Editing Jing Ke (section)

== Assassination plot ==
=== Planning ===
In 228 BC, the Qin army was already at the [[Zhao (state)|Zhao]] capital of [[Handan]], and was waiting to approach the state of Yan. Jing Ke agreed to go to Qin and pretend to be a nobleman begging for mercy.<ref name="gongtong70" /> According to events at the time, Dukang (督亢) (in present-day [[Hebei Province]]) was the first part of the Yan state that the Qin wanted, by reason of its fertile farmland.<ref name="gongtong70" /> The plan was to present as gifts the map of Dukang<ref name="gongtong70" /> and the [[decapitation|severed]] head of the traitorous Qin general [[Fan Yuqi]] (identified as [[Huan Yi]] by [[Yang Kuan]])<ref name="gongtong70" /><ref name=YangKuan>{{cite book|title=History of the Warring States ''战国史''|last=Yang|first=Kuan|year=2003|location=Shanghai|publisher=Shanghai People Publishing House|language=Chinese|edition=reprint|isbn=7208045372}}</ref> to the king of Qin, in order to approach him.

At the time, General Fan Yuqi (Huan Yi) had lost favor with Qin and wanted revenge against it;<ref name="gongtong72">王恆偉. (2005) (2006) 中國歷史講堂 #2 戰國 秦 漢. 中華書局. {{ISBN|962-8885-25-1}}. pp. 72–73.</ref> whereas the Qin state put a bounty on capturing him of 1,000 gold pieces.<ref name="tonsi62">戴逸, 龔書鐸. [2002] (2003) 中國通史. 春秋 戰國 秦. Intelligence press. {{ISBN|962-8792-81-4}}. p. 62.</ref> Jing Ke went to Huan himself to discuss the assassination plan. Fan Yuqi (Huan Yi) believed that the plan would work, and agreed to [[commit suicide]] so that his head could be collected.<ref name="gongtong72" /><ref name="tonsi62" />

Prince Dan then obtained the sharpest possible dagger, refined it with poison, and gave it to Jing Ke.<ref name="gongtong72" /> To accompany him, Prince Dan assigned [[Qin Wuyang]] as his assistant.<ref name="gongtong72" />  Qin Wuyang was known to have successfully committed murder at the age of 13.<ref name="gongtong72" />

In 227 BC, Prince Dan and other guests wore white clothing and white hats at the [[Yishui River|Yi River]] (易水) to send the pair of assassins off.<ref name="gongtong72" /> Jing Ke reportedly sang a song "The wind howls, and the waters of the River Yi are cold. When a hero sets out, he never returns!" (風蕭蕭兮易水寒，壯士一去兮不復還).<ref name="gongtong72" /> The [[Qin Shi Huang|King of Qin]] received the message of visitors presenting a gift to him, and was willing to receive them at the city.<ref name="gongtong72" />

=== The attempt ===
[[File:Assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang.jpg|thumb|295px|Jing Ke's assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang; Jing Ke (left) is held by one of Qin Shi Huang's physicians (left, background). The dagger used in the assassination attempt is seen stuck in the pillar. Qin Shi Huang (right) is seen holding an imperial jade disc. One of his soldiers (far right) rushes to save his emperor. Stone rubbing; 3rd century, [[Eastern Han]]]]
Concealing the dagger inside the map [[scroll]], Jing Ke and [[Qin Wuyang]] represented the Yan as [[ambassador]]s and met with King Zheng.<ref name="gongtong72" />  Qin Wuyang reportedly became so nervous that he acted almost paralyzed when entering the palace, and Jing Ke managed the excuse that his partner had never set eyes on the grace of [[Emperor of China|Son of Heaven]].<ref name="sima">Sima Qian. Dawson, Raymond Stanley. Brashier, K. E. (2007). The First Emperor: Selections from the Historical Records. Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-922634-2}}, {{ISBN|978-0-19-922634-4}}. pp. 15–20, 82, 99.</ref>  Other sources suggest Jing Ke described Qin Wuyang as a rural boy who had never seen the world and was suffering a [[cultural shock]].<ref name="gongtong72" />  The panicked Qin Wuyang was then barred from moving up the palace, and Jing Ke was ordered to present the map alone.

Jing Ke approached King Zheng and politely presented the map scroll.  When the King Zheng unrolled the map, Jing Ke immediately seized the revealed dagger, grabbed the king's clothes and attacked him, who somehow managed to back away from the initial thrust by tearing off a sleeve in the process.  While King Zheng leapt to his feet and fled from his attacker, he desperately attempted to draw his own sword hanging from his belt, but was unable to do so while running as it was a very long ceremonial sword.  None of the other Qin officials within the vicinity were armed and able to stop Jing Ke, and the guards were all stationed outside the palace and were unable to immediately reach the scene.<ref name="gongtong72" />  In the confusion Jing Ke began to close in on the king, who struggled to get away from the assassin by circling behind a pillar.

Seeing the king in grave danger, a royal physician named Xia Wuju (夏無且) grabbed his own medicine bag and hurled it at Jing Ke,<ref name="gongtong72" /> which slowed down the assassin just enough to allow King Zheng to recover some distance.  Reminded by cries from other officials, the king managed to shift his longsword behind his back and successfully unsheathe it from behind.  Now armed, he immediately turned back and struck Jing Ke [[hamstringing|in the thigh]], effectively immobilizing him.<ref name="gongtong74">王恆偉. (2005) (2006) 中國歷史講堂 #2 戰國 秦 漢. 中華書局. {{ISBN|962-8885-25-1}}. pp. 74–75.</ref>  The injured Jing Ke [[knife throwing|threw his dagger]] at King Zheng in desperation, but missed. The king then proceeded to stab Jing Ke eight more times, mortally wounding him.  Knowing it was hopelessly over, the dying Jing Ke sat with his legs stretched forward and apart (a posture then considered very rude), and used the last of his strength to taunt King Zheng with abuses.  At this point, the guards had arrived at the scene to finish off both Jing Ke and the fleeing Qin Wuyang.<ref name="gongtong74" />

It was recorded that right after the incident, King Zheng sat on his throne [[catatonic]]ally holding the sword, before he recovering and thanking the physician Xia Wuju for attempting to stop the assassin.