The Ambitious Rise of a Shadow Emperor

In the waning days of the Qin Dynasty, as rebellion raged in Hebei, Zhao Gao—once a trusted advisor to the First Emperor—saw his chance to seize ultimate power. After orchestrating the assassination of Emperor Hu Hai, he eliminated all opposition within the imperial court. Upon entering the Xianyang Palace, he was met with groveling sycophants; dissent had been utterly silenced. Such was his dominance that even if he declared the sun to be the moon, his followers would eagerly agree.

Flushed with this unprecedented authority—greater even than what the First Emperor had wielded—Zhao Gao saw no reason why he should not claim the throne for himself. During a celebratory banquet following Hu Hai’s death, he hinted at his imperial ambitions, and his loyalists, including Yan Le and Zhao Cheng, erupted in cheers of “Long live the Emperor!” Delighted, Zhao Gao immediately “appointed” Zhao Cheng as chancellor and Yan Le as grand general, promising further appointments upon his formal ascension.

The Ominous Prelude to a Failed Coronation

At the fourth watch of the night, Zhao Gao departed the banquet to perform ceremonial purification rites at the ancestral temple. Yet as he boarded the imperial chariot—a vehicle he had driven for decades—he was struck by inexplicable discomfort. His bones ached, the plush seating felt like iron spikes, and a fit of sneezing left his face streaked with tears. By the time he reached the temple, his legs had gone numb. Though he dismissed the incident, the unease lingered.

Three days later, his coronation descended into chaos. As he ascended the grand staircase of the palace, the solid steps seemed to vanish beneath him. Twice he stumbled, and on the third attempt, the ground itself appeared to split open. A sudden gust of wind snatched the imperial seal from his hands, and he collapsed, bloodied and humiliated. The terrified courtiers watched in stunned silence as the seal vanished before their eyes.

This bizarre episode, recorded in Records of the Grand Historian, remains one of history’s great unsolved mysteries. Was it divine intervention, psychological collapse, or a political conspiracy? Whatever the cause, it marked the beginning of Zhao Gao’s downfall.

The Reluctant Puppet: Ziying’s Rise

With his imperial ambitions thwarted, Zhao Gao turned to a safer option: installing a puppet ruler. The only viable candidate was Ziying, a surviving relative of the First Emperor. Though Ziying had previously opposed Zhao Gao’s policies, he was now the last remaining adult male of the Qin bloodline.

Ziying, however, proved less pliant than expected. When ordered to undergo a three-day purification ritual before his coronation, he demanded six days, threatening to refuse the throne otherwise. Zhao Gao, weary and sensing the futility of resistance, relented. His grip on power was slipping, and the rebellions led by Xiang Yu and Liu Bang loomed ever closer.

The Collapse of an Empire

Zhao Gao’s failure to consolidate power hastened the Qin Dynasty’s demise. With no capable military to defend against the advancing rebel forces, the empire crumbled. Ziying’s brief reign ended in surrender, and Zhao Gao himself was soon killed in the ensuing chaos. His legacy became a cautionary tale of overreach and the fragility of tyranny.

Cultural and Historical Legacy

Zhao Gao’s story endures as a symbol of unchecked ambition and the dangers of court intrigue. His infamous “pointing at a deer and calling it a horse” (zhi lu wei ma) became a proverb for blatant deceit. Modern historians debate whether his supernatural misfortunes were literary embellishments or reflections of deep-seated fears about usurpation.

The Qin Dynasty’s fall also raises questions about centralized power. Could even the most ruthless autocracy survive without legitimacy? Zhao Gao’s inability to claim the throne, despite his control, suggests that authority requires more than mere force—it demands belief.

Conclusion: A Lesson in Power’s Illusions

Zhao Gao’s near-ascension and abrupt fall reveal the precarious nature of political dominance. His story, straddling history and legend, reminds us that power, no matter how absolute, is often an illusion—one that can vanish as suddenly as an imperial seal in the wind.