Customer Reviews

Tales of Emperor Qin Shihuang (Insights into Chinese History)

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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.

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.