Han Xin (; 231/230–196 BC) was a Chinese military general and politician who served
Liu Bang
Emperor Gaozu of Han (256 – 1 June 195 BC), born Liu Bang () with courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning in 202–195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Empe ...
during the
Chu–Han Contention
The Chu–Han Contention ( zh, , lk=on) or Chu–Han War () was an interregnum period in ancient China between the fallen Qin dynasty and the subsequent Han dynasty. After the third and last Qin ruler, Ziying, unconditionally surrendered t ...
and contributed greatly to the founding of the
Han dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...
. Han Xin was named as one of the "Three Heroes of the early Han dynasty" ( zh, script=Hant, 漢初三傑), along with
Zhang Liang Zhang Liang is the romanization of common names like 張良, 張亮 and 張梁.
張良
* Zhang Liang (Western Han) (died 189 BC), early Han dynasty strategist
** Zhang Liang, an animation character from the animated TV series ''The Legend of Qin'' ...
and
Xiao He
Xiao He (257 BC–193 BC) was a Chinese politician of the early Western Han dynasty. He served Liu Bang (Emperor Gao), the founder of the Han dynasty, during the insurrection against the Qin dynasty, and fought on Liu's side in the Chu–Han Co ...
.
Han Xin is best remembered as a brilliant military leader for the strategies and tactics he employed in warfare, some of which became the origins of certain
Chinese idioms, he was undefeated in battle and for his accomplishments he was considered the "God of War". In recognition of Han Xin's contributions, Liu Bang conferred the titles of "
King of Qi" on him in 203 BC and "
King of Chu
Chu, or Ch'u in Wade–Giles romanization, (, Hanyu Pinyin: Chǔ, Old Chinese: ''*s-r̥aʔ'') was a Zhou dynasty vassal state. Their first ruler was King Wu of Chu in the early 8th century BCE. Chu was located in the south of the Zhou he ...
" in the following year. However, Liu Bang feared Han Xin's growing influence and gradually reduced his authority, demoting him to "Marquis of Huaiyin" in late 202 BC. In 196 BC, Han Xin was accused of participating in a rebellion and lured into a trap and executed on
Empress Lü Zhi
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( e ...
's orders.
Early life
Born in Huaiyin (modern-day
Jiangsu Province
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its ca ...
), Han Xin lived a childhood in destitution, as his father died early. He was despised by those around him, as he often relied on others for his meals. He had a keen interest in military strategy and spent his time studying military treatises and practicing sword techniques.
Once when he was suffering from hunger, he met an old woman living off by washing clothes for people who provided him food. He promised to repay her for her kindness after he had made great achievements in life, but he was rebuffed by the . On another occasion, a hooligan saw Han Xin carrying a sword and challenged him to either kill him or crawl between his legs. Han Xin knew that he would become a criminal if he killed him, so instead of responding to the taunts, he crawled between the hooligan's legs and was laughed at.
Several years later, after becoming the King of
Chu, Han Xin returned to his hometown, found the woman who fed him and rewarded her with 1,000
s of gold. Han Xin also found the hooligan and instead of taking revenge, he appointed the hooligan as a ''zhongwei'' (中尉; equivalent to a present-day lieutenant). He said, "This man is a hero. Do you think I could not have killed him when he humiliated me? I would not become famous even if I killed him then. Hence, I endured the humiliation to preserve my life to achieve great things in the future."
Service under Xiang Yu
In 209 BC, Han Xin joined
Xiang Liang
Xiang Liang (died 208 BC) was a military leader who led a rebellion against the Qin dynasty.
Early life
Xiang Liang was from Xiaxiang (下相; present-day Suqian, Jiangsu) and was a descendant of a family who served the Chu state in the Warring ...
's rebel army when rebellions erupted throughout China to overthrow the
Qin dynasty
The Qin dynasty ( ; zh, c=秦朝, p=Qín cháo, w=), or Ch'in dynasty in Wade–Giles romanization ( zh, c=, p=, w=Ch'in ch'ao), was the first Dynasties in Chinese history, dynasty of Imperial China. Named for its heartland in Qin (state), ...
. Han Xin continued serving
Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu (, –202 BC), born Xiang Ji (), was the Hegemon-King (Chinese: 霸王, ''Bà Wáng'') of Western Chu during the Chu–Han Contention period (206–202 BC) of China. A noble of the Chu state, Xiang Yu rebelled against the Qin dynas ...
