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95-617: In late 208 BC the rebel king of Chu , King Huai II , promised that whoever invaded Guanzhong first would rule the region. In late 207 the Chu rebel Liu Bang became the first anti-Qin rebel to enter the Guanzhong region, capturing the Qin capital Xianyang and receiving the surrender of Ziying , the last king of Qin. He also won the support of the people of Guanzhong by abolishing the harsh Qin laws and by forbidding his troops from killing and robbing

190-632: A chancellor of the Western Han dynasty . He participated in the Chu–Han Contention on Liu Bang ( Emperor Gaozu of Han )'s side and contributed greatly to the founding of the Han dynasty. Cao Shen was from Pei County in present-day Jiangsu and he served as a prison warden in his early days. He was a close friend of Liu Bang . Once, Liu Bang was tasked with escorting some convicts to Mount Li to become labourers, but some prisoners escaped and Liu

285-617: A cadet branch of Chu's royal house of Mi . Mo'ao, one of the three chancellors of Chu, was exclusively chosen from Qu ( 屈 ) clan. During the early spring and autumn period and before the Ruo'ao rebellion , Lingyin was a position held by Ruo'aos, namely Dou ( 鬭 ) and Cheng ( 成 ). Progenitors of Chu such as viscount Xiong Yi were said to originate from the Jing Mountains ; a chain of mountains located in today's Hubei province . Rulers of Chu systematically migrated states annexed by Chu to

380-586: A distinct " Chinese " culture. Based on the archaeological finds, Chu's culture was initially quite similar to that of the other Zhou states of the Yellow River basin. However, subsequently, Chu absorbed indigenous elements from the Baiyue lands that it conquered to the south and east, developing a blended culture compared to the northern plains. During the Western Zhou period, the difference between

475-590: A diversionary force along Qishan Road in the far-west, who defeated the Assistant Prefect of Xi County north of the Pai River. For these reasons, Zhang Han was enticed into concentrating his main forces around the northern ends of these passes. Meanwhile, Han Xin and Liu Bang marched their main force along the less-used Chencang Road, which was one of the paths located between the Qishan and Ziwu Roads, near

570-410: A few Yong soldiers were guarding the gates of the pass at night, and the Han soldiers took out swords hidden within their loads of firewood. They killed the guards and opened the gates, allowing Han Xin to march on the town of Chencang on the southern edge of Guanzhong's Wei River Basin. Under attack by the Han army, the surprised garrison and its commander abandoned the town and reported the presence of

665-713: A guard or junior officer in Xiang Yu's army, he had deserted Xiang Yu for Liu Bang because Xiang had refused to listen to his suggestions. He was recommended for promotion by Liu Bang's Minister Coachman Xiahou Ying , and in December 207 he and Zhang Liang presented gifts to Xiang Yu on Liu Bang's behalf after Liu fled the Feast at Swan Goose Gate . In early 206 Han Xin was a logistics prefect, and in this capacity he impressed Liu Bang's Prime Minister Xiao He , perhaps because he performed exceptionally well in securing and transporting

760-516: A long struggle for supremacy over the lands of the former Qin Empire, which became known as the Chu–Han Contention . The conflict ended in victory for Liu Bang: he proclaimed the Han dynasty and was later honored with the temple name Gaozu, while Xiang Yu committed suicide in defeat. Liu Bang immediately enacted a more traditional and less intrusive administration than the Qin before him, made peace with

855-412: A meeting with his subjects to discuss his plans for the invasion of Chu. Wang Jian said that the invasion force needed to be at least 600,000 strong, while Li Xin thought that less than 200,000 men would be sufficient. Ying Zheng ordered Li Xin and Meng Wu to lead the army against Chu. The Chu army, led by Xiang Yan , secretly followed Li Xin's army for three days and three nights, before launching

950-527: A protracted campaign in Huaiyang under Wang Jian. Both soldiers wrote letters requesting supplies of clothing and money from home to sustain the long waiting campaign. The Chu populace in areas conquered by Qin openly ignored the stringent Qin laws and governance, as recorded in the excavated bamboo slips of a Qin administrator in Hubei. Chu aspired to overthrow the painful yoke of Qin rule and re-establishing

1045-592: A riverine transport system of boats augmented by wagons. These are detailed in bronze tallies with gold inlay regarding trade along the river systems connecting with those of the Chu capital at Ying. Although bronze inscriptions from the ancient state of Chu show little linguistic differences from the "Elegant Speech" (yǎyán 雅言) during the Eastern Zhou period , the variety of Old Chinese spoken in Chu has long been assumed to reflect lexical borrowings and syntactical interferences from non-Sinitic substrates , which

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1140-491: A separate state. The attitude was captured in a Chinese expression about implacable hostility: "Though Chu has but three clans , Qin shall fall by Chu's hand" ( 楚雖三戶, 亡秦必楚 ). After Ying Zheng declared himself the First Emperor ( Shi Huangdi ) and reigned briefly, the people of Chu and its former ruling house organized the first violent insurrections against the new Qin administration. They were especially resentful of

