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Tag: Liu Bang

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 74): A Land of 18 Kingdoms

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang

    Annals of Han Book 1 Scroll 9 (continued)

    A rhesus macaque mother and her child

    The 1st year of Emperor Gaozu(206 B.C. continued)

    A few days later, Xiang Yu led his troops westward and ransacked the city of Xianyang. He ordered the execution of the king of Qin, Ziying, and commanded the burning of all the Qin palaces. The inferno lasted for more than three months. His soldiers looted all the treasures of Qin, abducted the court’s women, and took them to the east. The people of Qin were horrified by Xiang Yu’s actions.

    A scholar, Mr. Han, advised him: “The Guanzhong region (the heartland of Qin) is naturally fortified by mountains and rivers. It is a place secured by fortresses on all sides. The land here is fertile, making it an ideal capital for your empire.” However, as Xiang Yu saw the Qin palaces reduced to wreck, he intended to return to his hometown in the east. He dismissed Mr. Han’s suggestion, saying: “To become rich and famous and not return to one’s homeland is like wearing an embroidered gown in the dark. What is the point?” Disheartened, Mr. Han made the remark: “I’ve heard that the people of Chu were rhesus monkeys dressed-up as humans, with caps and gowns. Now I believe it is true.” Upon learning of this insult, Xiang Yu had Mr. Han executed by boiling.

    Xiang Yu sent messengers to King Huai II of Chu, pleading to annul their agreement that whoever first entered Xianyang would be king. King Huai II replied, “A promise is a promise.” Enraged, Xiang Yu said, “It was my family who put King Huai II on the throne. He didn’t win any battles, so why does he get to dictate promises? When chaos erupted in the land, we installed descendants of the former monarchs to rally the troops against the Qin empire. It was you and I who donned armor and fought in the wilderness for three years until we finally crushed the Qin empire. Even though King Huai II did nothing, we can give him a king’s title but divide his land among ourselves.” His generals all agreed, saying, “Well said!” In January of that spring, Xiang Yu elevated King Huai II to the position of honorary emperor, stating, “The emperors of the past ruled over lands spanning thousands of miles and always lived upstream.” He relocated the honorary emperor to the south of the Yangtze River and designated Chen county as his capital.

    In February, Xiang Yu divided the land into kingdoms and bestowed the title of king upon his generals. He declared himself the Hegemonial King of West Chu, ruling over nine commanderies in the former kingdoms of Liang (also known as Wei) and Chu, with his capital in Pengcheng. Xiang Yu and Fan Zeng were wary of the Duke of Pei but maintained a cordial relationship to avoid the appearance of breaking their pact. In private, they discussed, “The commanderies of Ba and Shu are distant, with treacherous roads, and were places where Qin exiled its convicts.” Publicly, they claimed, “The commanderies of Ba and Shu are part of Guanzhong.” Xiang Yu then conferred the title of “King of Han” upon the Duke of Pei, giving him control over the three commanderies of Ba, Shu, and Hanzhong, with his capital at Nanzheng county.

    Xiang Yu divided the real Guanzhong (the heartland of the Qin kingdom) into three parts, granting them to the three surrendered Qin generals to block access by the king of Han(Liu Bang). General Zhang Han was made the King of Yong, ruling the land west of Xianyang, with his capital in Feiqiu county. Zhang Han’s chief of staff, Sima Xin, who had earlier been a prison warden who did a favor to Xiang Liang, was named the King of Sai, controlling the area from east of Xianyang to the Yellow River, with his capital in Yueyang county. General Dong Yi, who persuaded Zhang Han to surrender, was made the King of Di(Zhai), ruling Shangjun  commandery with his capital at Gaonu county.

    Xiang Yu transferred the King of Wei, Wei Bao, to be the King of West Wei, ruling the region east of the Yellow River with his capital in Pingyang. Shen Yang of Xiaqiu county, a favorite of Zhang Er and the first to conquer the Henan commandery, was named King of Henan with his capital at Luoyang. The King of Hán, Han Cheng, returned to his old capital at Yangdi. General Sima Ang of Zhao, who conquered the Henei commandery, was made King of Yin, ruling from the Zhaoge county.

