In the second instalment of his article, Sam reflects on the rehabilitation and reassessments of the First Emperor in the 20th century, spearheaded by Mao Zedong and continuing on after his death into late 1990s cinema.

In this two-part article, Sam Meston explores the reasons behind the recent historiographical reevaluations of China’s First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, beginning with a deep-dive into how he earned his title.