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A6.15|16

Shi Huang promoted the theory of the five virtues of beginning and end, and believed that Zhou had the virtue of fire. When the Qin dynasty replaced the Zhou virtue, it was invincible. Now it was the beginning of the virtue of water, and the beginning of the year had been changed. The court celebrations all started on the first day of October. Clothes, flags, and banners were all black. The number six was used as a count. The talisman and the legal cap were both six inches, and the carriage is six feet, six feet is a step, and six horses were used. The river was renamed Deshui, literally, the virtue water, which was the beginning of the virtue of water. He is strong and resolute, and all matters are decided by law. He is harsh and cruel, and has no mercy, grace, and righteousness. Then he will meet the number of the Five Virtues. So he enforced the law urgently, and those who have been in power for a long time will not be pardoned. 

Prime Minister Wang Wan and others commented: "The princes have just been wiped out, and Yan, Qi, Chu and other places are very remote. If we don't set up vassal kings there, it will be impossible to stabilize the local people. I request that the prince be made king, and I hope the emperor can approve it." The First Emperor submitted their suggestions to the ministers for discussion, and they all thought it was appropriate. Court Captain Li Si suggested: "Kings Wen and Wu of Zhou enfeoffed many children with the same surname, but the blood relationship between the descendants became alienated. They attacked each other as enemies, and the princes fought against each other. The emperor of Zhou had no way to stop it. Now the whole country is unified by your majesty's spirit, and the rest are all counties. The sons and meritorious officials are rewarded with public taxes, which is easy to control. If there is no dissenting opinion in the world, it is a way to keep peace. It is inconvenient to set up princes."  The First Emperor said: "The world has suffered from endless fighting because of the princes and kings. Thanks to the ancestral temple, the world was initially settled, and now the country is established again. This means raising troops, and then asking for peace, isn't it difficult! The court captain’s opinion is right." 

始皇推终始五德之传，以为周得火德，秦代周德，从所不胜。方今水德之始，改年始，朝贺皆自十月朔。衣服旄旌节旗皆上黑。数以六为纪，符、法冠皆六寸，而舆六尺，六尺为步，乘六马。更名河曰德水，以为水德之始。刚毅戾深，事皆决于法，刻削毋仁恩和义，然后合五德之数。于是急法，久者不赦。

丞相绾等言：“诸侯初破，燕、齐、荆地远，不为置王，毋以填之。请立诸子，唯上幸许。”始皇下其议于群臣，群臣皆以为便。廷尉李斯议曰：“周文武所封子弟同姓甚众，然后属疏远，相攻击如仇雠，诸侯更相诛伐，周天子弗能禁止。今海内赖陛下神灵一统，皆为郡县，诸子功臣以公赋税重赏赐之，甚足易制。天下无异意，则安宁之术也。置诸侯不便。”始皇曰：“天下共苦战斗不休，以有侯王。赖宗庙，天下初定，又复立国，是树兵也，而求其宁息，岂不难哉！廷尉议是。”