Fan Zeng

Fan Zeng

Fan Zeng (277-204 B.C.) was a resident. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu was a famous counsellor and politician. He was the chief counsellor of Xiang Yu, the overlord of the Western Chu Dynasty. He was honored as "Yafu" by Xiang Yu and was later named Liyang marquis.

In his early years, he defected to Xiang Liang in Xuedi, followed Xiang Yu to participate in the battle of Julu and break the Guanzhong pass. He repeatedly offered intrigues and was honored as "Yafu" by Xiang Yu. During the Hongmen banquet, Xiang Yu repeatedly signaled to kill Liu Bang, persuaded Xiang Zhuang to dance the sword, and took the opportunity to assassinate Liu Bang, but failed. Later, Chen Ping used his "estrangement plan" and was suspected by Xiang Yu, so he resigned and returned home.

Han Gaodi three years (204 BC), died on the way. Su Shi of Song Dynasty wrote fan Zeng Lun.

Life of the characters

Seventy years against Qin Dynasty

Fan Zeng is a native of Juhe. He is usually at home and is good at making miraculous plans. Chen Sheng was 70 when daze Township uprising. Soon after, Xiang Liang led Kuaiji's soldiers across the river to the West and became the main force in the anti Qin struggle. Fan Zeng went to join him, hoping to contribute his wisdom to the anti Qin cause in his lifetime.

Fan Zeng and Xiang Liang met in Xuedi. At that time, Chen Sheng had been killed, Zhang Chu banner had fallen, and the anti Qin struggle was at a low ebb. Xiang Liang, Liu Bang and other rebel leaders were meeting in Xuedi to discuss the policy and strategy of saving the current situation. Fan Zeng's arrival is just in time.

When fan Zeng met Xiang Liang and other generals, he first analyzed the reasons why Chen Sheng failed. He believed that the hatred of Chu people was the deepest when Qin destroyed the six states, and people still cherish the memory of King Huai of Chu who was unjustly killed by Qin people. Therefore, the prediction that "although Chu had three families, the death of Qin would lead to Chu" is reasonable. The reason for Chen Sheng's failure was that he did not stand on his own after he established the king of Chu, and he could not make full use of Chu's anti Qin power, which led to his short-term potential. Then fan Zeng argued and put forward the anti Qin strategy. He believed that since Xiang Liang crossed the Yangtze River, the generals of Chu came to depend on him one after another. It was because Xiang's generation was a general of Chu that people thought he could restore the state of Chu. He suggested that we should obey the wishes of the people and support the descendants of the king of Chu. Xiang Liang and others resolutely accepted fan Zeng's proposal, found Xiong Xin, the grandson of Xiong Huai, the king of Chu Huai, who was herding sheep for others among the people, and established himself as the king of Chu Huai.

Hongmen battle for wisdom

In 208 BC, Qin General Zhang Han defeated the Chu army in Dingtao, killed Xiang Liang, and then crossed the river to attack Zhao. King Huai of Chu appointed Song Yi as the superior general, Xiang Yu as the Duke of Lu, the second general, and fan Zeng as the last general. Soon after, Xiang Yu killed Song Yi and took over military and political power.

In 206 BC, Liu Bang, who was then Wu'an Marquis of Chu state, led his army to break through Wuguan pass and enter Guanzhong area. Prince Qin surrendered to Liu Bang. After Liu Bang entered the pass, he made a treaty with the Qin people and sent people to guard Hangu pass to prevent Xiang Yu's Chu army from entering the pass. Xiang Yu destroyed the main force of the Qin army in the battle of Julu and headed for Guanzhong. When Xiang Yu arrived at Hangu pass, Liu Bangjun did not allow Chu army to enter. Chu general yingbu broke through the pass by force and advanced to the West. Liu Bang was terrified by the news, but led his 100000 troops to withdraw from Xianyang and set up camp to dominate, but he did not dare to meet Xiang Yu. At that time, Xiang Yu's troops were more than 400000.

