View source for Qin Er Shi

{{Short description|Emperor of China from 210 to 207 BC}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Qin Er Shi<br/>{{langn|zh|秦二世}}
| family_name = [[Yíng (Chinese surname)|Ying]] ({{lang|zh|嬴}})
| given_name = Huhai ({{lang|zh|胡亥}})
| image = Qin Er Shi.png
| image_size = 150px
| caption = Imaginary portrait at the [[Mausoleum of Qin Er Shi Site Museum]]
| succession = [[Qin dynasty#Sovereigns|Emperor of the Qin dynasty]]
| reign = 210 – October 207&nbsp;BC
| predecessor = [[Qin Shi Huang]]
| successor = {{ubl|[[Ziying of Qin|Ziying]] (as king of Qin)}}
| birth_date = 229 BC{{sfn|Loewe|2000|p=652}}
| death_date = October 207 BC (aged 22)
| father = [[Qin Shi Huang]]
| regnal name = Er Shi Huangdi ({{lang|zh|二世皇帝}})
| house = Ying
| dynasty = [[Qin dynasty|Qin]]
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| title = Qin Er Shi
| l = [[Qin dynasty|Qin]] second generation
| c = 秦二世
| p = Qín Èrshì
| w = {{tone superscript|Ch'in2 Erh4-shih4}}
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|q|in|2|-|er|4|.|shi|4}}
| bpmf = ㄑㄧㄣˊ ㄦˋ ㄕˋ
| j = ceon4 ji6 sai3
| y = Chèuhn Yihsai
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|c|eon|4|-|j|i|6|.|s|ai|3}}
| altname = Huhai
| c2 = 胡亥
| p2 = Húhài
| w2 = {{tone superscript|Hu2-hai4}}
| mi2 = {{IPAc-cmn|h|u|2|.|h|ai|4}}
| bpmf2 = ㄏㄨˊ ㄏㄞˋ
| y2 = Wùhhoih
| j2 = wu4 hoi6
| ci2 = {{IPAc-yue|w|u|4|.|h|oi|6}}
| oc-bs2 = *Ga-gə′
}}

'''Qin Er Shi''' (229{{snd}}207&nbsp;BC<ref>Vol.8 of ''Zizhi Tongjian'' indicate that [[Zhao Gao]] intended to make [[Ziying of Qin|Ziying]] emperor in the 9th month of the 3rd year of Huhai's reign. The month corresponds to 16 Oct to 13 Nov 207 BCE in the proleptic Julian calendar. Since Huhai committed suicide just before this event, his death date should be in {{circa|October}} 207&nbsp;BCE.</ref>), [[Chinese given name|given name]] '''Ying Huhai''', was the second [[Emperor of China|emperor]] of the Chinese [[Qin dynasty]], reigning from 210 to 207&nbsp;BC. The son of [[Qin Shi Huang]], he was put on the throne by [[Li Si]] and [[Zhao Gao]], circumventing his brother [[Fusu]], who had been the [[designated heir]]. Upon Huhai's ascension, both Fusu and the popular general [[Meng Tian]] were killed on the orders of Li and Zhao, with Qin Er Shi's role in the assassinations remaining uncertain and controversial. A weak ruler, Qin Er Shi's reign was completely dominated by Zhao Gao, who eventually forced him to commit suicide.{{sfn|Loewe|2004|p=575}}{{sfn|Loewe|2000|pp=652–653}} By the time of his death, the Qin Empire's power had lessened so much that his successor [[Ziying of Qin|Ziying]] ruled as a king, not emperor.{{sfn|Xiong|Hammond|2019|p=23}}

