exchanges. He is also traditionally, if erroneously, credited with having invented the "Ink brush" (毛筆) and is specially remembered at the "Huzhou Pen Festival", which developed from festivities at his ancestor temple. Meng Tian is also credited with inventing the guzheng (筝), a bridge zither with twelve or thirteen strings. When Fusu, Qin Shi Huang's eldest son and the crown prince, was exiled to work at the northern border for disputing his father's policies, Meng Tian was ordered to assist the prince — a task he had accomplished loyally. When Qin Shi Huang died, Meng Tian's death was caused by Zhao Gao who forged a letter from Qin Shi Huang. He was forced to commit suicide in prison, and his family was killed. Three years after his death, the Qin dynasty collapsed. In popular culture and legacy Meng Tian sometimes appears as a door god in Chinese and Taoist temples, usually paired with Fusu. He is one of the 32 historical figures who appear as special characters in the video game Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI by Koei. He also appears as a non-playable character in Prince of Qin. In the manga series Kingdom, Meng Tian is known as "Mou Ten", a Qin General and the eldest son of Great General Mou Bu (Meng Wu). He looks different from his father and his younger brother Mou Ki. He has a feminine appearance, with shoulder length black orange hair and a pink robe over his armor. He usually leads his forces alongside Wang Ben/Ou Hon and Li Xin/Ri Shin, but his tactical expertise is higher and better known due to him being a graduate of the Strategist Academy and the top student under Lord Changping's school. He acts as a referee or peacekeeper for Wang Ben/Ou Hon and Li Xin/Shin, who are shown to despise each other and argue constantly in the series. See also Huzhou ink brush, first developed by Meng Tian. References Citations Bibliography Watson, Burton. (1993). Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian. Translated by Burton Watson. Revised Edition. Columbia University Press. . External links Beck, S. China, Korea & Japan to 1875, World Peace Communications. . 210 BC deaths Chinese ink brush Chinese inventors Deified Chinese people Great Wall of China Identity theft victims Qin dynasty generals Year of birth unknown