1235-442: A surprise offensive and destroying Li Xin army. Upon learning of Li's defeat, Ying Zheng replaced Li with Wang Jian, putting Wang in command of the 600,000-strong army he had requested earlier and placing Meng Wu beneath him as a deputy. Worried that the Qin tyrant might fear the power he now possessed and order him executed upon some pretense, Wang Jian constantly sent messengers back to the king in order to remain in contact and reduce

1330-467: A swift assault. The Qin forces pursued the retreating Chu forces to Qinan ( 蕲南 ; northwest of present-day Qichun in Hubei ) and Xiang Yan was either killed in the action or committed suicide following his defeat. The next year, in 223 BC, Qin launched another campaign and captured the Chu capital Shouchun. King Fuchu was captured and his state annexed. The following year, Wang Jian and Meng Wu led

1425-416: Is Phi or 24 Capricorni . It is also represented by the star Epsilon Ophiuchi in the "Right Wall" asterism in the "Heavenly Market" enclosure . The virus taxa Chuviridae and Jingchuvirales are named after Chǔ. Cao Shen Cao Shen or Cao Can (died 24 September 190 BCE ), courtesy name Jingbo ( Chinese : 敬伯 ), was a Chinese military general and politician. He served as

1520-524: The Songs of Chu , historical records, excavated bamboo documents such as the Guodian slips , and other artifacts reveal heavy Taoist and native folk influence in Chu culture. The disposition to a spiritual, often pleasurable and decadent lifestyle, and the confidence in the size of the Chu realm led to the inefficiency and eventual destruction of the Chu state by the ruthless Legalist state of Qin. Even though

1615-530: The se was preferred over the zither , while both instruments were equally preferred in the northern Zhou states. Chu came into frequent contact with other peoples in the south, most notably the Ba , Yue , and the Baiyue . Numerous burials and burial objects in the Ba and Yue styles have been discovered throughout the territory of Chu, co-existing with Chu-style burials and burial objects. Some archaeological records of

1710-543: The Chu-Han contention , the Guanzhong region became the crown land of the newly established Han dynasty , with Chang'an being the imperial capital, located merely miles away from the former Qin capital of Xianyang on the opposite side of the Wei River. State of Chu Chu ( Chinese : 楚 ; pinyin : Chǔ ; Wade–Giles : Ch'u , Old Chinese : *s-r̥aʔ ) was an ancient Chinese state during

1805-564: The Chu–Han Contention , a power struggle between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, Cao Shen joined Han Xin 's army in the campaigns on the northern front. They scored victories against Wei Bao 's forces, the Zhao army at the Battle of Jingxing , and the combined forces of Qi and Chu at the Battle of Wei River . During this time, Cao Shen was appointed as acting-Left Chancellor of Liu Bang's Han kingdom, and subsequently promoted to Right Chancellor. After

1900-476: The Han River . After this death, Zhou ceased to expand to the south, allowing the southern tribes and Chu to cement their own autonomy much earlier than the states to the north. The Chu viscount Xiong Qu overthrew E in 863 BC but subsequently made its capital Ezhou one of his capitals. In either 703 or 706, the ruler Xiong Tong became the ruler of Chu. Under the reign of King Zhuang , Chu reached

1995-604: The Rebellion of the Seven States . Cao Qi's son, Cao Shi (曹時; died 131 BC), married Princess Pingyang , one of Emperor Jing's daughters. Cao Shi's son, Cao Xiang (曹襄; died 115 BC), married Princess Wei (a daughter of Emperor Wu and Empress Wei Zifu ) and served as a general in the Han campaigns against the Xiongnu . Cao Xiang's son, Cao Zong (曹宗; died 91 BC), was implicated in a plot to overthrow Emperor Wu in 91 BC and

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2090-722: The Xiongnu through heqin intermarriages, rewarded his allies with large fiefdoms, and allowed the population to rest from centuries of warfare. The core Chu territories centered in Pengcheng was granted first to general Han Xin and then to Liu Bang's brother Liu Jiao as the Kingdom of Chu . By the time of Emperor Wu of Han , the southern folk culture and aesthetics were mixed with the Han-sponsored Confucian tradition and Qin-influenced central governance to create

2185-835: The Zhou dynasty . Their first ruler was King Wu of Chu in the early 8th century BC. Chu was located in the south of the Zhou heartland and lasted during the Spring and Autumn period . At the end of the Warring States period it was destroyed by the Qin in 223 BC during the Qin's wars of unification . Also known as Jing ( 荊 ) and Jingchu ( 荊楚 ), Chu included most of the present-day provinces of Hubei and Hunan , along with parts of Chongqing , Guizhou , Henan , Anhui , Jiangxi , Jiangsu , Zhejiang , and Shanghai . For more than 400 years,

2280-901: The Central Plain, annexing the State of Henan in that month, the State of Han in November, and the States of Western Wei and Yin in March 205. In April he used Xiang Yu's assassination of King Huai II of Chu in October 206 to launch a full-scale war against Xiang Yu for control over China (see the Chu-Han Contention ). That same month, in alliance with the State of Zhao , Liu Bang briefly seized Xiang's capital city, Pengcheng , while Xiang

