Plot Synopsis

CHINA'S DRAGON EMPEROR is a two-part special that tells the story of Qin Shi Huang, an epic tale in life as it is in death. Crowned as a boy king over 2,000 years ago, he grew to unify China for the first time, establishing a new form of government, uniform laws, and a single writing system that is still in use today. He also ordered the construction of a royal tomb that is larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza and is guarded by a massive army of terracotta warriors. Explore the transformative life and magnificent afterlife of China's first emperor. The two episodes are:

"Creating a Nation": Was he an incompetent ruler, a brutal tyrant, or a great leader? 2,000 years after his death, the legacy of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, remains a point of debate. His role in ending centuries of conflict between warring factions and creating China's first imperial dynasty is indisputable, yet he has questionably been portrayed as a violent oppressor. Through ancient texts, artifacts, and expert insights, revisit the life of this complicated and influential figure.

"Architect of the Afterlife": In the summer of 1974, archaeologists in Northwest China made a remarkable find: an army of life-sized clay soldiers buried underground. These Terracotta Warriors--over 8,000 of them--were created to guard over the first emperor of China in his massive burial mound. Enter his royal tomb, a structure bigger than the Great Pyramid of Giza, and discover how it was constructed over 38 years through the hard labor of 700,000 workers. Then see the elaborate measures taken to preserve these ancient findings and bring the past to light.