Crown Prince Dan (Chinese: 太子丹) was a crown prince of the State of Yan during the Warring States period of ancient China. He was also called Yan Dan (燕丹).
He lived in the State of Qin as a hostage, but returned to Yan in 232 BC. He sent Jing Ke to assassinate King Zheng of Qin, who later assumed the title Qin Shi Huang and became the first Emperor of China, but Jing failed. King Xi of Yan, Dan's father and the last king of Yan, ordered the execution of Dan to please Qin after Ji, the capital of Yan, had fallen. Invasion of Qin did halt for few years, during which time the states of Wei and Chu were conquered. Meanwhile the King Xi of Yan moved to the Liaodong Commandery.
The state of Yan was conquered in 222 BC and King Xi was captured.
All except King Xi were featured in the Chinese period epic The Emperor and the Assassin. Prince Dan is also featured in the 2004 TV series Assassinator Jing Ke.
Famous quotes containing the words crown, prince and/or dan:
““Mother of heaven, regina of the clouds,
O sceptre of the sun, crown of the moon,
There is not nothing, no, no, never nothing,
Like the clashed edges of two words that kill.””
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“A prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a people who mean to be free.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“No construction stiff working overtime takes more stress and straining than we did just to stay high.”
—Gus Van Sant, U.S. screenwriter and director, and Dan Yost. Bob Hughes (Matt Dillon)