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Qin dynasty
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Detail view of a terra-cotta soldier's head and upper torso from the tomb of the first Qin emperor, Shihuangdi, showing a mustached face and detailed armor. Qin Shi Huang Terra-cotta soldiers in the tomb of the Qin emperor Shihuangdi, near Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China. Qin tomb: terra-cotta soldiers
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Detail view of a terra-cotta soldier's head and upper torso from the tomb of the first Qin emperor, Shihuangdi, showing a mustached face and detailed armor.
terra-cotta soldier Detail of a terra-cotta soldier from the tomb of the first Qin emperor, Shihuangdi.

Qin dynasty

China [221–207 bce]
Also known as: Ch’in dynasty, Kin dynasty
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History

Qin dynasty, dynasty that established the first great Chinese empire. The Qin—which lasted only from 221 to 207 bce but from which the name China is derived—established the approximate boundaries and basic administrative system that all subsequent Chinese dynasties were to follow for the next two millennia. The dynasty was originated by the state of Qin, one of the many small feudal states into which China was divided between 771 and 221 bce. The Qin,...

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