I find that one of the most fascinating aspects of the life of Qin Shihuangdi is the overpowering fear of death which he possessed. For one thing, it is very ironic indeed (perhaps fitting) considering the fact that the very thing for which he is best remembered today is the tomb in which he was buried and the spectacular legion of terracotta soldiers, officials, and entertainers that accompanied him in his final resting place.

At any rate, throughout the final years of his life he was constantly afraid of assassination. He never slept in the same bed twice; he never rode in the same carriage two days in a row. He kept himself isolated from all but his most trusted advisors. Indeed, he possessed a deep horror of the grave.

While on one hand he had no trouble burying scholars alive and that sort of thing, he simply couldn't bear to speak of his son as his heir. He couldn't bear to think that he too would come to die. He sent "diplomats" off to the east in hopes that they would locate the peach of immortality in Japan and convince Xi Wang Mu to part with it. He had Taoist alchemists prepare a most unhealthy elixir of eternal life - which proved to shorten his lifespan dramatically. He was absolutely appalled by the idea that he would cease to live and reign over his empire.

It may be a rather morbid subject to be interested in, but I was wondering if anyone else would care to discuss it!

(It's a start, at any rate...)