Qin Shi Huang (Chinese: 秦始皇, pronunciation (help·info); 259–210 BC) was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of a unified China. Rather than maintain the title of "king" (王 w始皇帝) of the Qin dynasty from 221 to 210 BC. His self-invented title "emperor" (皇帝 huángdì) would continue to be borne by Chinese rulers for the next two millennia.
King Zhuangxiang of Qin died after a short reign of just three years in 246 BC and being his eldest son 13-year-old Ying Zheng was crowned the king. He was now called Qin Wang Zheng (King Zheng of Qin).
Since the king was still very young, his father’s Prime Minister Lü Buwei continued to hold his position and acted as the king’s regent for the next eight years. King Zheng attained the age of 22—the legal age to rule the kingdom by himself—in 238 BC.