2375-461: The Central plains. However, this image originated with the later development of Chu relative to the Central plains, and the stereotype was retrospectively cultivated by Confucian scholars in the Qin dynasty, to indirectly criticise the ruling regime, and the Han dynasty as a means of curbing their ideological opponents who were associated with such cultural practices. As the founder of the Han dynasty

2470-499: The Chu appear at Mawangdui . After the Han dynasty , some Confucian scholars considered Chu culture with distaste, criticizing the "lewd" music and shamanistic rituals associated with Chu culture. Chu artisanship includes color, especially the lacquer woodworks. Red and black pigmented lacquer were most used. Silk-weaving also attained a high level of craftsmanship, creating lightweight robes with flowing designs. These examples (as at Mawangdui) were preserved in waterlogged tombs where

2565-589: The Chu capital Danyang was located at the junction of the Dan and Xi Rivers near present-day Xichuan County , Henan, but later moved to Ying . The house of Chu originally bore the ancestral temple surname Nai ( 嬭 OC: /*rneːlʔ/) which was later written as Mi ( 芈 OC: /*meʔ/). They also bore the lineage name Yan ( 酓 OC: /*qlamʔ/, /*qʰɯːm/) which would later be written Xiong ( 熊 OC: /*ɢʷlɯm/). According to legends recounted in Sima Qian 's Records of

2660-464: The Chu may have acquired as a result of its southern migration into what Tian Jizhou believed to be a Kra–Dai or (para-) Hmong–Mien area in southern China. Recent excavated texts, corroborated by dialect words recorded in the Fangyan , further demonstrated substrate influences, but there are competing hypotheses on their genealogical affiliation. Noticing that both 荆 Jīng and 楚 Chǔ refer to

2755-571: The Chu tomb in Xichuan, Henan Province are complex in shape. Dated to the mid sixth century BC, it was one of the early confirmed lost-wax cast artifacts discovered in China proper. Later Chu burials, especially during the Warring States, featured distinct burial objects , such as colorful lacquerware , iron, and silk, accompanied by a reduction in bronze vessel offerings . A common Chu motif

2850-661: The Fangcheng mountain. Strategically, Fangcheng is an ideal defense against states of central plain . Due to its strategic value, numerous castles were built on the Fangcheng mountain. Yunmeng Ze in Jianghan Plain was an immense freshwater lake that historically existed in Chu's realm, It was crossed by Yanzi river, the northern Yunmeng was named Meng ( 夢 ), the southern Yunmeng was known as Yun ( 雲 ). The lake's body covers parts of today's Zhijiang, Jianli , Shishou , Macheng , Huanggang , and Anlu . Shaoxi Pass

2945-530: The Grand Historian , the ruling family of Chu descended from the Yellow Emperor and his grandson and successor Zhuanxu . Zhuanxu's great-grandson Wuhui ( 吳回 ) was put in charge of fire by Emperor Ku and given the title Zhurong . Wuhui's son Luzhong ( 陸終 ) had six sons, all born by Caesarian section . The youngest, Jilian , adopted the ancestral surname Mi . Jilian's descendant Yuxiong

Three Qins - Misplaced Pages Continue

3040-474: The Han forces at Haozhi, and Zhang Ping broke out of the encirclement. The Han army assaulted Haozhi, with Fan Kuai again leading a force onto the walls, and they captured the city, with the Prefect and Assistant Prefect of Haozhi killed in the fighting. Instead of focusing on Feiqiu, the main Han army then marched past the city towards Xianyang further to the east. The Sai army under Zhao Ben and Neishi Bao left

3135-534: The Han general Li Shang took control of the Beidi and Shangchun Commanderies in the north, defeating a Yong general at Yenchih, a force under Zhou Lei at Xunyi, and a force under Su Tsu at Niyang. The main Han army marched north-east to Gaonu, the capital of Zhai, where Dong Yi surrendered without a fight. Although Feiqiu remained under siege, by September Guanzhong had become the administrative centre of Liu Bang's growing dominion, and in October he began expanding into

3230-593: The Jing mountains in order to control them more efficiently. East of Jing mountains are the Tu ( 塗 ) mountains. In the north-east part of Chu are the Dabie mountains ; the drainage divide of Huai river and Yangtse river . The first capital of Chu, Danyang ( 丹陽 ) was located in today's Zhijiang , Hubei province. Ying ( 郢 ), one of the later capitals of Chu, is known by its contemporary name Jingzhou . In Chu's northern border lies

3325-466: The Qin corvée ; folk poems record the mournful sadness of Chu families whose men worked in the frigid north to construct the Great Wall of China . The Dazexiang Uprising occurred in 209 BC under the leadership of a Chu peasant, Chen Sheng , who proclaimed himself "King of Rising Chu" ( Zhangchu ). This uprising was crushed by the Qin army but it inspired a new wave of other rebellions. One of

3420-429: The Qin armies led by Xue Guo, Hu Ling and Fang Yu, and was promoted to a high rank by Liu Bang for his contributions. Cao Shen defeated Zhang Han 's army and drove Zhang towards Puyang . He returned to help Liu Bang, who was trapped at Yongqiu, and defeated Li You, the Qin general defending Sanchuan. By then, Cao Shen had conquered two fiefs and 122 counties in total. In the following battles against Qin, Cao Shen defeated

