Qinhuangdao is the only city in China named after an imperial title. China, an ancient civilization with a rich history, has seen 83 dynasties and 494 emperors from Qin Shi Huang to the last emperor, Puyi. Within this vast territory, there are nearly 300 prefecture-level cities, yet only one bears the title of an emperor, making it particularly remarkable. That city is Qinhuangdao, located in Hebei Province. Its name derives from the fact that Qin Shi Huang stopped at Jieshi during his eastern tour and sent Lu Sheng, a man from Yan, into the sea in search of a paradise. This gave rise to the name Qinhuangdao, a symbol of the city's unique status and profound historical heritage.
The Unification of the First Emperor and the Origin of His Title
In 247 BC, Qin Shi Huang inherited the throne at the age of 13. Initially, the prime minister, Lü Buwei, held the reins of state power. It was not until he reached the age of 21 that Qin Shi Huang took power himself, gradually eliminating dissidents from the court and assuming absolute power. After 10 years of effort, he successfully conquered the six kingdoms of Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan, and Qi, marking the end of the era of aristocratic monarchy and the beginning of the era of absolute monarchy. After conquering the six kingdoms, Qin Shi Huang proclaimed himself "First Emperor," becoming the first monarch in Chinese history to call himself "Emperor."
Qinhuangdao's History and Culture
Legend has it that Confucian scholars and alchemists from the Qi and Yan regions claimed that three celestial islands, Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou, existed in the sea, abodes of immortals and held the elixir of life. Qin Shi Huang was deeply moved by these claims and longed to find the path to immortality. So, in 215 BC, he embarked on an eastern tour to Jieshi and dispatched Lu Sheng, a native of Yan, to search the sea for immortals. This is how the name Qinhuangdao came to be. Qinhuangdao is not only a place for seeking immortality, but also rich in historical stories. It is a strategic military and transportation hub, steeped in history and culture. Its unique geographical location, connecting the interior and exterior of the Great Wall, and North China and Northeast China, has long been a battleground for military strategists.