Xiang Yu, the king of Western Chu, was a brave and good warrior, who created many miracles in the history of war in his short life! For example, in the Battle of Julu, Xiang Yu led tens of thousands of people to defeat the main force of the Qin army by more than 400,000; in the Battle of Pengcheng, Xiang Yu defeated Liu Bang's 560,000 troops with only 30,000 elite troops. Although Xiang Yu was brave and good at fighting, he still could not achieve the final victory, but instead lost his army and killed himself in Wujiang! So why did Xiang Yu lose?
Regarding the reason for Xiang Yu's failure, Liu Bang had discussed with the courtiers many times, and from their conversations, we can clearly see the shortcomings in Xiang Yu's personality. As the saying goes, character determines fate, and Xiang Yu's character flaw is a very important reason for his defeat! Although Xiang Yu was a very powerful person, he was jealous of Xianxian and ability, narrow-minded, and not open-minded enough, especially when dealing with meritorious people.
Liu Bang's heavy ministers Wang Ling and Gao Qi once said, "Your Majesty is slow and insulting, and Xiang Yu is benevolent and loves people." However, His Majesty has made people attack the city, and those who have descended have given it to them, and they have the same benefit as the world. Xiang Yu is jealous of the ability of the sages, the meritorious people harm them, the sages doubt it, they overcome but do not do the work of others, and they gain the land but do not benefit others, so they lose the world. Xiang Yu treated those who had meritorious deeds and sages, not only could not appoint them, but on the contrary, they were jealous and suspicious, and did not give corresponding rewards.
Liu Bang's adviser Li Shiqi also said when lobbying the King of Qi, "King Xiang has the name of doubling the covenant, and the burden of killing the righteous emperor; there is nothing to remember for the merits of people, and nothing to forget about people's sins; victory is not rewarded, and the city is not to be sealed; it is not for the Xiang clan to be used; it is not for the people to be engraved, and it cannot be granted; it is bribed to attack the city, and it cannot be rewarded: the world is full of people, and the wise people complain about it, and they cannot be used for it." In Li Shiqi's view, Xiang Yu's reward and punishment were unfair and nepotism.
In fact, in the beginning, many sages were under Xiang Yu's command, such as Chen Ping and Han Xin. The reason why they turned their backs on Xiang Yu and defected to Liu Bang was also because Xiang Yu rewarded and punished unfairly and nepotism. Chen Ping believes, "King Xiang is a man, respectful and loving, and many people who are honest and courteous return to him." As for the meritorious deeds, the heavy ones are not attached to the soldiers. In Chen Ping's view, Xiang Yu was still good to people, but as soon as it came to discussing the rewards for merit, he began to be very stingy.
Han Xin said more vividly, "King Xiang saw that people were respectful and loving, and his words were vomited, and people were sick, and they wept and shared food and drink; to make people have merit, to be knighted, to seal and to endure, this so-called benevolence of women." Xiang Yu treated his subordinates very well, and personally went to comfort his subordinates when they were sick; but when people made meritorious contributions and should be knighted, Xiang Yu held the great seal in his hand, and the corners were smoothed out, and he was reluctant to give it to his subordinates.
It was precisely because of Xiang Yu's actions that the sages under him left one after another, and Han Xin and Chen Ping both defected to Liu Bang and became the founding heroes of the Western Han Dynasty. In addition, Yingbu and Peng Yue were also originally subordinates of Xiang Yu, and they were also co-opted by Liu Bang, thus betraying Xiang Yu. It is often said that there will be brave men under heavy rewards, and Liu Bang has never been stingy with money and land when dealing with talents. In order to defeat Xiang Yu, he made Han Xin, Peng Yue, and others kings, while promising to give a large amount of territory.
Liu Bang was very self-aware, "In the midst of planning and planning, the decisive victory is thousands of miles away, I am not as good as the sub-room." The town and the country, care for the people, give rewards, and do not stop grain, I am not as good as Xiao He. Even with an army of millions, the battle will be won, the attack will be won, I am not as good as Han Xin", but Liu Bang can recruit all kinds of talents, so that these people are willing to fight for him, which Is what Xiang Yu can't do!
References: 1. "Records of History"; 2. "Book of Han"