Xu Fu

Xu Fu (Hsu Fu; Chinese: 徐福 or 徐巿[1]; pinyin: Xú Fú; Wade–Giles: Hsu2 Fu2; Japanese: 徐福 Jofuku or 徐巿 Jofutsu; Korean: 서복 Seo Bok or 서불 Seo Bul) was a Chinese alchemist and explorer.

It was believed that the fleet included 60 barques with soldiers, ship crewmen, and 3,000 boys and 3,000 girls,[2] and craftsmen of different fields.

The Records of the Grand Historian says he came to a place with "flat plains and wide swamps" (平原廣澤) and proclaimed himself king, never to return.

[2] The Japanese historian Ino Okifu identifies Emperor Jimmu of Japan with Xu Fu.

Xu Fu is said to have reached the top of Mount Kinryu, where he met a hermit and obtained the elixir of immortal life.

The elixir is said to have been made from a plant called furofuki, which still grows on Mount Kinryu today.

Many researchers from Japan, mainland China, Taiwan, and South Korea participated and made presentations.

[12][13][14][15][16] Highly controversial radiocarbon evidence may suggest a date up to 500 years earlier, between ca.