English Original
Toward the end of the Warring States period (475–221 BC), the powerful state of Qin sought to annex its rivals and unify China. In 228 BC, after conquering a neighboring state, Qin prepared to invade Yan. In desperation, Prince Dan of Yan dispatched a brave warrior named Jing Ke to assassinate the King of Qin.
To gain the king's trust, Jing Ke brought a map of Yan's most fertile lands as a tribute, concealing a sharp dagger within its scroll. Admitted to the palace, he respectfully presented the map when ordered. As he slowly unrolled it before the king, the hidden dagger was revealed at the scroll's end. Jing Ke seized it and lunged at the king, who dodged the attack and hid behind a large pillar. The assassin was swiftly overpowered and killed by the palace guards, and his mission failed. Subsequently, Qin conquered and wiped out Yan.
This story gave rise to the idiom "the dagger unrolled," which means one's true, often hostile, intentions are finally revealed.
中文翻译
战国末期，强大的秦国意图吞并诸国，一统天下。公元前228年，秦军灭掉一国后，准备攻打燕国。燕国太子丹遂派勇士荆轲前去刺杀秦王。
为取得秦王信任，荆轲携带燕国最肥沃之地的地图作为献礼，并将一把锋利的匕首藏于图卷之中。他进入秦宫，奉旨献图时，恭敬地将地图呈上。当地图在秦王面前缓缓展开至尽头时，隐藏的匕首显露出来。荆轲抓起匕首刺向秦王，秦王闪身躲过，藏于大柱之后。荆轲很快被宫廷侍卫制服杀害，行动失败。此后，秦国攻灭燕国。
这个故事衍生出成语“图穷匕见”，比喻事情发展到最后，真相或本意显露出来。