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Fusu (died c. August or September 210 BC) was the eldest son and heir apparent of Qin Shi Huang, the First Emperor of the Qin dynasty.

Life

After being deceived by two alchemists while seeking prolonged life, Qin Shi Huang supposedly ordered more than 460 scholars in the capital to be buried alive, though an account given by Wei Hong in the 2nd century added another 700 to the figure. Fusu counselled that, with the country newly unified and enemies still not pacified, such a harsh measure imposed on those who respect Confucius would cause instability. However, he was unable to change his father's mind and was instead sent to guard the frontier, where Meng Tian was stationed, in a de facto exile.

After the death of Qin Shi Huang, Fusu's youngest brother, Huhai, together with high officials Zhao Gao and Li Si, forged his father's decree to rename Huhai as the successor and order Fusu to commit suicide. Some aides of Fusu, including Meng Tian, doubted the veracity of the decree, but Fusu either did not believe someone would dare to forge the decree or, with good reason, feared being killed anyway and thus committed suicide.

Legacy

According to Records of the Grand Historian, Fusu had a son, Ziying, who was enthroned after Zhao Gao forced Huhai to commit suicide in 207 BCE. By that time, Li Si had already been eliminated by Zhao Gao. Ziying soon killed Zhao Gao.

There is no firm consensus on what Ziying's relationship to the Qin royal family really is. Some scholars (such as Wang Liqun) pointed out that Fusu's son might be too young to plot the demise of Zhao Gao, as two sons of Ziying, also involved in the plot, should have been old enough. Qin Shi Huang only lived to be 49; Fusu might have only lived into his 30s.

He sometimes appears as a door god in Chinese and Taoist temples, usually paired with Meng Tian.

References

Citations

1. Vol.7 of Zizhi Tongjian indicate that Qin Shi Huang died on the bing'yin day of the 7th month of the 37th year of his reign. While there was no bing'yin (丙寅) day in that month, there is a bing'shen (丙申) day, which corresponds to 11 Aug 210 BCE in the proleptic Julian calendar. The same volume also indicate that Qin Shi Huang was buried in the 9th month of that year, which corresponds to 19 Sep to 18 Oct 210 BCE in the proleptic Julian calendar. Since Fusu definitely died after his father and likely before the emperor was buried, Fusu's death should be in Aug or Sep 210 BCE.
2. (於是使御史悉案问诸生，诸生传相告引，乃自除犯禁者四百六十馀人，皆阬之咸阳，使天下知之，以惩後。益发谪徙边。始皇长子扶苏谏曰：「天下初定，远方黔首未集，诸生皆诵法孔子，今上皆重法绳之，臣恐天下不安。唯上察之。」) Shiji vol. 6.
3. Sima Qian. Dawson, Raymond Stanley. Brashier, K. E. (2007). The First Emperor: Selections from the Historical Records. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-922634-2, ISBN 978-0-19-922634-4. pg 15 - 20, pg 82, pg 99.

Bibliography

• Sima, Qian. Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji).

• Suicides in the Qin dynasty
• 210 BC deaths
• Forced suicides of Chinese people
• Politicians from Xianyang
• 3rd-century BC executions
• Executed people from Shaanxi
• People executed by the Qin dynasty
• Chinese gods
• Deified Chinese men
• Qin Shi Huang
• Heirs apparent who never acceded
• Identity theft victims