Chu Han Contention, Part 1: Wrath 项羽

Music: Battle on the Pheonix Height

There was an axiom in ancient Chinese which read as: "Amaze [the world] with one cry" 一鸣惊人. This specific saying was used to summarize the life of King Zhuang of Chu, a great lord whose prowess catapulted his state of Chu to prominence and was made a Hegemon (an unrivaled lord) at the apex of his career. King Zhuang had grew up as an indolent and wasteful youth, but when he decided to straighten his character and his state's affairs swiftly conquered many neighboring states and revenge against Chu's century long mortal foe of Jin. In all, Zhuang astounded the world and became its master, rising above a world of lesser lords and even gravely threaten the power of the Zhou Kings. The jarring transformation of Zhuang from an obscure and indolent youth to take the entire world lend to the saying, "Amaze the world with one cry."

The world Ba 霸, or "Hegemon" in Chinese functions in many ways to the Greek word "tyrannos" meaning a powerful absolute ruler. The original meaning of the word "Ba" was used interchangeably with Kings or great lords. It carried no negative connotation and simply referred to anyone, good or bad, who obtained executive power well above their regional neighbors. During the Spring and Autumn period the greatest of lords were called Hegemons- unrivaled rulers who rose well above the other lords in raw power and dignity. 

ASTONISH ALL WITH ONE GREAT CRY

How little did the great Zhuang knew that in the long, unimaginable centuries following his death- after his own state of Chu would be annexed by its mortal nemesis, that another son of Chu would rise up and again astound the world with one fierce cry? How the world would yet again see an unknown youth rise up above a world of lords and become its blazing Hegemon? This chapter- which covers the disintegration of China's first imperial dynasty, will be focused on the life of the man who utterly vanquished the Qin. His name is Xiang Yu, and he made his name by destroying the dreaded army that had brutalized China by fighting from the very front.

Desperate Alliance: Like a sea of many colors, on the field near Julu assembled the flags of many vanquished nations. Among them gathered armies fluttered the flags of previously vanquished kingdoms and personal emblems of exiled lords and princes long thought dead. Nearly all who showed up dreamed of a future where their old kingdom would be restored to their people. Though none of them knew what the future will bring or who should lead them, all who had came this field knew that the Qin must be destroyed. For a collective price was placed on all of their heads, if they do not unilaterally cast of Qin's yoke of tyranny, they would each be destroyed piecemeal. 

SEETHING EMBERS

In the aftermath of the First Emperor of China's death, the entire realm was perilously perched on the brink of a massive revolt. Many of its millions of subjects already groaned under Qin's oppressive rule, and each region seethed for any opportunity to cast of the Qin yoke. Remember that to most of its newly incorporated subjects of the Qin empire, the Qin was a foreign aberration. It was only little more than a decade ago that their kingdom were vanquished by the Qin, kingdoms which had long centuries of history, some- such as the kingdom of Chu were able to trace back nearly a millennium ago to the very founding of the Zhou dynasty. Compared to this long continuation of native- and sovereign rule, the Qin was merely a brief and thoroughly unwanted interruption. Simply put, Qin had expanded too rapidly and did not have much time to consolidate their rule over the empire before the untimely death of the first Emperor, leaving the entire empire on shaky foundations- and each region ready for open revolt.

In the last days of the Qin dynasty there were sparks of rebellion in many regions. Qin Er Shi lit. "Qin the Second" was an inexperienced leader and was surrounded by treacherous advisers. All was needed was a fire to lit the conflagration of rebellion.

Doubtless to say that each region still held fierce ember of remembrance to their old identity- identity which had stubbornly resisted the Qin efforts of assimilation. These jealously guarded memories were also buttressed by something much more immediate and raw- grave emotions, each widow, each survivor all knew what the Qin took directly from them on a personal level: be it a brother, a husband,  how many children made to slaves, how many more in the grim future. Thus, any opportunity to restore their vanquished kingdoms and old way of life must be taken. When Qin Shi Huang- the first Emperor of China left the entire empire to a very young and incompetent son. All knew the time had come, there would be a massive revolt, the only question remained where such an opportunity would arise from.

SPARKS OF REBELLION

Chu reached its zenith during the rule of it's Hegemon king Zhuang. Although that was centuries past, Chu still remained a major player in the centuries that followed. Namely- it was one of the fiercest enemies to the kingdom of Qin- and it was only with the destruction of the Chu army that Qin was assured of its supremacy. Thus the cause of Chu became a common rallying cry.

The first sparks were lit immediately, in 209 BC, only months after Qin Shi Huang's death, two Qin officers, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang turned against the Qin rule in southern China in what was the old kingdom of Chu. Though they initially only had 1,000 men under their leadership, over the course of just a few months, their strength swelled to around ten thousand men, composed mostly of discontented peasants. Chen's men enthusiastically declared him king of the vanquished Kingdom of Chu, he and Wu soon became the center of armed uprisings all over China. However their uprising was met with the full might of the iron-disciplined Qin army under the veteran commander Zhang Han 章邯, and within only five months of the rebellion's eruption, they rebels were resoundingly crushed by the Qin army. The first sparks were dreadfully snuffed out.

