某事物的责任

B.C. 公元前

take order with  处理

pacification  平定，平息，安抚，绥靖

elimination  消除，清除，排除，干掉，淘汰

appoint  挑选（某人）做工作或任某职位，任命，委派，

annex  兼并，吞并（领土等）

eliminate 消除，清除，排除，干掉，淘汰

accomplish  完成，做成功，实现

unification  统一

ethnic  民族的，种族的，部落的

minority  少数，（一社区，国家等，其中种族，宗教，语言等异于他人的）小团体，少数

set up  建立

empire  帝国 （由一人或一集团控制的）大企业组织

territory  领土（的范围） ，（知识或活动的）范围，领域

downright  彻底的，完全的

according to  根据

capacity  能力

talent  人才，天才

contribution  贡献，捐助

strengthen  （使某人/某物）更强，加强

virtuous 品德高的，有道德的

distinguished  高贵的，卓越的，杰出的

decree  发布（命令），颁布（法令）

successor   接替的人或事物，继任者，继承人

and so on  等等

collapse. 塌陷，倒塌

autocratic  独裁者的，专制君主的

administration 公共事务的管理，经营，行政

refer to 指的是

abolish  废除，废止（习俗，制度）

prefecture-county 郡县

measure 计量制，量度法

currency 通货，货币

standardize 使（某事物）标准化或合乎规格

stipulate  讲明，规定某要求

universal  共同的，全体的

fortress  城堡或大的碉堡，加强防御能力的城镇

obstruct 阻挡，阻碍

transportation  运送，运输，流放

stretch 延伸，伸展

nomadic 游牧的，流浪的

southward向南

original  原始的，最初的，原先的

extend  （指空间，土地，时间）达到，伸展

create  创造

wonder 奇迹

civilization. 文化，文明

large-scale 大幅度的

construction.  建设

palace  宫殿

model  以   做榜样，仿效

beauty  美，美丽的人或事物

carve  雕刻，切，削，凿刻

character  字母，符号或记号

observe   庆祝，过（节日，生日，周年等）

mountain  大山

so as to 以便于，为的是

pursuit 追寻，追求

elixir 长生不老药

die  死亡

thousands of  成千上万的

seek  寻找

immortal  不朽的，永世的，永存的

cost  花费

strength   力量

neither   nor   既不   也不

cease  停止

clothe   供给  衣物， 给  穿衣服

weave   编织

govern   统治

exhort   劝告，规劝，告诫

harsh 严酷的，无情的，严厉的

Confucian 孔子的，儒家的，孔子的信徒

scholar  学者

snuff  out   消灭或结束某事物

contention 争辩，争论

flower  开花，充分发展，成熟，繁荣

句子英汉互译(一)

v. He once burned books and buried Confucian scholars alive, which snuffed out the contention of a hundred schools of thoughts that flowered during the Warring States Period.v他曾经焚书坑儒，结束了战国时期盛行的百家争鸣的局面。

v2. As Qin appointed people according to their capacity, all the talents of six states were at its service.v因为秦朝用人唯才，所以六国所有的能人才子都聚到了他的旗下。
   

v3. After the unification, King Ying Zheng thought that he was even greater than anyone.v统一后，赢政认为他比任何人都伟大。
   

v4. In pursuit of an elixir that could keep him from dying, he sent thousands of men and women to the East
     Sea to seek help.v为了寻求长生不老的灵丹妙药，他派上千男女前往东海求助。
   

v5. Meanwhile, he governed the country by exhorting to heavy punishment.v同时，他通过动用酷刑统治国家。

句子英汉互译(二)

v1、秦朝逐个灭掉汉、魏、楚、燕、赵和齐，并于公元前221年取得统一。

vQin eliminated Han, Wei,Chu,Yan,Zhao and Qi one after another and accomplished the unification in 221 B.C.

v2、他对秦朝的统治持续了37年。

vHis rule over the Qin lasted for 37 years

v3、秦始皇统一了度量衡、货币和文字。

v Qin Shi Huang ordered the written language, measures and currency be standardized.

v4、除此以外，秦始皇还大兴土木。

v Besides, Qin Shi Huang went in for large-scale construction.

v5、他五次出巡，在所走过的名山大川刻文字记录他的功绩以显示他的权力。