Qin Shi Huangdi dies as child

If Qin Shi Huangdi (first emperor of China) died as a child, would there be no China, and no unified nation in that area?
 

scholar

Banned
If Qin Shi Huangdi (first emperor of China) died as a child, would there be no China, and no unified nation in that area?
Possibly. It is commonly believed that that China did not "exist" as a unified entity until the Qin State conquered all of the other ones. This isn't exactly true, the notion of a common cultural heritage and shared cultural traits had already existed before this. Most of the states in the Warring States are the remnants of conquered kingdoms and polities becoming independent from both the Shang and Zhou. The Warring States period was one of the most diverse periods in history of developments in philosophy and religion, or at the very least the most recorded one since the rise of the enlightenment or the ancient Greeks. Legalism was an ideology that helped catapult the unification of China, whether or not they would be emperors (huangdi) is another story. But a china would most likely form in reaction to legalism alongside other philosophies; confucianism also would adapt values that would promote cultural and political unity. I would not say that it was inevitable for China to come together, but the pieces were all in place before the Qin Shi Huangdi. One of three Jins might rise to the occassion, if the Qin cannot do so.
 
State of Qin was strongest during the Warring period. Even if Qin Shi Huangdi died early, Qin would still conquer remaining 6 states. It might take a bit longer.

State of Zhao could have raised to replace Qin, but it needed a strong leader. There weren't any during 3rd century BC.
 

scholar

Banned
State of Qin was strongest during the Warring period. Even if Qin Shi Huangdi died early, Qin would still conquer remaining 6 states. It might take a bit longer.

State of Zhao could have raised to replace Qin, but it needed a strong leader. There weren't any during 3rd century BC.
That's the good thing about PODs, they tend to change everything that happens after them. :)
 
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