The Legacy of the Qin Dynasty

The Legacy of the Qin Dynasty The Qin Dynasty, pronounced like chin, emerged in 221 BCE. Qin Shihuang, the king of the Qin state at the time, conquered the many feudal territories vying for influence during the bloody Warring States period. He then united them all under one rule, thus putting an end to the notoriously violent chapter in Chinese history that lasted for 200 years. Qin Shihuang was only 38 years old when he came into power. He created the title Emperor (  Ã§Å¡â€¡Ã¥ ¸ ,  Ã‚  hungdà ¬) for himself, and thus is known as  the first emperor of China. While his dynasty only lasted 15 years, the shortest dynastic rule in Chinese history, the impact of the Qin Emperor on China cannot be understated. Although highly controversial, Qin Dynasty policies were very influential in uniting China and maintaining power. The Qin Emperor was famously obsessed with immortality and even spent years trying to find an elixir to eternal life. Though he ultimately died, it would seem that Qin’s quest to live forever was ultimately granted – his practices and policies were carried into the subsequent Han Dynasty and continue to flourish in present-day China.   Here are just a few remnants of Qin’s legacy.   Central Rule The dynasty adhered to Legalist principles, which is a Chinese philosophy that followed strict compliance with  the rule of law. This belief allowed Qin to rule the population from a centralized power structure and proved to be a very effective way to govern. Such a policy, however, did not allow for dissent. Anyone who protested Qins power was quickly and brutally silenced or killed off.   Written Script   Qin instituted a uniform written language. Before then, different regions in China had different languages, dialects, and writing systems. Imposing a universal written language allowed for better communication and implementation of policies. For example, a singular script allowed scholars to share information with a greater number of people. It also led to the sharing of culture that was previously only experienced by a few. Additionally, a single language allowed later dynasties to communicate with nomadic tribes and pass along information on how to negotiate or fight with them. Roads The construction of roads allowed for greater connections between provinces and major cities. The dynasty also standardized the length of axles in carts so that they could all ride on the newly-built roads. Weights and Measures The dynasty standardized all weights and measures, which led to more efficient commerce. This conversion also allowed subsequent dynasties to develop a taxation system. Coinage In another effort to unify the empire, the Qin Dynasty standardized the Chinese currency. Doing so led to greater commerce across more regions.   The Great Wall The Qin Dynasty was responsible for the construction of the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall marked national boundaries and acted as a defensive infrastructure to protect against invading nomadic tribes from the north. However, later dynasties were more expansionist and built beyond Qin’s original wall. Today, the Great Wall of China is easily one of Chinas most iconic pieces of architecture. Terracotta Warriors   Another architectural feat that draws tourists to China is the enormous tomb in present-day Xian filled with terracotta warriors. This is also a part of Qin Shihuangs legacy. When Qin Shihuang died, he was buried in a tomb accompanied by an army of hundreds of thousands of terracotta soldiers that were supposed to protect him in his afterlife. The tomb was uncovered by farmers  digging for a well in 1974.   Strong Personality One other lasting impact of the Qin Dynasty is the influence of a leader’s personality in China. Qin Shihuang’s relied on his top-down method of ruling, and, on the whole, people conformed to his rule because of the power of his personality. Many subjects followed Qin because he showed them something larger than their local kingdomsa visionary idea of a cohesive nation-state. While this is a very effective way to rule, once the leader dies, so can his dynasty. After Qin Shihuang’s death in 210 BCE, his son, and later his grandson, took power, but both were short-lived. The Qin Dynasty came to a close in 206 BCE, just four years after Qin Shihuang’s death. Almost immediately following his death, the same warring states that he unified sprang up again and China was again under numerous leaders until it was unified under the  Han Dynasty. The Han would last over 400 years, but much of its practices were started in the Qin Dynasty. Similarities in charismatic cult personalities can be seen in subsequent leaders in Chinese history, such as Chairman Mao Zedong. In fact, Mao actually likened himself to Emperor Qin.   Representation in Pop Culture Qin was  popularized in Eastern and Western media in Chinese Director Zhang Yimou’s 2002 film Hero. While some criticized the movie for advocating totalitarianism, movie-goers went to see it in droves. A hit in China and Hong Kong, when it opened to North American audiences in 2004, it was the number one movie and grossed $18 million in its opening weekend – a rarity for a foreign film.

Suppose U Stood Facing A Wall Of Photographs Essays - Photograph

Suppose U Stood Facing A Wall Of Photographs Essays - Photograph Suppose U Stood Facing A Wall Of Photographs Suppose you stood facing a wall of photograph from your unlived life and make the suggestion that the wall will look much better if your accomplishments weren't neglected. A photo of you with love, a photo with you without love, time shifting through memories never lived, yet a remembrance of the forgotten peculiar. The pictures arranged perfectly, and the wall beautifully set, the glassy reflection returning an image and a shadow through daylight you are unaware of. Then would you be determined? Would it come to mind to live your life differently? Seeing yourself in a state of existence is an honor to change what hasn't been done. Suppose the very last photograph hasn't been taken. Would you paint it yourself, telling a story of predictions, or leave it clear of thought, making true the unlived life now left to be boring. Natalie Roman Copyright 2000 Natalie Roman Bibliography Just a little something I decided to write in my creative writing class . No plagiarism remember . Everything is copyrighted here!!! :-)

Aviation in the Global Context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Aviation in the Global Context - Essay Example This papers aims at critically evaluating the challenges and opportunities faced by airport planners today as well as critically accessing the response of airport operators in view of new airline customers and their needs. The evaluation is based on the statement that deregulation and liberalization have resulted in challenges and opportunities for both airlines and airports. Business models and networks continue to evolve. One of the major factors that are notable in the European aviation market according to Button et al, 1998 was the deregulation that was done in three packages that is in 1987, 1990, and 1992. Major aspect that led to deregulation of airline industries across the world was the deregulation of the domestic passenger air transport market in US in 1978. As the result of reducing the level of government regulations, most airline companies benefited from new opportunities that exposed them to increased profits even though there emerged challenges that needed the airline planners to make costly adjustments. Busby et al (1997) indicates that within the European market, significant number of trunk carriers reorganized their networks from point –to point into hub-and-spoke networks. Additionally, in their efforts to connect with other hubs worldwide, direct flights from medium airports to other medium airports were increasingly replaced by indirect flights through a central airport or hub. As the result of deregulation, Airey (2002) depicts that European airlines adopted wave-systems structures or intensified the existing structures. One of the notable challenges is that for the airlines to provide quality services that were in line with the government policies, they needed to intensify their wave-system structures by adding more waves or increasing the quality of the wave-system structure. For example, Air France adopted a six wave system at Paris CDG, which resulted into configuring the airport in a real