The Violent Dawn of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty
As the Western Zhou dynasty crumbled, China entered the turbulent Spring and Autumn period marked by shocking statistics: thirty-six regicides, fifty-two fallen states, and countless displaced nobles. This era of political chaos birthed increasingly sophisticated and brutal covert warfare tactics that reached their bloody zenith during the subsequent Warring States period. Against this backdrop of perpetual conflict emerged one of history’s most enigmatic assassination cases – the murder of a Korean monarch and his prime minister that would echo through Chinese history in literature, music, and legend.
The Gruesome Crime Scene in Ancient Korea
Historical records from the Korean state (one of the seven major powers during the Warring States period) describe a horrific court assassination. A powerfully built young man attacked both the Korean ruler and his prime minister, stabbing them to death with sharp weapons. In a dramatic finale worthy of Greek tragedy, the assailant then performed a shocking act of self-mutilation – gouging out his own eyes, disfiguring his face, and disemboweling himself to ensure immediate death.
The Korean government displayed the mutilated corpse publicly for days, hoping someone might identify the mysterious killer. The breakthrough came when a woman named Nie Ying (also called Nie Rong in some texts) stepped forward, claiming the body belonged to her brother Nie Zheng from Zhi Shenjing village. After revealing this crucial information, she too committed suicide, adding another layer of mystery to the case. Investigators gradually uncovered that a disgraced Wei state official named Yan Sui, once favored by the Korean king but later embroiled in conflict with the prime minister, might have orchestrated the attack.
The Making of a Legendary Assassin
Both the “Strategies of the Warring States” and Sima Qian’s “Records of the Grand Historian” immortalized Nie Zheng’s story. They recount how Yan Sui, seeking revenge against the prime minister, sought out the obscure but formidable Nie Zheng. Displaying remarkable patience, Yan Sui waited years while Nie Zheng cared for his aging mother. Deeply moved by this respect for filial piety, Nie Zheng ultimately agreed to undertake the deadly mission, transforming into one of China’s most celebrated assassins alongside famous figures like Zhuan Zhu and Jing Ke.
This tale spawned the folk ballad “Nie Zheng Assassinates the Korean King,” later adapted by renowned Three Kingdoms period scholar Ji Kang into the musical masterpiece “Guangling San.” The piece gained tragic fame when Ji Kang, sentenced to death by Sima Zhao, played it as his final performance, lamenting its impending loss to history. Contrary to his prediction, “Guangling San” survived and remains one of China’s oldest preserved musical compositions.
Historical Contradictions and Conflicting Records
The historical waters muddy considerably when examining primary sources. Sima Qian’s “Records of the Grand Historian” presents conflicting accounts across different chapters. The “Annals of Korea” states that during the third year of King Han Lie’s reign, “Nie Zheng killed Korean Prime Minister Xia Lei,” making no mention of the king’s death. Yet both the “Strategies of the Warring States” and Han Feizi’s writings clearly state the prime minister and King Han Ai died together.
Wang Chong, an Eastern Han dynasty philosopher, first identified this discrepancy in his “Discourses Weighed in the Balance,” arguing the story of Nie Zheng killing a Korean king was unreliable. Modern historians like Yang Kuan have attempted to reconcile these contradictions through chronological adjustments, suggesting the assassination likely occurred in 374 BCE during King Han Ai’s reign rather than the traditionally cited date under King Han Lie.
Unraveling the Conspiracy
Delving deeper reveals a complex web of political intrigue. The prime minister Xia Lei (also called Han Kui or Xu Yi in various texts) was the king’s uncle who held extraordinary power, having recently orchestrated Korea’s relocation of its capital after conquering the state of Zheng. Meanwhile, Yan Sui (also called Yan Zhongzi) served as the king’s favorite minister but clashed bitterly with Xia Lei.
New evidence suggests the assassination plot may have originated not with Yan Sui but with Western Zhou rulers. The small but strategically located Western Zhou state, sandwiched between major powers, allegedly manipulated internal Korean conflicts by encouraging a disgruntled Korean noble named Yang Jian (or Han Shanjian) to eliminate Xia Lei. When the plot accidentally killed both prime minister and king, Yang Jian fled to Western Zhou territory, sparking a diplomatic crisis.
The Enduring Legacy of a Warring States Mystery
The Nie Zheng story transcended its historical origins to become cultural touchstone. During the Eastern Han dynasty, the “Qin Cao” (a treatise on qin music) further embellished the tale, blending elements from other famous assassination stories. What began as a political murder became a narrative exploring loyalty, revenge, and sacrifice that resonated across centuries.
Modern historians continue debating the event’s precise dating and participants. The discovery of Tsinghua Bamboo Slips, containing previously lost historical records from the Warring States period, has shed new light on the chronology while raising additional questions. What emerges clearly is that this was no simple act of vengeance but rather a pivotal moment in the complex power struggles between emerging states, where covert operations and calculated violence became tools of statecraft in China’s formative imperial period.
The mystery surrounding Korea’s royal assassination endures as a testament to the challenges of reconstructing ancient history from fragmentary and often contradictory sources. Yet the persistence of this story – in official histories, folk traditions, and musical heritage – speaks to its powerful hold on the Chinese historical imagination, offering a window into the turbulent transition from the Warring States period to imperial unification.