    Xiang Yu moved the King of Zhao, Zhao Xie, to be King of Dai, while Zhang Er, who had a great reputation and had accompanied Xiang Yu into the Hangu Pass, was awarded the title of King of Changshan, ruling the former land of Zhao from his office in Xiangguo county. Lord Dangyang, Qing Bu, the top general of Chu, was appointed King of Jiujiang, headquartered in Liu county. Lord Po, Wu Rui, who led the Yue tribes to support Xiang Yu, was made King of Hengshan with his government in Zhu county.

    The commander-in-chief of the honorary emperor, Gong Ao, who had achieved multiple military victories, was awarded the title of King of Linjiang, with his capital in Jiangling. Xiang Yu reassigned the King of Yan, Han Guang, to be King of Liaodong, with his office in Wuzhong county. A general of Yan, Zang Tu, who joined the campaign to save Zhao and later followed Xiang Yu into the Hangu Pass, was promoted to King of Yan, ruling from Ji county.

    Xiang Yu reassigned the King of Qi, Tian Shi, to be King of Jiaodong, with his office in Jimo. A general of Qi, Tian Du, who also took part in the rescue of Zhao and the western expedition against Qin, was made King of Qi, ruling from Linzi. Another general of Qi, Tian An, who conquered several cities in the Jibei region and joined the rescue of Zhao, was named King of Jibei, with his capital in Boyang.

    In contrast, General Tian Rong of Qi, who had repeatedly spurned Xiang Liang and refused to join Xiang Yu’s western expedition, received no title. Similarly, Lord Cheng’an, Chen Yu, who relinquished his field marshal seal and did not join Xiang Yu’s campaign, also went unrewarded. Many of Xiang Yu’s supporters pleaded, saying, “Zhang Er and Chen Yu were inseparable and both accomplished much for the kingdom of Zhao. Since you awarded Zhang Er a king’s title, you must also reward Chen Yu.” Reluctantly, Xiang Yu awarded Chen Yu three counties around Nanpi county, upon hearing that he was staying there. Mei Juan, a general under Lord Po with numerous military merits, was granted the title of Marquis and a fief of one hundred thousand households.

    The King of Han was furious and wanted to wage war against Xiang Yu. His generals, Zhou Bo, Guan Ying, and Fan Kuai, all urged him not to proceed. Xiao He cautioned him, saying, “As much as you despise being the King of Han, it is better than being dead.” The King of Han retorted, “Why would we end up dead?” Xiao He replied, “Our forces are vastly outnumbered compared to his. We have lost every time we faced him in battle. What else could the outcome be, except death? King Tang of Shang and King Wu of Zhou were able to defer to one man while commanding an army of ten thousand chariots. I implore Your Majesty to go to Hanzhong and establish your base there. Allow the people to recover from the ravages of war, recruit talent from across the land, and use the resources of the Ba and Shu regions to reclaim the three kingdoms of Qin—Kingdoms of Yong, Sai, and Di. Once we secure Qin, we can then strategize to take over the entire country.” The King of Han agreed, saying, “Well said!” He reported to his position in Hanzhong and appointed Xiao He as the Prime Minister. He also awarded Zhang Liang with twenty-four hundred ounces of gold and two buckets of pearls. Zhang Liang, in turn, redirected all these treasures to Xiang Bo.  

    The King of Han also asked Zhang Liang to thank Xiang Bo with lavish gifts so that Xiang Bo would advocate to Xiang Yu on his behalf to grant him all the land around Hanzhong. Xiang Yu approved the request. 

    In April of that summer, allied forces began to depart from the banner of Xiang Yu to take their positions in their respective kingdoms. Xiang Yu assigned thirty thousand soldiers to accompany the King of Han to Hanzhong, while tens of thousands more followers trailed behind him on their own will, entering Hanzhong through the plank road at Shi Valley in southern Du County.

