In the long history of ancient China, Qin Shi Huang is unique. Not only did he unify the Six Kingdoms and establish China's first empire, but he also left behind a mystery for the ages: why did the great emperor die suddenly at the age of 49?
When the magnificent mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and countless terracotta warriors and horses were excavated, more information was learned about the life of this generation of overlords, but the cause of his death remained an unsolved mystery.
In Qin Shi Huang's quest for immortality, there was a key ingredient – a mystical potion called "Yuan Shui", which was believed to be a panacea for longevity. But what exactly is this mysterious "Yuan Shui"? Does it really prolong life? Or is it the dark force that took Qin Shi Huang's life?
Qin Shi Huang Yingzheng, the first emperor in Chinese history, his life was full of endless legends and a thirst for power. In his empire, magnificent architecture, a powerful army, and strict laws were all hallmarks of his rule. However, after completing the great cause of the unification of the Six Kingdoms, an even more unattainable wish gradually sprouted in his heart - immortality.
This wish of Qin Shi Huang was not a whim. Since his accession to the throne at an early age, he has been told that as the lord of the world, he has a destiny and responsibilities that transcend ordinary people. As he grew older, the ambitious emperor began to worry about the fragility of life. He began to realize that even the lord of the world could not escape the natural law of birth, old age, sickness and death.
So, he set out to find the secret to immortality. Qin Shi Huang's pursuit of immortality was not a simple personal desire. In his opinion, this is a necessary means to maintain his rule and maintain the stability of the country. If he could live forever, he would be able to maintain control of the empire forever, ensuring that the country he had worked so hard to unify would not fall into chaos over succession issues.
This idea of his was not uncommon in the upper class of society at that time. Many nobles and alchemists were also looking for a way to live forever. In Qin Shi Huang's mind, immortality is not only the continuation of life, but also the eternity of power and achievement. He dreamed of being able to become a ruler forever, and his name, his exploits, would be remembered forever.
This obsession with immortality drove him to begin his search for the elixir of life. In the process, Qin Shi Huang gathered a large number of alchemists and doctors. They come from all over the country, even overseas. These people are given a common mission: to find a miracle medicine that can make Yingzheng immortal.
To this end, Qin Shi Huang did not hesitate to spend huge manpower and material resources. He sent people overseas to search for the legendary fairy island, while collecting various herbs and minerals at home in an attempt to refine the elixir of immortality.
However, as time passed, Qin Shi Huang gradually realized that this wish was out of reach. His anxiety and restlessness began to increase. Whenever he heard that there was a new elixir, he was always eager to try it, but he was always disappointed. His heart grew heavier and heavier, and the desire for immortality became a huge burden on his heart.
In his quest for immortality, Qin Shi Huang gradually neglected the needs of his empire and his subjects. His attention was almost entirely occupied by this unrealistic desire. Cracks began to begin to form in his rule, and his health deteriorated due to frequent attempts at various medications.
Despite all the difficulties, Qin Shi Huang was unwilling to give up his dream of immortality. He was convinced that one day, he would find the elixir that would allow him to rule the empire forever. But history has proven that this is nothing more than an unrealistic dream, the illusory fantasy of a great emperor.
Xu Fu, a mysterious physician with exceptional medical skills and magic, appeared in the palace when Qin Shi Huang's quest for immortality reached its climax. With his profound knowledge and mystical temperament, he quickly won the trust and attention of Qin Shi Huang.
During a private visit to Qin Shi Huang, Xu Fu came up with a bold plan: to find the fairy grass that was said to make people immortal.
He described to Qin Shi Huang the magic of the three immortal mountains of Penglai, Abbot, and Yingzhou. It is said that these places are not only beautiful in terms of scenery, but also grow magical fairy grasses that can prolong people's lives. Xu Fu's words were full of mystery and **, and he told Qin Shi Huang that as long as he could find these immortal grasses, he would be able to realize his dream of immortality.
Qin Shi Huang's heart was full of excitement and anticipation. He believed Xu Fu's words and thought that this might be the only chance to realize his wish for immortality. Therefore, he did not hesitate to order Xu Fu to organize a large-scale expedition to the sea.
