extending his
empire over these domains of barbarism, he employed the soldiers as aids
in the task of building the Great Wall, adding to them a host of the
industrial population of the north.

In 210 B.C. Hoangti was seized with some malady which he failed to treat
as he did his enemies. Neglecting the simplest remedial measures, he
came suddenly to the end of his career after a reign of fifty-one years.
With him were buried many of his wives and large quantities of treasure,
a custom of barbarous origin which was confined in China to the chiefs
of Tsin. Magnificent in his ideas and fond of splendor, he despised
formality, lived simply in the midst of luxury, and distinguished
himself from other Chinese rulers by making walking his favorite
exercise. While not great as a soldier, he knew how to choose soldiers,
and in his administration was wise enough to avail himself of the
advice of the ablest ministers.

Yet with all his greatness he could not provide for the birth of a great
son. Upon his death disturbances broke out in all quarters of the realm,
with which his weak successor was unable to cope. In three years the
reign of his son was closed with assassination, while the grandson of
Hoangti, defeated in battle after a six weeks' nominal reign, ended his
life in murder or suicide. With him the dynasty of the Tsins passed away
and that of the Han monarchs succeeded. Hoangti stands alone as the
great man of his race.

_KAOTSOU AND THE DYNASTY OF THE HANS._

After the death of the great Hoangti, two of his generals fought for the
throne of China,--Lieou Pang, who represents, in the Chinese annals,
intellect, and Pa Wang, representing brute force, uninspired by thought.
Destiny, if we can credit the following tale, had chosen the former for
the throne. "A noted physiognomist once met him on the high-road, and,
throwing himself down before him, said, 'I see by the expression of your
features that you are destined to be emperor, and I offer you in
anticipation the tribute of respect that a subject owes his sovereign. I
have a daughter, the fairest and wisest in the empire; take her as your
wife. So confident am I that my prediction will be realized that I
gladly offer her to you.'"

However that be, the weak descendants of Hoangti soon vanished from the
scene, Pa Wang was overcome in battle, and the successful general seized
the imperial throne. He chose, as emperor, the title of Kaotsou, and
named his dyna