A recent video showed Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping engaged in a conversation, discussing the possibility of humans living for 150 years. Their discussion reportedly revolved around organ transplants and their potential to extend life. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was also present.
The desire for longevity and immortality is not new. Many dictators throughout history have shared this ambition. However, the reality is that death is inevitable. Let’s examine some of these dictators who sought immortality.
1. Qin Shi Huang: The Emperor Who Drank Poison in Pursuit of Immortality
Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, was obsessed with immortality. He dedicated his life to finding an elixir of life. He sent soldiers and scholars across the sea to mythical islands in search of miraculous medicines. He even constructed a magnificent mausoleum and the famous Terracotta Army to ensure his protection after death. Ironically, the pills he consumed, believing them to be an elixir of immortality, contained mercury. This mercury poisoning led to his death at the age of 49.
2. Kim Il-sung: Employing Frightening Treatments to Stay Alive
Kim Il-sung, the founding leader of North Korea, also desired a long life. He instructed his doctors to keep him alive for a hundred years, employing various bizarre and frightening treatments.
His personal doctor, Kim So-yeon, who defected to South Korea in 1992, revealed that a special research center was even established for this purpose.
However, all the efforts were in vain. Kim Il-sung died at the age of 82. One of his strangest habits? Blood transfusions from young people in their twenties. Those who provided the blood were first fed nutritious food. Kim Il-sung also enjoyed watching children play and be mischievous. Doctors believed that laughter was good for health. Perhaps this is why he is smiling in most of his official photos. Interestingly, he is still declared as eternally alive in North Korea today.