The Fate of the Defeated: Qin’s Treatment of Their Enemies

Through an examination of documents from the Qin county of Qianling excavated from Well no. 1, Liye, Hunan Province, and looted documents held by the Yuelu Academy, Hunan University, that were rescued from the Hong Kong antiques market, this paper discusses the ways in which the victorious Qin state treated the enemy that they had defeated in the wars of unification leading to the establishment of the Qin Empire. It also considers how the Qin treated those who resisted the imposition of their rule. It is determined that the Qin categorized these people into three types or groups and applied Qin law to them. It also discusses the establishment of a bureaucratic system through which the Qin tracked down fugitive enemies.