Editing Qin dynasty (section)

== Collapse and aftermath, 210–202 BC ==
[[File:Assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Rubbing of a Han-era stone relief depicting the 227&nbsp;BC assassination attempt on the future Qin&nbsp;Shi&nbsp;Huang (right) by [[Jing&nbsp;Ke]] (left). Jing is held by a court physician (background), as a soldier&nbsp;(far&nbsp;right) rushes to save the emperor, who holds an imperial [[jade disc]]. Jing's&nbsp;dagger (centre) has become stuck in a pillar.]]
In total, three assassination attempts were made on Qin Shi Huang{{snd}}one in 227&nbsp;BC by [[Jing Ke]], and the other two around 218&nbsp;BC.{{sfn|Bodde|1986|p=45}} Owing in part to these incidents, the emperor became paranoid and obsessed with immortality. While on a trip to the eastern frontiers in 210&nbsp;BC, Qin Shi Huang died in an attempt to procure an elixir of immortality from [[Taoist]] magicians, who claimed the elixir was stuck on an island guarded by a sea monster. The chief [[eunuch]], [[Zhao Gao]], and the prime minister, [[Li Si]], hid the news of his death upon their return until they were able to alter his will. It is understood that his eldest son [[Fusu]] was intended to inherit the throne; however, Li and Zhao conspired to transmit a fabricated order for Fusu to commit suicide,{{sfn|Sanft|2018|p=155}} and instead elevated the former emperor's son Huhai to the throne, taking the name of [[Qin Er Shi]].{{sfn|Bo|2008|pp=134–135}} They believed that they would be able to manipulate Huhai to their own ends, effectively allowing them to exert control over the empire. As expected, Qin Er Shi proved inept: he executed many ministers and imperial princes, continued massive building projects{{snd}}one of the most extravagant was the lacquering of the city's walls{{snd}}enlarged the army, increased taxes, and arrested messengers who delivered bad news. As a result, men from all over China revolted, attacking officials, raising armies, and declaring themselves kings of seized territories.{{sfn|Kinney|Hardy|2005|pp=13–15}}

During this time, Li Si and Zhao Gao came into conflict with one another, which culminated in Zhao persuading Qi Er Shi to put Li on trial, where he was ultimately executed. The worsening military situation then caused the emperor to blame Zhao for the rebellion; this pivot frightened Zhao, who engineered another conspiracy to deceive Qin Er Shi into believing hostile forces had arrived at the capital. The emperor's quarters were invaded, and Qin Er Shi was forced to commit suicide for his incompetence after being cornered by Zhao's co-conspirator and son-in-law {{ill|Yan Le|zh|阎乐}}.{{sfn|Sanft|2018|pp=157–158}} [[Ziying]], a son of Fusu, ascended to the throne, and immediately executed Zhao Gao.{{sfn|Kinney|Hardy|2005|pp=13–15}} Unrest continued to spread among the people{{snd}}caused in large part by regional differences, which had persisted despite Qin's attempts to impose uniformity{{snd}}and many local officials had declared themselves kings. In this climate, Ziying attempted to cling to his throne by declaring himself as merely one king among all the others.{{sfn|Lewis|2007|pp=18–19}} He was undermined by his ineptitude, and popular revolt broke out in 209&nbsp;BC. When Chu rebels under the lieutenant [[Liu Bang]] attacked, a state in such turmoil could not hold for long. Ziying surrendered to Liu Bang upon the latter's arrival in Xianyang in 207&nbsp;BC; while initially spared by Liu, he was executed shortly thereafter by the Chu leader [[Xiang Yu]]. In 206&nbsp;BC, Xianyang was destroyed, marking what historians consider to be the end of the imperial Qin dynasty.{{sfn|Bodde|1986|p=84}}{{efn-num|Qin Shi Huang stated that the dynasty would last 10,000 generations; it lasted less than 15 years.{{sfn|Morton|1995|p=49}}}} With the former Qin territories temporarily divided into the [[Eighteen Kingdoms]],{{sfn|Leung|2018|p=163}} Liu Bang then betrayed Xiang Yu, beginning the [[Chu–Han Contention]] from which he ultimately emerged victorious atop a reunited realm{{snd}}on 28 February 202&nbsp;BC, he declared himself emperor of the newly founded [[Han dynasty]].{{sfn|Morton|1995|pp=49–50}}