Perhaps it was Ying Zheng's despotism and cruelty that helped put an end to the centuries-old era of the Warring States in China and united the country. This emperor became famous for burning books and executing disobedients scientists,but he also managed to lay the foundations of the Great Wall, created a national system of roads and canals, and dreamed of finding the elixir of immortality. He considered the unification of China to be his own achievement.