(Xiang Liang's nephew) after Xiang Liang was killed in action at the Battle of Dingtao. He was not placed in high regard and worked as a sentry and prepared meals. He constantly proposed strategies to Xiang Yu but was ignored. In 206 BC, Han Xin deserted Xiang Yu's army and went to join
Liu Bang
Emperor Gaozu of Han (256 – 1 June 195 BC), born Liu Bang () with courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning in 202–195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Empe ...
.
Han Xin was loyal to Liu Bang in many scenarios; his advisor proposed many suggestions to him to be independent from Liu Bang, but he rejected the proposal and raised sword on his neck to stop further acts of persuasion. One envoy was sent by Xiang Yu to convince him to ally with Chu to defeat Liu Bang, but he rejected the proposal, mainly because he was loyal to Liu Bang and wanted to bring peace to the people of China. His vision was far better than Liu Bang's and the rest of the kings during the warring state and Qin empire periods.
Service under Liu Bang during the Chu–Han Contention
Initially, after joining Liu Bang's army, Han Xin was not given any important roles. Once, he violated military law and was due to be punished by execution. When it was his turn to be beheaded, Han Xin saw
Xiahou Ying
Xiahou Ying (died 172 BC), posthumously known as Marquis Wen of Ruyin, was a Chinese official who served as Minister Coachman () during the early Han dynasty. He served under Liu Bang (Emperor Gaozu), the founding emperor of the Han dynasty, a ...
(one of Liu Bang's trusted generals) and said, "I thought the king wanted to rule an empire. Why is he killing valiant men then?" Xiahou Ying was surprised and spared Han Xin's life and recommended him to Liu Bang. Liu Bang was not impressed with Han Xin and put him in charge of food supplies. During that time, Han Xin met
Xiao He
Xiao He (257 BC–193 BC) was a Chinese politician of the early Western Han dynasty. He served Liu Bang (Emperor Gao), the founder of the Han dynasty, during the insurrection against the Qin dynasty, and fought on Liu's side in the Chu–Han Co ...
(one of Liu Bang's chief advisors), who recognised his talent.
In 206 BC, Liu Bang was granted the title of "King of
Han
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
" by Xiang Yu after the latter divided the former Qin Empire into the
Eighteen Kingdoms
The historiographical term "Eighteen Kingdoms" ( zh, t=十八國), also translated to as "Eighteen States", refers to the eighteen '' fengjian'' states in China created by military leader Xiang Yu in 206 BCE, after the collapse of the Qin dynasty. ...
, and was relocated to the remote Bashu region (in present-day
Sichuan
Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...
). Some of Liu Bang's men became discontented after spending months in Bashu (in present-day
Sichuan
Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...
) and deserted. Meanwhile, Han Xin was expecting Xiao He to recommend him to Liu Bang, but he had not received news for a long time so he became disappointed and left as well. When Xiao He heard that Han Xin had left, he immediately rushed to find Han and bring him back, and did not manage to inform Liu Bang in time. Xiao He eventually caught up with Han Xin and managed to persuade Han to go back with him. This event gave rise to the saying, "Xiao He chases Han Xin under the moonlight" (). In the meantime, Liu Bang had a nervous breakdown after hearing a rumour that Xiao He had also deserted him. While he was relieved when he saw Xiao He returning with Han Xin, he angrily asked Xiao, "Of all those who deserted, why did you only choose to go after Han Xin?" Xiao He then strongly recommended Han Xin to Liu Bang, saying that Han's talent was unmatched. Liu Bang accepted Xiao He's suggestion and held a special ceremony to appoint Han Xin as a general.
Conquering the Three Qins
After his appointment, Han Xin analysed the situation for Liu Bang and devised a plan for Liu to conquer Xiang Yu's
Western Chu
Chu, or Ch'u in Wade–Giles romanization, (, Hanyu Pinyin: Chǔ, Old Chinese: ''*s-r̥aʔ'') was a Zhou dynasty vassal state. Their first ruler was King Wu of Chu in the early 8th century BCE. Chu was located in the south of the Zhou hea ...
kingdom. In late 206 BC, Liu Bang's forces left
Hanzhong
Hanzhong (; abbreviation: Han) is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Shaanxi province, China, bordering the provinces of Sichuan to the south and Gansu to the west.
