Why did Qin Shihuang cast "Twelve Bronze Men"?

Qin Shihuang established the first unified and centralized feudal country in the history of China. Qin Shihuang took a series of measures to consolidate reunification: determining the title of the emperor, establishing a feudal bureaucracy centered on the emperor, implementing the county system, unified measurement, currency and writing, building the Great Wall and the equator, defending the Huns, and unifying "South Vietnam" ... These measures are conducive to national reunification and social, economic and cultural development. Qin Shihuang also ordered the collection of weapons from all over the world, casting them into twelve bronze figures and standing outside Xianyang Palace. Each bronze statue weighs 1000 stone (equivalent to 3.75 tons), which is exquisite and lifelike, magnificent and breathtaking. We can't help asking, why did Qin Shihuang cast twelve bronze men?

Although Qin Shihuang was overbearing and did his own thing, he was afraid of ghosts and gods and death. After he ascended the throne, he went to Mount Tai to meditate, offering sacrifices to heaven and earth and praying for God to bless his rule. Qin Shihuang also sent people to search the four seas, visit immortals and look for elixirs everywhere. Qin Shihuang's last cruise was also because he was afraid of death. He followed the fortune teller's advice to avoid disaster, but he really didn't hide in the past and died on the way to travel.

Legend has it that when Qin Shihuang unified China, a giant dressed in national costumes appeared in Lintao, a seaside city. This is God's warning to Qin Shihuang. If he is reckless and cruel, he will be punished by disaster. Qin Shihuang thought it was a good omen, so he destroyed all the weapons in the world, imitated the giant's body, and made twelve bronze men to guard Weiyang.

After Qin's reunification, Qin Shihuang accepted the suggestion of Prime Minister Lisi, stopped enfeoffment of governors and divided the world into 36 counties. Then, weapons were collected and concentrated in Chengyang for destruction, eliminating the bud of the campaign. Why should the melted copper block be cast into a bronze man? This is due to a dream of Qin Shihuang: one day, Qin Shihuang dreamed that the weather had changed greatly, and he was shocked. He was scared out of his wits by flying sand and stones, monsters and ghosts. Suddenly, a white light shocked "casting twelve bronze men, suppressing Qin Dou and ensuring the stability of the country." At the beginning of the Qin dynasty, the white-haired Taoist priest said in a clear voice: After the emperor woke up from his dream, he ordered the craftsmen to cast bronze statues according to the instructions in the dream. The bronze man weighs a thousand stones, and the back is engraved with the Book of Li Si Chuan Meng Tian: "At the beginning of the 16th century, the emperor ruled the country, and the governors changed to counties and unified laws. A measure. " The bronze figures are true in shape, exquisite in craftsmanship and magnificent in height, which is rare in the world.

Qin Shihuang announced: "The whole country celebrated for ten days!" As a result, all the cars on the road were carrying wine, and all the riders were holding colorful flags and singing everywhere. It's really a thousand people who understand that ten thousand people are harmonious. Come on, there will be no more war. Destroy weapons, cast ten bronze men, and stand at the palace gate of Luoyang forever. Qin Shihuang set up a bronze statue outside Xianyang Palace to shock his subjects and whitewash the peace and prosperity.

There is also a saying that Qin Shihuang destroyed weapons and made bronze men for the purpose of changing weapons materials into iron weapons. Guo Moruo believes that Qin Shihuang collected and destroyed all the weapons in the world and cast ten bronze men, which marked the turning point between the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, with the aim of fighting without bronze weapons from now on.

What is the real intention of Qin Shihuang to cast twelve bronze men? Historians express their opinions and argue endlessly. To solve this eternal mystery, it is necessary to further deepen the study of history.