Meng Tian

Also known as Meng Jiangjun

Meng Tian's grandfather Meng Ao had come from Qi to serve King Zhao of Qin, and his father Meng Wu was also a Qin general. Trained in legal procedure, he was given a command in 221 BC on the strength of his family and crushed Qi, after which he became Prefect of the Capital. Once Qin had unified the realm he led three hundred thousand men north against the Rong and Di, took the land inside the Yellow River loop and built walls along the terrain from Lintao to Liaodong, over ten thousand li; he also cut a road from Jiuyuan to Ganquan. He spent over ten years in Shang commandery with Prince Fusu. After the First Emperor died at Shaqiu in 210 BC, Zhao Gao and Li Si forged an edict ordering Fusu to die; Meng Tian was imprisoned at Yangzhou, his brother Meng Yi was executed, and he took poison. Sima Qian, who had seen his forts, faulted him for indulging the emperor's ambitions instead of remonstrating.