The Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) was the first dynasty of Imperial China (defined as the era of centralized, dynastic government in China between 221 BCE and 1912 CE) which united the separate states following the Warring States Period (c. 481-221 BCE), the era of near-constant warfare resulting from the decline of the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE). It was founded by Shi Huangdi (r. 221-210 BCE) who understood that the Zhou’s policy of a decentralized government had contributed to its fall and so established a centralized state which decreased the power of the aristocracy, eliminated the borders between different states, and operated according to the precepts of the philosophy of Legalism. It arose from the state of Qin (pronounced “chin”) which gave its name to China as it was the westernmost state and so the one which western merchants primarily engaged with.
