Gao Jianli was a citizen of Yan, a Chinese state during the Warring States Period, and a player of the Zu (a type of musical instrument). After Jing Ke was killed in his assassination attempt on Qin Shi Huang, Gao changed his name and became an assistant in a wine shop as Qin Shi Huang retaliated against all friends of Jing Ke . As the work is very hard, Gao would usually pace around the house of the owner of the wine shop listening to the guests playing the Zu in the owner's house. He would commend about the playing until one day when someone told the owner what Gao said about his guests' skills in playing the Zu. State of Yan (small seal script, 220 BC) Yan (pinyin: yan1, simplified Chinese/traditional Chinese: 燕) was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods in China. ... Alternative meaning: Warring States Period (Japan) The Warring States Period (traditional Chinese: 戰國時代, simplified Chinese: 战国时代 pinyin Zhànguó Shídài) takes place from sometime in the 5th century BC to the unification of China by Qin in 221 BC. It is nominally considered to be the second part of the... Zu or zu can mean: Zulu language (ISO 639 alpha-2, zu) Zu (mythology), a lesser god in Akkadian mythology a German word, meaning to. As part of a family name, it can indicate belonging to the nobility and posession of a place, estate etc. ... Jing Ke (Chinese: 荊軻; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ching Ko) was a guest residing in the estates of Dan, crown prince of Yan and renowned for his failed assassination of the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang who reigned from 221 BC to 210 BC. His story is told in the chapter... Qín Shǐ Huáng (秦始皇; Pinyin: Qín Shǐ Huáng; WG: Chin Shih-huang, aka Shih Huangti) (November/December 260 BC-September 10, 210 BC), personal name Zheng, was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 247 BC to 221 BC, and then the first emperor of...

So the owner asked Gao to play for him and his skillful play won him the heart of the owner. Qin Shi Huang heard about the event and decided to summon Gao to play for him. Someone recognised Gao and told Qin Shi Huang about his real identity. Qin Shi Huang loved music very much and decided to pardon Gao but not before making him blind.

The skill of Gao won him praises from Qin Shi Huang and after a few performances the emperor lost his guarding of Gao began to mover nearer and nearer to him. Gao sensed the movement and secretly hid lead pieces in the instrument, when the emperor is within striking distance, Gao took a strike but missed. Gao was subsequently executed and Qin Shi Huang stopped being close to people from the other states.