Essays on Legalist Principles in the Qin State and on Shiji and Hanshu (EAS102)

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Essay 1: The rise of the Qin State in the Warring States period (403-221BCE) occurred when it was first centralized by Shang Yang (390-338BCE) who reformed laws and punishments, changed bureaucracy and began its military power. Li Si (280-208BCE) became advisor to King Zhen in 237BCE and introduced Han Feizi, a fellow student of Xunzi, who had written 55 books on his Legalism ideas to advance state and benefit the people. Fearing Han Feizi’s brilliance, Li Si had him falsely accused and forced to commit suicide in prison but Li Si became Chancellor “to the ruler of the universe” as he helped King Zheng unify China under Qin Shihuang. Legalism became state ideology of the Qin Dynasty (221-206BCE), used to establish and consolidate the state through central power, rejection of Confucian ideas, harshlaws and favouring of peasant class. Legitimacy of central power was established by the emperor using Han Feizi’s method of rule “shi” which incorporated Daoist spontaneous actions and wu-wei emptiness while knowing the true nature of reality. Han Feizi advocated in his 7 Statecrafts that a strong ruler speak in opposites and act in contradictories to manipulate orders and rule on a whim. Aggressive war was supported for bringing merit through danger, uniting people under the emperor and expansion to bring economic prosperity to advance power of the state. After unifying China and defeating all six other Warring States, the Qin state was divided into 36 commandaries and counties, abolishing Zhou feudalism and priveleges of the nobility system. The emperor ruled using officials and ministers through civil governors, military governor and oversears. A new capital was established in Xianyang, west of Xi’an, with 270 palaces to control nobilities. Roads, weights, measures, writing scripts (2200-word dictionary), language were all physically standardized by Li Si as part of

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