Xiang Yu

  • Zhang Liang

    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]

    Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were dead – but the flame they lit could not be extinguished. Across the land, rebellions erupted anew. Heroes like Xiang Yu and Liu Bang would rise from this chaos, ultimately toppling the Qin dynasty within three years.

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

    Only after Fusu and Meng Tian were murdered in the palace coup did the court publicly announce Qin Shi Huang’s death. Huhai ascended as the Second Emperor (Qin Er Shi), with Zhao Gao wielding de facto power. 

  • Learning to Defeat Ten Thousand [Western Han]

    Much like Sun Wukong in Journey to the West, Xiang Yu was born arrogant, refused to be ordinary, submitted only to the strongest, and possessed a natural kingly aura. As a descendant of Chu nobility, he was endowed with innate grace. From an early age, he disdained trivial skills and insisted on learning the…

  • The hidden politics behind Sun Ce’s execution of Xu Gong [Three Kingdoms]

    The assassination of Sun Ce, the “Little Conqueror” of Jiangdong, is often attributed to a simple act of vengeance: his killing of Xu Gong, the former Administrator of Wu Commandery, led to retaliation by Xu’s loyal retainers.

  • Why did Sun Ce execute Yu Ji? [Three Kingdoms]

    The execution of Yu Ji, the so-called “living immortal” of Jiangdong, by the young warlord Sun Ce stands as one of the most enigmatic and symbolically rich episodes in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. While the novel dramatizes the event with supernatural overtones—ghostly apparitions, cursed mirrors, and divine retribution—the historical roots reveal a more…

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

    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.

  • The guerrilla tactics of Peng Yue [Three Kingdoms]

    Li Jue was originally a general under Dong Zhuo. After Dong Zhuo was killed by Wang Yun and Lü Bu, he declared independence and, following the strategy of his advisor Jia Xu, attacked the capital city of Chang’an. Today, let’s discuss how Li Jue defeated Lü Bu and successfully captured Chang’an.