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Jing Ke (荊軻, Jing1 Ke1) was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination of the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang who reigned from 221 BC to 210 BC. His story is told in the chapter entitled Biography of the Assassins (刺客列傳) in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian.
Jing Ke was introduced by Tian Guang to Dan the crown prince of Yan. Jing Ke was originally from Wei, which he left because he was not being recognised by the King of Wei. After travelling around, he arrived at Yan and made friends with Gao Jian Li and a butcher of dogs. Together they passed the days drinking and having fun.
Dan was a friend of Zheng (who later became Qin Shi Huang) when they were both hostages in the State of Zhao. When Dan escaped from Zhao back to Yan, Qin's army moved towards the border with Yan. Yan's army was too weak to fight off th army of Qin. Instead of going to battle, Dan consulted with Tian Guang on a course of action, and decided to assassinate the king of Qin. Tian Guang, who was a friend of Jing Ke, recommended him to Dan to carry out the assassination.
A Qin army general (Fan Yu Qi), who had lost favor with the king of Qin, was a guest at Dan's residence at that time. Having learned of his whereabouts, Jing Ke persuaded the general to commit suicide, as the king of Qin wanted his head. Together with the head and a map of Yan, Jing Ke had enough reasons to approach the king of Qin.
Armed with a dagger covered with poison hidden in the case holding the map, Jing Ke and Qin Wu Yang represented Yan and met with the king of Qin. Qin Wu Yang was carrying the map case while Jing Ke was holding the head of general Fan. Qin Wu Yang became nervous and his face turned white. Seizing his chance, Jing Ke took over the map case and while presenting it to the king of Qin, took out the dagger and holding onto the sleeve of the king of Qin plunged the dagger towards him.
Jing Ke missed and in the struggle, the sleeve was torn off and the king of Qin escaped. As Jing Ke chased the king around the audience hall, the king of Qin tried hard to pull out his sword which was slung at his back. After being advised by a court official, the king of Qin managed to draw out his sword and seriously wounded Jing Ke with it. Jing Ke, knowing that his chances were slipping away, threw the dagger at the king. He missed. Finally, the guards arrived and killed the assassin.
The Chinese film The Emperor and the Assassin (1999), featuring Gong Li and others, was based on these events.
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