Liu Bang's general Zuo Sima Cao Wushang sent someone to inform Xiang Yu that Liu Bang was ready to become the king of Guanzhong, appoint Prince Ziying of Qin as the prime minister, and take possession of all the treasures in Xianyang city. Xiang Yu was very angry after getting the news, and prepared to besiege Liu Bang in four ways the next morning. Fan Zeng also advised Xiang Yu: "when Peigong lived in Shandong, he was greedy for money and lust. Now that he has entered the customs, he does not take any property and women do not have a favor, which shows that his ambition is not small. I find that Peigong presents a colorful scene of dragon and tiger, which is the spirit of the son of heaven. Attack quickly and don't miss the chance. "

Xiang Yu's uncle is informed of fan Zeng's plan. Because he and Zhang Liang, Liu Bang's counselor, had reasons, so he went to Liu Bang's barracks overnight and suggested that Zhang Liang flee as soon as possible, but Zhang Liang decided to report to Liu Bang. Liu Bang was shocked by the news and immediately asked Zhang Liang for countermeasures. Because of the great disparity in strength between the two sides, Zhang Liang suggested that Liu Bang reduce Xiang Yu's suspicion through Xiang Bo's assistance. Liu Bang summoned Xiang Bo and treated him with brotherhood. With the promise of marriage, he asked Xiang Bo to intercede with Xiang Yu. Xiang Bo returned to Xiang Yu's army, expressed Liu Bang's goodwill to Xiang Yu, and suggested that Xiang Yu also treat him with courtesy. Xiang Yu promised to follow Xiang Bo's advice.

The next day, Liu Bang led more than 100 cavalry to meet Xiang Yu. The two sides met in Hongmen.

Liu Bang told Xiang Yu that it was a fluke for him to enter Guanzhong, but a "villain" provoked from it, causing misunderstanding between them. Xiang Yu responded: "it was Cao Wushang who sent someone to tell me that there was such a thing, otherwise I would not have come here.". He then invited Liu Bang to the banquet.

At the beginning of the banquet, Xiang Yu and Xiang Bo sat in the East and fan Zeng sat in the south. Liu Bang sits opposite fan Zeng and Zhang Liang opposite Xiang Yu.

Fan Zeng winked at Xiang Yu from time to time, raised his jade pendant three times, and motioned Xiang Yu to act as soon as possible. Xiang Yu didn't say a word and ignored it. Fan Zeng summoned Xiang Zhuang, Xiang Yu's cousin, and ordered him to dance his sword at the banquet to assassinate Liu Bang. Xiang Zhuang enters the banquet and asks Xiang Yu for permission to dance the sword. After Xiang Yu agrees, he immediately pulls out the sword and starts dancing.

Xiang Boyi then waved his sword and blocked Xiang Zhuang with his body so that he could not attack Liu Bang. Zhang Liang immediately left the banquet and informed fan Kuai, the Minister of Liu Bang outside the gate of the army.

Fan Kuai, with his sword and shield, forced his way into the banquet and glared at Xiang Yu. After inquiring fan's name, Xiang Yu praised him as a "strong man" and ordered others to reward him with a cup of wine, which fan drank in one gulp. Xiang Yu also rewarded a pig's forelegs (* shoulder). Fan put the pig's legs on the shield directly and cut them with the sword. Xiang Yu asked, "can a strong man drink again?"

Fan Kuai took the opportunity to point out to Xiang Yu: King Huai of Chu once ordered that "those who enter the pass first can be the king of the pass.". Although Liu Bang entered Guanzhong first, he did not immediately become king. Instead, he withdrew and waited for Xiang Yu to arrive. He thought that Xiang Yu intended to kill Liu Bang and asked Xiang Yu to give up the idea. Xiang Yu didn't respond to fan. He just told him to sit down.

Liu Bang said he wanted to go to the toilet and left with fan Kuai. Soon Xiang Yu sent Chen Ping to summon Liu Bang. Liu Bang thinks that we should say goodbye first. Fan Kuai opposes it. He thinks that the current situation is that "people are the victors, I'm the fish". He can't delay any longer. He also says that "great deeds don't care about delicacy, great rites don't say goodbye to small concessions". As a result, Liu Bang and fan Kuai fled with Xia Houying, Jin Qiang and Ji Xin. Before escaping, Liu Bang told Zhang Liang to give Xiang Yu a pair of white Bi and fan Zeng a pair of jade Dou.

