There you go, China

During a particularly long and dull recording session this morning.... my big corpsing moment came when I had to say, "Here's a ruler for you."

I think I was supposed to be a kindly elementary school teacher handing out measuring sticks to his students, but, you know, it could be taken in other ways.....

This is Qin Shihuangdi, the notorious 'First Emperor of China' - a figure unduly revered here for supposedly originating the concept of a "united China". In fact, his reign was almost entirely devoid of positive qualities. Alas, he nevertheless seems to have set a template for subsequent Chinese rulers to emulate: self-aggrandising personality cults, aggressive expansionism, anti-intellectualism (he may not have created the notion of "one China" but he was a pioneer in the field of book burning) and rule by fear. [It is rather depressing that Mao Zedong is so often compared to him - as if that comparison's a good thing.]

It should also be noted that his "empire" covered only a small portion of present-day China, and fell apart almost immediately upon his death. If I were feeling really snarky, I might suggest that he also set a pattern for future Chinese governments - down to the present day - of achievement that is largely illusory or superficial, and non-sustainable.