Emperor Qin Shi Huang (259 BC - 210 BC) fascinates people when they talk about the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors and Horses - his two greatest achievements to China. As the first emperor of China, he indeed has a profound influence on Chinese history and culture. 
The Portrait of Emperor
Qin Shi Huang
How did he come to the throne?
Emperor Qin Shi Huang, born as Ying Zheng in 259 BC, was the son of the king of the Qin State. At the age of thirteen, he succeeded his father's regality. Ying Zheng was very aggressive and ambitious at an early age. He assumed full power at 22 by ridding himself of his premier, Lu Buwei, who acted as regent while he was a minor. He wanted to unify and subjugate all the states like Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan and Qi by the powerful political, economic and military strength of the Qin State. Ying Zheng realized his ambition and built the first feudal and centralized empire in Chinese history in 221 BC. This was what we called - the Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC). Ying Zheng was the first emperor of a united China, so he proclaimed himself Qin Shi Huang.
"Qin Shi Huang"When Ying Zheng unified China, he considered his achievement surpassing the legendary "San Huang (three emperors)" and "Wu Di (five sovereigns)". He created a new title for himself: "Huangdi" together with "Shi (means the first)", hence get the name "Qin Shi Huang" or "Qin Shi Huangdi", which means he was the first emperor of China. He hoped his descendants would follow in his steps to rule China for eternity.
Achievements and Defects
In order to consolidate the nascent empire, Qin Shi Huang reformed politics, economy and culture. In politics, he abolished the hereditary vassal enfeoffment system and established prefectures and counties, ruled directly by the emperor. Based on the original rules of the Qin State, the emperor adopted some regulations of other rival states to form a workable law of the Qin Dynasty. In economy, he claimed that both the agriculture and commerce were very important. People should have them developed together. Besides, tax system began to function and coinage and metrology were all standardized. In culture, the emperor unified the Chinese characters in writing, which promoted the development of the Chinese culture. However, he also suppressed scholars who were not to his liking. Consequently, many scholars involved were killed in Xianyang.
The symbol of the Chinese ancient civilization, the Great Wall bears witness to Qin Shi Huang's centralism. He ordered conscript laborers to link together the defensive works against marauding nomads already built by the former states. That was the forerunner of the modern Great Wall. Another world-famous achievement is the Terracotta Warriors and Horses in Xian, which was discovered nearby the mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Both are the wonders of China. But during their construction, countless conscripts lost their lives. It's really wasting manpower and resources. 
Qin Terracotta Army
Decline of the First Emperor
Qin Shi Huang longed for longevity, so he sent his ministers to go on quests seeking for an elixir of immortality. However, death claimed him before he could find success on that matter. The emperor departed from the world of the living in 210 BC while traveling. The Peasant Uprising led by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang broke out soon after Hu Hai, the second generation, got onto the throne. Accordingly, the Qin Dynasty came to an abrupt end in 206 BC. Qin Shi Huang is truly an epoch-making historic emperor in China's history.
Relevant Figures of Emperor Qin Shi Huang
Fu Su Hu Hai
Mystery about Emperor Qin Shi Huang What did Qin Shi Huang die from? Why the Emperor Qin Shi Huang did not determine the empress?
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Travelers' Voices on Emperor Qin Shi Huang
1.
Nov. 19,2009 14:57 Reply
Ms.akayastu(usa) said:
hmmm i wonder if qin really did te right thing though...i mean i know he based hi beleifs on legalitism beleif and it led him strong but were there other ways he still couldve led his kingdom better without cruelty or taling away the peaples prized posesions...his son even became a victim.
2.
Nov. 18,2009 18:25 Reply
Ms.Beth Kaplan(USA) said:
I've found out why the terracotta army: they were intended to guard his tomb in the
after-life. There was a program on, I think, NatGeo channel [57, in the Boston/
Worcester, MA area], called "China's Warrior King" last week. These things are always
repeated, so don't worry if you missed it. It'll likely be repeated, also, long after
the current film has ceased to be popular (*if* it is). Actually, you can see echoes
in the very beginning of the film (the bit with the witch - tho there was no actual
witch involved) in the history, of his search for immortality in this program - it
was interesting to notice that.
3.
Nov. 18,2009 16:09 Reply
Ms.AKAYASTU(United States) said:
wwhen was this publishe and where though-(need for information for history fair project)
4.
Nov. 18,2009 16:03 Reply
Ms.AKAYASTU(United States) said:
Thank You!This website really helped me out for my hstory fair project =)
5.
Nov. 15,2009 15:46 Reply
Ms.rachel(USA) said:
thanks this really helped me a lot but i was wondering if you could tell me more about why he built the army please i'm doing a report and need all the help i can get thanks
Nov. 17,2009 02:02
Mr.ANDY2008(China) replied:
The First Qin Emperor held the belief that only violence could ensure his power.
The First Qin Emperor wanted to own a powerful army in another world, that is, the heaven, so he made so many terracotta soldiers. If he had known the Atom-Bomb is the most violent weapon, he would have had some buried in his tomb with terracotta the soldiers.
6.
Nov. 15,2009 01:51 Reply
Ms.Jane(hk) said:
thank you!!! this site helped me tons with my essay :)
7.
Nov. 10,2009 08:37 Reply
Mr.Nash(USA) said:
He actually didnt banish his son he put in his will for his first son to become emperor but the 18th son forged it and changed it to make the first son to commit suicide so he could become emperor and the first son did it without question thinking it was his father.
Nov. 11,2009 18:27
Mr.Co.ol(USA) replied:
i know thx for the inf i'm getting a B
8.
Oct. 9,2009 20:24 Reply
Mr.AJ COOL(Unknown) said:
I think your site is really great. It helped me a ton on my report. (:
Nov. 9,2009 18:49
Ms.Cain(usa) replied:
I know what you mean. On a asessment I used ur words and got an A
9.
Oct. 17,2009 14:05 Reply
Mrs.Rosa (New York) said:
He didn't die of pills made of mercury the pills he died from is immortal it means he tried to live forever but it fald and he died.
Nov. 9,2009 18:47
Ms.Cain(usa) replied:
The pills main ingredeint was mercury though.
10.
Oct. 12,2009 07:13 Reply
Ms.Sakura(Japa) said:
did you know that Qin Shi Huang banished his own son!!!!????????
Oct. 14,2009 10:58
Mr.Croft(USA) replied:
No I did not know why did he banish his son
Oct. 20,2009 08:40
Mr.KidMan16(USA ) replied:
That was just wrong
Oct. 20,2009 08:39
Mr.Darrius(USA ) replied:
i really did not know that
Nov. 9,2009 18:45
Ms.Cain(usa) replied:
That is wrong. Why did he banish him?