Fu Su - Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Eldest Son
Fu Su was the eldest son of Qin Shi Huang, the man who unified China and became its First Emperor. His father named him "Fu Su," a term from an ancient poetry that described a tree with lush, thriving branches. The name carried a clear meaning: the Emperor expected his firstborn to grow strong and one day carry on the empire he was building.
Despite growing up in the palace as the most privileged son of the most powerful man in China, Fu Su did not become arrogant or indulgent. Those around him described him as kind, respectful to his elders, and considerate to those beneath his rank. His father personally assigned him a tutor named Chun Yuyue, a scholar trained in Confucian thought. This was unusual because the Qin court officially followed Legalism, a harsh system built on strict laws and severe punishments. But Fu Su absorbed his teacher's lessons deeply. He came to believe that ruling through fear alone would not hold the empire together for long, and that the people's trust mattered more than their terror. This belief quietly set him apart from his father.
The conflict between them finally surfaced in 212 BC. The emperor Qin Shi Huang, enraged that several alchemists had fled and spread rumors about him, ordered more than four hundred alchemists and scholars in the capital, Xianyang, to be buried alive. Fu Su went to his father and pleaded that such severe punishment might unsettle a realm only recently unified. He was not challenging the emperor's authority, but appealing for restraint. His father, however, saw only his weakness. He believed his son lacked the ruthlessness an emperor needed. In anger, he sent Fu Su away to the northern frontier to serve as supervisor to General Meng Tian, overseeing the construction of the Great Wall and defending against the Xiongnu.
Fu Su spent years in the north. Instead of sulking or withdrawing, he worked alongside the soldiers, learned frontier warfare, and earned the respect of both the general and the troops. They saw that this imperial prince did not demand special treatment and carried out his duties without complaint. Over time, he grew into a capable leader. By all accounts, he was ready to return to court.
However, that return never came. In 210 BC, the Emperor died suddenly during his last eastern inspection tour. Before his death, he had issued an imperial edict ordering Fu Su to hand over military command and return to Xianyang to take the throne. But the imperial edict was never delivered. Zhao Gao, the eunuch in charge of the imperial seals, conspired with the Prime Minister Li Si and the Emperor's youngest son Hu Hai. They destroyed the original imperial edict and forged a new one. It accused Fu Su of failing to achieve results during his years at the border, of complaining about his father, and of being an unfilial son unworthy of the throne. What's worse, it ordered him to commit suicide.
When the messenger arrived at the border and delivered the forged imperial edict, Fu Su read it and wept. He believed the imperial edict was genuine and was immediately prepared to take his own life, but General Meng Tian strongly advised against it. He reminded Fu Su that the emperor had entrusted them with a massive army and the defense of the frontier, a clear sign of trust. He argued that it was unwise to accept death based solely on a single messenger's word, and urged Fu Su to send someone back to the capital to confirm the order. But the messenger pressed Fu Su to comply without delay. In the end, Fu Su said that a son should not question his father's command, even if that command meant death. Finally, he drew his sword and ended his life. At that time, he was only 31 years old. Later, Meng Tian was forced to take poison as well.
With Fu Su dead, Hu Hai smoothly became the Second Emperor, and the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 BC) collapsed quickly within only three years. But Fu Su's name did not disappear. When peasants launched the first major uprising against Qin rule, their leader invoked Fu Su's name to rally support. He told his followers that the common people had long known the eldest prince to be virtuous and did not realize he had died. Whether this was a political calculation or a genuine belief, it reflected a simple fact: Fu Su's reputation for fairness and decency had spread far beyond the court.
Today, Fu Su's mausoleum can still be visited today in Suide County, Shaanxi Province. Besides, a temple in Yuanping, Shanxi, was built by local people who believed he had once defended their land. Neither the mausoleum nor the temple is grand, but for over two thousand years, both have been cared for, and his name is still remembered.
Further Reading:
Despite growing up in the palace as the most privileged son of the most powerful man in China, Fu Su did not become arrogant or indulgent. Those around him described him as kind, respectful to his elders, and considerate to those beneath his rank. His father personally assigned him a tutor named Chun Yuyue, a scholar trained in Confucian thought. This was unusual because the Qin court officially followed Legalism, a harsh system built on strict laws and severe punishments. But Fu Su absorbed his teacher's lessons deeply. He came to believe that ruling through fear alone would not hold the empire together for long, and that the people's trust mattered more than their terror. This belief quietly set him apart from his father.
The conflict between them finally surfaced in 212 BC. The emperor Qin Shi Huang, enraged that several alchemists had fled and spread rumors about him, ordered more than four hundred alchemists and scholars in the capital, Xianyang, to be buried alive. Fu Su went to his father and pleaded that such severe punishment might unsettle a realm only recently unified. He was not challenging the emperor's authority, but appealing for restraint. His father, however, saw only his weakness. He believed his son lacked the ruthlessness an emperor needed. In anger, he sent Fu Su away to the northern frontier to serve as supervisor to General Meng Tian, overseeing the construction of the Great Wall and defending against the Xiongnu.
Fu Su spent years in the north. Instead of sulking or withdrawing, he worked alongside the soldiers, learned frontier warfare, and earned the respect of both the general and the troops. They saw that this imperial prince did not demand special treatment and carried out his duties without complaint. Over time, he grew into a capable leader. By all accounts, he was ready to return to court.
However, that return never came. In 210 BC, the Emperor died suddenly during his last eastern inspection tour. Before his death, he had issued an imperial edict ordering Fu Su to hand over military command and return to Xianyang to take the throne. But the imperial edict was never delivered. Zhao Gao, the eunuch in charge of the imperial seals, conspired with the Prime Minister Li Si and the Emperor's youngest son Hu Hai. They destroyed the original imperial edict and forged a new one. It accused Fu Su of failing to achieve results during his years at the border, of complaining about his father, and of being an unfilial son unworthy of the throne. What's worse, it ordered him to commit suicide.
When the messenger arrived at the border and delivered the forged imperial edict, Fu Su read it and wept. He believed the imperial edict was genuine and was immediately prepared to take his own life, but General Meng Tian strongly advised against it. He reminded Fu Su that the emperor had entrusted them with a massive army and the defense of the frontier, a clear sign of trust. He argued that it was unwise to accept death based solely on a single messenger's word, and urged Fu Su to send someone back to the capital to confirm the order. But the messenger pressed Fu Su to comply without delay. In the end, Fu Su said that a son should not question his father's command, even if that command meant death. Finally, he drew his sword and ended his life. At that time, he was only 31 years old. Later, Meng Tian was forced to take poison as well.
With Fu Su dead, Hu Hai smoothly became the Second Emperor, and the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 BC) collapsed quickly within only three years. But Fu Su's name did not disappear. When peasants launched the first major uprising against Qin rule, their leader invoked Fu Su's name to rally support. He told his followers that the common people had long known the eldest prince to be virtuous and did not realize he had died. Whether this was a political calculation or a genuine belief, it reflected a simple fact: Fu Su's reputation for fairness and decency had spread far beyond the court.
Today, Fu Su's mausoleum can still be visited today in Suide County, Shaanxi Province. Besides, a temple in Yuanping, Shanxi, was built by local people who believed he had once defended their land. Neither the mausoleum nor the temple is grand, but for over two thousand years, both have been cared for, and his name is still remembered.
Further Reading: Recommended Tours
- Last updated on Feb. 13, 2026 by Doris Xue -