Zhang Liang returned to the banquet, presented a gift and made amends to Xiang Yu on behalf of Liu Bang. Xiang Yu took the jade and put it on the table. Fan Zeng burst into a rage. He pulled out his sword and broke the jade fight. He said angrily, "the smelly boy is not enough to discuss big things. The people who take over Xiang Wang must be Peigong. We are going to be his captives now."

Midway death

At the beginning of 204 BC, the Chu army cut off the Han Army's grain roads several times, and Liu Bang was trapped in Xingyang (now Xingyang City, Henan Province), so he asked Xiang Yu for peace. Xiang Yu plans to agree. Fan Zeng says, "it's very easy to defeat the Han Army at this time. If you let them go and conquer them now, you will regret it in the future." So Xiang and Xingyang attacked fan. Chen Ping, Liu Bang's counselor, grasped Xiang Yu's suspicious and arrogant characteristics and used the counter tactics. He alienated the relationship between Xiang Yu and fan Zeng. Xiang Yu's emissary came. Liu Bang asked people to prepare a feast. He was about to offer some delicious food. Looking at the emissary carefully, he pretended to be surprised and said, "we thought it was Yafu's emissary, but it was king Xiang's emissary." Then he changed the delicacies to coarse food for Xiang Yu's messengers. When the messenger came back to report Xiang Yu, Xiang Yu suspected that fan Zeng had an affair with Han, and gradually took away fan Zeng's power.

Fan said angrily, "the overall situation of the world has been decided. You can do it yourself. I hope you will give me this old bone and let me go back to my hometown for the people. " Xiang Yu allowed fan Zeng to return. Fan Zeng set out. Before he arrived in Pengcheng, he died of a poisonous sore on his back.

Historical evaluation

Liu Bang: "Xiang Yu has a fan Zeng but can't use it. That's why he was captured for me."

Chen Ping: "Yafu, Zhong Liyi, Longqi and Zhou Yin are the officials of the king of Bixiang, but they belong to only a few people."

Jiang Ji: "if Xiang Yu listens to fan Zeng's policy, he will take the world in a peaceful way."

Zhou Tan: "Zhi shining was the Dark Lord Mo, and fan Gong did not read the book of war. He who does his best in his life will accomplish nothing

Su Shi: "Zeng Shi advised Xiang Liang to establish emperor Yi, and the princes obeyed him. To kill in the middle of the road is not to increase the meaning. Is it not the will of the husband that he will strive for and not listen. If you don't have to say anything about it and kill it, the doubt of Yu will start from now on. Fang Yu killed the champion of Qing Zi, and he was equal to Yu, but he was the righteous emperor, and the distinction between the monarch and the minister was uncertain. For those who want to increase their plans, if they can, they will be killed. If they can't, they will be killed. How can they not be determined to be big men? When you are 70 years old, you will stay when you are together. If you don't want to go when you are not, it's not right to go when you are not. If you want to rely on Yu for success, it's not right! Although, increase, the fear of the emperor also; increase does not go, Xiang Yu does not die. It's a great man

Wang Anshi: "the Qin deer in the central plains were waiting for new control, and they fought hard one after another for a while. There is a way to help the people. I don't know what to do with shepherds. " "There are more than 70 odd people in the Han Dynasty, and they don't know for themselves. He who is called Yafu in the army must give way to Wai huang'er. "

Tian Dexiu: "the husband is loyal and knows the dark. He can't choose the master of the right way. There is no way to build up his merit in the present age. In the past, fan Zeng was a plan of the state of Chu. Although he was angry with Yu Dou, he was a waste of Pengcheng. "

Hong Mai: "the world says Fan Zeng is a great man, but Yu thinks otherwise. Yi Kao's life covered the Warring States period, but he did not know what was right. At first, he advised Xiang family to establish King Huai, and Yu seized the king's land, moved the king to Chen, and killed him. He could not lead the king and his officials to fight for death. According to the agreement between King Huai and the generals, Wang Zhi was the first to enter Guanzhong, and Peigong was the first to decide Guanzhong, so he should follow the agreement. Zeng Nai advised Yusha and apprenticed Shuhan. When Yu attacked Zhao, he killed Song Yi and became the last general

Chinese PinYin : Fan Zeng