What is history: it is the echo of the past to the future, the reflection of the future on the past. - Hugo
In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang unified the world, violent Qin, and after the death of the second emperor, two very outstanding leaders were produced in the rebel army at the end of Qin, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang. Originally a fellow traveler who overthrew the Rebels of the Qin Dynasty, they eventually fought each other. Xiang Yu was defeated, and was eventually besieged under the siege, broke through to the edge of the Wu River, felt that he had no face to see Jiangdong's father and elder, and drew his sword to kill himself. "Still thinking about Xiang Yu, refusing to cross Jiangdong", I don't know how many people in ancient and modern times sighed, Xiang Yu could have made a comeback, why did he give up his future. And Liu Bang, as a party, seems to have discovered the secret of that year at the last moment of his life.
Since ancient times, kings have been defeated. However, in the imperial struggle between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, although Liu Bang was the final winner, it was Xiang Yu who was praised by people. Because Xiang Yu makes people feel the tragedy of a hero of the end.
Tang Dynasty Hu once had a poem "Wujiang": The king of the struggle for the emperor has fallen, and eight thousand soldiers scattered chu songs. The Wu River was not crossed without a boat, and the shame was to raise troops again in Eastern Wu.
It can be seen from the poem that although Xiang Yu was defeated, he had the conditions to cross from the Wujiang River to the east. He chose to commit suicide because he was "ashamed" to flee to Eastern Wu and raise another army. Xiang Yu embodied the typical personality characteristics of the traditional aristocratic class. Do things in a straightforward and disciplined manner. For example, under the curtain, Xiang Yu said to Liu Bang, "We have been fighting for so many years, and we have not yet decided the high or low, you still have the ability to single it out with me, don't let the people suffer with it." "Challenged with dignity, openly accepting wins and losses without a single opportunistic calculation. This kind of personality of Xiang Yu embodies a kind of aristocratic value concept, that is, the true color of nobility.
At the same time, Liu Bang saw clearly that Xiang Yu had lost the hearts of the people in Jiangdong, and even if Xiang Yu returned to Jiangdong, there would not necessarily be too many people supporting Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu himself should have thought of this when he was at the end of his rope. Xiang Yu was originally a Xiaxiangren (present-day Suqian, Jiangsu) and was not in Huiji County (present-day Suzhou) in Jiangdong, so in fact, Jiangdong was not Xiang Yu's hometown. In addition, the eight thousand Jiangdong disciples brought out by Xiang Yu were all gone, fan Zeng, the representative of the Chu people in Jiangdong, also died of illness because of Xiang Yu's suspicions, and the king of Chuhuai, Xiongxin, was also killed by Xiang Yu, who had already caused many jiangdong people to be dissatisfied.
Xiang Yu is a master of man, he has a noble moral sentiment and a gentleman's code. He is not Liu Bang, and he cannot do rebellious and treacherous cunning. This is precisely where his personality charm lies, so he prefers to be with his comrades and subordinates after death, rather than living on his own, which is also his failure.
Liu Bang and Xiang Yu are obviously two very different kinds of people, he can sell his credit for the sake of the world, and he can also kill all the heroes and good generals who have followed him for many years for the sake of the world. The meaning of his life exists for the sake of the world, but when he dies, he can only face endless loneliness and countless people under the fountain who are ashamed. At this moment, he would truly understand why Xiang Yu was killing himself in Wujiang, for his own dignity, but also for him to be able to face everyone with dignity!