The founder of the Han dynasty, Liu Bang, was once enfeoffed as the ...
and prepared to attack the
Three Qins
The Three Qins () refer to three of the Eighteen Kingdoms, the short-lived power-sharing arrangement formed in 206 BC after the collapse of the Qin Dynasty. The three kingdoms were located in Guanzhong Plain (in present-day central Shaanxi), t ...
in
Guanzhong. Han Xin ordered some soldiers to pretend to repair the
gallery road
The archaeological gallery roads () were roads through remote mountain areas of China. They consisted of wooden planks erected on holes cut into the sides of cliffs. They were most notably used in the Qin Mountains linking the Wei River and the ...
s linking Guanzhong and Hanzhong, while sending another army to secretly pass through Chencang and make a surprise attack on
Zhang Han. Zhang Han was caught off guard and the Han forces emerged victorious, proceeding to take over Sima Xin and Dong Yi's kingdoms. The strategy employed by Han Xin, known as ''mingxiu zhandao, andu Chencang'' (明修棧道, 暗度陳倉; lit. "appearing to repair the gallery roads while making secret advances through Chencang"), became one of the
Thirty-Six Stratagems
The ''Thirty-Six Stratagems'' is a Chinese essay used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in politics, war, and civil interaction.
Its focus on the use of cunning and deception both on the battlefield and in court have drawn comparisons ...
.
Battle of Jingsuo
After the conquest of the Three Qins, Liu Bang allowed Han Xin to lead an army to attack Zhang Han's remnant forces in Feiqiu, while he personally led an army to attack Chu's capital of Pengcheng (present-day
Xuzhou
Xuzhou (徐州), also known as Pengcheng (彭城) in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 2020 census (3,135,660 of which lived in the built-up area ma ...
,
Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...
), capturing it in 205 BC. Xiang Yu turned back from his campaign in the
Qi kingdom to retake Pengcheng and defeated Liu Bang by surprise in the Battle of Pengcheng. Liu Bang retreated to
Xingyang
Xingyang (), is a county-level city of Henan Province, South Central China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou. It is situated 15 kilometers to the west of Zhengzhou city proper. The population of Xingyang i ...
after his defeat.
Xiao He
Xiao He (257 BC–193 BC) was a Chinese politician of the early Western Han dynasty. He served Liu Bang (Emperor Gao), the founder of the Han dynasty, during the insurrection against the Qin dynasty, and fought on Liu's side in the Chu–Han Co ...
was placed in charge of
Guanzhong and he sent Han to lead reinforcements to help Liu Bang. Han Xin defeated Chu forces in the Battle of Jingsuo and drove them east of Xingyang.
Northern campaign
In late 205 BC, Liu Bang put Han Xin in command of an army and sent him to conquer the rival kingdoms in northern China. Han Xin's first target was
Western Wei
Wei (), known in historiography as the Western Wei (), was an imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei. One of the Northern dynasties during the era of the Northern and Southern dynasties, it ruled the weste ...
, ruled by
Wei Bao
Wei Bao (died 204 BC) was the ruler of the Kingdom of Western Wei () of the Eighteen Kingdoms during the Chu–Han Contention, an interregnum between the Qin and Han dynasties of China.
Life
Wei Bao was a descendant of the royal family of ...
, who defected to
Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu (, –202 BC), born Xiang Ji (), was the Hegemon-King (Chinese: 霸王, ''Bà Wáng'') of Western Chu during the Chu–Han Contention period (206–202 BC) of China. A noble of the Chu state, Xiang Yu rebelled against the Qin dynas ...
's side after initially surrendering to Liu Bang. Han Xin tricked Wei forces into cornering themselves at the border and made a surprise attack on Anyi (present-day
Xia County, Shanxi
Xia County or Xiaxian () is a county in the southwest of Shanxi province, People's Republic of China, bordering Henan province to the southeast. It is under the jurisdiction of Yuncheng City.
History
In ancient China, it served as the previous ...
) with another force, scoring victory and capturing Wei Bao in battle. Shortly later, Han Xin proceeded to conquer the Dai kingdom and captured Dai's chancellor, Xia Shuo.
