In ancient China, there was an emperor whose shopping cart was filled with the desire for immortal life, and his name was Qin Shi Huang. And the one who helped him "purchase overseas" was the legendary Fang Shi - Xu Fu.
Qin Shi Huang's ambition and Xu Fu's mission
Qin Shi Huang, the emperor who single-handedly ended the Warring States strife, his ambitions extended beyond the territory of the Six Kingdoms, but also extended to the mysterious fairy mountains overseas. Xu Fu, an erudite and talented alchemist, became a key figure in realizing this ambition. In 219 BC, Xu Fu painted to Qin Shi Huang a beautiful picture of an overseas sacred mountain, claiming that it was inhabited by immortals and possessed the elixir of immortality.
Xu Fu: The "One Piece" of ancient China?
In ancient China, stories of maritime expeditions were rare, but Xu Fu's seafaring feats are undoubtedly the most striking of them. He was not only an emissary of Qin Shi Huang, but also a true explorer, and his story is similar in many ways to the modern-day "One Piece".
Xu Fu's voyage, like Luffy, the protagonist in "One Piece", is a brave exploration of the unknown. They all have big goals - Xu Fu is looking for the elixir of life, while Luffy is looking for the legendary One Piece. Their journeys are full of unknowns and dangers, but they all have a strong will and an indomitable spirit.
Xu Fu's voyage, like the adventure in "One Piece", is full of legends. They arrived in far-flung foreign lands to exchange and blend with the local culture. They brought with them the civilization of the Qin Dynasty and also absorbed nutrients from the local culture. This exchange and blending of cultures, like the adventures of the pirates on different islands in One Piece, is full of surprises and discoveries.
Of course, Xu Fu is not really the "One Piece", and his goal is not to find treasure, but to realize Qin Shi Huang's dream of immortality. But his nautical spirit, his exploration and adventure into the unknown, coincides with the spirit of "One Piece".
Xu Fu's nautical feats:
Xu Fu went to sea for the first time in 219 BC, and his army was large and complex, including boys and girls, artisans, technicians, and even grain seeds. Such a configuration is not like a simple journey to find medicine, but more like a planned "overseas colonization". The fleet they traveled in was said to be the most advanced seafaring tools of the time, equipped with the most sophisticated seafaring equipment of the time.
Xu Fu's first voyage, although he did not bring back the elixir, did bring back anecdotes overseas, which made Qin Shi Huang even more convinced of the existence of overseas sacred mountains. So, in 210 BC, Xu Fu went to sea again, this time with a larger contingent and stronger support from Qin Shi Huang.
Cultural Exchange in Japan:
Xu Fu's fleet is said to have finally reached Japan. There, instead of finding the elixir of life, they unexpectedly became messengers of cultural transmission. Xu Fu and his team brought with them the agricultural technology, medical knowledge, writing, and culture of the Qin Dynasty, which greatly contributed to the development of Japanese society.
In Japan, Xu Fu is revered as the "god of agriculture" and "god of medicine", and his story is widely sung. The boys and girls he brought with him intermarried with the locals, which promoted the integration of the peoples. The artisans and seeds he brought with him helped establish a new way of producing it locally. It can be said that Xu Fu's eastward crossing inadvertently opened a precedent for Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges.
Xu Fu's legacy:
Xu Fu's voyage, although it failed to realize Qin Shi Huang's dream of immortality, left a rich cultural heritage. His story has become a link of cultural exchange between China and Japan, and his image has become a symbol of exploring the unknown and having the courage to take risks.
In Japan, the cemetery and memorial hall of Xu Fu became a place to commemorate the great navigator. In China, Xu Fu's hometown and the ruins of his trip to the sea have also become places for people to reminisce about history and explore culture.
Xu Fu's voyage is a brave exploration, a cultural exchange, and a historical witness. His story still inspires us to pursue our dreams and explore the unknown.
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