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Primary sourceArtifactc. 221 BCE

Xiaozhuan Seal Script on a Qin Standard Weight

c. 221 BCE

A close-up of small seal script engraved on an iron weight, part of the writing and measurement standards set under Qin Shi Huang.

This weight carries the standardized seal script decreed under Qin Shi Huang as part of his unification reforms.

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Close-up of rows of white incised seal-script Chinese characters on a dark, weathered stone or metal surface, with some worn patches and a faint spot at the upper left.
Seal script inscription on a Qin standard weight, c. 221 BCE.

About this source

What it is

This image shows a close-up of small seal script (xiaozhuan) characters engraved on a unified iron weight used on scales, dating to around the time the Qin dynasty unified China. The surface is worn and weathered in places.

Why it matters

When Qin Shi Huang unified the warring states into one empire, he standardized not only coins but also weights and written script. This engraved weight is physical evidence of that reform: a single script and system of measurement imposed across many former kingdoms, which helped officials, merchants, and scholars communicate and trade under one system.

Look closer

  • Why would standardizing both script and weights matter for running a large empire?
  • What problems might arise if different regions used different scripts or measurement weights?
  • What does the wear on this object suggest about how long it may have been used?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Emperor Qin Shi Huang on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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