==Early life==
'''Huhai''' ({{lang-zh|t=胡亥}}) was the [[Chinese personal names|personal name]] of the Second Emperor. Its [[Old Chinese]] pronunciation has been [[phonology of Old Chinese|reconstructed]] as {{Transliteration|och|Ga-gə′}}.<ref name=baxsag>Baxter, William & al. "[http://crlao.ehess.fr/docannexe.php?id=1207 Baxter&ndash;Sagart Old Chinese Reconstruction] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425064509/http://crlao.ehess.fr/docannexe.php?id=1207 |date=April 25, 2012 }}", pp. 49&ndash;50. 2011.</ref> Although his parentage was questioned by many historians including [[Sima Qian]],<ref name="RGH">Records of the Grand Historian: Qin Dynasty in English translated. [1996] (1996). Sima, Qian. Burton Watson as translator. Edition: 3, reissue, revised. Columbia. University Press. {{ISBN|0-231-08169-3}}, {{ISBN|978-0-231-08169-6}}. p. 35.</ref> they accepted Qin Er Shi as a member of the [[state of Qin]]'s [[House of Ying]]. Huhai is the eighteenth son of [[Qin Shi Huang]]. As the youngest son, he was doted on by his father. It is not clear who his mother was, although most likely she was "The Hu (barbarian) princess" Hu Ji ({{lang|zh|胡姬}}). Although he is sometimes known as "Ying Huhai" according to the practice of modern [[Chinese name]]s, the ancient custom was not to combine the names in this way: his personal name never appears in combination with Ying, Zhao, or Qin.<ref name="shijichapter6">[http://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E5%8F%B2%E8%A8%98/%E5%8D%B7006&variant=zh-hant Wikisource. ''Records of the Grand Historian'', Chapter 6]. {{in lang|zh}}</ref><ref name="shijichapter7">[http://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E5%8F%B2%E8%A8%98/%E5%8D%B7007&variant=zh-cn Wikisource. ''Records of the Grand Historian'', Chapter 7]. {{in lang|zh}}</ref> From an early age, Huhai was apprenticed to the minister [[Zhao Gao]] to learn Legalism, by the decree of Qin Shi Huang. There is a possibility that Hu Ji was a princess from the Greco-Bactrian [[Euthydemid dynasty]] offered to [[Ying Zheng]] as an alliance gift from neighboring Gansu in 230 BC.<ref>Lucas Christopoulos; Dionysian rituals and the Golden Zeus of China http://www.sino-platonic.org/complete/spp326_dionysian_rituals_china.pdf pp.68-113</ref>

==Ascension to throne==
[[Qin Shi Huang]] died during one of his tours of eastern China in the summer of 210&nbsp;BC at the palace in Shaqiu.<ref name="Firsteselect">[[Sima Qian]]. Dawson, Raymond Stanley; Brashier, K. E., eds. (2007). ''The First Emperor: Selections from the Historical Records''. Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|978-0-19-922634-4}}. pp. 81–3. "In the seventh month on bingyin the First Emperor passed away at Pingtai in Shaqiu... Prince Huhai succeeded to the throne and became Second Generation Emperor. In the ninth month the First Emperor was buried at Mount Li."</ref><ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20060326120548/http://big5.xinhuanet.com/gate/big5/news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2005-03/20/content_2719803.htm 中國考古簡訊：秦始皇去世地沙丘平臺遺跡尚存]". Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved on 28 January 2009.</ref> The announcement of his death was withheld until the entourage, which was accompanied by Premier Li Si and the imperial court, returned to the capital, [[Xianyang]], two months later.<ref name="Firsteselect" /> Nevertheless, Huhai and [[Zhao Gao]] were aware of Qin Shi Huang's death and began plotting an internal intrigue.

