Assassinate the Qin: Rethinking the Qin Dynasty

Why did Jing Ke's assassination attempt on the King of Qin fail?

How would history have changed if Jing Ke had killed the king?

What role did the "Memorial on Expelling the Guests" play in the Qin dynasty's rapid demise?

Why are the lessons of Qin's collapse reflected in the experience of Han's rise?

Why didn't Xiang Yu kill Liu Bang at the Feast at Hong Gate?

The Assassination of Qin is a major new work by Professor Li Kaiyuan, an expert on Qin and Han history. Drawing on historical research, it examines what is true and what is fiction in the famous Records of the Grand Historian account "Jing Ke's Assassination Attempt on the King of Qin." The author invites readers to try their hand at solving a historical mystery, bringing together the many historical figures and events connected to the incident and combining them with newly available evidence to recreate the story of Jing Ke's attempt on the king's life. Building on this, Professor Li Kaiyuan takes the discussion in an unconventional direction, leading readers on an imaginative journey worthy of science fiction as he explores possible alternative histories. He then offers a wholly new historical interpretation of Li Si and his celebrated "Memorial on Expelling the Guests," as well as of the Qin dynasty's swift demise.