Liu Bang (256 or 247 BCE – 195 BCE), posthumously known as Emperor Gaozu of Han, was the founder of the Western Han dynasty and reigned from 202 to 195 BCE. His courtesy name was Ji, and he was from Pei County (in present-day Xuzhou, Jiangsu). He initially served as a minor local official (chief of Sishui Pavilion).
In 209 BCE, the first year of the reign of Qin Er Shi, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang launched a rebellion against the Qin dynasty. Liu Bang responded by raising an army in Pei and was hailed as “Duke of Pei” (Pei Gong). He and Xiang Yu led separate forces to attack the Qin heartland; Liu Bang entered Xianyang first and won popular support by establishing the “Three Simple Laws” with the local elders.
After Xiang Yu entered the Guanzhong region, he enfeoffed Liu Bang as the King of Han. This marked the beginning of the five-year Chu-Han Contention between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. In 202 BCE, Liu Bang finally defeated Xiang Yu, ascended the imperial throne, proclaimed the new dynasty “Han,” established his capital at Chang’an (present-day Xi’an, Shaanxi), and was posthumously honored as Emperor Gao (High Emperor).
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