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:
“no thread
Of cloudy silver sprinkles in your gown
Its venom of renown, and on your head
No crown is simpler than the simple hair.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“No! I am not Prince Hamlet, nor was meant to be:
Am an attendant lord, one that will do
To swell a progress, start a scene or two,
Advise the prince.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“There is a potential 4-6 percentage point net gain for the President [George Bush] by replacing Dan Quayle on the ticket with someone of neutral stature.”
—Mary Matalin, U.S. Republican political advisor, author, and James Carville b. 1946, U.S. Democratic political advisor, author. All’s Fair: Love, War, and Running for President, p. 205, Random House (1994)