Qin Shi Huang
Born in Handan, he unified China in 221 BC, created a system of commanderies and standardised writing, weights and coinage; the Terracotta Army guards his tomb.
| Lived | 259 BC – 210 BC |
| Known as | First Emperor of China |
| Birthplace or main place | Handan |
| Places on the map | Xi'an |
HandanSee the world of Qin Shi Huang in the interactive map
Who ruled these places in his lifetime
| Place | At birth (map of 300 BC) | At death (map of 300 BC) |
|---|---|---|
| Handan | Zhou states | same |
| Xi'an | Qin | same |
From the border maps nearest to each date; borders are approximate.
Events in his lifetime
| Year | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 221 BC | Qin unifies China, with its capital at Xianyang just northwest of today's city | Xi'an |
Further reading
Contemporaries
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| c. 287 BC – 212 BC | Archimedes | Mathematician and inventor |
| 256 BC – 195 BC | Liu Bang (Emperor Gaozu of Han) | Founder of the Han dynasty |
| c. 247 BC – 183 BC | Hannibal | Carthaginian general |
| c. 304 BC – 232 BC | Ashoka | Maurya emperor |
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.