Han Xin's army advanced further to attack the
Zhao kingdom. He scored another tactical victory against the 200,000 strong Zhao army with a smaller force in the
Battle of Jingxing
The Battle of Jingxing (), also known as the Battle of Tao River (), was fought in October 205 BC between the army of Han, commanded by Han Xin, and a Zhao army. The Zhao were led by Prince Zhao Xie () of Zhao and Chen Yu (), also known as the Lor ...
. After his victory, Han Xin sent a messenger to
Zang Tu
Zang Tu (died 202 BC) was a warlord who lived during the late Qin dynasty and early Han dynasty of China.
Biography
Zang Tu was originally a military general serving under Han Guang, the king of the Yan state. Around 207 BC, when rebellions b ...
(King of
Yan
Yan may refer to:
Chinese states
* Yan (state) (11th century – 222 BC), a major state in northern China during the Zhou dynasty
* Yan (Han dynasty kingdom), first appearing in 206 BC
* Yan (Three Kingdoms kingdom), officially claimed indepe ...
) asking for his surrender, and Zang Tu agreed to submit to Liu Bang.
In late 204 BC, Liu Bang ordered Han Xin to lead an army to attack the Qi kingdom. However, Liu Bang later sent
Li Yiji
Li Yiji (268–204 BC)Note that Li Yiji's given name 食其 is pronounced "Yìjī" and not "Shíqí" in Mandarin. The Chinese character 食, when used in a person's name, is pronounced "Yì". The Chinese character 基 did not exist during the H ...
to persuade Tian Guang (King of Qi) to surrender, without informing Han Xin. Upon hearing this, Kuai Che ("Tong" was the name given to him by Han historians (primarily Sima Qian in the ''
Records of the Grand Historian
''Records of the Grand Historian'', also known by its Chinese name ''Shiji'', is a monumental history of China that is the first of China's 24 dynastic histories. The ''Records'' was written in the early 1st century by the ancient Chinese hist ...
'' and Ban Gu in the ''
Book of Han
The ''Book of Han'' or ''History of the Former Han'' (Qián Hàn Shū,《前汉书》) is a history of China finished in 111AD, covering the Western, or Former Han dynasty from the first emperor in 206 BCE to the fall of Wang Mang in 23 CE. ...
'') after
Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han (156 – 29 March 87BC), formally enshrined as Emperor Wu the Filial (), born Liu Che (劉徹) and courtesy name Tong (通), was the seventh emperor of the Han dynasty of ancient China, ruling from 141 to 87 BC. His reign la ...
ascended the throne,
as Emperor's Wu's personal name is also "Che") advised Han Xin to proceed with the invasion because if Li Yiji succeeded in persuading Qi to surrender, his contributions would outshine Han Xin's. Hence, Han Xin ordered an assault on
Lixia
''Lìxià'' is the 7th solar term according to the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, which divides a year into 24 solar terms (節氣).
It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 45° and ends when it reaches the longit ...
and went on to capture Qi's capital of
Linzi. Tian Guang already had the intention of surrendering but the attacks angered him and he felt betrayed by Li Yiji and had Li executed. In the meantime, Xiang Yu sent
Long Ju
Long Ju (died 204 BC) was a military general who served under the warlord Xiang Yu during the Chu–Han Contention.
Life
Long Ju was a childhood friend of Xiang Yu and they were said to be as close as brothers. When Xiang Liang (Xiang Yu's uncle ...
to lead an army to reinforce Tian Guang. Han Xin achieved another decisive victory against the combined forces of Qi and Chu at the
Battle of Wei River
The Battle of Wei River () was fought in November 204 BC between the Han and a combined force of Qi and Western Chu. The famous General Han Xin led the Han force, while the Chu were led by Long Ju () and the Qi by King Tian Guang (). The result ...
. Han Xin later sent a messenger to Liu Bang, requesting that Liu appoint him as the acting King of Qi. At that time, Liu Bang was trapped in Xingyang by Xiang Yu and Han Xin's request angered him, because he was expecting Han to come to his aid. However,
Zhang Liang Zhang Liang is the romanization of common names like 張良, 張亮 and 張梁.
張良
* Zhang Liang (Western Han) (died 189 BC), early Han dynasty strategist
** Zhang Liang, an animation character from the animated TV series ''The Legend of Qin'' ...
and
Chen Ping cautioned Liu Bang against rejecting the request, because Han Xin may become discontented and would rebel, putting them in a dangerous situation. Liu Bang reluctantly agreed to Han Xin's request.