The eldest son [[Fusu]] was supposed to be elected as the next emperor.<ref name="Tung">Tung, Douglas S. Tung, Kenneth. [2003] (2003). More Than 36 Stratagems: A Systematic Classification Based On Basic Behaviours. Trafford Publishing. {{ISBN|1-4120-0674-0}}, {{ISBN|978-1-4120-0674-3}}.</ref> However, [[Li Si]] and the chief eunuch Zhao Gao conspired to kill Fusu to get rid of [[Meng Tian]], Fusu's favourite general and their court rival.<ref name="Tung" /> They were afraid that if Fusu were enthroned, they would lose their power.<ref name="Tung" /> Li Si and Zhao Gao forged a fake edict by Qin Shi Huang ordering both Fusu and Meng to commit suicide.<ref name="Tung" /> Their plan worked, and the younger son, Huhai, acceded the throne to become the second emperor, later known as Qin Er Shi.<ref name="Firsteselect" /> However, recent findings of bamboo strips dating from the time of the intrigue note that Huhai was elected and killed his brother.<ref>(丞相臣斯、御史臣去疾昧死頓首言曰：「今道遠而詔期羣臣，恐大臣之有謀，請立子胡亥爲代後。」王曰：「可。」王死而胡亥立，即殺其兄扶蘇、中尉恬。) [https://zh.m.wikisource.org/zh-hant/%E8%B6%99%E6%AD%A3%E6%9B%B8 Wikisource. ''趙正書'']</ref> That would indicate that the fake edict, in the case of Fusu, was an imperial cover story.

==Second Emperor of Qin==
[[File:BronzePlaque-EdictOfSecondEmperor-Qin-ROM-May8-08.png|thumb|An edict in bronze from the reign of the second Qin Emperor]]
In the first year of his reign in 210&nbsp;BC, Huhai was made the second emperor of Qin at the age of 19.<ref name="autogenerated1">Records of the Grand Historian: Qin Dynasty in English translated. [1996] (1996). Ssu-Ma, Ch'ien. Sima, Qian. Burton Watson as translator. Edition: 3, reissue, revised. Columbia. University Press. {{ISBN|0-231-08169-3}}, {{ISBN|978-0-231-08169-6}}. pp. 64–70.</ref> His [[regnal name]] Qin Er Shi means 'second generation of the Qin', and is a contraction of Qin Er Shi Huangdi ({{nowrap|{{lang|zh|秦二世皇帝}}}}). The name followed the nomenclature established by the First Emperor, who envisioned an empire that would last for ten thousand generations and for his successors to bear the aspiration in their reign names. The practice ended abruptly with the third emperor, [[Ziying of Qin|Ziying]], when the Qin dynasty was overturned by [[state of Chu|Chu]] and Han.

Qin Er Shi depended on the eunuch [[Zhao Gao]] so much so that he acted as a [[puppet emperor]], with the eunuch as puppeteer.<ref name="Sct">Theodore De Bary, William. Bloom, Irene. Chan, Wing-tsit. Adler, Joseph. Lufrano, John Richard. [2000] (2000). Sources of Chinese Tradition: From Earliest Times to 1600. Edition: 2, illustrated. Columbia University Press. {{ISBN|0-231-10939-3}}, {{ISBN|978-0-231-10939-0}}.</ref> [[Zhao Gao]] was made the Qin prime minister during Qin Er Shi's reign, which was cruel and brought much suffering to the people{{tone inline|date=December 2021}}. From his reign onwards, the Qin dynasty declined.

After one of the tours, Zhao Gao suggested for him to examine the governors and military commandants and to punish those guilty of some crime. That way, he could do away with those who disapproved of the emperor's actions.<ref name="RGH" /> Six imperial princes were killed at Tu (杜).<ref name="RGH" /> The emperor then further punished people for petty crimes. The emperor's brother Jianglu ({{lang|zh|將閭}}) and two other brothers were imprisoned. A messenger was then sent to read them a death sentence. Jianglu looked to the heavens and cried out loud three times that he did not commit any crime.<ref name="RGH" /><ref name="shijichapter6"/> All three brothers cried and drew their own swords to commit suicide.<ref name="RGH" /> Zhao Gao said that the second emperor was young and that as the [[Son of Heaven]], his own voice must never be heard, and his face must never be shown. Accordingly, the emperor remained in the inner palaces and consulted only with Zhao Gao. Therefore, the high ministers rarely had the opportunity to see the emperor in court.<ref name="RGH" />

