Discover China: The First Emperor 2012/2018
Distributed by Film Ideas, 308 North Wolf Rd., Wheeling, IL 60090; 800-475-3456
Produced by Guan Hui
Directed by Zhou Bing
DVD, color, 25 min.
High School - General Adult
China, History
Date Entered: 07/10/2018
Reviewed by Alexander Rolfe, Technical Services Librarian, George Fox University, Newberg, ORThis is one of 26 episodes in the Discover China series. It tells the story of Qin Shi Huang’s rise to power, who unified China in 221 BC. It doesn’t cover what he did as emperor, but it’s good as far as it goes. It’s a bit repetitive—we’re told several times that he was hardened by adversity as a child hostage, each time with the same footage of boys fighting—but it remains lively nonetheless, with copious footage from a Chinese miniseries and the occasional explanatory map. The narration is in English and tells the story clearly and directly.