Tales of Emperor Qin Shihuang (Insights into Chinese History) [Paperback]

Xiao Ding (Author), Yuan Yang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1999

Emperor Qin Shihuang is known to everyone in China. He was born in 259 B.C. and became king of the state of Qin at the age of 13. In 221 B.C. he established the Qin Dynasty, the first centralized and unified regime in the history of China. His merits and demerits have brought him both praise and blame down through the ages. He has been honored as a remarkable emperor and denounced as a tyrant.

Some of the stories in this book come from historical records which serve to silhouette the life of Emperor Qin Shihuang, and some are based on popular legends, adding highly colored details about him and reflecting the feelings and hopes of ordinary people. These two sources complement each other for a comprehensive look at Qin Shihuang and his world.

Product Details

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: Foreign Languages Press (January 1, 1999)
• ISBN-10: 711902101X
• ISBN-13: 978-7119021010
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,042,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Easy-to-read stories about a famous and infamous emporer, January 1, 2004

By 

F. J. Potter "Doctor Bitmap" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tales of Emperor Qin Shihuang (Insights into Chinese History) (Paperback)

The book "Tales of Emperor Qin Shihuang" tells us a bit of history and many anecdotes of individuals who fell into or out of favor with Qin Shihuang, the ruler of Qin (also known as Ch'in). Emperor Qin Shihuang ended the Warring States period of China in 221 BCE by defeating, one by one, the armies of the various rulers of those states. Qin Shihuang was a despot -- conceited, cruel, unforgiving, mercurial of temperament. In many ways, he was a product of his times... not much different from the rulers of the other states that he subjugated. The stories we read here are of individuals who attained positions of power, such as Gan Luo, the 12-year-old boy who became Prime Minister. We also read of the terra-cotta army that was buried with the emperor when he died. The tales are written in an easy fashion. Not a scholarly text by any means, but a quick and enjoyable read. I highly recommend the book to anyone interested in ancient Chinese history and the personalities who lived in the times.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, quick read!, May 13, 2006

By 

Kevin T. Theobald - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tales of Emperor Qin Shihuang (Insights into Chinese History) (Paperback)

I bought this book not too long ago, and enjoyed it a lot. It's a quick read, only being 186 pages long, and tells tales of how the first Emperor of China rose to power. It also includes stories of the many things he did after annoiting himself as the "Huang-di" (Emperor) and the legends that surround him. I'd highly recommend this for the history buff, or if you simply like short tales.