Ancient Chinese Primary Sources: Images

Source B: Qin Shi Huang, 221-

210 BC

Painting of the first Chinese

Source A: Chinese coin, c. 200 BC. emperor and the founder of the
Qin dynasty.
The Chinese were one of the first
civilisations to use coinage and during the
Qin dynasty (first Chinese dynasty, 221-206
BC), the same coins were used across the
empire (standardisation).

Source D: Terracotta Warrior,

210 BC

One of the 8,000 terracotta

warriors that was found in the
tomb of the first emperor of
China, Qin Shi Huang. They were
meant to protect the emperor
Source C: The Great Wall, 215 BC in the afterlife.
The famous Great Wall of China has been
added to and restored by Chinese rulers
across the centuries, but it was first built
under the reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

Source F: Oracle bone, c. 1200 BC

Evidence of early Chinese writing

on an oracle bone: the writing on
these bones were to predict the
future.

Source E: Chinese paper, c. 210 BC

An example of Chinese paper. The Chinese

were the first to invent and use paper from
210 BC.
 Ancient Chinese Primary & Secondary Sources: Text

The Great Wall was a mighty material symbol of empire, an indication that for the first time in East Asian
history a great power structure had arisen under the unified control of an absolute monarch.

Source G: From a history book on ancient empires.

Impetuous (impulsive), violent, cruel and despotic (a tyrant), Qin Shi Huang came to believe that he was
semi-divine.

Source H: From a history book on ancient empires.

We manage the furnaces with attentive movements,

The foot stands are very grand
Some contain roasted meat,
The noble wives are reverently quiet
The meat platters are very numerous
The visitors and guests
Offer toast and pledges to each other
The ceremonies are entirely according to rule.

Source I: From an ancient Chinese book ‘The Book of Songs’. This particular song describes a ceremony
to honour the ancestors.

The Qin dynasty also organised the population into massive public works projects. In the 12 years before
the emperor’s death in 210 BC, labourers built a network of roads over 6,800km (4,000 miles) long, which
rivalled the road system of the Romans.

Source J: From a history book on and medieval China

Why? Because it failed to display humanity and righteousness or to realise there is a difference between
the power of attack and the power to consolidate (make agreements).

Source K: Scholar Jia Yi (201-169 BC) explains why he thinks the first dynasty and empire of China (Qin)
fell. Jia Yi was born shortly after the fall of the empire in 206 BC.

You elders have long suffered under the harsh laws of Qin…I make an agreement with you that the law
shall consist of only 3 sections…for the rest, all other Qin laws should be abolished.

Source L: Section of a speech from 206 BC by Liu Bang, later known as Gaozu, the first emperor of the
Han dynasty. He is speaking to the leaders of communities in the Qin capital city after successfully
invading it, explaining what changes are to be made.
 Questions:

1. Look at sources A-E: what can we infer about the development of technology during the first Chinese
dynasty (Qin)?

2. Why do you think the first Chinese emperor decided to have a coinage that could be used throughout the
empire? (Source A)

3. Look at Source B: what impression do you get of the emperor from this image? Why do you think he wanted
this image to be made?

4. Read sources C and G: what do you think someone living in ancient Asia would have thought and felt when
they came across the Great Wall of China?

5. Describe the Terracotta warrior shown in Source D.

6. Why do you think oracle bones (Source F) are one of the few sources we have from China before 1,000 BC?

7. Look at sources E and F: what problems might historians face when trying to learn about ancient China?

8. Describe what you think is happening in Source I

9. Using sources F and I, what can we infer about ancient Chinese religion?

10. Read Source H: What does semi-divine mean, and how do you think it might have affected the rule of Qi Shi
Huang?

11. Do you agree with the description of the first Chinese emperor given in source H?

12. Why do you think the Chinese emperor would want to build so many roads? (Source J)

13. Examine all the sources: what can we infer about Qi Shi Huang’s rule? Was he good emperor, bad, or a
mixture of the two?

14. Read Source K: To what extent do you agree with his reason as to why the first Chinese dynasty (Qin) fell?

15. What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of using source K as a piece of evidence as to why the first
Chinese dynasty (Qin) fell?

16. Do you agree with Source L’s statement that the people have suffered under the rule of the Qin dynasty?

17. Why do you think Gaozu made the speech in Source L?

18. To what extent can we trust the speech made in Source L?

19. Examine all the sources: What were some of the great successes and failures of the first Chinese dynasty?

20. Examine all the sources: To what extent do you think the fall of the empire was the fault of the first emperor,
Qi Shi Huang?