"A single law, a single measure, a single script - this is the foundation of an empire."
— Qin Shi Huang
A Single Law A Single Measure
A single law, a single measure, a single script - this is the foundation of an empire.
About this quote
This is a paraphrase of the standardization edicts that Qin Shi Huang issued after unifying China in 221 BCE, as recorded in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian. The First Emperor standardized weights, measures, coinage, axle widths, and — crucially — the written script, replacing the diverse regional writing systems of the former Warring States with a single Small Seal script. These reforms were among the most consequential administrative acts in Chinese history, creating the infrastructure for a unified bureaucratic state that subsequent dynasties maintained for over two millennia.
Source
Paraphrased from edicts recorded in Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian
