The struggle for hegemony between Chu and Han is a high-profile chapter in Chinese history. starring Liu Bang and Xiang Yu, one is from the ordinary, and the other is noble;One is superior in force, the other is relatively mediocre in military affairs;One is cunning and vicious, the other is resourceful. How does the story end?Cunning defeated bravery, ordinary defeated the nobles, and Liu Bang won the final victory.
However, what was the real reason for Xiang Yu's failure?The answer lies in Xiang Yu's regression of history. Xiang Yu adopted the restoration of the old system and vigorously advocated the system of separation. Xiang Yu, the overlord of Western Chu, like Xiang Yu and Liu Bang in the early days, had the ambition to overthrow Qin Shi Huang. However, Xiang Yu's approach was unique, breaking the original order, sealing eighteen princes and kings in one go, and each returning to the fiefdom. Xiang Yu himself returned to his hometown of Pengcheng, while Liu Bang was forced to Hanzhong and became the so-called "King of Han". Xiang Yu's goal was to become the "son of Zhou Tianzi" and enjoy the submission of the princes and kings, but this "stinky chess" brought him endless trouble, which eventually led to his downfall.
Xiang Yu's division caused dissatisfaction among the original princes and kings. There used to be only seven countries, but now there are eighteen, and the old princes and kings feel that it is very unfair, causing friction between the various princely states. Friction means war, and the melee of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period is re-staged, which is a process of reshuffling. What Xiang Yu wanted was peace between the vassal states, but the situation had changed. In this era, land is limited and the population is large, and whoever gets more land gets more resources. War inevitably broke out, and various stories began to play out between the vassal states. Xiang Yu was anxious about the change in the situation, and at the same time, Liu Bang skillfully fought out of Guanzhong, pretending to show Xiang Yu his intention to give up the eastward advance. Qi and Zhao also opposed Xiang Yu, and the position of the overlord began to waver. The fundamental reasons for all these problems lie in two points: First, the vigorous implementation of the system of separation, which has opened the reverse wheel of history, is the most important;The second is that he did not grasp the general trend in Guanzhong, but returned to Pengcheng to show off his dignitaries.
Xiang Yu lacked centripetal force in politics and gradually became a loner, while Liu Bang gradually became the center of all kings. Although Xiang Yu was extremely brave, among the many people who threw themselves at Liu Bang, his defeat became doomed. Xiang Yu's division made the people extremely disgusted. Although the partition does not seem to have anything to do with the people, the people are extremely disgusted by it. The people longed for peace, tranquility and a prosperous life, and the division of feuds meant the division of power among the princes, which triggered constant wars between the princely states. This made the people suffer from the war, and Xiang Yu's support was naturally not too high. Liu Bang did a better job in this regard, he adopted the three chapters of the covenant in Xianyang, did not slaughter the city or kill the pit, and won the love of the people. Xiang Yu plunged the people into endless wars, and the people's support for him was naturally not high. As Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty said: "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize a boat." "The emperor is the boat, and the people are the water. If the people are not allowed to live well, the emperor is at risk of being eliminated. Xiang Yu gave up everything in the Qin Dynasty, while Liu Bang insisted on the "Han Cheng Qin system". Xiang Yu overthrew the wheel of history, while Liu Bang insisted on the stable development of the country.
Liu Bang did a good job in the overall structure, he adopted most of the systems of the Qin Dynasty as a whole, the criminal law was reduced, and the common people were "lightly punished". In terms of state management, Liu Bang completely adopted the Taoist Huang Lao technique. After Liu Bang's death, the system basically did not change, which laid the foundation for Emperor Wenjing to cultivate the country. Compared with Xiang Yu, although Xiang Yu performed well in military affairs, he was a "rough man" after all, idealized national governance, and over-respected the feudal system, which was the main reason for his failure. Liu Bang is old and cunning, more mature, and has a more accurate grasp of trends. Liu Bang is not inferior to Xiang Yu's overall ability, but he is better at centralizing power and maintaining the overall stability of the country.