How Ancient Chinese Emperors Survived Poisoning at Every Meal

Ancient Chinese emperors lived with the constant fear of poisoning, as enemies, political rivals, and even members of the royal court could potentially use poisoned food or drinks against them. To protect themselves, emperors relied on trusted servants, food tasters, careful preparation of meals, and various traditional methods believed to reveal or reduce the danger of poison. Silver utensils were also sometimes associated with poison detection, although this was not a reliable way to identify every type of poison. In this video, we explore the fascinating methods ancient Chinese emperors used to protect themselves from poisoning, how palace food was handled, and what really happened when an emperor suspected that his meal might be deadly.