Where the old emperor lived

Beidaihe is known as a fashionable beach resort, and even the first emperor of China, Qin Shihuangdi, had his holiday home here. The foundations of his palace have been located, and a modern museum has been built right next to it.

A grand reception has been organized for the visit from Germany, as a whole orchestra greets me at the entrance with traditional music. A costumed singer performs a powerful song in the style of Beijing opera.

My disappointment could not be greater when I find out that the entire performance is not intended for me at all, but is a charitable artistic presentation that is promoted and organized by the city of Qinhuangdao. Therefore, we weave our way through the orchestra during a music break to get to the museum.

A small wooden model reconstructs the appearance and gives an idea of the size of the estate.

Finely decorated hollow block bricks were used in the construction.

The roof tile ends feature typical symbolism (so-called 'Wadang') that is meant to keep evil spirits away from the house. Symbols of luck and life are often found. Some symbols were reserved for emperors, which is why imperial ruins can be identified today.

Some local ceramic finds are on display, while other pieces in glass showcases come from different excavation sites and different eras. However, the explanations of the historical sources are very informative. The legend of the search for immortality and information about the emperor's whereabouts comes from the work 'Shiji' by the famous historian Sima Qian (2nd century BC). It states, in essence: 'In the 32nd year, the First Emperor went to Jieshi and sent the man from Yan, Lu Sheng, to search for Xianmen and Gaoshi. He left an inscription at the city gate.'

A map shows the travels of Qin Shihuangdi with the year of his expeditions indicated.

Finally, the fate of the Qin Empire, which first unified China, is explained under the successor Qin Er Shi. He was the 18th (!) son of Qin Shihuangdi and came to power through a palace intrigue. The palace official Zhao Gao and Chancellor Li Si had indeed forged the imperial decree of succession and forced the rightful heir to commit suicide. A fate that would later befall Qin Er Shi as well, as his cruel, ignorant, and incompetent rule led to a revolt. So, just normal ruler insanity.

Escaping this madness, we rush out to the excavation site. However, there isn't much to see, as the foundations of the palace are only hinted at. Raised wooden walkways lead across the grounds.

On an adjacent long house, the travel column of Qin Shihuangdi has been painted as a shadow, a design detail that I really like.

Next to the former kitchen, an ensemble of a romantic tea ceremony has been set up.

The pictures next to the excavation sites depict the previous appearance of the buildings.

Floral decorations add a splash of color to the area.

We leave the site heading towards the museum building. There, at the museum wall, the Chinese characters Qin Xing Gong (freely translated: Qin Imperial Palace) are incompletely painted, allowing people to complete the character with their own bodies. This is the opportunity for my wife's performance. The AI has slightly altered my wife's face but has combined all three photos into a triptych.