Emperor of China: Self Portrait of K'ang Hsi

The years following the end of the Qing dynasty were some of the most turbulent in Chinese history. With the abdication in 1912 of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, history saw the end of 2,000 of Imperial rule in China and the start of a new era which would prove to be more dramatic and uncertain than anything that had preceded it.

Living through one of the most tumultuous periods of Chinese and world history, Puyi, the last Emperor of China, was both a participant in, and victim of, his times. In 1908, aged only two, Puyi ascended the throne at the Forbidden City in Beijing as Qing Emperor of China. At six, rebellions forced his abdication but he continued to live at the palace surrounded by women and eunuchs. At 13 he started to learn of the wider world from his British teacher Reginald Johnston.

The First Emperor of China chronicles the period of Qin Shihuang's rule. Much of the story has never been told before, and few Westerners are aware of his incredible achievements. From the grandiose inner sanctum of Emperor Qin's royal palace, to fierce battles with feudal kings, this historical drama re-creates the glory and the terror of the Qin Dynasty. The film includes the first documentary footage of Qin's life-sized terra cotta army, constructed almost 2,200 years ago for his tomb. The First Emperor offers viewers a unique opportunity to increase their understanding of the nature of ancient Chinese civilization and its extraordinary achievements.