Xu Fu began to prepare for this unprecedented expedition. He gathered a large number of boys and girls, said to number in the thousands, and these children were chosen because they were pure and unblemished, and they were better suited to seek fairy grass. In addition to this, Xu Fu also organized many ships, sailors, soldiers, and necessary supplies. The entire preparation was vast and complex, and almost used a lot of resources and manpower from the Qin State.
Qin Shi Huang had high hopes for this expedition. He summoned Xu Fu several times to inquire about the preparations, and personally ordered that the success of the expedition be ensured as much as possible. He said to Xu Fu: "If you can find the Immortal Grass, not only me, but the entire Qin Kingdom will be forever grateful to you." Xu Fu reverently agreed, saying that he would definitely live up to his mission.
Finally, everything was ready, and Xu Fu set off with a huge team. The ship they were on set sail for mysterious and unknown seas. In the heart of Qin Shi Huang, this is not only a journey to find immortal grass, but also a symbol of the exploration and conquest of eternal life.
However, as time passed, Xu Fu and his team seemed to have stepped into an endless fog, and there was no news. Qin Shi Huang began to feel anxious, and he sent people to the beach every day to look forward to Xu Fu's return. However, as time passed, the hope gradually turned into disappointment.
In the end, Xu Fu and his team did not bring back the fairy grass and did not return to the Qin State. There are many legends and speculations about Xu Fu's fate in later generations. Some say he found Immortal Island and stayed there forever; Others say he was shipwrecked at sea. But regardless of the outcome, Xu Fu's expedition became an unsolved mystery and a regret in Qin Shi Huang's dream of immortality.
This unsuccessful expedition not only consumed a lot of national resources, but also intensified Qin Shi Huang's attachment and anxiety about immortality. He began to look for other methods of immortality more urgently, which also laid the groundwork for him to take "Yuan Shui" in the future.
In the court of Qin Shi Huang, Han Tong, a mysterious alchemist, was famous for his alchemy. His position in the imperial palace grew prominent, and he became an important figure in Qin Shi Huang's quest for answers to immortality. Han Tong is not only proficient in herbal medicine, but also well versed in alchemy and the secrets of pill making. His arrival brought new hope to Qin Shi Huang.
Han Tong introduced Qin Shi Huang to a mysterious medicinal liquid called "Yuan Shui". According to him, the potion was made from a variety of rare herbs and precious minerals through a complex refining process. He declared that "Yuanshui" can not only prolong life, but also have the potential to achieve the long-cherished immortality.
Qin Shi Huang was convinced of this. He was fascinated by the magical power contained in "Yuan Shui". In his opinion, this could be the key to realizing his dream of immortality. So, Qin Shi Huang began to drink "Yuan Shui" every day, expecting it to bring miracles.
Whenever night fell, Han Tong would personally deliver the freshly refined "Yuan Shui" to Qin Shi Huang's bedroom. Qin Shi Huang was in the candlelit room, holding a jade cup filled with "yuan water" and savoring it carefully. He always watched the changes in his body with hope, hoping for the miracle of immortality.
However, as time passed, Qin Shi Huang began to feel physically unwell. At first, he thought it was a sign that the "Yuan Shui" was working and purifying the body. But gradually, this discomfort became more and more apparent. His mental state began to fluctuate, and his body gradually became weaker.
Despite this, Qin Shi Huang's conviction did not waver. He firmly believes that his choice is the right one, and insists on drinking "yuan water" every day. In his opinion, any great achievement comes at a price, and he is willing to endure it all for the dream of immortality.
After Han Tong saw the changes in Qin Shi Huang, he also began to feel uneasy. He knew that the production process of "Yuan Shui" was extremely complicated, and if something went wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable. But in the face of Qin Shi Huang's firm belief, Han Tong did not dare to say much, so he could only silently continue his alchemy work.
As time passed, Qin Shi Huang's physical condition deteriorated. He began to notice that something was wrong, but he was still reluctant to give up drinking "Yuan Shui". His obsession with immortality made him unable to accept possible failure and disillusionment.
This experience eventually became an important turning point in Qin Shi Huang's life. His health deteriorated, but his heart was still filled with a desire for immortality. This dedication and pursuit of immortality eventually became the tragedy of his life.