Cornered and trapped, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang's rebellion was resoundingly crushed by the iron- disciplined Qin war machine. Both were were eventually assassinated by defectors under their command. However, their rebellion would spark new ones.

However, perhaps with historical hindsight, the rebellion of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang was not in vain. While their insurrection was ultimately violently put down, Wu and Chen set up the example that was to be followed by the next generation of rebels. Their spirit could be best summed up in Chen's rhetorical quote "王侯将相宁有种乎？" ~"Are kings and nobles given their high status by birth?" meaning that every human, regardless of birth, can become something great if she or he applies himself, which in turn stoked the ambition of all capable men willing to rise up against the Qin. This is an age of made men.

Soon, there was another hotpot of rebellion. This time the location probably surprised no one who lived during that time. This time it came again from the lands of the old kingdom of Chu, which had long been the archnemisis of Qin for centuries. Decades ago, it was only with the destruction of the Chu army that Qin was assured of its supremacy. Thus the cause of Chu became a common rallying cry. Although the line of the Kings of Chu had been hunted down and slaughtered by the Qin, this new group of rebels would play the part of kingmakers and ressurect the Chu kings for their benefits. 

Music: Brave Soldier Boy

BLOOD OF PATRIOTS

The elder Xiang Liang, uncle of Xiang Yu was the architect of the resurrection for the Chu state, his example as a fierce warrior and able statesman was eventually imitated by Xiang Yu. Descended from a long line of Chu patriots, the clan saw many of its ancestors die in struggle against Chu's enemies, including Xiang Yu's own grandfather Xiang Yan against Qin. The memory of the old kingdom burned strongly within these men and they set out to immediately rebuild Chu from the ashes. Xiang Liang proved to be a capable statesman, and was able to wisely maneuver over this new court and establish a solid framework devoted to the cause of fighting Qin. For years this warhawk served as the real power behind the Chu throne.

Lone wolf and his cub. Hailing from a family of military men, Xiang Yu's grandfather was slain in battle against he invading Qin armies. As such much of Xiang Yu's early life was spent under the tutelageof his uncle Xiang Liang. 

By placing King Huai upon the throne and rule through him, the Xiang clan effectively collected all of the fealty and power that the memory of Chu garnered. Through this beacon of resistance, Xiang Liang stoked the flames of rebellion

The new rebels hails from the renowned Xiang clan- a line of exiled Chu generals who had in the past served the kingdom for centuries. At its head was Xiang Liang- half warrior and half astute statesman. It could be argued that he was precisely the man at a perfect confluence of opportunities to cause headaches for the Qin. By clever means, Xiang Liang and his nephew Xiang Yu was able to consolidate the rebels around them, utterly uproot local Qin forces from southeastern China, and erected a new puppet King: King Huai on the throne of Chu.

King Huai was one of the last blood relatives of the old Chu kings and through him- a solid, physical foundation was laid for the region's cause. Xiang Liang was made Counsellor-in-chief (shang zhuguo 上柱国 "supreme pillar of state") With this puppet serving as a beacon to the Chu cause and thoroughly entrenched in opposition to the Qin overlords, thousands soon flocked to the Chu cause.

However the inexperienced King Huai was only a figurehead and little more than a rubber-stamp, real power still laid with Xiang Liang and it was through Huai, this deadly family of warhawk patriots was able to take the fight directly to the Qin empire. The formidable Xiang Liang soon proved to be a tiger in his own domains. Within a span of month Xiang Liang was able to lead a Chu army of 70,000 and defeated several Qin forces in open battles  at Dong'a 东阿 and Dingtao 定陶.

Idle Wastrel: Xiang Yu's youth had been described as rather unremarkable. Though he possessed extraordinary strength- with some records saying he was able to lift an entire Ding- heavy bronze cast vessel with only his bare hands, he was an idle youth who shrugged off learning and training. Despite being entrusted with the solemn task of restoring Chu he spent much time hunting. For most of his youth he was mentored by his uncle, whom he followed across the south. After Xiang Liang declared his rebellion against the Qin, his uncle made Xiang Yu a general. The mantle of leadership and the dire responsibilities changed Xiang Yu somewhat, he soon became a charismatic leader of men.

With each victory, he cemented his reputation as an able general and de facto leader of southern China. And it was also during time, that a clever but relatively unknown agitator and local rebel leader~ Liu Bang would come to serve King Huai and Xiang Liang.  Xiang Yu and Liu Bang would both participate in the battle of Chengyang 城阳.