    Zhang Liang accompanied the King of Han to Baozhong before being ordered to return to his own king (King Han Cheng) by the King of Han. Zhang Liang advised the King of Han to burn all the plank roads they had used to travel from Xianyang to Hanzhong. The first reason was to prevent surprise attacks from the three kingdoms of Qin. The second reason was to demonstrate to Xiang Yu that he had no intention of advancing eastward.

    Tian Rong was enraged when he learned that Xiang Yu had moved the King of Qi, Tian Shi, to Jiaodong and promoted Tian Du to be the King of Qi. In May, he led his troops to attack Tian Du, who fled to the Kingdom of Chu. Tian Rong detained the King of Qi and refused to allow him to go to Jiaodong. Fearing Xiang Yu’s authority, Tian Shi escaped to Jiaodong. Furious, Tian Rong pursued Tian Shi to Jimo and killed him there, proclaiming himself the King of Qi.

    Peng Yue, commanding ten thousand troops in Juye County, remained unresponsive to calls from others. Tian Rong conferred upon Peng Yue the title of general and ordered him to attack Jibei. In July, Peng Yue killed the King of Jibei, Tian An, making Tian Rong the ruler of the three kingdoms of Qi (Jiaodong, Jibei, and Qi). Tian Rong then directed Peng Yue to launch an assault on the Kingdom of Chu. In response, Xiang Yu ordered the Duke of Xiao, Jiao, to lead the defense against Peng Yue. Peng Yue decisively defeated the troops of Chu.

    When Zhang Er arrived in his kingdom, Chen Yu was furious, saying, “Zhang Er has the same achievements as I do, yet he is made a king while I am only a marquis. Xiang Yu is very unfair to me.” He secretly sent Zhang Tong and Xia Yue to lobby Tian Rong, the King of Qi, saying, “Xiang Yu is unjust as the nation’s power broker. He promoted his own generals to be kings of prosperous lands and moved the former kings to poor regions. General Chen Yu believes it was wrong to move the King of Zhao to Dai in the north. Now that Your Majesty has risen against this injustice, we hope you will support General Chen Yu‘s campaign against Changshan to restore the King of Zhao to his rightful place. The Kingdom of Zhao will then become the bulwark of the Kingdom of Qi.” Tian Rong agreed to the plan and sent troops to aid Chen Yu‘s offensive.

    Xiang Yu harbored enmity for the King Han Cheng of State of Hán, due to Zhang Liang‘s support for the King of Han, and because Han Cheng had not significantly contributed to the downfall of the Qin Empire. As a result, Xiang Yu did not allow Han Cheng to return to his kingdom, instead taking him to Pengcheng, where he stripped him of his kingly title and demoted him to Marquis of Rang. Later, Han Cheng was assassinated.

  • Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance(Part 63): A Commoner and An Aristocrat

    Comprehensive Reflections to Aid in Governance

    By Sima Guang

    Translated By Yiming Yang

    Annals of Qin Book 2 Scroll 7 (continued)

    Liu Ban Beheading A White Snake

    The 1st year of the Second Emperor(209 B.C. continued)

    In September, Liu Bang from Pei county rose in arms, Xiang Liang from Xiaxiang county revolted in the state of Wu, and Tian Dan from Di county did the same in the state of Qi. 

    Liu Bang, whose courtesy name was Liu Ji, had a prominent nasal bridge and a noble face, with seventy-two ink spots on his left thigh. He was known for his bold personality, generosity, and extroversion, often expressing his feelings openly. Ambitious and disinclined to engage in farming or handicrafts like his family members, he eventually became the head of Sishang Post. Mr. Lü from Shanfu county, a skilled physiognomist, was fascinated by Liu Ji’s extraordinary appearance and married his daughter to him despite Liu Ji’s low rank.

    Liu Ji was once tasked with escorting a group of convicts to Lishan on behalf of the county magistrate. As they traveled, many convicts escaped along the way, and Liu Ji realized that by the time they reached their destination, all would likely have fled. When the group stopped at a post in a swamp in Feng county, Liu Ji drank wine with the convicts. He then released them, saying, “Go your own ways; I am escaping myself.” About a dozen strong men among the convicts volunteered to join him.

