For over two thousand years, Chinese history moved through a rhythm of unification, flourishing, decline, and renewal — a succession of dynasties that shaped East Asia.
Stop 01 · 200 BCE
The First Emperor
In 221 BCE, the state of Qin conquered its rivals and its king declared himself Qin Shi Huang, First Emperor of a unified China. He standardized writing, weights, and roads, and began the Great Wall. The dynasty was brutal and brief, but the idea of a single unified China endured.