===Revolts===
Bandits and brigands grew in numbers from different directions to attack the Qin. Military leaders such as [[Chen Sheng]] delegitimized the rule of Qin Er Shi by claiming Fusu should have been made ruler.<ref name="LiangY">Liang, Yuansheng. [2007] (2007). The Legitimation of New Orders: Case Studies in World History. Chinese University Press. {{ISBN|962-996-239-X}}, 9789629962395. p. 7.</ref> One of the immediate revolts was the [[Dazexiang Uprising]] in 209.<ref name=autogenerated2>Liang, Yuansheng. [2007] (2007). The Legitimation of New Orders: Case Studies in World History. Chinese University Press. {{ISBN|962-996-239-X}}, 9789629962395. p. 5.</ref> The rebellion occurred in the territory that was formerly [[Chu (state)|Chu state]] and claimed to be restoring Chu's greatness.<ref name="SWill">Sima, Qian. Nienhauser, William H. [1994] (1994). The Grand Scribe's Records. Indiana University Press. {{ISBN|0-253-34021-7}}, {{ISBN|978-0-253-34021-4}}. pp. 158–160.</ref>

Overall, Qin Er Shi was not able to contend with nationwide rebellions. He was not as capable as his father, and many revolts against him quickly erupted. His reign was a time of extreme civil unrest, and everything the First Emperor had worked for crumbled away within a short period.<ref name="Haw">Haw, Stephen G. [2007] (2007). Beijing a Concise History. Routledge. {{ISBN|978-0-415-39906-7}}. pp. 22–23.</ref> Later, an envoy reported about the rebellion in court. The emperor was enraged, and the envoy was punished.<ref name="RGH" /> Then, all other envoys reporting about uprisings would say that the bandits were being pursued and captured. Without any need to worry, the emperor was pleased.<ref name="RGH" />

===Death of allies===
The bandits and brigands continued to grow in numbers. The chancellor [[Feng Quqi]], [[Li Si]] and the general [[Feng Jie]] came forward to complain that the Qin military could not hold off the increasing number of revolts.<ref name="RGH" /> They suggested for the construction of [[Epang Palace]] to be suspended lest the burden of tax should be too heavy.<ref name="RGH" /> The emperor then questioned their loyalty.<ref name="RGH" /> All three of them were handed over to law officials, who subjected them to examinations to see if they were guilty of other crimes. Feng Quqi and Feng Jie committed suicide to avoid enduring disgrace.<ref name="RGH" /> Li Si was put in prison, and then killed via [[The Five Pains]] punishment.<ref name="RGH" /><ref name="SWill" /> Zhao Gao continued to push the emperor to find associates with loyalty and to punish those who showed disloyalty with more severe penalties. [[Meng Yi]] and other chief ministers were executed. Twelve of the princes were executed in a marketplace in [[Xianyang]]. Ten princesses in Du were executed and their bodies were torn apart.<ref>Records of the Grand Historian: Qin Dynasty in English translated. [1996] (1996). Ssu-Ma, Ch'ien. Sima, Qian. Burton Watson as translator. Edition: 3, reissue, revised. Columbia. University Press. {{ISBN|0-231-08169-3}}, {{ISBN|978-0-231-08169-6}}. p. 192.</ref>

===Horse and deer test===
On 27 September 207&nbsp;BC, the eunuch [[Zhao Gao]] tested his power against the emperor's. He presented a deer to the Second Emperor but called it a horse.<ref name="RGH" /><ref name="CHC">{{The Cambridge History of China | volume=1|page=84}}</ref> The emperor laughed and said, "Is the chancellor perhaps mistaken, calling a deer a horse?"<ref name="RGH" /> He questioned those around him. Some remained silent, and some aligned with Zhao Gao and called it a horse. Zhao Gao executed every official who had called it a deer.<ref name="RGH" /> This incident provides the modern Chinese ''[[chengyu]]'' "point to a deer and call it a horse" ({{lang|zh|指鹿為馬}} {{Transliteration|zh|zhǐlù wéimǎ}}).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Koon |first1=Wee Kek |title=The Hong Kong government has been accused of 'calling a deer a horse' – but where did the expression originate? |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3082342/hong-kong-government-has-been-accused-calling |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=South China Morning Post |date=4 May 2020}}</ref>

