Xi, King of Yan (燕王喜) (?–?) (ruled 255–222 BC) was the last sovereign of the state of
Yan
Yan may refer to:
Chinese states
* Yan (state) (11th century – 222 BC), a major state in northern China during the Zhou dynasty
* Yan (Han dynasty kingdom), first appearing in 206 BC
* Yan (Three Kingdoms kingdom), officially claimed indepe ...
in the last days
Warring States period
The Warring States period () was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded with the Qin wars of conquest ...
of
Chinese history. He was the son of
King Xiao of Yan (燕孝王). He was born as Ji Xi (姬喜), the same name of
King Lie of Zhou
King Lie of Zhou (), personal name Ji Xi, was the thirty-fourth king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty and the twenty-second of Eastern Zhou. He reigned from 375 BC to his death in 369 BC. His father was King An of Zhou
King An of Zhou (), personal ...
(周烈王) and Count Yi of Cao (曹夷伯).
In the 28th year of his reign (227 BC), the
State of Qin began its conquest of Yan, and its army approached Yishui (易水), modern-day
Yi County, Hebei
Yi County or Yixian () is a county in Hebei province of China, administratively under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Baoding. It has an area of .
History
This is the site where the assassin Jing Ke set off on his final journey ...
. Seeing the threatening situation in which the State of Yan was in,
Crown Prince Dan
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 ().
He lived in the State of Qin as a hostage, but returned to Yan in 232 BC. He sent Jing Ke to assassina ...
, King Xi's son, sent assassins
Jing Ke
Jing Ke (died 227 BC) 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 beca ...
,
Qin Wuyang and others to kill the Qin king
Ying Zheng
Qin Shi Huang (, ; 259–210 BC) was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first Emperor of China, emperor of a unified China. Rather than maintain the title of "Chinese king, king" ( ''wáng'') borne by the previous Shang dynasty, Shang an ...
, under the guise of presenting him with a map of Dukang (督亢) and the severed head of the Qin general
Huan Yi
Huan Yi was a general of the state of Qin in the late Warring States period (5th century – 221 BCE).
Background
General Pang Nuan of Zhao occupied several towns of the state of Yan in 236 BCE, whereupon Yan asked the state of Qin for help. ...
. As Jingke unrolled the map in front of the king, the dagger was revealed, and the assassination failed. This failure only helped to fuel the rage and determination of the Qin king. He increased the number of troops sent to conquer the state of Yan and ordered Wang Jian to destroy Yan. The bulk of the Yan army was at the frozen Yishui River. The Yan army was defeated in 226 BC and the Yan ruler, King Xi, fled to the Liaodong Commandery. To appease the King of Qin, King Xi had his own son executed by decapitation, and his head presented to the king.
In 222 BC Liaodong fell as well, and Yan was totally conquered by Qin under the general
Wang Ben (王賁), the son of
Wang Jian. King Xi of Yan was captured alive, and his fate is not known. Yan was the third last state to fall, and with its destruction the fate of the remaining two Chinese kingdoms was sealed.
Monarchs of Yan (state)
222 BC deaths
Chinese kings
Yan (state)
Zhou dynasty nobility
Year of birth unknown
3rd-century BC Chinese monarchs
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