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in the teachings of Confucius. Lord Shang’s teachings are demonstrated in the excerpt from the
Book of Lord Shang: “I have heard that those who hesitate to act accomplish nothing… quickly
make up your mind and ignore everyone’s criticisms.”16 A feat achieved by the Legalists was
dividing the countryside into a gridded system and dividing the population into disciplined
military units for the Qin’s conquest of China.

In the year 246 BCE, King Zheng takes the Qin throne, assisted by an advisor named Li
Si. The use of legalism greatly helped Zheng in his conquest against the other states. In 221
BCE, Zheng defeated the final state of Qi thus unifying China and ending the Zhou Dynasty. But
unlike the previous dynasties, Zheng does not take retain the title of king but bestows the title of
emperor on himself, forming the first Chinese empire in its history. Zheng became Qin Shi
Huangdi. The Qin Empire became a centralized administration, using administrators that gained
their positions by merit, not familial ties. With legalism performing well during the Warring
States period, The empire of Qin utilized the school to call upon massive amounts of labor for
civic projects such as the constructions of new capital in Xianyang, numerous palaces, roads, and
Qin’s Great Wall. The Qin standardized both the currency and the writing system. However, this
period was not without its own troubles. Qin Shi Huangdi ordered the mass burning of books,
namely those related to Confucius and even Daoism in some cases because Confucianism
prioritized familial bonds over loyalty to the state. But towards the end of Qin Shi Huangdi’s
reign, he became obsessed with immortality, a quest that he would pursue till his death in 210
BCE at 49. After his death, Li Si retained his position as advisor to the Qin ruler, Qin Shi
Huangdi’s son. However, resentment and personal ambition began to form in the society of the

16 Lord Shang, "Changing the Laws," in Chinese Civilization, 32.

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