==Dynastic collapse==
{{main|History of the Han Dynasty#Collapse of Qin}}
Although Qin managed to suppress most of the nationwide rebellions, they still caused serious damage. Qin's manpower and supplies were greatly reduced. Qin was decisively defeated at the [[Battle of Julu]]. Court plots led [[Zhang Han (Qin dynasty)|Zhang Han]] to surrender along with his soldiers, which later led to the live burial of 200,000 Qin troops. In total, Qin lost over 300,000 men. Even then, Qin Er Shi failed to grasp the severity of the defeat, erroneously thinking that Qin had many more spare troops due to courtiers hiding the truth to him in fear of execution. Finally, a daring and loyal eunuch told Qin Er Shi the truth. Shocked, Qin Er Shi tried to capture Zhao Gao and to hold him responsible.

Zhao Gao, however, had expected that Qin Er Shi would ask him to take the blame. Therefore, Zhao Gao conspired with his loyal soldiers to force the emperor to commit suicide. Surrounded and with no means of escape, Qin Er Shi asked the loyal eunuch why he had not told the truth earlier. The eunuch replied that it was Qin Er Shi himself who had decided to execute anyone who would tell him the truth.

In 207&nbsp;BC, the Qin dynasty collapsed only fifteen years after it had been established.<ref name="Sct" /> [[Ziying of Qin]], allegedly a son of Fusu—there is no consensus as to his actual relationship to the house of Qin—was made "king of Qin state", a reduced title. Ziying soon killed Zhao Gao and surrendered to [[Liu Bang]] one year later.

==Death and burial==
[[File:Huhai Tomb.JPG|thumb|Tomb of Qin Er Shi]]
Qin Er Shi reigned only for three years and was forced to commit suicide eventually by Zhao Gao at the age of 22. Qin Er Shi was condemned by Zhao Gao after his death and was denied a royal burial. He was buried in modern [[Xi'an]], near the Wild Goose Pagoda. Compared to his father, his tomb is much less elaborate and does not have a [[Terracotta Army]]. Qin Er Shi did not have a [[temple name]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last=Loewe |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Loewe |year=2000 |title=A Biographical Dictionary of the Qin, Former Han and Xin Periods (221 BC - AD 24) |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden |isbn=978-90-04-10364-1 }}
* {{cite book |last=Loewe |first=Michael |year=2004 |title=The Men Who Governed Han China: Companion to a Biographical Dictionary of the Qin, Former Han and Xin Periods |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden |isbn=978-90-04-13845-2 }}
* {{cite book |last1=Xiong |first1=Victor Cunrui |last2=Hammond |first2=Kenneth J. |author-link2=Ken Hammond (historian) |year=2019 |title=Routledge Handbook of Imperial Chinese History |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-0-367-58051-3 |url={{google books|plainurl=y|id=cmNwDwAAQBAJ}}}}

==External links==
* [http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Han/personsqinershihuang.html Qin Er Shi] at [[Chinaknowledge]]
* {{Commons category-inline|Qin Er Shi}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[Qin dynasty|House of Ying]]||229 BC||207 BC}}
{{s-reg}}
{{s-bef
| before = [[Qin Shi Huang]]
}}
{{s-ttl
| title = [[Emperor of China]]
| years = 210–207 BC
| dynasty = [[Qin dynasty]]
}}
{{s-aft
| after = [[Ziying of Qin|Qin San Shi]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Monarchs of Qin}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|China|History}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Qin, Er Shi}}
[[Category:229 BC births]]
[[Category:207 BC deaths]]
[[Category:Qin dynasty emperors]]
[[Category:Heads of state who died by suicide]]
[[Category:Suicides in the Qin dynasty]]
[[Category:Forced suicides of Chinese people]]
[[Category:3rd-century BC Chinese monarchs]]
[[Category:People executed by the Qin dynasty]]
[[Category:Murdered emperors of China]]
[[Category:Qin Shi Huang]]
[[Category:Royalty who died by suicide]]
[[Category:Male suicides]]