3515-629: The Qin army against Wuyue around the mouth of the Yangtze , capturing the descendants of the royal family of Yue . These conquered territories became the Kuaiji Prefecture of the Qin Empire. At their peak, Chu and Qin together fielded over 1,000,000 troops, more than the massive Battle of Changping between Qin and Zhao 35 years before. The excavated personal letters of two regular Qin soldiers, Hei Fu ( 黑夫 ) and Jing ( 惊 ), tell of

3610-461: The Qin general Sima Cuo led to two conclusions concerning the unification of China. Zhang Yi argued in favor of conquering Han and seizing the Mandate of Heaven from the powerless Zhou king would be wise. Sima Cuo, however, considered that the primary difficulty was not legitimacy but the strength of Qin's opponents; he argued that "conquering Shu is conquering Chu" and, "once Chu is eliminated,

3705-516: The Qin generals Wang Li and Zhao Ben and captured the Wu and Yao passes leading to Xianyang (the Qin capital). After the fall of the Qin dynasty, Liu Bang received the title of "King of Han " from Xiang Yu, and was relocated to Hanzhong . Liu Bang granted Cao Shen the title of "Marquis of Jiancheng" ( 建成侯 ) and promoted him to a general rank. Cao Shen helped Liu Bang conquer the Three Qins . During

3800-431: The Qin realm lacked the vast natural resources and waterways of Chu, the Qin government maximized its output under the efficient minister Shang Yang , installing a meritocracy focused solely on agricultural and military might. Archaeological evidence shows that Chu music was annotated differently from Zhou. Chu music also showed an inclination for using different performance ensembles, as well as unique instruments. In Chu,

3895-504: The Three Qins, since they occupied the heartland of the former Qin state . Confronted by the sheer distance between Hanzhong and their homeland of Chu in eastern China, Liu Bang's army and its leadership suffered from supply shortages and mass desertions. However, this coincided with the rise of the officer Han Xin . A precocious young talent, Han Xin was well read on the art of war and vocal about his ideas and merits. Having served as

Three Qins - Misplaced Pages Continue

3990-499: The Zhao general Pang Nuan ( 庞煖 ) was the actual commander in the battle. The allies attacked Qin at the strategic Hangu Pass but were defeated. King Kaolie blamed Lord Chunshen for the loss and began to mistrust him. Afterwards, Chu moved its capital east to Shouchun , farther away from the threat of Qin. As Qin expanded into Chu's territory, Chu was forced to expand southwards and eastwards, absorbing local cultural influences along

4085-533: The advice of his advisor Zhang Liang , burned the wooden gallery road to prove his commitment to follow Xiang Yu's orders and remain within his own dominion. Xiang Yu wished to rule his Chu homeland rather than Guanzhong, and so he divided the region between three former Qin generals who had surrendered to Xiang Yu after the Battle of Yushui River back in July 207. The former General-in-Chief of Qin, Zhang Han , received

4180-441: The battles of Linji (208) and Dingtao (208) by making surprise marches against the enemy position after appearing to be at a disadvantage. However, this time Zhang Han was intercepted by Han Xin and Cao Shen east of Rang and suffered another defeat. Zhang Han returned to Feiqiu, and Zhao Ben withdrew further east to the former Qin capital Xianyang, which was being garrisoned by Sai troops under Neishi Bao. Han Xin and Cao Shen re-joined

4275-410: The capital into the territory of the former state of Ruo . Chu began to strengthen Yue in modern Zhejiang to serve as allies against Wu. Yue was initially subjugated by King Fuchai of Wu until he released their king Goujian , who took revenge for his former captivity by crushing and completely annexing Wu. Freed from its difficulties with Wu, Chu annexed Chen in 479 BC and overran Cai to

4370-420: The case of Guan Ying). Han Xin soon urged Liu Bang to authorize an invasion of Guanzhong within a few months’ time. By conquering the Three Qins so quickly, they could capitalize on the fact that Zhang Han, Sima Xin and Dong Yi had not ruled the region for very long. As Han Xin argued and predicted, the people of Guanzhong would welcome Liu Bang as their king as they despised Xiang Yu for his brutality, they hated

4465-460: The city for twenty days and then sallied out and defeated the Sai-Yong coalition, causing it to retreat. Cao Shen was one of the generals in the city, and Han Xin was either within the city as well or assisted from outside. Zhang Ping retreated north to Qi, where he joined forces with a Zhai force under Yao Rui, but they were defeated by a Han detachment under Zhou Bo, who then marched west to pacify

4560-559: The city to do battle with Han Xin but were defeated and fled east, causing Xianyang as well as the counties of Mei, Huaili and Liuchung to surrender. Liu Bang renamed Xianyang Xincheng, and the Han army garrisoned Jingling further to the east. Jingling's proximity to Yueyang , the capital of Sai, prompted Sima Xin to lead the main Sai army to besiege Jingling, where he was joined by the forces under Zhang Ping. The Han garrison in Jingling defended

