Which Chinese emperor ordered the initial unification of the Great Wall sections?

Qin Shi Huang ordered the initial unification of earlier Great Wall sections around 220 BCE.

After conquering the rival states and founding the Qin dynasty in 221 BCE, Qin Shi Huang became China’s first emperor. He directed officials and armies to connect and extend existing defensive walls in the north, creating a more unified barrier against raids from steppe peoples.

This was not the construction of the entire Great Wall as it appears today. Earlier states had already built separate fortifications, often using rammed earth, stone, and timber. Qin engineers joined some of these defenses, while later dynasties repeatedly rebuilt, shifted, or abandoned sections.

The most famous surviving stretches largely date from the Ming dynasty, many centuries after Qin Shi Huang. Another common misconception is that the Qin emperor created every kilometer of the Wall; his role was the first major imperial unification, while the vast defensive network developed over successive dynasties. Qin Shi Huang is also associated with the Terracotta Army and the mausoleum near modern Xi’an.