The First Emperor of China
1989
42 min
Coming soon
This historical drama tells the story of Qin Shihuang, who unified China’s vast territory and declared himself emperor in 221 B.C. During his reign, he introduced sweeping reforms, built a vast network of roads and connected the Great Wall of China. From the grandiose inner sanctum of Emperor Qin's royal palace, to fierce battles with feudal kings, this film re-creates the glory and the terror of the Qin Dynasty, including footage of Qin's life-sized terra cotta army, constructed 2,200 years ago for his tomb. The First Emperor of China was shot entirely in IMAX.
Details
This historical drama tells the story of Qin Shihuang, who unified China’s vast territory and declared himself emperor in 221 B.C. During his reign, he introduced sweeping reforms, built a vast network of roads and connected the Great Wall of China. From the grandiose inner sanctum of Emperor Qin's royal palace, to fierce battles with feudal kings, this film re-creates the glory and the terror of the Qin Dynasty, including footage of Qin's life-sized terra cotta army, constructed 2,200 years ago for his tomb. The First Emperor of China was shot entirely in IMAX.
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directorTony IanzeloLiu Hao Xue
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producerBarrie HowellsPan Han Ci
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associate producerMargaret WongWong Guo Ren
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executive producerColin NealeMa Ji LongBarrie HowellsPan Han Ci
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scriptWong Ji ChengLiu Yun Hui
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screenplayRobert Duncan
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cameraErnest McNabbSavas KalogerasSusan Trow
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soundClaude Beauchemin
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editingRoger Hart
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sound editingAndré GalbrandDanuta Klis
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narratorChristopher Plummer
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musicEldon RathburnZhao Ji Ping
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castBo Guan JinWang Guang HuiWang Guo RenMa KunCui Luo WenWen QianSun WeiYang Ya ZhouYang Zhi Ping
Education
Ages 16 to 18
Study Guides - Guide 1 | Guide 2
Civics/Citizenship - Ideologies
History - World History
History and Citizenship Education - Neolithic Civilization to the Renaissance
Social Studies - Comparative Civilizations
Warning (if any): Violence
Brief “lesson launcher type” activity or a series of inquiry questions with a bit of context:
Dramatization of the rule of the first emperor of China, Emperor Qin, narrated by Christopher Plummer.
In the film they mention that many men join the army for glory. Do you think men and women today join the army for similar reasons? Why or why not?
There was a steep human cost for Qin’s empire. Do governments continue to sacrifice citizens for power or glory? How so?
During Qin’s rule, he took to burning books to control public thought; when else in history has this happened? This escalated to killing dissidents or those who criticize policy. How are the policies related?
When did freedom of speech become more acknowledged as universal?
Why did Qin’s legacy not continue past 36 months after his death? Why do many dictatorships not succeed? What predicts the longevity of a leader and their policies?
