SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Liu Bang

  • Ashes of the Palace, Seeds of Rebellion [Western Han]

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    Juan

    Brief: This article recounts Xiang Yu’s brutal entry into Xianyang: executing Ziying, massacring Qin nobles, and burning Epang Palace. He divided the empire into 18 kingdoms, exiling Liu Bang to remote Hanzhong. Liu burned gallery roads to feign submission, while Xiao He’s pursuit of Han Xin laid the groundwork for Han’s rise.

  • The Hongmen Banquet [Western Han]

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    Juan

    Brief: This article depicts the pivotal Hongmen Banquet. Fearing Liu Bang’s ambition, Xiang Yu plotted to kill him. Saved by Xiang Bo’s intervention and Fan Kuai’s bold defense, Liu Bang escaped death. Xiang Yu’s hesitation let his rival live, sowing the seeds of Chu’s eventual defeat.

  • The Three Simple Laws: Liu Bang’s Mercy and the Fall of Qin [Western Han]

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    Juan

    Introduction: This article tells how Liu Bang entered Xianyang, ended the Qin Dynasty, and issued the Three Simple Laws to win popular support. In contrast, Xiang Yu massacred 200,000 Qin captives, losing hearts in Guanzhong. Liu blocked Hangu Pass, triggering a standoff that led to the pivotal Hongmen Banquet.

  • Breaking Pots and Sinking Boats: Xiang Yu’s Gamble at Julu [Western Han]

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    Juan

    Brief: This article narrates Xiang Yu’s legendary battle at Julu. Frustrated by Song Yi’s inaction, he seized command, led his troops across the Zhang River, smashed pots and sank boats to show no retreat. His army won nine straight battles, crushed the Qin main force, and became the supreme leader of the rebel alliance.

  • Liu Bang

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    Ana

    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…

  • Zhang Liang

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    Ana

    Zhang Liang (?–189 BCE) was a prominent statesman in the early Western Han dynasty. His courtesy name was Zifang, and he was from Chengfu, Yingchuan (in present-day southwestern Xiangcheng, Henan). His ancestors were nobles of the former state of Han, with five generations serving as Han ministers. Seeking revenge for the Qin conquest of…

  • The Rising Tide: How rebellions united and fractured? [Western Han]

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    Juan

    Introduction: This article traces the anti‑Qin uprising after Chen Sheng. Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu rallied the “Eight Thousand Sons of Wu.” Liu Bang emerged as a rebel leader, joined by Zhang Liang. They restored King Huai II of Chu to unify forces. Though Xiang Liang fell, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang rose to…

  • The Spark That Lit the Empire Ablaze [Western Han]

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    Juan

    Brief: This article records the Dazexiang Uprising, China’s first peasant rebellion. Trapped by rain and facing death for tardiness, Chen Sheng and Wu Guang led 900 conscripts to revolt against Qin’s tyranny. Though their regime fell quickly, they ignited a nationwide flame that paved the way for Liu Bang and Xiang Yu to topple…

  • Why did Xun Yu choose Cao Cao? [Three Kingdoms]

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    Rob

    The most renowned strategists of the Three Kingdoms period include core figures such as Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi, Guo Jia, Xun Yu, and Jia Xu. They were celebrated for their outstanding strategic planning, military tactics, and political acumen, playing a decisive role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of the Three Kingdoms.