The 'First Emperor' of China (r.221-210 BC), formerly known as king Zheng of Qin (r.246-221). By defeating the states of Chu and Qi in 221 and 223, he unified the country for the first time. Establishing a centralized, bureaucratic empire, he laid the foundations for the Chinese empire, although his dynasty did not long survive his death. He created a single Chinese script and system of weights and measures, and improved the communications systems. He also burned the works of m °any earlier scholars, including Confucius. His tomb at Xianyang, near Xi'an in modern Shaanxi province, was discovered in 1974, guarded by a unique 'terracotta army' of 6,000 life-sized soldiers, as well as hundreds of sacrificed horses and elaborate grave goods.