History & Society
Qin dynasty
China [221–207 bce]
Also known as: Ch’in dynasty, Kin dynasty
Category:
History & Society
- Qin also spelled:
- Kin or
- (Wade-Giles romanization):
- Ch’in
Qin dynasty, dynasty that established the first great Chinese empire. The Qin—which lasted only from 221 to 207 bce but from which the name China is derived—established the approximate boundaries and basic administrative system that all subsequent Chinese dynasties were to follow for the next two millennia. The dynasty was originated by the state of Qin, one of the many small feudal states into which China was divided between 771 and 221 bce. The Qin, which occupied the strategic Wei River valley in the extreme northwestern area of the country, was one of the least Sinicized of those small states ...(100 of 507 words)