Xu Fu

Xu Fu was a Chinese court alchemist and expedition leader said to have sailed east around 210 BCE in search of an elixir of immortality.

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Qin Shi Huang: Qin Shi Huang was the first emperor of a unified China, ruling from 221 to 210 BCE. He commissioned Xu Fu’s voyages while seeking an elixir of immortality.
Japan: Japan is an East Asian island country in the Pacific Ocean. A longstanding tradition places Xu Fu’s landing and settlement in Japan.
Elixir of life: The elixir of life is a substance believed in various traditions to grant immortality or greatly extend life. Xu Fu’s reported mission was to obtain such a substance for the emperor.
Historicity of Xu Fu's voyages: The historicity of Xu Fu’s voyages concerns whether the reported expeditions occurred as described. The surviving accounts do not independently confirm the expedition’s scale or outcome.
Qin dynasty: The Qin dynasty unified China in 221 BCE and ruled until 206 BCE. Xu Fu’s reported expedition took place during the dynasty’s final years.
Shingu: Shingu is a city in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, on the Kii Peninsula. Local tradition identifies nearby sites with Xu Fu’s landing and burial.
Chinese alchemy: Chinese alchemy comprises practices seeking transformation, longevity, or immortality through substances and techniques. Xu Fu’s court role and mission are situated within these pursuits.
Xu Fu in Japan: Xu Fu in Japan is a tradition that the Chinese expedition leader reached Japan and introduced continental knowledge. The tradition is influential, but its historical basis is uncertain.
Records of the Grand Historian: The Records of the Grand Historian is Sima Qian’s history of China from its legendary origins through the Han dynasty. Its account is the principal early source for Xu Fu’s voyages.
Sado Island: Sado Island is an island in the Sea of Japan, off Niigata Prefecture. A Japanese tradition also connects Xu Fu with this island.