Preface
Xiang Yu mentioned in Li Qingzhao's "Summer Quatrain" is a famous military general in Chinese history, and his heroic deeds have been passed down through the ages.
However, Xiang Yu was defeated by the Wujiang River, leaving behind the eternal quatrain of "thinking about Xiang Yu so far and refusing to cross the Jiangdong". Although Xiang Yu died, why did his people not continue to avenge him and rebel against Liu Bang's rule?
First, the victory or failure of the veteran Xiang Yu
Xiang Yu was born to be extraordinary. He is the son of Xiang Yan, the general of the Chu State, and is born with military talent and a burly figure. At the end of Qin, King Chu Huai rebelled, and Xiang Yu, who was in his early twenties, led his troops to respond. According to historical records, Xiang Yu was brave and fierce, he was able to shoot a tiger at the age of more than ten years, and at the age of twenty, he had already fought on the battlefield with his father Xiang Yan. He inherited the military tradition of the Xiang family, was good at using the art of war, and was invincible every time he went into battle.
Xiang Yu is not only brave and good at fighting, but also has a straightforward temperament and attaches great importance to affection. At first, he was not mortal enemies with Liu Bang, the ancestor of the Han Dynasty. In the late Qin Chu and Han coalition armies, the two agreed that the one who broke the Qin first would be the king.
It's a pity that the good times didn't last long, Liu Bang was despicable and shameless, and took advantage of the Xiang Yu War to capture Xianyang and establish himself as the emperor. Liu Bang's move disappointed Xiang Yu, he thought that the two could fight side by side, but he didn't want this small character who was still serving under his command to turn his face ruthlessly at a critical moment.
In Xiang Yu's eyes, credit between friends is far more important than temporary gains and losses. Therefore, at the Hongmen banquet, he strongly advocated the killing of Liu Bang to show his faith. It's a pity that at this time, Han Gaozu was already deeply hidden, and Xiang Yu Zhongji let go of Liu Bang, the hot wolf ambition under his command.
As a result, all the heroes in the world admired Xiang Yu's manly behavior. But victory and defeat are a common thing in soldiers, and after many victories and defeats in the Chu-Han War, Liu Bang took the lead step by step, and finally annexed most of Xiang Yu's country.
After the battle of Qixia, Xiang Yu was already seriously injured, and it was difficult to fight alone. At this time, Liu Bang no longer had the same wings as Sanwan back then, but led a strong lineup of ministers and generals including Han Xin and Zhang Liang. Its momentum is like the sky. The Jiangdong once occupied by Xiang Yu was lost, and the territory collapsed. In the end, because he had no face to face his hometown Jinyang's fathers and elders, he killed himself by the Wujiang River, which can be called a heroic martyr through the ages.
Second, Liu Bang's wise plan to protect his life
Compared with Xiang Yu, Liu Bang has always been commented as a traitor in the city. At first, Liu Bang was just a cloth cloth in Pei County, and his participation in the uprising at the end of Qin was just a follow-up. However, this seemingly humble young man has a rare means of strategy. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, Liu Bang illuminated his calculations and skills.
At the initial Hongmen banquet that threatened his new country, Liu Bang was ordered to be in danger. He fell for Xiang Yu's plan to be a floating soldier, but the plan failed. And Liu Bang, who was wise and self-protecting, also took this opportunity to ascend to the throne and was named the king of Han. In the following years, as the situation changed, Liu Bang also took action step by step.
He did his best to win people's hearts and minds and used all means to recruit talents. In the end, King Han gathered a group of talented people like Han Xin and Zhang Liang. Among them, there are several subordinate Xiang Yudong who surrendered.
Liu Bang exchanged rights and interests to unite these talents to work for himself. Previously, Xiang Yu lost his only adviser Fan Zeng in Hongmen. Such a contrast indicates the prosperity of the Han Dynasty in the future.
3. Liu Bang's two-sided and three-knife technique
A few years after the Chu-Han War, Xiang Yu was defeated and killed himself. As the ultimate victor, Liu Bang's actions do not seem to be glorious. On the outside, he was kind and generous to let go of the Xiang Yu clansmen, did not kill, and even gave them official titles. However, behind this leniency lies a deep calculation and scheming.
Liu Bang deceived and changed the surname of Xiang Yu to Liu, and he had to report his "Xiang nationality" in order to get the reward. On the one hand, this eliminated Xiang Yu's prestige and prestige, and on the other hand, it also cut off the roots of his surname and cultural inheritance. The conspiracy behind the overt reward is indeed despicable and treacherous. However, after this trick worked, Liu Bang successfully inherited and stabilized most of the world's rivers and mountains, and also laid the foundation for his future prosperity.
Fourth, Liu Bang's inner world
Different from his insidious and cunning appearance, Liu Bang actually contains benevolence and forgiveness deep down. At the beginning of the uprising at the end of the Qin Dynasty, he was young and vigorous, and he took the lead in releasing all conscripts and won the hearts of the people. When he was sealing the princes, Liu Bang took the initiative to give up part of the strategic land to Xiang Yu. These actions show the open-mindedness and benevolence of his temperament.
Liu Bang is good at enduring humiliation and burden, introverted and deep. When he was chased to a desperate situation by Xiang Yu many times, he was always able to retreat and never clash with him head-on. This character laid the foundation for defeating Xiang Yu in the future.
Historians also speak highly of it. He thinks that Liu Bangren loves others, likes to give, and is open-minded. It can be seen that Liu Bang's inner benevolence and external strategy are not contradictory, but complement each other. Perhaps, this kind of strategic planning and internal and external cultivation is the fundamental reason why Han Gaozu was able to finally claim the title of king and emperor.
More than 2,000 years have passed, and history cannot change the fait accompli. The Wujiang River is no longer turbulent, and the heroic battles of the Qin and Han dynasties have become historical mud and sand. However, the love and hatred in these turbulent years still make people sigh.
Before and after death, the struggle between bravery and benevolence seems to have never ended. Perhaps, historical facts can never satisfy the interpreter from every angle, just as the state of mind can never make everyone the same. However, looking back on the past, in addition to the pros and cons of merit and demerits, the true feelings in the world have also been covered with the passage of time. This Qin-Han clutch is, in the final analysis, just a painful and happy misunderstanding among the heroes.
epilogue
In Chinese history, Xiang Yu was a highly respected military general who excelled in warfare and was hailed as a heroic military leader. However, when he was defeated by the Wujiang River, his people did not launch a strong resistance, on the contrary, Liu Bang effortlessly absorbed the territory of the Xiang clan, which caused people to wonder: why did Liu Bang tolerate the existence of the Xiang clan?
In the long river of history, Liu Bang's political skills and strategies are unparalleled. When Xiang Yu was defeated, Liu Bang seized the initiative, he did not take action to kill the Xiang family, on the surface, it may be thinking of the old feelings, but behind it is likely to have ulterior motives.
In the end, Liu Bang may have taken into account the evaluation of history. After all, Xiang Yu was a highly respected general, and taking too drastic measures against his family could cause resentment among the people and negatively affect Liu Bang's rule. By tolerating the Xiang family, Liu Bang can better maintain his image in history.
In general, the reason why Liu Bang did not take too drastic measures against the Xiang clan may be due to many considerations. He consolidated his rule with wisdom and prestige and was one of the political wizards of Chinese history.