How did Qin Shi Huang unify China and standardize its administration?

Qin Shi Huang unified China by utilizing the military and bureaucratic strengths of the Qin state to systematically conquer the six rival states, completing his conquest in 221 BCE.1

To consolidate his rule and establish a centralized administration, he implemented several key reforms:

• Administrative Restructuring: He abolished the existing feudal system and divided the empire into 36 military districts, each governed by appointed civil and military administrators. He also forced wealthy aristocratic families to relocate to the capital, Xianyang, to prevent the rise of independent power bases.1
• Standardization: To integrate the empire, he mandated universal standards for weights, measures (such as the shi unit of weight), and the axle lengths of carts. He also standardized the written language and the laws.123
• Infrastructure: He initiated the construction of a vast network of roads and canals and linked existing northern defensive fortifications to form the Great Wall.1

These measures, rooted in the philosophy of legalism, created a bureaucratic structure that served as the foundation for all subsequent Chinese dynasties.1