China’s First Emperor’s Belief in Immortality Drugs Was So Great that He Buried Alive Those Who Questioned Their Existence
There was no such mountain as Penglai where the Eight Immortals of China’s mythology dwelt. However, Xu Fu convinced Qin Shi Huang that he had actually managed to get in touch with the Eight Immortals, and they agreed to share the secret. However, the Immortals demanded 6000 virgins in return. Qin Shi Huang gave Xu Fu a fleet of ships, and 6000 virgins. The charlatan took the ships and virgins and sailed off, never to return. Legend has it that he sailed to Japan, and started a colony there.
In the meantime, while he waited for Xu Fu to return with the magic potion that would make him immortal, the First Emperor went on a rampage against all who dared question his belief in the mythology of the Elixir of Life. His crackdown on the scholars, which culminated in the live burial of 460 of them, was inspired in large part by their criticism of his quest for immortality. In order to further lessen his odds of death before Xu Fu’s return, the emperor did his best to avoid contact with evil spirits. As seen below, that involved a whole other level of weird.