Han Xin

Lore & Background

Han Xin was born in Huaiyin (modern-day Huai'an District, Jiangsu Province), an area of Chu during the warring states. According to legend, he may have been a descendant of the Han clan of the Han Kingdom, but he was incredibly poor. When his mother died, he did not have enough money to give her a proper burial, yet he searched until he found a high plot of land, thinking he could one day settle ten thousand households there to guard her grave. Unable to obtain a government post or become a merchant, he lived in destitution, often relying on others for meals. He frequently went to the Chief of Nanchang Pavilion for food, but the Chief's wife began to hate him and cooked early so that when he arrived, there was no food. Han Xin understood and never visited again. Once, an old woman washing clothes by the river provided him food for over a dozen days. He promised to repay her, but she scolded him, saying she pitied him as a descendant of nobility and did not expect anything in return. A young butcher humiliated Han Xin, saying in front of a crowd: 'If you do not fear death; stab me. If you fear death; come crawl between my legs.' Han Xin thought it over and crawled between the hooligan's legs, for which he was mocked as a coward. Years later, after becoming King of Chu, he returned to his hometown. He rewarded the old woman with 1,000 taels of gold, gave the Chief of Nanchang Pavilion a hundred coins, saying 'You are not a good person. You do good things but your generosity is limited,' and appointed the hooligan as a zhongwei (lieutenant), explaining to his subordinates: 'This man is a hero. Do you think I could not have killed him when he humiliated me? I would not become famous even if I killed him then. Hence, I endured the humiliation to preserve my life to achieve great things in the future.'

In Their Own Story

In 209 BC, Han Xin joined Xiang Liang's rebel army during the rebellions to overthrow the Qin dynasty. After Xiang Liang was killed at the Battle of Dingtao, Han Xin served Xiang Yu as a langzhong (Captain of the Palace Guards). He constantly proposed strategies to Xiang Yu but was ignored. During this time, he became well acquainted with Zhongli Mo, one of Xiang Yu's top generals. In 206 BC, Han Xin deserted Xiang Yu's army and joined Liu Bang. Initially given no important role, he once violated military law and was due for execution. When it was his turn to be beheaded, he saw Xiahou Ying and said, 'I thought the King wanted to rule an empire. Why, then, is he killing valiant men?' Xiahou Ying spared his life, conversed with him, and recommended him to Liu Bang, who made him Commandant for Grains. Han Xin often met with Chancellor Xiao He, who was greatly impressed. In April of that year, facing mass desertions, Han Xin himself deserted because Liu Bang did not use him despite recommendations. Xiao He immediately rushed to personally find Han Xin and bring him back, giving rise to the saying 'Xiao He chases Han Xin under the moonlight.' When Xiao He returned, he insisted Liu Bang promote Han Xin to Grand General with a formal ceremony. Liu Bang relented. After the ceremony, Han Xin analyzed the situation and devised a plan to conquer Xiang Yu's Western Chu kingdom. In late 206 BCE, Liu Bang's forces left Hanzhong to attack the Three Qins. Han Xin ordered soldiers to pretend to repair the gallery roads while sending another army secretly through Chencang to surprise Zhang Han. This strategy, 'appearing to repair the gallery roads while making secret advances through Chencang,' became one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. Liu Bang later revoked Han Xin's command authority, leaving Han Xin to train new forces in Guanzhong while Liu Bang led a coalition army of 560,000 men in 205 BCE to seize Xiang Yu's capital, Pengcheng. Xiang Yu returned with 30,000 troops and defeated Liu Bang disastrously at the Battle of Pengcheng, forcing Liu Bang to retreat to Xingyang.

Reader's Guide

Han Xin's military career is defined by his service under Liu Bang during the Chu–Han Contention. After being appointed Grand General, he reconquered the Three Qins using the famous strategy of feigning repairs to gallery roads while secretly advancing through Chencang. This tactic caught Zhang Han off guard and allowed Han forces to take over the kingdoms of Sima Xin and Dong Yi. Although the Guanzhong region was not fully pacified, Liu Bang personally led his main army out through Hangu Pass, stationing at Shan County to pacify the people east of the passes. Zhang Liang, Zhang Er, and Shen Yang submitted to Liu Bang, strengthening the Han camp. Liu Bang then revoked Han Xin's command and redeployed forces, leaving Han Xin to train new troops and eliminate remaining Qin forces in Guanzhong while Xiao He restored administration and levied men. Han Xin's later campaigns included the Battle of Pengcheng, where Liu Bang's coalition of 560,000 was crushed by Xiang Yu's 30,000. Throughout, Han Xin remained undefeated in every engagement he commanded, and his victories were instrumental in founding the Han dynasty. Liu Bang conferred the titles 'King of Qi' on him in 203 BCE and 'King of Chu' in 202 BCE, but fearing his influence, demoted him to 'Marquis of Huaiyin' in late 202 BCE. In early 196 BCE, Han Xin was accused of participating in a rebellion, lured into a trap, and executed in the Hall of Zhong, Changle Palace, on Empress Lü's orders, and his three clans were exterminated.

Did You Know?

• Han Xin was named one of the 'Three prominences of the early Han dynasty' along with Zhang Liang and Xiao He.
• He earned the legendary title 'Xian of War' (兵仙) in later Chinese tradition.
• The strategy 'appearing to repair the gallery roads while making secret advances through Chencang' became one of the Thirty-Six Stratagems.
• After becoming King of Chu, Han Xin rewarded the old woman who fed him with 1,000 taels of gold and appointed the hooligan who humiliated him as a lieutenant.
• Han Xin was executed in the Hall of Zhong, Changle Palace, on Empress Lü's orders, and his three clans were exterminated.