one
Different classes have different evaluation criteria for historical tasks. Qin Shihuang was the founding emperor of the Qin Dynasty, and there were different opinions about the merits and demerits of Qin Shihuang's life. Some people think that he is "overjoyed" and "cruel and heartless", while others think that "today, your majesty raises troops, punishes thieves, pacifies the world, and the sea is a county, and the law and discipline are unified, which has never been seen since ancient times, and the five emperors are behind" (Historical Records of Qin Shihuang) Marxist historiography is guided by materialism and sets a correct standard for evaluating historical figures. Simply put, it is to evaluate the historical position of historical figures by their role in social and historical development.
First of all, the chaotic situation of the separatist regime in the Warring States period brought serious disasters to the broad masses of the people, and also seriously hindered the further development of the emerging feudal economy and culture. The root of this situation is just as Qin Shihuang said: "The world is constantly arguing for princes." (Historical Records of Qin Shihuang's Biography) Therefore, the elimination of feudal regime and reunification have become urgent requirements for the development of people and social economy and culture, and the task of realizing reunification has fallen on Qin Shihuang.
Secondly, Qin Shihuang represented the emerging landlord class and met the requirements of historical development. From the annihilation of Korea in 230 BC to the annihilation of Qi in 22 1 BC, after ten years of annexation war, the King of Qin finally annihilated six countries and unified the world. Although the long-term war cost the people a lot, it conformed to the development of society and promoted the progress of history. The King of Qin wiped out the six kingdoms ruled by separatist regimes and established the first unified centralized state in the history of China.
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Great historical figures have contributed to the progress of history, but they also inevitably made mistakes:
First, build more palaces. According to Records of the First Qin Emperor, he imitated the palace architecture of the Six Kingdoms in Xianyang, and built Epang Palace with "300 officials inside the customs and more than 400 outside". The Epang Palace written by Du Mu in the Tang Dynasty is magnificent in scale. Shao Bo once saw its former site in the Song Dynasty. He felt that after seeing Epang Palace, Han's "lack of knowledge and rules".
Second, ask for fairy medicine and believe in witches. Qin Shihuang was greedy for power. He wants to be succeeded by II and III, but he is reluctant to lose his position and wants to live forever. He sent people to the East China Sea for elixir many times, so that he was cheated. As long as you can live forever, even if II III can't inherit the throne, so be it.
Third, burn books to bury Confucianism. This is a misdeed condemned by all previous dynasties. Its means are really too vicious, which has caused the bad luck of a generation of literati. Burning books is Reese's suggestion.
Li Si is a person who has no integrity. "A Yi is prosperous and benefits Luji" (On the East Garden, Volume 2).
He took a fancy to the autocratic character of the first emperor and fell in love with it. The first emperor "made suggestions, asked students about the case, and students told each other, but since more than 460 people broke the ban, they were all in Xianyang, making the world know and punish them." This is the inevitable result of arbitrary and suspicious personality.
Fourth, improper employment. This is an important part of his career failure. In On Qin Politics, Mr. Zhang Taiyan thinks that "Qin Huang is a little weak and lives alone in Afang. On the contrary, he gave the witches 3000 children and men, and he broke his promise and tried his best to tell people that there was nothing wrong. " This missed an important link, and Wang Fuzhi noticed this problem. He said: "Qin Shihuang should have short hands, but it is better than not knowing people." It's not that you don't observe, it's just that you admire. Shangzhou to master Zhao, although the Lord is not enough to survive, the situation is Hu Hai. "In fact, this is not only a good compliment, but mainly a suspicious excuse. After Liao Wei left, Meng Tian stayed in the north for a long time, and Prince Fu Cha was also driven away by him. Zhao Gao, an ugly man, was saved by sin, so he entrusted him with an important task and stayed with him. Reese is an indecisive element, aiming at protecting officials and positions, and has no sense of responsibility for the country. As a result, the success of the dune plot, the invasion of Hu Hai, and the imperial clan and heroes of the Qin Dynasty were all killed one by one, which eventually led to the great demise of the Qin Dynasty.
Fifth, build a mausoleum. After all, Qin Shihuang was still a sober man. Although he tried his best to find the elixir of life, he admitted that he would eventually die. He is not only "extravagant and healthy", but also "generous in service". According to the ancient biography of Yi Shu and Historical Records, when he ascended the throne for the first time, he built a mausoleum, which was built by 700,000 people for 40 years.
three
Although Qin Shihuang thought that "II and III will last forever, they will never be passed down." However, "Qin Shihuang is a human being, and his nature is only violent for his own use ... He wants to follow, thinking that he has never touched himself since ancient times. Full-time prison history, prison history is based on its own roots, ... happy to kill by punishment, the world is afraid of sin and does not dare to be loyal. " "The king of Qin didn't ask for it, but he never changed. Second, it is subject to it, so it will not change, and tyranny will be a serious disaster. " Although the Qin regime perished, the unified multi-ethnic country formed by Qin Shihuang was inherited and developed by later generations and ushered in a new era. "The long-term strategy is to conquer the mainland, and the two countries swallow and the princes kill. The supreme system is enduring, and the world is whipped with a whip, and the prestige is everywhere. Take the land of Baiyue in the south, ... make Meng Tian build the Great Wall in the north and guard the fence, but there are more than 700 people in Attila. "
There are different opinions about the merits and demerits of Qin Shihuang's life. After ten years of annexation war, he ended the chaotic situation of warlordism in the Warring States period and established a unified centralized country. He reformed the country's political system and unified writing, law, transportation and weights and measures. At the same time, Qin Shihuang was also a rare tyrant. He burned books and buried Confucianism, and built Epang Palace and Lishan Tomb. Cruel criminal law, heavy service and taxes have brought great disasters to the general public.