4655-564: The conquest of the Qi kingdom, Cao Shen left Han Xin and returned to Liu Bang's side to join him in resisting Xiang Yu. Liu Bang later sent Cao Shen to suppress the remnants of Qi. In 202 BC, Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu at the Battle of Gaixia and unified China under his rule. Liu Bang became the Emperor and his dynasty was named " Han ". He was historically known as "Emperor Gao" (or Emperor Gaozu). When rewarding his subjects, Gaozu named Cao Shen as

4750-588: The country will be united". The importance of Shu in the Sichuan Basin was its great agricultural output and its control over the upper reaches of the Yangtze River , leading directly into the Chu heartland. King Huiwen of Qin opted to support Sima Cuo. In 316 BC, Qin invaded and conquered Shu and nearby Ba , expanding downriver in the following decades. In 278 BC, the Qin general Bai Qi finally conquered Chu's capital at Ying. Following

4845-598: The county of Dian. Zhang Ping retreated to Longxi Commandery in the far west. A Han detachment under Guan Ying approached Yueyang, and Sima Xin, having lost too many soldiers, surrendered. Liu Bang subsequently moved his headquarters from Nanzheng in Hanzhong to Yueyang. Meanwhile, part of the Han army encircled Feiqiu, with Zhou Bo and Guan Ying among the generals present. The Han general Jin Xi defeated what remained of Zhang Ping's force and took control of Longxi Commandery, and

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4940-511: The culture of Chu and the Central Plains states to the north was negligible. Only in the late Spring and Autumn period does Chu culture begin to diverge, preserving some older aspects of the culture and developing new phenomena. It also absorbed some elements from annexed areas. The culture of Chu had significant internal diversity from locality to locality. Chu, like Qin and Yan , was often described as being not as cultured by people in

5035-465: The emperor in suppressing Chen Xi 's rebellion in Dai (present-day northern Shanxi and northwestern Hebei ). In 193 BC, the chancellor Xiao He died and was succeeded by Cao Shen. Cao Shen spent his time drinking and feasting, and maintained well Xiao He's system of governance but did not implement any new changes. When Emperor Hui asked him why he did not change the system, Cao Shen replied that he

5130-534: The fact that the former Qin generals had defected to Xiang Yu, and they respected Liu Bang for the clemency shown when he had first entered Guanzhong. Moreover, Xiang Yu was distracted by a war with the State of Qi that was gradually increasing in intensity. Han Xin argued that they could then use Guanzhong as a food-rich base with which to rapidly seize territories in the Central Plain (Guanzhong had seen much less warfare on its soil compared with other parts of China). Liu Bang took Han Xin's advice. Zhang Han had manned

5225-791: The fall of Ying, the Chu government moved to various locations in the east until settling in Shouchun in 241 BC. After a massive two-year struggle, Bai Qi lured the main Zhao force of 400,000 men onto the field, surrounding them and forcing their surrender at Changping in 260 BC. The Qin army massacred their prisoners, removing the last major obstacle to Qin dominance over the Chinese states. By 225 BC, only four kingdoms remained: Qin, Chu, Yan , and Qi . Chu had recovered sufficiently to mount serious resistance. Despite its size, resources, and manpower, though, Chu's corrupt government worked against it. In 224 BC, Ying Zheng called for

5320-508: The food resources of Ba and Shu from the far south-west of China to the army's position in Hanzhong. Although Han Xin had never commanded an army, Xiao He argued vigorously in favour of giving Han Xin command of the army. Liu Bang not only made Han Xin a general, but strikingly, he made him his General-In-Chief, promoting him above generals like Cao Shen , Fan Kuai , Zhou Bo and Guan Ying , competent generals who had served under Liu since his original rebellion against Qin in 209 (or since 208 in

5415-444: The government cannot effectively administer the expanse. Their troops are weary and although their formations are well-ordered, they do not have the resources to maintain their positions for long. To defeat them, we must strike swiftly, unexpectedly and retreat quickly before they can counter-attack. This will create unease in their weary soldiers and reduce their fighting spirit. Thus, with persistence, their army can be defeated. During

5510-468: The height of its power and its ruler was considered one of the five Hegemons of the era. After a number of battles with neighboring states, sometime between 695 and 689 BC, the Chu capital moved south-east from Danyang to Ying. Chu first consolidated its power by absorbing other states in its original area (modern Hubei ), then it expanded into the north towards the North China Plain . In

5605-505: The high priest of Chu, multiple entries in Zuo Zhuan indicated their role as oracles. Other Yins recorded by history were: Yuyin, Lianyin, Jiaoyin, Gongjiyin, Lingyin, Huanlie Zhi Yin (Commander of Palace guards) and Yueyin (Minister of Music). In counties and commanderies, Gong ( 公 ), also known as Xianyin (minister of county) was the chief administrator. In many cases, positions in Chu's bureaucracy were hereditarily held by members of

5700-607: The king of Han . Ba and Shu were grain-rich, but they were remote from the rest of China. Xiang Yu allowed Liu Bang to take only 30,000 soldiers to go with him to Hanzhong, although 10,000 further men from Chu and other states voluntarily joined his army. Liu Bang's army marched south across the Qinling Mountains , following the Ziwu Road to Hanzhong. After reaching the Han River Basin in Hanzhong, Liu Bang, on

