A circa-1850 depiction of Qin Shi Huang

CIVILIZATION DOSSIER

Qin Shi Huang秦始皇

QinHistory × Fiction

Son of Yiren and Zhao Ji, later became Qin Shi Huang.

DIRECT FIGURES
31
RELATION RECORDS
39
SOURCE WORKS
13

Qin Shi Huang · 约 1850 · A circa-1850 later depiction, not a Qin-dynasty portrait · Unknown artist · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain ↗

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Qin Shi Huang, and the people around them.

Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.

01
KINSHIP

Kinship

Blood, marriage and sworn bonds

3 figures · 3 records
02
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

15 figures · 19 records
11 more in the complete record
03
CONFLICT

Conflict

Battles, captures and defeat

14 figures · 15 records
11 more in the complete record
04
THE UNSEEN

Mythic acts

Transformation, aid and divine punishment

2 figures · 2 records

12 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.

In history · Records of the Three Kingdoms · Records of the Grand Historian · Old Book of Tang

Emperor of the Qin dynasty, attacked the Xiongnu, and tried to cast a tripod at Pengcheng but failed. Qin Shi Huang heard that the ancestor dragon died, and later died himself. Emperor of the Qin dynasty, anomaly of river fish.

In fiction · Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms · Collected Biographies of Immortals · Records of Myriad Things · Book of the Later Han · Extensive Records of the Taiping Era · Strategies of the Warring States · Researches into Lost Records · In Search of the Supernatural · New Book of Tang

Son of King Zhuangxiang, ascended the throne at the age of thirteen, state affairs were decided by Lü Buwei.

Across source works

How this figure changes across texts

Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.

  1. Literature / legend

    Records of Myriad Things

    1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  2. 2 profile notes
    3 relations3 verified quotations
    • Qin Shi Huang→ ruler-subject →Li Si
    • Zhao Gao→ ruler-subject →Qin Shi Huang
    • Yiren→ father-son →Qin Shi Huang
    Verified original text · 3
    1. 进李斯为丞相

      ruler-subject · Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms, ch. 108

    2. 赵高为郎中令

      ruler-subject · Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms, ch. 108

    1 more verified quotation in the relationship records below.

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  3. Official history

    Book of Han

    18 profile notes
    4 relations4 verified quotations
    • Qin Shi Huang→ hostile →Liu Bang
    • Qin Shi Huang→ hostile →Xiang Yu
    • Liu Xiang→ criticize →Qin Shi Huang
    • Qin Shi Huang→ lose country →Chen Sheng
    Verified original text · 4
    1. 刘、项随而毙之

      hostile · Book of Han, 诸侯王表

    2. 亡自戍卒陈胜发

      lose country · Book of Han, 五行志_ch. 27上

    2 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  4. Official history

    Book of the Later Han

    9 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  5. Official history

    Old Book of Tang

    4 profile notes
    3 relations2 verified quotations
    • Emperor Ming of Han→ follow precedent →Qin Shi Huang
    • Qin Shi Huang→ continue use →Emperor Ming of Han
    • Emperor Wen of Sui→ recover →Qin Shi Huang
    Verified original text · 2
    1. 汉氏因之

      continue use · Old Book of Tang, 舆服志

    2. 至隋氏一统,始复旧仪

      recover · Old Book of Tang, 舆服志

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  6. 1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  7. 1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  8. 13 profile notes
    25 relations26 verified quotations
    • Qin Shi Huang→ force surrender →King Wei
    • Qin Shi Huang→ captive →King of Zhao
    • Zhang Liang→ assassinate →Qin Shi Huang
    • Qin Shi Huang→ worship from afar →Emperor Shun
    Verified original text · 26
    1. 其王请降

      force surrender · Records of the Grand Historian, 秦始皇本纪

    2. 得赵王

      captive · Records of the Grand Historian, 秦始皇本纪

    24 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  9. Literature / legend

    Researches into Lost Records

    2 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  10. Literature / legend

    Water Margin

    1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  11. 2 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  12. 17 profile notes
    3 relations6 verified quotations
    • Wang Cizhong→ conscript →Qin Shi Huang
    • Wang Cizhong→ turned into bird and flew away →Qin Shi Huang
    • Qin Shi Huang→ send in cage →Wang Cizhong
    Verified original text · 6
    1. 遣使召之,三征不至

      conscript · Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 书一

    2. 遣使召之

      conscript · Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 书一

    4 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  13. Official history

    New Book of Tang

    1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  14. 1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  15. 0 profile notes
    1 relations1 verified quotations
    • Anqi Sheng→ meet →Qin Shi Huang
    Verified original text · 1
    1. 秦始皇东游,请见

      meet · Collected Biographies of Immortals, 列仙传

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History vs. fiction

The mystery of Qin Shi Huang's biological father

Relationship network

32 figures · 76 links
Qin Shi HuangQin Shi HuangLiu BangLiu BangXiang YuXiang YuKing WeiKing WeiKing of ZhaoKing of ZhaoLiu XiangLiu XiangEmperor Ming of HanEmperor Ming of HanZhang LiangZhang LiangEmperor ShunEmperor ShunEmperor Wen of SuiEmperor Wen of SuiLü BuweiLü BuweiXia JiYu the GreatWang JianChen ShengLi MuJing KeKing Xi of YanKing HanCrown Prince Dan of YanLi SiZhao GaoWang HeMeng AoYirenLao AiWang BenHuhaiKing Jian of QiAnqi ShengChiyouWang Cizhong
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: Records of the Three Kingdoms, 魏书·武文世王公传; Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms, ch. 99; Collected Biographies of Immortals, 列仙传; Records of Myriad Things, 人名考·文籍考·地理考·典礼考·乐考·服饰考·器名考·物名考; Records of the Grand Historian, 吕不韦列传; Book of the Later Han, 东夷列传; Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 书一; Strategies of the Warring States, 刘向书录

This page was extracted from classical texts with AI assistance and revised; errors remain possible. Spotted a mistake? Tell us →

Compiled with AI assistance from public-domain texts; for cultural reference. Mythological accounts vary — corrections welcome.