A Monarch’s Midnight Epiphany The scene was striking: the young King Zheng of Qin, later to become the First Emperor, […]
The Desperate Gambit of a Declining Kingdom In the waning years of the Warring States period, the small state of […]
The Crumbling Kingdom of Han In the waning years of the Warring States period, the once-formidable state of Han had […]
The Historical Backdrop: Qin’s Ascent Under King Zheng In the autumn of 231 BCE, during the 16th year of King […]
The Historical Context of Qin’s Spring Decree In the waning days of the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), the state […]
The Origins of Qin’s New Year Celebrations In the ancient legends of China, “Nian” was a fearsome man-eating beast that […]
The Arrival of a Visionary On a snow-laden night in ancient Qin, a heavy-curtained carriage rumbled through Changyang Street toward […]
A Mysterious Carriage in the Night In the sparse lantern lights of Xianyang, a curtained carriage sped through the eastern […]
The Strategic Chessboard of the Warring States In the turbulent final century of China’s Warring States period (475–221 BCE), the […]
The Weight of a Young King’s Gaze The massive stone pillar stood in the eastern annex of the Qin palace, […]
A Statesman’s Anxieties in the Snow The first heavy snow of winter swirled outside the carriage curtains as Li Si, […]
The Weight of a Moonlit Meeting In the dead of night, General Meng Tian was roused by a servant with […]
The Sweltering Court of Qin In the oppressive heat of a Qin summer, the royal palace of Xianyang was anything […]
The Fateful Mission of a Master Engineer Zheng Guo awoke to unfamiliar luxury – the expansive bronze bed, the cool […]
The Birth of a Megaproject: Qin’s Desperate Need for Water In 246 BCE, the young King Ying Zheng of Qin […]
The Drought Crisis and the Birth of a Megaproject In the late spring of 3rd century BCE, the fertile plains […]
The Drought Crisis That Shook Ancient China In the spring of 239 BCE, the Qin state faced an existential threat. […]
The Spring That Never Came In the heart of the Warring States period, the Qin people had long revered the […]
A Kingdom on the Brink The year was marked by an unprecedented drought—one that stretched across seasons, withering crops and […]
A Kingdom in Crisis: The Historical Backdrop In the turbulent final years of the Warring States period, the Qin state […]
The Drought That Shook a Kingdom In the late summer of 237 BCE, an extraordinary scene unfolded across the Guanzhong […]
The Gathering Storm at Hangu Pass As the crimson sunset bathed Hangu Pass in fiery hues, the fortress echoed with […]
