King Zhuangxiang of Qin - Biography

Biography

Yiren was born to Lord Anguo and his concubine Lady Xia. Yiren was sent by his father to the Zhao state as a hostage. In Zhao he met a businessman, Lü Buwei, who thought that Ying was an extraordinary person and had the potential to become the future ruler of Qin. Lü brought Yiren to his residence and treated him well, presenting him with luxuries and his concubine, Lady Zhao. Lady Zhao later bore Yiren a son named Zheng.

In the meantime, Lü Buwei helped Yiren win the favour of Lord Anguo's favourite concubine, Lady Huayang, and Lady Huayang managed to persuade Lord Anguo to name Yiren as his successor. Lady Huayang was a native of the Chu state and Yiren changed his name to "Zichu" (子楚), meaning "son of Chu". After the death of King Zhaoxiang of Qin, Lord Anguo ascended the throne as King Xiaowen of Qin, but died after reigning for a year. Yiren succeeded King Xiaowen and became King Zhuangxiang of Qin. He appointed Lü Buwei as his chancellor and Zheng as the crown prince.

King Zhuangxiang ruled Qin for three years and died in 247 BC at the age of 35. Historians have suspected that King Zhuangxiang's death was caused by Lü Buwei, as the king discovered Lü's adulterous affairs with Lady Zhao. Another popular belief is that Zheng was not the biological son of King Zhuangxiang, as Lady Zhao was already pregnant with Lü Buwei's child when Lü presented her to Yiren. Zheng succeeded King Zhuangxiang as the ruler of Qin and unified China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC, and proclaimed himself "Qin Shi Huang" (First Emperor of Qin).

Read more about this topic:  King Zhuangxiang Of Qin

Famous quotes containing the word biography:

    Had Dr. Johnson written his own life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every man’s life may be best written by himself; had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited.
    James Boswell (1740–95)

    A biography is like a handshake down the years, that can become an arm-wrestle.
    Richard Holmes (b. 1945)

    Just how difficult it is to write biography can be reckoned by anybody who sits down and considers just how many people know the real truth about his or her love affairs.
    Rebecca West [Cicily Isabel Fairfield] (1892–1983)