The Merits and Demerits of Lü Buwei, Prime Minister of Qin Dynasty

Lu Buwei was prime minister in the reign of King of Qin Zhuangxiang and Emperor Qin Shihuang. He put forth the policy of “just army” to replace Shangyang's policy of mass murder; he lay emphasis on irrigation and scientific farming to increase agriculture output; he collected wany talented people for Qin rulers, replacing the thinking of the Law School with that of the Eclectics. These are the merits of Lu Buwei. But Lu Buwei put Laoai, a virtueless and ineffectual man, in a powerful position, thus brought Qin court into coufusion, offering Qin Shihuang an excuse to deprive the prime minister of his power and to finally eliminate the power of Lu Buwei, which led to Lu Buwei's death by taking poisonous wine. Lu Buwei made great contributions to the development of Qin's politics, economy and culture, and to the unification of China. Lu Buwei's merits overbalance his demerits.