In 221 BC, Ying Zheng, first emperor of the Qin Dynasty, put an
end to the 250-odd years of rivalry among the independent
principalities during the Warring States Period, and established
the first centralized, unified, multi-ethnic feudal state in
Chinese history - the Qin Dynasty (221-207 BC). He was called Qin
Shi Huang or "First Emperor of Qin." He standardized the written
script, weights and measures, and currency, and established the
system of prefectures and counties. The sovereigns of the next
2,000-odd years followed the feudal governmental structure
established by him. He mobilized more than 300,000 people over a
period of a dozen years to build the Great Wall, which stretches
for 5,000 km across northern China. Qin Shi Huang had the work on
his enormous mausoleum started early in his reign. The terracotta
warriors and horses of the "underground army" guarding the
mausoleum, unearthed in 1974, amazed the world. The 8,000 vivid,
life-sized pottery figures, horses and chariots have been called
the "Eighth Wonder of the World."