THE FIRST EMPEROR: THE MAN WHO MADE CHINA Reveals One of History's Most Powerful Rulers, Chin Shi Huang Di

THE FIRST EMPEROR: THE MAN WHO MADE CHINA Reveals One of History's Most Powerful Rulers, Chin Shi Huang Di

First Western Access to the Exploration of Emperor's Tomb Proves Legendary Tales True

SILVER SPRING, Md., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- THE FIRST EMPEROR: THE MAN WHO MADE CHINA follows the first emperor of China's legendary rise, reign and fall, and employs cutting edge science to unlock the secrets of his tomb. The emperor, Chin Shi Huang Di, is compared to Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar for commanding millions, uniting China and building the Great Wall. Though revered in the East, most westerners have had little knowledge of the great warrior, until now. The Discovery Channel transports viewers to ancient China, bringing the Emperor's story to life on Chinese New Year 2006, Sunday, January 29, 9-11 PM ET/PT.

Filmed on location in China, THE FIRST EMPEROR: THE MAN WHO MADE CHINA marks unprecedented access for a western film crew to Emperor Chin's legendary seven square mile underground burial complex. Filled with more than 8,000 figures, including the terracotta army of soldiers, the Emperor designed it to celebrate his political and military power, and to achieve continued glory in the afterlife. Two thousand years after his death, ground-penetrating radar combined with CGI illustrate the shape, layout and design of the largest unopened tomb in the world, revealed on-screen for the first time. The special also proves true the legend that Emperor Chin was buried amid a map of his empire flowing with rivers of liquid mercury, which at the time was believed to prolong life.

"Discovery Channel's first-time access to the exploration of the largest unopened tomb in history, combined with vivid dramatizations using the actors, costumes and sets of China's feature film industry, transports the viewer to ancient China, immersing them in the emperor's renowned tale," says Jane Root, EVP and GM of Discovery Channel, Science Channel and Military Channel. "Once viewers learn of his unparalleled achievement, exceptional aggression and lethal obsession with immortality, they will wonder why he was never included in their high school history lessons."

Emperor Chin's achievements are astounding -- he was the first to unite China, abolished its feudalist past, gave the country its name, and commanded ten times as many subjects as the Pharaohs of Egypt. He created a single written language, was architect of the Great Wall, commanded the creation of the first road system, and planned and built the world's biggest and most extravagant resting place.

THE FIRST EMPEROR: THE MAN WHO MADE CHINA reveals that the warrior king was also a brutal tyrant who achieved his overwhelming power by destroying all opposition, both on the battlefield and in his own palace, where he survived repeated assassination attempts. As he became more and more powerful, Chin was said to have consumed mercury in increasingly-large doses, hoping to extend his life.

But could the substance have had the opposite effect and driven him mad, or worse, killed him? While Emperor Chin's powerful empire outlasted Rome by a thousand years, could his obsession with immortality have ultimately proven his downfall? The production team along with Dr. Jeffrey Riegel, Professor of Chinese at the University of California, Berkeley, investigates how the tomb itself can reveal the facts behind the legend.

Filmed in high definition, the special transports viewers to ancient China by filming at historic locales in China such as the Emperor's burial complex, shooting scenes at Chinese film studios with full-size replica sets of imperial palaces, using CGI to recreate battle scenes with one million soldiers, and recreating the construction of the Great Wall of China, portraying the original pounded earth techniques.

THE FIRST EMPEROR: THE MAN WHO MADE CHINA is a co-production of the Discovery Channel and Lion Television. For Lion Television, Nic Young is Writer and Director, Bill Locke is executive producer; Jack Smith is executive producer for Discovery Channel.

Discovery Communications is the leading global real-world media and entertainment company. Discovery has grown from its core property, the Discovery Channel, first launched in 1985, to current global operations in more than 160 countries and territories with 1.3 billion cumulative subscribers. DCI's over 90 networks of distinctive programming represent 25 network entertainment brands. DCI's other properties consist of Discovery Education and Discovery Commerce, which operates 120 Discovery Channel Stores. DCI also distributes BBC America in the United States. DCI's ownership consists of four shareholders: Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ:DISCA)(NASDAQ:DISCB), Cox Communications, Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman.

Source: Discovery Channel

CONTACT: Kate Hawken, +1-240-662-2947, Kate_Hawken@discovery.com, or
Katherine Nelson, +1-604-899-2179, Katherine_Nelson-CW@discovery.com, both of
the Discovery Channel

Web site: http://www.discovery.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information and artwork, please log on to www.press.discovery.com. Interviews are available upon request.

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