<P> Qin Shi Huang ( Chinese : 秦始皇 ; literally : `` First Emperor of Qin '' , pronunciation ( help info ) ; 18 February 259 BC -- 10 September 210 BC ) was the founder of the Qin dynasty and was the first emperor of a unified China . He was born Ying Zheng ( 嬴 政 ) or Zhao Zheng ( 趙 政 ) , a prince of the state of Qin . He became Zheng , the King of Qin ( 秦王 政 ) when he was thirteen , then China 's first emperor when he was 38 after the Qin had conquered all of the other Warring States and unified all of China in 221 BC . Rather than maintain the title of `` king '' ( 王 wáng ) borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers , he ruled as the First Emperor ( 始皇帝 ) of the Qin dynasty from 220 to 210 BC . His self - invented title `` emperor '' ( 皇帝 huángdì ) , as indicated by his use of the word `` First '' , would continue to be borne by Chinese rulers for the next two millennia . </P>
<P> Qin Shi Huang ( Chinese : 秦始皇 ; literally : `` First Emperor of Qin '' , pronunciation ( help info ) ; 18 February 259 BC -- 10 September 210 BC ) was the founder of the Qin dynasty and was the first emperor of a unified China . He was born Ying Zheng ( 嬴 政 ) or Zhao Zheng ( 趙 政 ) , a prince of the state of Qin . He became Zheng , the King of Qin ( 秦王 政 ) when he was thirteen , then China 's first emperor when he was 38 after the Qin had conquered all of the other Warring States and unified all of China in 221 BC . Rather than maintain the title of `` king '' ( 王 wáng ) borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers , he ruled as the First Emperor ( 始皇帝 ) of the Qin dynasty from 220 to 210 BC . His self - invented title `` emperor '' ( 皇帝 huángdì ) , as indicated by his use of the word `` First '' , would continue to be borne by Chinese rulers for the next two millennia . </P>
who was the first emperor of ancient china
who was the first emperor of ancient china
Qin Shi Huang
Qin Shi Huang