Jing Ke (spear)
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Jing Ke (荊軻) was Wei Yu's personal spear that he used to assassinate the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang in 210 BCE. It was amongst the oldest equipment kept and preserved by Chinese Assassins in a secret vault constructed within the Taihang Mountains in what became Qinghe Commandery. By the Tang dynasty, the former Tang general Pei Min established a village atop the vault that housed the spear and the armory, and stood guard to protect its contents.
History[edit | edit source]
In 756, Pei Min brought the Assassin Li E into the vault to properly arm him for combat against the Golden Turtles. After donning the Heavenly King's Armor and repurposing the 5th century BCE Assassin Zhuan Zhu's dagger as his Hidden Blade, Li E saw the spear and ultimately decided it would be his main weapon of choice.[1]
Later on at Mawei Station in Xianyang, Li E attempted to use the spear to eliminate the Golden Turtles' leader Yang Guozhong, though he failed and Guozhong escaped. He went on to use the spear to pin and impale the Feathered Forest's general Wang Chengye against a bamboo plant, allowing him to assassinate the general with his Hidden Blade.[2]
A year later, the spear was once again used by Li E in Luoyang during his assassination attempt on the jiedushi An Lushan, who had proclaimed himself as Emperor of Yan. Though the Emperor's sword split the spear shaft in two in the clash, Li E was able to thrust the spear tip into An Lushan's abdomen, greatly weakening him and ultimately allowing Li E to deliver the final blow with his sword.[3]
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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Li E pinning Wang Chengye with the spear
