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:
“The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.”
—Bible: Hebrew Proverbs, 16:31.
“Much more frequent in Hollywood than the emergence of Cinderella is her sudden vanishing. At our party, even in those glowing days, the clock was always striking twelve for someone at the height of greatness; and there was never a prince to fetch her back to the happy scene.”
—Ben Hecht (1893–1964)
“Narcotics have been systematically scapegoated and demonized. The idea that anyone can use drugs and escape a horrible fate is an anathema to these idiots. I predict that in the near future, right wingers will use drug hysteria as a pretext to set up an international police apparatus.”
—Gus Van Sant, U.S. screenwriter and director, and Dan Yost. Father Tom Murphy (William S. Burroughs)