Meanwhile, Xiang Yu sent
Wu She
Wu may refer to:
States and regions on modern China's territory
*Wu (state) (; och, *, italic=yes, links=no), a kingdom during the Spring and Autumn Period 771–476 BCE
** Suzhou or Wu (), its eponymous capital
** Wu County (), a former county i ...
to persuade Han Xin to declare independence from Liu Bang and form an alliance with him, in hope of losing an opponent on the northern front. Kuai Che also strongly urged Han Xin to rebel against Liu Bang, warning him that Liu was starting to distrust him because he wielded too much power. However, Han Xin refused to renounce his loyalty to Liu Bang.
Battle of Gaixia
In 203 BC, Liu Bang came to an armistice with Xiang Yu, known as the Treaty of Hong Canal, which divided China into west and east under their respective domains. Shortly after, Liu Bang renounced the treaty and led an attack on Xiang Yu's forces, which were retreating east. Liu Bang sent messengers to request assistance from Han Xin and
Peng Yue
Peng Yue (died 196 BC), courtesy name Zhong, was a Chinese military general and politician in the late Qin dynasty and early Western Han dynasty. He was involved in the Chu–Han Contention – a power struggle between the Han dynasty's founder, ...
in forming a three-pronged attack on Western Chu, but Han Xin and Peng Yue did not mobilise their troops, and Liu Bang was defeated by Xiang Yu in the
Battle of Guling.
Liu Bang retreated back to his territory and strengthened his defences, while sending messengers to Han Xin and Peng Yue again, promising to grant them land and titles if they helped him defeat Xiang Yu. Han Xin and Peng Yue brought their armies to meet Liu Bang in late 203 BC, and Han suggested using a strategy of "ambush on ten sides" () to weaken Xiang Yu's forces before making a final assault. The plan succeeded, and by 202 BC Xiang Yu was trapped in Gaixia and surrounded by Han forces on all sides. He attempted to break out of the encirclement and eventually arrived at the bank of the
Wu River, where he made a last stand before committing suicide.
After Xiang Yu's death, China was unified under Liu Bang's rule, and Liu granted Han Xin the title of "King of Chu" in recognition of his contributions. Months later, Liu Bang was proclaimed "Emperor" and became known as "Emperor Gaozu of Han".
Service during the Western Han dynasty
Demotion
When Xiang Yu died in 202 BC,
Zhongli Mo
Zhongli Mo (died 201 BC) was a military general who served the warlord Xiang Yu during the Chu–Han Contention (206–202 BC), a power struggle between Xiang Yu and Liu Bang (Emperor Gao), the founder of the Han dynasty. His name is sometimes i ...
(one of Xiang Yu's generals) came to Han Xin and requested refuge. On account of their past friendship, Han Xin protected Zhongli Mo and let him stay with him. When Emperor Gaozu heard that Zhongli Mo was hiding in Han Xin's territory, he ordered Han to arrest Zhongli Mo, but Han Xin refused.
A year later, Gaozu heard rumours that Han Xin was plotting a rebellion. By this time, Zhang Liang had already retreated from political affairs, so
Chen Ping was Gaozu's most trusted advisor. After discussion, they came to the conclusion that Gaozu could not best Han Xin in battle, so it would be most ideal to strike Han Xin when he was unprepared. Chen Ping proposed to lure Han Xin into meeting, on a pretext of Liu Bang touring the Yunmeng Marshes (present-day
Jianghan Plains,
Hubei Province
Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...
). He sent this message out to all warlords across the land. When Han Xin heard that Gaozu was heading towards the land of Chu, his first instinct was to rebel, but he decided he had committed no crime and stayed put. At this time, someone told Han Xin that if he were to present Zhongli Mo's head to Gaozu, than he would be happy and spare him. Han Xin then met Zhongli Mo to decide their next course of action, and brought up this idea. Zhongli Mo then promptly slit his own throat, but not before claiming Han Xin would follow soon after. Han Xin brought Zhongli Mo's severed head to Gaozu and explained his innocence, but Gaozu ordered Han to be arrested. Han Xin exclaimed, "It is true when people say: The hunting dog becomes food as well after it is used to hunt game; a good bow is discarded when there are no birds left for shooting; an advisor dies after he helps his lord conquer a rival kingdom. Now that the empire is in place, I no longer serve any purpose!" Liu Bang's only response was: "Someone claimed you had rebelled", and proceeded to cuff Han Xin and bring him back to
Luoyang
Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River (Henan), Luo River and Yellow River in the west of Henan province. Governed as a prefecture-level city, it borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the ...