With the passage of time, the "yuan water" that Qin Shi Huang drank daily began to show its *** At first, these symptoms were not obvious. Qin Shi Huang often felt physically exhausted and lacked spirits, but he did not blame "Yuan Shui" for these changes, but blamed them on the heavy pressure of state affairs.
However, these minor physical changes gradually evolve into serious health problems. Qin Shi Huang began to experience mouth ulcers, difficulty breathing, and even occasional signs of insanity. His sleep quality has also dropped dramatically, and he often wakes up in the middle of the night. Under the torture of these symptoms, Qin Shi Huang's constitution weakened significantly.
These abnormal health conditions attracted the close attention of Qin Shi Huang. He began to question whether the "Yuan Shui" provided by Han Tong was really as he said, able to prolong life and achieve immortality. Qin Shi Huang ordered the imperial physician in the palace to carefully examine and analyze the "Yuan Shui".
However, due to the limited level of science and technology at that time, the imperial doctors could not accurately judge the composition of "Yuan Shui" and its impact on the human body. Historians have found through later research that "meta-water" contains a large amount of mercury. Mercury is a substance that is often mistaken for a miraculous element that can prolong life in ancient alchemy.
Long-term consumption of mercury-containing "yuan water" not only failed to achieve the effect of immortality, but caused serious damage to the health of Qin Shi Huang. Qin Shi Huang's physical condition deteriorated day by day, and his mentality began to change. His original firm belief began to waver, and he no longer drank "Yuan Shui" as often as before.
But due to long-term ingestion of mercury, his body has suffered irreversible damage. During this period, Qin Shi Huang began to reflect deeply on his path to immortality. He realized that his attachment could lead to irreparable consequences. At the same time, he began to re-examine his rule and way of life, and developed a deep sense of the fear and inevitability of death.
Eventually, Qin Shi Huang's health deteriorated dramatically due to his long-term intake of "yuan water" containing mercury. The flame of his life was gradually extinguished in constant anxiety and pain. In 210 BC, Qin Shi Huang died on his eastern tour at the age of 49. The great emperor who single-handedly forged China's first unified empire did not escape the end of his life.
This history is full of irony and tragedy. It shows the human weakness of a great emperor and the human quest for immortality. But more importantly, it reminds us that no one can escape the laws of nature. Even the greatest emperors in history had to face the end of their lives.
In 210 BC, Qin Shi Huang died on his third tour of the East at the age of 49. The death of this ambitious emperor caused a huge shock and countless speculations at the time. The death of Qin Shi Huang was not only the overthrow of a dynasty, but also the end of an era.
Qin Shi Huang's eastern tour was originally intended to inspect the newly unified territory and show the emperor's majesty and care. However, as his health deteriorated, Qin Shi Huang on this eastern tour was no longer the heroic and energetic monarch. He was weak and pale, and often relied on the help of accompanying physicians and courtiers.
During his eastern tour, Qin Shi Huang's condition took a turn for the worse. He often experienced severe headaches and chest tightness, and even sometimes a brief coma. Despite the best efforts of his imperial medical team, there was nothing they could do about the mercury poisoning that had accumulated in Qin Shi Huang's body for a long time.
The death of Qin Shi Huang has given rise to many speculations and legends. Some say he was assassinated, others say he died suddenly because of prolonged fatigue and stress. But with the development of modern science, especially the archaeological discovery of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, people began to know more about the cause of Qin Shi Huang's death.
Modern historians and scientists have found that the "yuan water" that Qin Shi Huang took for a long time contains a large amount of mercury through the study of the Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang and related documents. Mercury poisoning has been recognized by the medical community to cause a variety of health problems, including neurological damage, respiratory problems, and even death.
Many of Qin Shi Huang's symptoms closely matched those of mercury poisoning, making speculation that he died early as a result of long-term use of mercury-containing "yuan water" gradually became the mainstream view.
Qin Shi Huang's death not only marked the end of his personal dreams of immortality, but also heralded the decline of the powerful empire he had built. Qin Shi Huang's lifelong pursuit of immortality eventually came to naught, and his death made people deeply realize the tragedy and futility of the pursuit of eternal life.
The life and death of the great emperor, who single-handedly forged China's first unified empire, are full of drama and lessons.
Qin Shi Huang's immortal thought and Qin's rapid demise. Xi Chunnian, "Jianghai Journal".Year 2000.