    As the legend has it, Liu Ji, in a drunken state, wandered along a trail in the swamp when a large snake rose up in his path. Drawing his sword, Liu Ji swiftly hacked the snake in half. Suddenly, an old woman appeared, wailing: “My son, the son of the White Emperor, transformed into a snake on this trail and was killed by the son of the Red Emperor!” She then vanished. Liu Ji hid in the swamps between Mang County and Dangshan County, where several eerie phenomena were reported, attracting many young men from Pei County who were eager to join his growing band.

    When Chen Sheng’s uprising erupted, the magistrate of Pei County considered joining the rebellion. However, his chief operating officer, Xiao He, and his chief correction officer, Cao Shen, cautioned him: “As an officer of the Qin Empire, the people of Pei may not follow you in betraying your duty. It would be wiser to summon those in exile and gather a mob of a few hundred. With pressure from the mob, no one in Pei would dare oppose you.” The magistrate then sent Fan Kuai to summon Liu Ji, who had already assembled nearly a hundred followers. Fearing a mutiny, the magistrate reconsidered, ordering the city gates shut and defensive positions established. He also intended to execute Xiao He and Cao Shen. Alarmed, they escaped, clearing the city walls and sought refuge with Liu Ji.

    Liu Ji wrote a proclamation on a piece of silk and delivered it to the city elders by tying it to an arrow and shooting it over the ramparts. The message outlined the benefits and consequences of the uprising, urging the elders of Pei to take action. Persuaded, the elders led their sons and brothers to kill the magistrate and opened the gates for Liu Ji. The people gathered around Liu Ji, proclaiming him the Duke of Pei. With the help of Xiao He and Cao Shen, Liu Ji recruited young men from Pei, amassing a force of two to three thousand. They soon joined forces with other rebels from neighboring counties.

    Xiang Liang, the son of General Xiang Yan of the Kingdom of Chu, was hiding with his nephew Xiang Ji in the Wuzhong region due to a murder charge. The scholars and elites of Wuzhong admired Xiang Liang and often sought his friendship and counsel. Xiang Ji, however, struggled with reading and writing as a child and eventually abandoned his studies. He then turned to fencing but did not excel in it either, prompting Xiang Liang‘s disapproval. Xiang Ji retorted, “Reading and writing are only useful for recording names, and fencing is for fighting a single person. These are not worthy of my time. I want to learn how to fight ten thousand people.” Impressed by his ambition, Xiang Liang began teaching him the art of war, which Xiang Ji eagerly learned. However, once he grasped the basics, he lost interest in deeper studies. Xiang Ji grew to over six feet tall, had the strength to lift sacrificial tripods, and was known for his extraordinary talent and character.

    The governor of Kuaiji Commandery, Yin Tong, heard of Chen Sheng’s rebellion and decided to send troops to support the uprising, appointing Xiang Liang and Huan Chu as co-captains. However, Huan Chu was still hiding in the swamps as an outlaw. Xiang Liang told the governor, “Only Xiang Ji knows where Huan Chu is hiding.” Xiang Liang stationed Xiang Ji outside the governor’s residence, sword in hand, while he entered to speak with Yin Tong. He proposed, “Please call Xiang Ji in and have him bring Huan Chu.” The governor agreed. Xiang Liang then brought Xiang Ji inside, and after a few moments, he signaled him with a wink: “It is time to do it!” Xiang Ji drew his sword and decapitated Yin Tong. Xiang Liang held up the governor’s severed head and donned his official seal. The governor’s attendants were thrown into panic, and chaos erupted throughout the residence. Xiang Ji killed dozens, possibly over a hundred people. Terrified, everyone in the residence laid flat on the ground, not daring to move.

    Xiang Liang summoned the local leaders and former officials he knew, announcing his plans to rebel against the Qin Empire. He recruited young men from Wuzhong and dispatched deputies to draft fighters from the counties under Kuaiji Commandery. Xiang Liang assembled an elite force of eight thousand warriors and declared himself the governor of Kuaiji, appointing Xiang Ji as his lieutenant general. Together, they governed all the counties of the commandery. Xiang Ji was only twenty-four years old at the time.

