Quick Answer: Who Was Han Xin?
Han Xin (韩信, Hán Xìn, died 196 BCE) was a general who helped Liu Bang (刘邦, Liú Bāng) establish the Han dynasty (汉, Hàn).[1]
- Jingxing: In 204 BCE, Han defeated the forces of Zhao (赵, Zhào) at Jingxing (井陉, Jǐngxíng) using a riverbank position and a surprise attack.[4]
- Rise and demotion: Han became king of Qi (齐, Qí), then king of Chu (楚, Chǔ), and was later demoted to Marquis of Huaiyin (淮阴侯, Huáiyīn Hóu).[1]
- Death: Empress Lü (吕后, Lǚ Hòu) had him executed after an accusation of conspiracy.[1]
Han rose to command while Liu Bang still needed allies to win the war. The end of the war changed his relationship with Liu Bang and the terms on which he held power.
After the fall of the Qin dynasty (秦, Qín), former allies Liu Bang and Xiang Yu (项羽, Xiàng Yǔ) competed for control. Han Xin fought for both men at different points in his career.[2][9]
From Chu’s Army to Liu Bang’s Command
Han came from Huaiyin (淮阴, Huáiyīn). He put forward plans in Xiang Yu’s service without seeing them adopted, then joined Liu Bang. According to the account preserved from the Book of Han, Han left when he saw little prospect of advancement. Liu Bang’s adviser Xiao He (萧何, Xiāo Hé) pursued him and persuaded Liu to give him the chief military command.[2]
How Han Xin Won at Jingxing
The Records of the Grand Historian (史记, Shǐjì) describes two parts of the plan. Han sent part of his army out to form a line with water behind them. Han and fellow commander Zhang Er (张耳, Zhāng Ěr) engaged the Zhao army, then fell back toward the river as if retreating.[3]
When Zhao’s troops left camp to pursue them, Han’s riders, who had been waiting out of sight, entered the empty camp and replaced Zhao’s flags with Han banners. Returning soldiers saw the banners and feared their commanders had been captured. Han’s forces attacked from both sides.[3]
A study by military geographer Dong-min Lee emphasizes how the hills around the pass made it possible to hold the enemy in one place while sending riders around it.[4]
King of Qi, King of Chu and Marquis
Han moved east against Qi and met a Chu relief army led by Long Ju (龙且, Lóng Jū) at the Wei River (潍水, Wéishuǐ). In the surviving account, Han’s soldiers held the river back with sandbags and released the water when their pursuers tried to cross. The surge divided the opposing force.[10] Liu Bang then made Han king of Qi.[1]
Han joined Liu’s coalition at Gaixia (垓下, Gāixià), where he led the central force against Xiang Yu.[5]
The defeat of Xiang Yu in 202 BCE cleared the way for Liu Bang’s accession as emperor.[9]
Liu transferred Han to the kingdom of Chu. After an allegation of rebellion, Liu used a plan devised by Chen Ping (陈平, Chén Píng) to summon Han to a meeting and arrest him. Han lost the kingship and became Marquis of Huaiyin. The later historian Xun Yue (荀悦, Xún Yuè) says there was no proof of this first charge.[6]
The Charge That Led to Han Xin’s Death
While Liu Bang was away fighting the rebel Chen Xi (陈豨, Chén Xī), the Book of Han says the brother of one of Han’s retainers reported a plan to attack the empress and crown prince. In the account, Empress Lü and Xiao He falsely announced the rebel’s death and persuaded Han to come to the palace to offer congratulations. There the empress had him put to death.[11]
FAQs About Han Xin
What does the Jingxing idiom mean?
To fight with one’s back to the river (背水一战, bèishuǐ yīzhàn) means to fight with determination when there is no way to retreat. The phrase is traditionally linked to Han’s formation at Jingxing.[7]
Was Han Xin ever king of Hán?
The Marquis of Huaiyin held the kingdoms of Qi and Chu. The title King Xin of Hán (韩王信, Hán Wáng Xìn) refers to a different man from the royal family of the former state of Hán.[1][8]
Was Han Xin executed on Liu Bang’s orders?
The Book of Han records the execution on Empress Lü’s authority and says Liu Bang learned of it after his return from campaign.[11]
Sources
[1] Taiwan Ministry of Education. Han Xin, Revised Mandarin Chinese Dictionary
[2] Ban Gu and others. Book of Han, Han Xin biography as excerpted in Qunshu Zhiyao
[3] Sima Qian. Records of the Grand Historian, chapter 92, Marquis of Huaiyin
[4] Dong-min Lee. A Military Geographic Reinterpretation of the Battle of Jingxing, pp. 121–135
[5] Sima Qian. Records of the Grand Historian, chapter 8, Basic Annals of Gaozu
[6] Leung Tak Wah. On Xun Yue’s Employment of the Hanshu in His Hanji, Journal of Chinese Studies 51
[7] Taiwan Ministry of Education. Fight with One’s Back to the River, Dictionary of Chinese Idioms
[8] Sima Qian. Records of the Grand Historian, chapter 93, King Xin of Hán
[9] Kathrin Leese-Messing. The Qin and Han Empires, Handbook of Ancient Afro-Eurasian Economies, section III.3
[10] History of War. Battle of the Wei River
[11] Ban Gu and others. Book of Han, chapter 34, Han Xin biography