Background
Li Si originally from Shang Cai, studied politics under Xunzi. When he was young, he served as a junior official. After completing his studies, he analysed his situation and decided that “he could not advance his career in Chu, and the other six states were note powerful enough”. He believed that only the State of Qin had the ability to unify China and build an empire. So he went to Qin in an attempt to advance his political career. During his stay in Qin, Li Si became a guest of Prime Minister Lu Buwei and got the chance to talk to the ruler of Qin, King Zheng who would later become the first emperor of a unified China, Qin Shi Huang. Li Si expressed that the Qin state was extremely powerful, but uniting China was still impossible if all of the other six states united to fight against Qin. Qin Shi Huang was impressed by Li Si's view of how to unify China. When Qin made war on Han, Han Fei was dispatched as a diplomatic envoy to Qin. Li Si, who envied Han Fei's intellect, persuaded the Qin king that he could neither send Han Fei back nor employ him. As a result, Han Fei was imprisoned, and Li Si convinced him to commit suicide by poisoning. According to Sima Qian, Li Si persuaded Qin Shi Huang to suppress intellectual dissent, and when Confucian scholars protested, 460 of them were buried alive. Li Si himself penned the edict in 214 BC which ordered widespread destruction of historical records and literature in 213 BC, including key Confucian texts, which he thought detrimental to the welfare of the state. Li Si had excellent political talents and foresight. He assisted the King of Qin in conquering the other six states to unify China. He formulated the strategy and plans for unification and worked hard to implement them. As a result, it took only 10 years to defeat the six states and build the first unified, centralized feudal monarchy in China in 221 BC. After the Qin Dynasty was established, Li Si was appointed Chancellor. He suggested that a system of prefectures and counties be adopted to replace the system of enfeoffment which had resulted in chaos and ducal states. This system remained in place for almost 2,000 years the fall of the Qin Dynasty. When Qin Shi Huang died in 210 BC, Li Si forged a posthumous edict with Zhao Gao to make the young Hu He the new king. After seizing power, Zhao Gao charged Li Si with treason and executed him by “waist severing”, and also executed generations of his family.