OTHER CENTERS OF CIVILIZATION 
The opportunity brought the man. In the latter half 
of the third century B.c. there arose in northwestern China 
a great conqueror. By a series of masterly campaigns he 
annexed first the Yangtse Valley, then the ancient Chinese 
states in the basin of the Yellow River, and finally the 
hitherto independent and barbarian south. He abolished 
the ancient line of priest-kings and swept away the old 
feudal aristocracy. In their place he appointed officials, 
with himself as “First Emperor” supreme over all. Thus 
was established the Chinese Empire, destined to last for 
over two thousand years (from 221 B.c. to A.D. Ig1I). The 
man who founded it was Ch’in Shih Huang-ti. 
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