Ruler of the Chinese state of Qin from 338 BC-311 BC he took the title of king rather than duke as his predecessors had. He succeeded Duke Xiao and executed his predecessor's prime minister, the famous legalist, Shang Yang. He did not however undo Shang Yang's reforms to the structure of the Qin state as he could see the benefits inherrent in these (indeed the legalist reforms enacted by Shang Yang probably contributed significantly to Qin's eventual defeat of the other Six Kingdoms).