Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

Analysis of the Rise and Fall of the Qin Dynasty in Relation to Legalism

Ziqi LiuAffiliated High School of South China Normal University, Zhongshan Avenue, Guangzhou, China Donghui SongDexter Southfield School, Newton St, Brookline, United States*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

This study mainly focuses on how the ancient Chinese philosophy, Legalism, affected the Qin in its warring state and empire periods. This essay will proceed chronologically from how the idea of Legalism emerged in Qin-Shang Yang’s law reformation, how it brought Qin to become a glorious state in the warring state period, how it affected Qin to become a centralized empire with the system of prefectures and counties, and finally, how it caused the fall of Qin. Legalism was one of the core reasons why Qin could evolve into the first empire and others could not, but due to its cruelty, it was abandoned by the empire afterward eventually. Legalism was a practical philosophy under some specific circumstances but not always. The core of Legalism is how everyone will be doing things due to their best interest, so there is a need for strict and precise laws is correct. However, the way of processing Legalism in an extreme way was not acceptable under a peace period, and Qin fell to establish cultural recognition of the new empire.

Keywords: legalism; Chinese history; Qin
Published: May 17, 2023
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/4/20220579
Volume: CHR Vol.4
pp. 359-366
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