5795-505: The king's suspicion. Wang Jian's army passed through southern Chen ( 陳 ; present-day Huaiyang in Henan) and made camp at Pingyu. The Chu armies under Xiang Yan used their full strength against the camp but failed. Wang Jian ordered his troops to defend their positions firmly but avoid advancing further into Chu territory. After failing to lure the Qin army into an attack, Xiang Yan ordered a retreat; Wang Jian seized this opportunity to launch

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5890-484: The kingdom of Yong ( 雍 ), occupying present-day central Shaanxi. Xiang Yu's intention to use Zhang Han was partly influenced by the latter's exceptional successes as a general. In 209 Zhang Han had trained an army of convicts to fight the rebels, saved Xianyang and Xingyang and annihilated the rebel armies of Zhou Wen, Wu Guang and the overall rebel leader Chen Sheng (the King of "Rising Chu"). In 208 he defeated and killed

5985-472: The lacquer did not peel off over time and in tombs sealed with coal or white clay. Chu used the calligraphic script called "Birds and Worms" style , which was borrowed by the Wu and Yue states. It has a design that embellishes the characters with motifs of animals, snakes, birds, and insects. This is another representation of the natural world and its liveliness. Chu produced broad bronze swords that were similar to Wuyue swords but not as intricate. Chu created

6080-437: The late Warring States period, Chu was increasingly pressured by Qin to its west, especially after Qin enacted and preserved the Legalistic reforms of Shang Yang . In 241 BC, five of the seven major warring states–Chu, Zhao, Wei, Yan and Han–formed an alliance to fight the rising power of Qin. King Kaolie of Chu was named the leader of the alliance and Lord Chunshen the military commander. According to historian Yang Kuan ,

6175-557: The leaders, Jing Ju of Chu, proclaimed himself the new king of Chu. Jing Ju was defeated by another rebel force under Xiang Liang . Xiang installed Xiong Xin , a scion of Chu's traditional royal family, on the throne of Chu under the regnal name King Huai II. In 206 BC, after the fall of the Qin Empire, Xiang Yu , Xiang Liang's nephew, proclaimed himself the "Hegemon-King of Western Chu" and promoted King Huai II to "Emperor Yi". He subsequently had Yi assassinated. Xiang Yu then engaged with Liu Bang , another prominent anti-Qin rebel, in

6270-442: The locals. For these reasons, Liu Bang had a strong claim to Guanzhong, which was grain-rich, populous, easily defensible and ideal for expansion into China's Central Plain . However, the Chu rebel Xiang Yu , the most powerful rebel warlord at the time and Liu Bang's rival, ignored Huai's promise, and in January 206 he instead gave Liu the former Qin territories of Hanzhong, Ba and Shu in present-day Sichuan , which he would rule as

6365-456: The magistrate changed his mind later and denied Liu Bang entry into the city. He was worried that Xiao He and Cao Shen might open the city gates for Liu Bang, so he planned to have them killed, but Xiao and Cao managed to escape and join Liu. The townsfolk rebelled against the magistrate and killed him, allowing Liu Bang and his men to enter. Liu Bang built up his rebel army in Pei County and Cao Shen served as one of his advisors. Cao Shen defeated

6460-499: The main Han army to Zhang Han. Zhang Han sent envoys to his former subordinates, the kings Sima Xin and Dong Yi, asking for help. He and his brother Zhang Ping then marched against Han Xin's army but were defeated in a battle outside Chencang. Zhang Han retreated to his capital Feiqiu with the majority of his remaining force, and Zhang Ping led a smaller part of the army towards the city of Haozhi. Han Xin judged that they should attack Zhang Ping rather than try to take Feiqiu, since Feiqiu

6555-419: The new overall rebel leader Xiang Liang (Xiang Yu's uncle) and also defeated Tian Dan, Zhou Shi, Wei Jiu, Tian Rong and Chen Yu. In 207 he surrendered to Xiang Yu after discovering that the Qin Prime Minister Zhao Gao intended to have him executed and then suffering defeat at Yushui River, but Xiang Yu's army had been struggling as well due to food shortages, and Zhang Han had halted the Xiang's advance between

6650-482: The north in 447 BC. By the end of the 5th century BC, the Chu government had become very corrupt and inefficient, with much of the state's treasury used primarily to pay for the royal entourage. Many officials had no meaningful task except taking money and Chu's army, while large, was of low quality. In the late 390s BC, King Dao of Chu made Wu Qi his chancellor . Wu's reforms began to transform Chu into an efficient and powerful state in 389 BC, as he lowered

6745-439: The passes of the Qinling Mountains that divided Guanzhong from Hanzhong to the south, and so Han Xin began repairing Ziwu Road in the eastern part of the Qinling Mountains to give Zhang Han the false impression that the offensive would come from that direction. In August 206 Han Xin launched the invasion. In addition to repairing Ziwu Road, Han Xin had a skeleton force threaten Zhang Han from that quarter. He also sent Fan Kuai with

