Gou Jian, king of Yue, was once imprisoned by Fu Chai, king of Wu (state). He wanted revenge, and his minister Wen Zhong suggested to train beautiful women as spies and offer them to Fu Chai as a tribute. His another minister Fan Li found Xi Shi and Zheng Dan.
Their strategy worked. Bewitched by the beauty of Xi Shi and Zheng Dan, Fu Chai forgot all about his state affairs and killed his best advisor Wu Zixu. Fu Chai even built Guanwa Palace (Palace of Beautiful Women) in an imperial park on the slope of Lingyan Hill, about 15 kilometres west of Suzhou. The strength of Wu was dwindling, and soon Gou Jian launched his strike and put the Wu army to full rout. King Fu Chai then committed suicide.
The fate of Xi Shi after the fall of Wu is unknown. In some legends, she lived with Fan Li who retired his minister post shortly after.
She is remembered by the Xi Shi Temple, which lies at the foot of the Zhu Lou Hill in the southern part of the city, on the banks of the Huansha River.