term "medieval China" is not known so well when compared with Western Europe, as in the history of the country was not as such a clear division in the period.Conventionally, it is assumed that he began in the third century BC to the Qin Dynasty, and lasted more than two thousand years before the end of the Qing Dynasty.
kingdom of Qin, which is a small country located in the north-west of the country, territory annexed several kingdoms in the southern and western borders in pursuit of clear political objectives to consolidate power.In 221 BC, there was a unification of the country, previously consisting of a plurality of separate fiefdoms and historiography referred to as "ancient China".History since then has gone on other way - of a new unified China in the world.
Qin was the most culturally advanced among the Warring States and most powerful militarily.Ying Zheng, known as the first emperor Qin Shi Huang, China was able to unite and turn it into the first centralized state with its capital Xianyang (near the modern city of Xi'an), putting an end to the Warring States era, which lasted several centuries.A name that took to the emperor, was consonant with the name of one of the main and very important mythological characters and national history - Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor.Having thus his title, Ying Zheng raised his prestige."We - the First Emperor, and our descendants will be known as the Second Emperor, Third Emperor, and so on in an endless succession of generations," - he said grandly.Medieval historiography in China and called "the imperial era."
During his reign Qin Shi Huang continued to expand the empire to the east and south, eventually reaching the borders of Vietnam.The vast empire was divided into thirty-six chun (military districts), which co-operated civilian governors and military commanders, control each other.This system served as a model for all dynastic governments in China until the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.
first emperor not only united the medieval China.He reformed the Chinese writing system, approving its new form as the official writing system (many historians believe that this is the most important reform of all), a standardized system of weights and measures throughout the country.This is an important condition for strengthening the internal trade united kingdoms, each of which had its own standards.During the period of the rule of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), many schools of thought, whose teachings in this or that extent contrary to the imperial ideology, were outlawed.In 213 BC, all the works containing such ideas, including the work of Confucius, were burned except for copies that were kept in the Imperial Library.Many researchers agree with the statement that it was during the reign of the Qing Dynasty came the name of the empire - China.
Things that period are known worldwide.In the course of archaeological excavations at the burial site of the first Chinese emperor (near Xi'an), started in 1974, revealed more than six thousand terracotta figures (warriors, horses).They represented a vast army that guarded the tomb of Qin Shi Huang.The Terracotta Army was one of the greatest and most exciting archaeological discoveries in China.In historical records the burial of the emperor was described as mikroversiya his empire with constellations painted on the ceiling, flowing rivers, created from mercury.Qin Shi Huang is credited with the creation of the Great Wall of China.In the era of Qin it was built some protective walls on the northern border.
Medieval China began to decline with the expansion of European trade in opium, which was the cause of destabilization in society and led eventually to the Opium War (1840-1842; 1856-1860).
