Plot
In 260 BC, the Qin state inflicts a devastating defeat on the Zhao state at the Battle of Changping. A group of refugees flees from Zhao and settles down in the Lively Valley, an isolated paradise-like world. Two young men, Jing Ke and Fan Wuji, grew up in the valley with their common love interest, Ye Xiaohu. When Fan Wuji learns that his ancestral roots are actually from Qin, he leaves them and returns to his native state, where he becomes a subordinate of the infamous Qin general Bai Qi. On the other hand, Jing Ke and Ye Xiaohu travel to the Qi state and settle there. As Ye Xiaohu is tired of leading a wandering life, she leaves Jing Ke and marries a rich man, who abuses her all the time. Ye Xiaohu plots with the rich man's henchman, Nie Wuya, to kill her husband and seize his fortune, and then frame Jing Ke for the murder.
Jing Ke is arrested and almost executed, but is saved by Tian Guang, who recommends him to join an assassin organisation. Later, he becomes an apprentice of a powerful swordsman and inherits his master's legendary skills. However, as he completes more missions, he feels that he is pursuing a life that he does not want, especially after he witnesses the death of his second love interest, Yunxi. At the same time, he strikes up a close friendship with the musician Gao Jianli. Meanwhile, in the Qin state, Fan Wuji wins the favour of Ying Zheng, the King of Qin, for his distinguished service on the battlefield, but unknowingly incurs the jealousy of the chancellor Lü Buwei.
Jing Ke's adventures lead him to the Yan state, where he meets Crown Prince Dan, who requests his help in assassinating the ruthless Ying Zheng to save the other states from being conquered by the Qin state. Dan was initially held hostage in Qin, but was released by Fan Wuji. Fan Wuji, who is now denounced as a traitor by Ying Zheng, flees to Yan to join Jing Ke and Crown Prince Dan. Jing Ke accepts the mission. Fan Wuji aids him by committing suicide because Ying Zheng has already placed a high price on Fan's head for treason. Jing Ke embarks on his no-return quest, bringing along with him Fan Wuji's head and a map of Dukang with a dagger concealed inside. Jing Ke's attempt on Ying Zheng's life would be a celebrated story in Chinese history.
Qin Shi Huang was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of a unified China. Rather than maintain the title of "king" borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers, he ruled China from 221 to 210 BC as the first "emperor" of the Qin dynasty. His self-invented title "emperor" would continue to be borne by Chinese rulers for the next two millennia.
Jing Ke was a youxia during the late Warring States period of Ancient China. As a retainer of Crown Prince Dan of the Yan state, he was infamous for his failed assassination attempt on King Zheng of the Qin state, who later became Qin Shi Huang, the Qin Dynasty's first emperor. His story is told in the chapter titled Biographies of Assassins (刺客列傳) in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian.
Crown Prince Dan was a crown prince of the State of Yan during the Warring States period of ancient China. He was also called Yan Dan.
Gao Jianli was a musician of the Chinese state of Yan, during the Warring States period, who played a struck zither called zhu or ji zhu.
The Emperor and the Assassin, also known as The First Emperor, is a 1998 - 1999 Chinese historical romance film based primarily on Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin, as described in Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian. The film was directed by Chen Kaige and stars Gong Li, Zhang Fengyi, Li Xuejian, and Zhou Xun. The film was well received critically and won the Technical Prize at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. It was the most expensive Chinese film made up to that time, costing US$20 million.
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