Fusu

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Fusu (Chinese: 扶蘇; pinyin: fúsū) (died 210 BC) was the first son of the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang(秦始皇), and hence the heir apparent.

After being deceived by two alchemists while seeking prolonged life, Qin Shi Huang ordered more than 460 of them in the capital to be buried alive in the second year of the proscription, though an account given by Wei Hong in the 2nd century added another 700 to the figure. The Crown Prince Fusu counselled that, with the country newly unified, and enemies still not pacified, such a harsh measure imposed on those who respect Confucius would cause instability. ^[1] However, he was unable to change his father's mind, and instead was sent to guard the frontier in a de facto exile.

Moreover, after the secret death of the First Emperor, Fusu's brother, Huhai (秦二世,胡亥), together with two high officials Zhao Gao(趙高) and Li Si(李斯), forged the First Emperor's decree to rename Huhai as the successor and order Fusu to commit suicide. Some aides of Fusu doubted the veracity of the decree, but Fusu either did not believe someone would dare to forge the decree or, with good reason, feared being killed anyway, and he committed suicide.

He had a son Ziying (子嬰) who was made Emperor of Qin after Zhao Gao forced Huhai to commit suicide later in 207 BC. At that time Li Si was already eliminated by Zhao Gao. Ziying soon killed Zhao Gao.

[edit] Fusu in popular culture

Fusu and Meng Tian are alive and well in an RPG computer game called Prince of Qin (developed by Strategy First). In this game the player controls Fusu in his quest to defeat the evil usurper Zhao Gao who is in fact a demon planning the destruction of China. Along the way Fusu meets and helps various important historical characters of China including Han Dynasty founder Liu Bang and witnesses the failed Chen Sheng rebellion.