. Although Gaozu pardoned Han Xin and released him later, he still demoted Han from "King of Chu" to "Marquis of Huaiyin".
Downfall and Dispute over death
After his demotion, Han Xin knew that Gaozu was beginning to distrust him and had become wary of his talent. Hence, Han Xin claimed to be ill and stayed at home most of the time to reduce Gaozu's suspicions. Around 197 BC,
Chen Xi (Marquis of Yangxia) met Han Xin before leaving for Julu, where Han Xin promptly pulled him aside, dismissing all nearby servants. He promised to aid Chen Xi from inside the capital if Chen Xi were to start an uprising against the Han Dynasty. Not long after, Chen Xi rebelled and Gaozu personally led an army to suppress the rebellion, while Han Xin claimed sickness and stayed behind.
While Gaozu was away, one of Han Xin's household servants offended him, so Han Xin locked him up as punishment. The servant's young brother gave news of Han Xin's desire to rebel to
Empress Lü Zhi
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( e ...
, who then plotted with
Xiao He
Xiao He (257 BC–193 BC) was a Chinese politician of the early Western Han dynasty. He served Liu Bang (Emperor Gao), the founder of the Han dynasty, during the insurrection against the Qin dynasty, and fought on Liu's side in the Chu–Han Co ...
to lure Han Xin into a trap. They pretended Gaozu had returned from suppressing the rebellion and that there would be a feast to commemorate the success. Xiao He managed to persuade Han Xin into coming to Changle Palace, where the Empress lived, and he was bound and executed as soon as he stepped through the doors. Han Xin's clan was
exterminated on the Empress's orders as well. Upon return from his campaign, Gaozu expressed both relief and regret when he learnt of Han Xin's death. He asked the Empress for Han Xin's last words, which were, "I regret not listening to Kuai Che's advice, and now I have been deceived by such vile people. This is the heaven's will!"
In another section of
Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian
''Records of the Grand Historian'', also known by its Chinese name ''Shiji'', is a monumental history of China that is the first of China's 24 dynastic histories. The ''Records'' was written in the early 1st century by the ancient Chinese hist ...
, The Hereditary House of Chancellor Xiao, the events of the Chu-Han Contention are told from Xiao He's point of view, and puts a different narrative on the death of Han Xin. In this autobiography, Liu Bang was immediately notified of Han Xin's rebellion and execution, rather than waiting until after his return.
Throughout history, historians and scholars alike have debated over the plausibility of Han Xin's rebellion. Although the Records of the Grand Historian have it written in black and white, many believe that Han Xin was loyal until his death. They believe that Lü Zhi and Xiao He framed Han Xin of treason, under the knowledge of Liu Bang, because Han Xin's reputation amongst the military was too high, and combined with his talents, became a threat to the throne. Although historians have always looked to Sima Qian's records for facts, some believe it is possible that as a citizen of the Han Dynasty, he could not go against the government acknowledged version of events. A
Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
poet,
Xu Hun
Xu Hun (, fl. first half of ninth century) was a Chinese poet. He was poet in the Tang poetry tradition of the Tang Dynasty. By passing the rigorous requirements of the imperial examination system, he received his ''Jinshi'' degree, in 832, and ...
, once wrote a poem titled "The Shrine of Han Xin", in which it states that it is unlikely for Han Xin to stay loyal when he held military power, yet rebel when he had not a single soldier.
Legend
In legend, Gaozu once promised Han Xin that if he "faced Heaven and stood firm on Earth" (頂天立地於漢土; i.e. remained loyal) to the Han Dynasty, he would not have Han Xin killed by any weapon used by soldiers (). Hence, when Han Xin was executed, he was hung in midair within a great bell and was pierced to death with swords made from wood or bamboo. As such, when he died, Han Xin was neither "facing Heaven" (because his body was covered by the bell) nor "standing firm on Earth" (because he was suspended inside the bell), and was not killed by any weapon used by soldiers (soldiers do not use wooden or bamboo swords).
