Conquest and the title of emperor
In 221 BCE Qin completed its conquest of the six rival states, and King Zheng adopted the title of emperor. The dynasty is conventionally dated to 221–206 BCE. Long periods of war and reform had already produced administrative and military experience. The court applied this experience across a larger territory, bringing areas previously governed by different states within one empire.
Territorial offices and administrative documents
After the conquests, the court debated whether to grant the newly occupied regions to imperial sons. Li Si advocated commanderies and counties, with rewards from the court for princes and meritorious officials. The First Emperor accepted this advice. The Shiji records an initial division into thirty-six commanderies, with officials responsible for civil government, military affairs and supervision.
Local offices recorded households, grain and labor and used documents to receive orders and report affairs. Imperial bureaucracy organized appointments and collection, while former political centers became parts of territorial government. Successive levels of offices and continuing written exchanges sustained rule over the conquered territory.
Writing and measurement standards
The Shiji records Qin’s integration of rules, weights, measures and writing. Common measurements served administration and resource management, while writing standards gave documents from different regions a more shared form. Standardization worked alongside territorial government, allowing orders, taxation and construction to operate across former state boundaries and reorganizing regional differences.
A short dynasty and lasting institutions
The First Emperor died in 210 BCE. Huhai succeeded as the Second Emperor, and Zhao Gao acquired increasing power at court. Construction, mobilization and harsh government continued to burden local populations. Chen Sheng and Wu Guang rebelled at Dazexiang in 209 BCE. Uprisings spread, and leaders including Xiang Liang and Liu Bang joined the wars against Qin.
Qin ended in 206 BCE, followed by the Chu–Han wars. Han retained commanderies, counties, bureaucracy and administrative documents while changing punishments, obligations and the arrangements for kingdoms. The collapse of Qin rule and the continuation of imperial institutions became intertwined under new rulers.