Jing Ke, a native of the State of Wei, was no ordinary man in his daily words and actions. He loved fencing and often practiced martial arts with friends, honing their skills. Every morning at dawn, he would rise to train until drenched in sweat before resting. Yet he was also a devoted scholar, reading extensively and learning tirelessly, earning renown as a famous knight-errant of the Warring States period.
After arriving in the state of Yan, Jing Ke befriended Gao Jianli, a reclusive dog butcher and fellow warrior. Every day, the two would drink together at the Yan market until they were thoroughly drunk. Gao Jianli was also a skilled musician, adept at playing an instrument called the zhu. Often, fueled by wine, they would venture into the bustling streets and sing at the top of their lungs.
One day, the assassin Jing Ke and his musician friend Gao Jianli were drinking in a bustling market. When they were thoroughly tipsy, they stepped into the center of the crowd. Gao Jianli began to play his zhu, and Jing Ke sang along loudly, their passion building with each verse. As their voices grew more intense, a large crowd gathered to watch, but the pair paid them no mind, completely indifferent to the stares. When the song turned sorrowful and stirring, they wept openly, tears streaming down their faces as if they were the only two people in the world.
It was precisely this bold, self-assured spirit that later earned Jing Ke the admiration of Crown Prince Dan of Yan, who honored him as a distinguished guest and entrusted him with a vital mission. In 222 BCE, Jing Ke traveled to Xianyang, carrying a map of the Yan state with a dagger hidden inside, intending to assassinate the King of Qin. The assassination failed, and Jing Ke met his untimely death.
Later, the idiom "As If No One Else Is Around" came to describe either a natural, composed demeanor or an arrogant, condescending attitude.
Source: *Records of the Grand Historian*, "Biography of Jing Ke"
Meaning of the Idiom: Later, the Chinese idiom "旁若无人" came to describe either a natural, composed demeanor or an arrogant, condescending attitude.