Legacy
Some
Chinese idioms and sayings originating from the events in Han Xin's life are listed as follows:
* ''Shame of crawling through between someone's legs'' (): Used to describe a humiliating incident. This idiom originated from the incident when Han Xin was bullied by a hooligan.
* ''When Han Xin selects his troops, the more the better'' (): Originated from a conversation between Han Xin and Liu Bang. Liu asked Han, "How many men do you think I can command?", to which Han Xin replied, "A maximum of 100,000." Liu Bang asked, "What about you?", and Han Xin replied, "The more the better." Liu Bang said, "So that means I cannot defeat you?" Han Xin explained, "No, my lord, you command generals while I command soldiers."
* ''Both success and failure are due to
Xiao He
Xiao He (257 BC–193 BC) was a Chinese politician of the early Western Han dynasty. He served Liu Bang (Emperor Gao), the founder of the Han dynasty, during the insurrection against the Qin dynasty, and fought on Liu's side in the Chu–Han Co ...
, life and death are due to two women'' (): Xiao He helped Han Xin become a general, which enabled Han to put his talent to good use. However, Han Xin's downfall was also due to Xiao He. In his early days, Han Xin was given "life" by the old woman, who provided him with food. His death was due to
Empress Lü Zhi
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( e ...
.
While Han Xin was under house arrest, he did a mass organization of military books together with
Zhang Liang Zhang Liang is the romanization of common names like 張良, 張亮 and 張梁.
張良
* Zhang Liang (Western Han) (died 189 BC), early Han dynasty strategist
** Zhang Liang, an animation character from the animated TV series ''The Legend of Qin'' ...
. They put together one hundred and eighty-two books, removed certain parts and chose the reliable bits, and came out with thirty-five books. Han Xin himself also wrote three essays regarding military strategy.
His descendants are said to have fled to the area of modern Guangdong and Guangxi and changed their name to
Wéi (韋).
[The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland]
Evaluation
Sima Qian
Sima Qian (; ; ) was a Chinese historian of the early Han dynasty (206AD220). He is considered the father of Chinese historiography for his ''Records of the Grand Historian'', a general history of China covering more than two thousand years b ...
commented on Han Xin as follows:
Sima Guang
Sima Guang (17 November 1019 – 11 October 1086), courtesy name Junshi, was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer. He was a high-ranking Song dynasty scholar-official who authored the monumental history book ''Zizhi Tongjian''. Sima was ...
commented on Han as follows:
References
Bibliography
*
Sima Qian
Sima Qian (; ; ) was a Chinese historian of the early Han dynasty (206AD220). He is considered the father of Chinese historiography for his ''Records of the Grand Historian'', a general history of China covering more than two thousand years b ...
. ''
Records of the Grand Historian
''Records of the Grand Historian'', also known by its Chinese name ''Shiji'', is a monumental history of China that is the first of China's 24 dynastic histories. The ''Records'' was written in the early 1st century by the ancient Chinese hist ...
'', Volume 92.
*
Ban Gu et al. ''
Book of Han
The ''Book of Han'' or ''History of the Former Han'' (Qián Hàn Shū,《前汉书》) is a history of China finished in 111AD, covering the Western, or Former Han dynasty from the first emperor in 206 BCE to the fall of Wang Mang in 23 CE. ...
'', Volume 34.
*
Sima Guang
Sima Guang (17 November 1019 – 11 October 1086), courtesy name Junshi, was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer. He was a high-ranking Song dynasty scholar-official who authored the monumental history book ''Zizhi Tongjian''. Sima was ...
. ''
Zizhi Tongjian
''Zizhi Tongjian'' () is a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084 AD during the Northern Song dynasty in the form of a chronicle recording Chinese history from 403 BC to 959 AD, covering 16 dynast ...
'', Volume 12.
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Han, Xin
196 BC deaths
2nd-century BC executions
Chinese princes
Chu–Han contention people
Deified Chinese people
Emperor Gaozu of Han
Executed Han dynasty people
Executed people from Jiangsu
Han dynasty generals from Jiangsu
Han dynasty politicians from Jiangsu
People executed by the Han dynasty by decapitation
People from Huai'an