Page:A Short History of the World.djvu/185

 Confucius and Lao Tse 165 China of the Age of Confusion reached their worst stage in the sixth century b.c. The Chow dynasty was so enfeebled and so discredited that Lao Tse loft the unhappy court and retired into private life. Three nomin-lly subordinate powers dominated the situation in those days, Ts'i and Ts'in, both northern powers, and Ch'u, which was an aggressive military power in the Yangtse valley. At last Ts'i and Ts'in formed an alliance, subdued Ch'u and imposed a general treaty of disarmament and peace in China. The power of Ts'in became predominant. Finally about the time of Asoka in India the Ts'in monarch seized upon the sacrificial vessels of the Chow emperor and took over his sacrificial duties. His son, Shi-Hwang-ti (king in 246 B.C., emperor in 220 b.c), is called in the Chinese Chroni- cles " the First Universal Emperor." More fortunate than Alexander, Shi-Hwang-ti reigned for thirty- six years as king and emperor. His energetic reign marks the begin- ning of a new era of unity and prosperity for the Chinese people. He fought vigorously against the Hunnish invaders from the northern deserts, and he began that immense work, the Great Wall of China, to set a limit to their inciu'sions,