The Last Days of Qin
As rebel armies closed in on Xianyang, panic gripped the Qin court. Emperor Er Shi (The Second Emperor of Qin), trembling with fear, ordered Zhao Gao to mobilize troops – but Zhao Gao had other plans. Fearing that defeat would expose his treachery, he assassinated Er Shi and sought to install a puppet ruler. He proposed Ziying, a member of the imperial clan (variously described as nephew, uncle, or cousin of Er Shi), as the new King of Qin – reverting from “Emperor” to “King” now that the Six States had reemerged.
But Ziying saw through the plot. Suspecting Zhao Gao intended to surrender Qin to the rebels in exchange for kingship, he feigned illness during the five-day ritual purification before the coronation. On the day of the ceremony, when Zhao Gao came personally to fetch him, Ziying sprang his trap: three hidden men leapt from behind curtains and killed Zhao Gao on the spot. Declaring his crimes to the court, Ziying was acclaimed king and immediately dispatched 50,000 troops to defend Yao Pass.
The New An Massacre: Xiang Yu’s Ruthless Calculus
News of the Qin court’s collapse reached Xiang Yu’s camp. Eager to seize Guanzhong, he pressed west – but grew wary of the 200,000 surrendered Qin soldiers marching ahead of his army. Whispers spread among them:”Our families are in Guanzhong. If we enter with the rebels, they’ll suffer. If we don’t, the Qin court will execute them.”
Fearing betrayal at the gates of Xianyang, Xiang Yu convened his generals. Ying Bu and Pu Jiangjun urged preemptive action. “We cannot let them strike first,” they warned. Xiang Yu agreed: only Zhang Han, Sima Xin, and Dong Yi – the top three defectors – would be spared. The rest were too dangerous.
At Xin’an (in western Henan), under cover of night, the Chu army disarmed and massacred over 200,000 Qin captives, burying them in mass pits. This atrocity cemented Xiang Yu’s reputation in Qin lands as a butcher, not a liberator.
To placate the three surviving generals, Xiang Yu claimed the killings were necessary to quell an imminent mutiny – and assured them their loyalty was unquestioned. With no rear threat, his army marched unimpeded – until it reached Hangu Pass.
There, to Xiang Yu’s shock, Chu soldiers barred the gate. “We serve Lord Pei,” they declared. “No army may enter – not even yours.”
Liu Bang’s Southern March: Strategy Over Brute Force
While Xiang Yu fought Zhang Han’s elite forces at Julu, Liu Bang had taken a different path. Following King Huai II’s orders, he advanced westward through less-defended southern routes. At Gaoyang (Qi County, Henan), he met Li Yiji – a 60-year-old scholar who boldly entered Liu Bang’s tent while the latter was washing his feet.
Rather than bow, Li Yiji challenged him:”Are you aiding the feudal lords against Qin – or helping Qin crush them?”
Insulted, Liu Bang snapped back – until Li Yiji rebuked him:”If you seek to overthrow tyranny, show respect to elders!”
Humbled, Liu Bang rose barefoot, apologized, and seated Li Yiji as an honored guest. The scholar advised seizing Chenliu, a key grain depot. Using deception – Li Yiji befriended the local magistrate, then got him drunk while Liu Bang attacked from outside – they captured the city and its stores. Liu Bang appointed Li Yiji “Lord of Guangye” and welcomed his brother Li Shang, who brought 4,000 troops.
Later, Liu Bang reunited with Zhang Liang, who had been waging guerrilla campaigns in former Han territory. Together, they swiftly took over ten cities. After securing an alliance with King Han Cheng, Liu Bang gained Zhang Liang as his chief strategist for the final push toward Xianyang.
Rather than waste time besieging strongholds, Liu Bang bypassed resistance, winning over towns through clemency. When the Nanyang governor surrendered, Liu Bang enfeoffed him as Marquis of Yin – a gesture that prompted other Qin officials to lay down arms without a fight. His army swelled as locals joined a force that did not plunder.
The Surrender at Bashang: Mercy Over Vengeance
In autumn 207 BCE, Liu Bang entered Wu Pass. Ziying, having just slain Zhao Gao, sent 50,000 men to hold Yao Pass – but Zhang Liang’s ruse defeated them: decoy banners on surrounding hills masked a flanking assault by Zhou Bo, which crushed the Qin defenders.
Liu Bang’s army marched to Bashang (east of modern Xi’an), where Ziying emerged in white mourning robes, rope around his neck, bearing the imperial seals, military tokens, and ceremonial staff. Fan Kuai urged execution:”Kill him!”
But Liu Bang refused:”The king sent me because I show mercy. Killing a surrendered ruler brings ill fortune.” He placed Ziying under guard – ending the Qin dynasty after just 46 days of Ziying’s reign.
Inside Xianyang, soldiers looted the treasury – but Xiao He ignored gold and jewels. Instead, he secured the imperial archives: census records, maps, legal codes – the true instruments of governance.
Liu Bang himself nearly succumbed to temptation in the Epang Palace, lounging among silks and beauties – until Fan Kuai and Zhang Liang intervened. “These luxuries destroyed Qin,” Zhang Liang warned. “Will you follow the same path?” Reluctantly, Liu Bang returned to his camp at Bashang.
The Three Simple Laws: A New Covenant with the People
Gathering the elders of Guanzhong, Liu Bang declared:
“You have suffered enough under Qin’s cruel laws – where even whispering criticism meant death. From this day, I establish Three Simple Laws:
- Murderers shall die.
- Those who wound others shall be punished.
- Thieves shall be punished.
All other Qin laws are abolished. Live in peace – you need fear no more.”
This message spread like wildfire. The people, long terrorized, rejoiced and prayed Liu Bang would stay. But Liu Bang knew Xiang Yu was coming.
A strategist advised:”Guanzhong is ten times richer and far more defensible than the east. Seal Hangu Pass. Recruit local troops. Only then can you resist the feudal lords.” Liu Bang acted at once – blocking Xiang Yu’s entry.
The Standoff at Hongmen
When Xiang Yu’s army arrived at Hangu Pass, they found it shut. Enraged – “his eyes bulging with fury” – he ordered Ying Bu and General Pu (Pu Jiangjun) to storm the gate. They broke through quickly, and the allied forces advanced unopposed to Hongmen (near Lintong, Shaanxi).
There, exhausted but seething, Xiang Yu encamped his troops, fed them well, and summoned his generals. One question hung in the air:
How to punish Liu Bang for daring to claim Guanzhong first?
The stage was set for the most famous banquet in Chinese history – where mercy, ambition, and betrayal would collide.
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