A talented agitator and agrarian rebel. Liu Bang was a cunning peasant leader

who pledged to serve the Chu court. He would become a famous man

Music: Beifong's Sacrifice

However these efforts ultimately served the elder Xiang badly, as after these strings of victories Xiang Liang became complacent with his fortunes. And it was precisely during this time that Qin army showed its teeth again. In 208 BC, Xiang Liang led his army to attack the Qin forces led by Zhang Han 章邯- the very same conqueror who utterly crushed Chen Sheng and Wu Guang's revolt, at the Battle of Dingtao. As a result, Xiang Liang underestimated the capabilities of Zhang and during the battle was ambushed and slain. After having killed Liang, Zhang Han's Qin army veered north toward a county called Julu 巨鹿.

Suddenly, the fortunes of the Xiang clan and those of the kingdom of Chu fell on the shoulder of a still unknown 25 year old. Though the Qin might have uttered a breath of respite for having put Xiang Liang in the cold earth, instead in Xiang Liang's death they sealed the death of the Qin.

WRATHBORN

 

At the time of his uncle's death, Xiang Yu was but one of hundreds of unremarkable figures barely able to survive against the Qin forces. However within a year of him taking power he would astound the entire Chinese world with one shout. 

Xiang Yu was devastated by the death of his uncle and immediately looked for an opportunity to exact revenge on the Qin army. Fortunately opportunity soon presented itself- ones that conformed to both his own vengeance and his late uncle's lifelong ambitions. It turned out, Chu needed Xiang Yu to pursue the Qin toward Julu 巨鹿. By 208 BC, just like Chu, the old kingdom of Zhao, Yan, and Qi also declared their independence from Qin's hold. The entire east coast of China was lit up in open revolt. Time was ripe to join forces and converge against the Qin in unison.

Zhao's new King Zhao Xie (趙歇) had rebelled against the Qin but suffered defeats in his domains in the north. Soon Zhao Xie was forced to abandon his capital, and was besieged in the city of Julu. The siege was conducted by a Qin veteran general Wang Li with a huge army of a disconcertaing 200,000 troops, but Zhang Han- the same general who killed Xiang Yu's uncle also remained in the general area with another 200,000 soldiers.

TO RESCUE ZHAO

Swarming with enemies and strangled daily by the Qin siege, the desperate Zhao Xie immediately sent a series of urgent messenger to all neighboring rebels, including requesting aid from King Huai of Chu. In response to this dire crisis King Huai dispatched two Chu armies against Qin in October of 208 BC: The first would head north, commanded by general Song Yi as senior commander with Xiang Yu acting as his deputy general. They would relieve the siege on the city of Handan in the north. The second, led by Liu Bang would proceed westward to attack the Qin heartland of Guanzhong. The king promised that he would grant whoever take the Qin heartland first the title of "King of Guanzhong." Though King Huai might have not thought long about this promise, it was a promise that would have major reverberations in the future.

THE MARCH AGAINST QIN

East vs West. Because Qin power were centered in western China, during its wars of unification eastern China saw some of the last states to be subjugated- as a result of their late subjugation, these were also some of the first states to openly rebel against Qin authority. Xiang Liang and King Huai of Chu sought to stoke the fire of chaos by actively supporting all regions in open revolts against the Qin (the states of Zhao, Qi, and Yan.) After Xiang Liang's death King Huai sent Xiang Yu to the north east to rescue Zhao and support the coalition of Anti- Qin lords. To the west, Huai sent Liu Bang to attack the Qin heartlands. This fateful decision would have major reverberations in the future. 

With Zhao strangled daily by the Qin army, Chu advancement north to relieve its siege. Under the command of the cautious Song Yi and the impetuous Xiang Yu, Chu marched north with some 50,000 soldiers. All the north assembled in the name of rescuing Zhao.

Music: The Eternal Empire (Drums)

THE ASSEMBLY AT JULU 巨鹿

The north had gathered here, while half a million of the Qin army laid in waiting. At Julu, the Qin positioned two armies totaled around half a million men to control the north. One under the command of Zhang Han that numbers some 200,000- 300,000 and another under the command of Zhang Han's deputy Wang Li which also numbered around 200,000. This dread army included some of the best equipped and experienced of the Qin war machine. It had to take the combined might of nearly all of the north to even have a fighting chance against the Qin

Julu, 巨鹿, (lit. "Giant Deer") in ancient times as Julu 钜鹿 or "Elk"was one 

of the counties in Hebei carved out previously during the Qin dynasty. 

(Above) Jade Pendant Talisman, Western Zhou dynasty

All of the north converged at Julu. Little Did Xiang Yu knew, only three months later after his uncle's death, he would have take the world and stood above kings themselves. Join us the next chapter as Xiang Yu transforms himself and his army into a wrecking ball against the greatest army of the ancient orient. Watch as he amaze the whole world with one fierce shout.

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