Archeologists who have spent two years studying the ruins of the Epang Palace have concluded that it was never finished, and legends of the "Palace Fire" are false.

Epang Palace was built during the Qin Dynasty (BC 221 - BC206) but it turns out the builders never got further than the front hall. There is no evidence that other parts of it were destroyed.

Legend has it that Xiang Yu, a nobleman attempting to overthrow the authority of Qin, set Epang Palace on fire. Since this cannot be the case, archeologists have suggested the palace Xiang Yu destroyed was in fact Xianyang palace.

The ruin of Epang Palace, just west of Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province, is popular with tourists from China and abroad.

(CRI.com December 29, 2004)