    Tian Dan was a member of the royal clan of Qi, with cousins named Tian Rong and Tian Heng. The Tian brothers were wealthy, influential, and highly regarded. When General Zhou Fu of Zhang-Chu arrived to seize Di County for Chen Sheng, the county magistrate closed the gates and fortified his defenses. To gain access, Tian Dan staged a scene by tying up his house slave and dragging him to the county court, accompanied by a crowd of young men. Pretending to seek permission from the magistrate to execute the slave for wrongdoing, Tian Dan waited until the magistrate appeared in court. Seizing the opportunity, he killed the magistrate on the spot. He then gathered the wealthy and powerful figures of Di County and declared, “All the kingdoms are rising against the Qin Empire and restoring their kings. The Kingdom of Qi has a long history, and as a member of the Tian family, I, Tian Dan, shall be the king of Qi.” Proclaiming himself king, he led his forces against Zhou Fu’s troops, driving them back. Tian Dan then marched east and reclaimed the former lands of the Kingdom of Qi.

    Meanwhile, General Han Guang led an expedition north to the former Kingdom of Yan. The local elites urged him to become the King of Yan, but Han Guang hesitated, saying, “My mother still lives in the Kingdom of Zhao. I cannot be king.” The leaders of Yan persisted, arguing, “Zhao is preoccupied with the Qin Empire to the west and wary of the Zhang-Chu Kingdom to the south. It lacks the strength to challenge us. Even the powerful Zhang-Chu Kingdom does not harm the relatives of the King of Zhao. Why would Zhao target your family, General?” Convinced, Han Guang proclaimed himself King of Yan. A few months later, Zhao handed over Han Guang’s mother and her retinue to the Kingdom of Yan.

    The King of Zhao, accompanied by Zhang Er and Chen Yu, ventured to the northern border with the Kingdom of Yan in pursuit of land. During an excursion, he was captured by Yan soldiers and imprisoned. Yan demanded territorial concessions for his release, and envoys sent to negotiate were executed. A cook of the Zhao army approached the Yan camp and spoke with the commander, asking, “Do you know what Zhang Er and Chen Yu want most right now?” The commander replied, “They probably want their king back.” The cook laughed and said, “You have no idea what those two truly desire. Wu Chen, Zhang Er, and Chen Yu conquered dozens of Zhao cities with little effort. Each of them aspires to be a king, not merely commanders or prime ministers. Initially, they didn’t divide Zhao into three kingdoms because the situation was still unstable, and they supported Wu Chen’s claim to the throne due to seniority while they secured the loyalty of the Zhao people. Now that Zhao is stable under their rule, they’re waiting for the right moment to split the kingdom and crown themselves kings. With your capture of the King of Zhao, Zhang Er and Chen Yu publicly advocate for his release but secretly hope the people of Yan kill him, allowing them to claim their own kingdoms. One Zhao kingdom would tolerate Yan, but two Zhao kingdoms, each led by wise and ambitious leaders, would surely push each other to avenge their fallen king, making Yan’s downfall inevitable.” Alarmed, the Yan commander released the King of Zhao, and the cook safely escorted him back.

    General Zhou Fu, having withdrawn from Di County, marched toward the former Kingdom of Wei with the intention of reinstating a Wei prince named Jiu, titled Lord Ningling, as king. However, Jiu was stranded in Chen County and could not reach Wei. Zhou Fu already controlled the land of Wei, and local dignitaries proposed that he became the king.  Zhou Fu refused, saying, “A loyal servant must prove himself in turbulent times. The world is rebelling against Qin, and we must restore a descendant of the former king.” Despite the people’s insistence, Zhou Fu remained firm in his refusal and sent envoys to Chen County five times before Chen Sheng finally approved Prince Jiu’s return. The people of Wei then installed Jiu as King of Wei, appointing Zhou Fu as prime minister.

    Meanwhile, the Second Emperor stripped Jiao, the Lord of Wey, of his title and banished him to a commoner, effectively ending the lineage of the state of Wey.