6840-451: The person who made the most contributions in battle. However, Cao Shen resigned from his post as Right Chancellor . In 201 BC, Cao Shen was appointed as chancellor of Qi Kingdom , which was then ruled by Liu Fei (Gaozu's eldest son). He was also conferred the title of "Marquis of Pingyang" ( 平陽侯 ) and given 10,630 households in his marquisate. While serving as chancellor, Cao Shen sought the help of Confucian scholars in governing Qi but

6935-693: The rebel victory at Julu in January 207 and Zhang's own surrender in July. Xiang Yu thus recognized Zhang Han's talent and tasked him with defending the passes of the Qinling Mountains should Liu Bang attempt to re-cross north into Guanzhong from Hanzhong to the south. Xiang Yu also rewarded Zhang Han's former subordinates Sima Xin and Dong Yi . Sima Xin received the State of Sai ( 塞 ), occupying present-day northeastern Shaanxi, and Dong Yi received Zhai ( 翟 ), occupying present-day northern Shaanxi. These three kingdoms came to be collectively known as

7030-418: The salaries of officials and removed useless officials. He also enacted building codes to make the capital Ying seem less barbaric. Despite Wu Qi's unpopularity among Chu's ruling class, his reforms strengthened the king and left the state very powerful until the late 4th century BC, when Zhao and Qin were ascendant. Chu's powerful army once again became successful, defeating the states of Wei and Yue . Yue

7125-652: The south-west of the Guanzhong Plain. His forces quickly took control of the counties of Xiabian and Gudao and overwhelmed the Yong garrison manning the Sanguan Pass. Supposedly, Han Xin ordered Cao Shen to select fifty exceptional soldiers and order them to disguise themselves as woodcutters, enter the pass with other people and take the pass at midnight from within. The soldiers entered with heavy loads of firewood on their backs and hid themselves as night fell. Only

7220-459: The summer of 648 BC, the State of Huang was annexed by the state of Chu. The threat from Chu resulted in multiple northern alliances under the leadership of Jin . These alliances kept Chu in check, and the Chu kingdom lost their first major battle at the Chengpu in 632 BC. During the 6th century BC, Jin and Chu fought numerous battles over the hegemony of central plain . In 597 BC , Jin

7315-594: The thorny chaste tree (genus Vitex ), Schuessler (2007) proposes two Austroasiatic comparanda: The Mo'ao ( 莫敖 ) and the Lingyin ( 令尹 ) were the top government officials of Chu. Sima was the military commander of Chu's army. Lingyin, Mo'ao and Sima were the San Gong ( 三公 ) of Chu. In the Spring and Autumn period, Zuoyin ( 左尹 ) and Youyin ( 右尹 ) were added as the undersecretaries of Lingyin. Likewise, Sima ( 司馬 )

7410-520: The town of Rang, to the east of Haozhi, and a Han detachment under Zhou Bo captured the county of Huali. Sima Xin sent General Zhao Ben to reinforce Zhang Han in Feiqiu, and an army sent by Dong Yi arrived in the area of the Jingshui River. Zhang Han, who had likely hoped to distract Han Xin at Feiqiu, led the combined Yong, Sai and Zhai forces to relieve Haozhi. Previously, Zhang Han had won both

7505-414: The vicinity of Yong as well and defeated a force of cavalry and chariots to the south of the town before re-joining the main Han army. They captured the two towns, with Fan Kuai seizing the walls with his vanguard, and they then pursued Zhang Ping, defeating him in a battle outside Haozhi. Zhang Ping retreated within the walls and a siege ensued. Meanwhile, Han Xin and Cao Shen used part of the army to capture

7600-529: The way. Lu was conquered by King Kaolie in 223 BC. By the late 4th century BC, however, Chu's prominent status had fallen into decay. As a result of several invasions headed by Zhao and Qin, Chu was eventually completely wiped out by Qin. The Chu state was completely eradicated by the Qin dynasty. According to the Records of the Warring States , a debate between the Diplomat strategist Zhang Yi and

7695-485: The worship of gibbons and other animals perceived to have auspicious amounts of qi . Later Chu culture was known for its affinity for shamans . The Chu culture and government supported Taoism and native shamanism supplemented with some Confucian glosses on Zhou ritual. Chu people affiliated themselves with the god of fire Zhurong in Chinese mythology. For this reason, fire worshiping and red coloring were practiced by Chu people. The naturalistic and flowing art,

7790-552: The year of 579 BC when a truce was signed between the two states. At the beginning of the sixth century BC, Jin strengthened the state of Wu near the Yangtze delta to act as a counterweight against Chu. Wu defeated Qi and then invaded Chu in 506 BC. Following the Battle of Boju , it occupied Chu's capital at Ying, forcing King Zhao to flee to his allies in Yun and " Sui ". King Zhao eventually returned to Ying but, after another attack from Wu in 504 BC, he temporarily moved

7885-423: Was a stronger city protected by a larger army than that under Zhang Ping, and Zhang Han was an especially formidable general. A siege of Feiqiu could stall the progress of the invasion and give Zhang Ping, Sima Xin, Dong Yi and Xiang Yu himself more opportunity to crush the Han army before they had taken control of much of Guanzhong. Therefore, Han Xin focused first on the walled towns of Yong and Tai. Fan Kuai reached

