Hu Hai (230 - 207BC) – 18th Son of Emperor Qin Shi Huang

Hu Hai, the second emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 BC), was the eighteenth son of Qin Shi Huang. After the First Emperor's death, Hu Hai took the throne through a political conspiracy planned by the eunuch Zhao Gao. However, his short reign was characterized by incompetence, excessive trust in corrupt advisors, and severe cruelty - factors that quickly sped up the collapse of the once-powerful Qin Dynasty.
 Although not particularly talented, he enjoyed his father's deep affection from a young age, which led to an exceptionally willful character. Historical accounts mention an incident from his childhood: when the emperor hosted a banquet for his ministers, the princes were also invited to attend. After the feast, the princes left first. According to the Qin court ritual, officials had to remove their shoes before entering important venues, leaving them outside the hall. As Hu Hai descended the steps, he saw rows of shoes and stomped on the most finely crafted pairs until all of them were ruined. This act revealed a character marked by willfulness, a disregard for consequences, and little consideration for others, traits that would shape his future rule.
 In 210 BC, Qin Shi Huang became critically ill and died during an inspection tour. Before he passed away, he issued a decree designating Fu Su as his successor to the throne. However, the eunuch official Zhao Gao, who handled the imperial seal, intercepted this important document. Having been Hu Hai's tutor and maintaining a close relationship with him, Zhao Gao first persuaded him to seize the throne. He then pressured the chancellor Li Si into joining the conspiracy. Together, they hid the emperor's death and forged two decrees: one ordering Fu Su to commit suicide and another declaring Hu Hai the successor. So, manipulated by Zhao Gao and Li Si, Hu Hai eliminated his strongest rival and became the Second Emperor of the Qin Dynasty.
 Hu Hai's reign lasted only three years, from 210 BC to 207 BC. Rather than stabilizing the state, his rule accelerated its collapse, ending with his forced suicide amid widespread rebellion.
 To strengthen his power, Hu Hai, influenced by Zhao Gao, carried out widespread purges against his own siblings and meritorious officials. More than ten of his brothers were publicly executed, and even his sisters were killed. Some key military leaders were also eliminated. These ruthless internal purges caused Hu Hai to lose the support of the imperial family and loyal officials, seriously weakening the dynasty's foundation.
 Instead of easing the burdens on the people, Hu Hai intensified the harsh laws and heavy taxes of his father's rule. He continued and aggravated the corvee labor and tax systems, with peasants often required to pay up to one-third of their harvests in taxes. At the same time, he conscripted large numbers of commoners to keep building the Epang Palace and Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum. Such extreme exploitation drained the people's strength and fueled widespread resentment.
 Upon becoming emperor, Hu Hai trusted only Zhao Gao, relying on him for all matters of state and suppressing other ministers who dared to offer criticism. When Chancellor Li Si urged him to reduce forced labor and taxes and to halt extravagant construction projects, Hu Hai instead listened to Zhao Gao's slander, imprisoning and executing Li Si. After this, no official dared to speak frankly. On the pretext of Hu Hai's youth, Zhao Gao seized control of real power. Hu Hai, blindly trusting Zhao Gao and indulging in pleasure, willingly handed over all state affairs to him.
 With power concentrated in his hands, Zhao Gao grew increasingly arrogant and eventually disregarded the emperor altogether. To eliminate opposition, he staged the notorious “deer-or-horse test": presenting a deer to Hu Hai but insisting it was a fine horse. When Hu Hai objected, Zhao Gao persisted and asked the attending officials to judge. Most, fearing Zhao Gao's authority, declared it a horse. Those who called it a deer were later executed on fabricated charges. From then on, no one in the court dared to oppose Zhao Gao. Later, when peasant uprisings began and approached the capital Xianyang, Hu Hai finally realized he had misplaced his trust in Zhao Gao and blamed everything on him. Fearing punishment, Zhao Gao ordered his son-in-law to lead soldiers into Hu Hai's residence. Cornered and helpless, the emperor was forced to end his own life at the age of only twenty-three.
 After his death, Hu Hai was buried as a commoner. His tomb is located in the southern part of Qujiang Pool Park in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. Today, visitors can see the solitary burial mound standing in a quiet, shaded corner. The tomb is a rounded earth mound, about six meters (20 feet) high. Surrounding the site are sculptures and illustrations that depict episodes from Hu Hai's life and key moments in the short, turbulent history of the Qin Dynasty.
 Historically, Hu Hai is remembered as a symbol of misrule and incompetence. His reign, which lasted only three years, greatly accelerated the collapse of the unified Qin Dynasty. Through his harsh policies, heavy reliance on a treacherous minister, and the brutal purge of his own family and loyal officials, Hu Hai not only destabilized the dynasty from within but also triggered widespread popular rebellion. A renowned historian from the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) described him as ''foolish, stubborn, and cruel,'' a classic example of a ruler whose actions led to the fall of his state.

However, his reign and Qin's collapse also taught later dynasties, especially the early Han, important lessons. They adopted more moderate, peace-focused policies and stressed the importance of virtuous governance, which helped boost social development.

Further Reading:
What did Qin Shi Huang die from?
10 Facts about Emperor Qin Shi Huang You May Not Know
9 Mysteries of Qin Shi Huang Tomb You May Want to Know