History: Exploring Two Emperors' Quests for Immortality -- Vision.org

PASADENA, CA, Mar 24 (MARKET WIRE) --
Treasures from China's Qin Dynasty and treasures from ancient Egyptian
religion continue to draw crowds as they tour the United States,
millennia after the emperors responsible for the priceless hoards died.
Neither emperor expected to die; each planned for his own immortality. In
an article for Vision.org titled "Two Emperors Who Would Cheat Death,"
history writer Stephen Elliott explores the similarities between the Qin
Dynasty's first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, and Tutankhamen, worshiped as
one of the ancient Egyptian gods and pharaoh of the great nation.

Elliott describes the rewards awaiting young "King Tut," according to
ancient Egyptian religion. Yet King Tut died at the age of 17, and as
Elliott explains, "Tut lived such a short life that he didn't have the
opportunity to build an impressive mausoleum. But he was nevertheless
entombed with many 'magic' statuettes that were intended to come to life
as celestial servants when he joined the ancient Egyptian gods in the
night sky, some servants to feed and entertain him and some to replace
him in any physical work that might be required."

The similarities between his tomb trappings and the mausoleum Qin Shi
Huangdi of the Qin Dynasty created for his own eternal afterlife are
remarkable. Elliott explores ancient texts and artifacts to show
surprising parallels between the two emperors, though they lived nearly a
millennium apart and half a world away.

What else did ancient Egyptian religion and ancient China's Qin Dynasty
have in common? How did their cosmologies compare? This article, "Two
Emperors Who Would Cheat Death," for Vision.org looks beyond the physical
possessions required by both King Tut's ancient Egyptian religion and Qin
Shi Huangdi's planned everlasting Qin Dynasty as writer Elliott delves
into their shared yearning for eternal life.

But neither ancient Egyptian religion nor ancient Egyptian gods could
grant Tut's desires, and all of Qin Shi Huangdi's preparations came to
naught. Their treasures did not ease their transition into the afterlife
as they had planned. Instead, pieces of their physical preparations for
living forever, two of archaeology's most fascinating finds, are currently
represented by separate museum exhibits touring in the United States.

To learn more about the Qin Dynasty, ancient Egyptian gods, and two
ancient emperors with much in common, read "Two Emperors Who Would Cheat
Death" at Vision.org.

About Vision

Vision.org is an online magazine with quarterly print issues that feature
in-depth coverage of current social issues, religion and the Bible,
history, family relationship topics and insights into philosophical,
moral and ethical issues in society today. For a free subscription to the
Vision quarterly magazine, visit their web site at http://www.vision.org.

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Contact
Edwin Stepp
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