7980-458: Was an important outpost in the mountainous western border of Chu. It was located in today's Wuguan town of Danfeng County , Shaanxi . Any forces that marched from the west, mainly from Qin, to Chu's realm would have to pass Shaoxi. In traditional Chinese astronomy , Chu is represented by a star in the "Twelve States" asterism , part of the " Girl " lunar mansion in the " Black Turtle " symbol . Opinions differ, however, as to whether that star

8075-430: Was assisted by Zuosima ( 左司馬 ) and Yousima ( 右司馬 ) respectively. Mo'ao's status was gradually lowered while Lingyin and Sima became more powerful posts in the Chu court. Ministers whose functions vary according to their titles were called Yin ( 尹 ). For example: Lingyin (Prime minister), Gongyin (Minister of works), and Zhenyin were all suffixed by the word "Yin". Shenyin ( 沈尹 ) was the minister of religious duties or

8170-445: Was defeated by Chu in the battle of Bi , causing Jin's temporary inability to counter Chu's expansion. Chu strategically used the state of Zheng as its representative in the central plain area, through the means of intimidation and threats, Chu forced Zheng to ally with itself. On the other hand, Jin had to balance out Chu's influence by repeatedly allying with Lu , Wey , and Song . The tension between Chu and Jin did not loosen until

8265-486: Was forced to become a fugitive. He sought refuge with his followers on Mount Mangdang (in present-day Yongcheng , Henan ) and maintained secret contact with Cao Shen and Xiao He . In 209 BC, after the Dazexiang Uprising broke out, the magistrate of Pei County considered rebelling against the Qin dynasty as well, so he heeded Cao Shen and Xiao He's advice to invite Liu Bang back to support him. However,

8360-416: Was from the state, Chu culture would later become a basis of the culture of the later Han dynasty, along with that of the Qin dynasty's and other preceding states' from the Warring States period. Early Chu burial offerings consisted primarily of bronze vessels in the Zhou style. The bronze wares of the state of Chu also have their own characteristics. For example, the bronze Jin (altar table) unearthed from

8455-469: Was not as good as Xiao He and did not want to make changes for fear of negatively affecting the system left behind by Xiao. This became the origin of a Chinese idiom, Xiao Gui Cao Sui (萧规曹随; lit. "Cao following Xiao's rules"), which is used to describe the continuation of the work of one's predecessor. The historian Sima Qian commented in Records of the Grand Historian that he felt that among all of Liu Bang's subjects, Cao Shen's contributions in battle

8550-456: Was not impressed by their ideas. After discussing with a scholar called Gai Gong, Cao Shen was influenced by the Huang-Lao ( 黃老 ) school of thought, which used a mix of persuasion and coercion. Cao Shen followed Gai Gong's advice to implement policies to restore social stability and frequently consulted Gai Gong on how to govern Qi. In 196   BC, he commanded the Qi forces that assisted

8645-474: Was partitioned between Chu and Qi in either 334 or 333 BC. However, the officials of Chu wasted no time in their revenge and Wu Qi was assassinated at King Dao's funeral in 381 BC. Prior to Wu's service in the state of Chu, Wu lived in the state of Wei, where his military analysis of the six opposing states was recorded in his magnum opus, The Book of Master Wu . Of Chu, he said: The Chu people are soft and weak. Their lands stretch far and wide, and

8740-432: Was second only to Han Xin . Commenting on Cao Shen's role as chancellor, Sima Qian mentioned that Cao had done well in preserving Xiao He 's system of governance and achieved the peace and stability desired by the people. Cao Shen's son, Cao Zhu (曹窋; died 161 BC), inherited his father's marquis title "Marquis of Pingyang". Cao Zhu was in turn succeeded by his son, Cao Qi (曹奇; died 153 BC), who helped Emperor Jing suppress

8835-424: Was still campaigning in Qi. By June Han Xin had taken command of the siege of Feiqiu, and he ordered Fan Kuai to dig a channel from the Wei River to divert water to the mudbrick walls of the city. This caused a section of the walls to soften and collapse after a few days, and as the Han troops entered the city, Zhang Han committed suicide. The three states of Qin thus became three prefectures. After Liu's victory in

8930-605: Was the teacher of King Wen of Zhou (r. 1099–1050 BC). After the Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty , King Cheng (r. 1042–1021 BC) enfeoffed Yuxiong's great-grandson Xiong Yi with the fiefdom of Chu in the Nanyang Basin and the hereditary title of 子 ( zǐ , " viscount "). Then the first capital of Chu was established at Danyang (present-day Xichuan in Henan). In 977 BC, during his campaign against Chu , King Zhao of Zhou 's boat sank and he drowned in

9025-401: Was the vivid depiction of wildlife, mystical animals, and natural imagery, such as snakes , dragons , phoenixes , tigers, and free-flowing clouds and serpent-like beings. Some archaeologists speculate that Chu may have had cultural connections to the previous Shang dynasty , since many motifs used by Chu appeared earlier at Shang sites such as serpent-tailed gods. Another common Chu idea was

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