Qin Shi Huang (, ; 18 February 25910 September 210) was the founder of the Qin dynasty, and first emperor of a unified China. From 247 to 221 BC he was Zheng, King of Qin (, "Qín Wáng Zhèng", personal name 嬴政 "Yíng Zhèng" or 趙政 "Zhào Zhèng"). He became China's first emperor when he was 38 after the Qin had conquered all of the other Warring States and unified all of China in 221 BC. Rather than maintain the title of "king" ( "wáng") borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers, he ruled as the First Emperor () of the Qin dynasty from 221 BC to 210 BC. His self-invented title "emperor" ( "") would continue to be borne by Chinese rulers for the next two millennia.