The Fractured Alliances of the Chu-Han Contention Era

As Han Xin quietly prepared his Han army in Hanzhong, news arrived from the east: Tian Rong, the defiant Qi minister, had rebelled against Xiang Yu’s hegemony, seizing control of Qi territory. This revolt marked a pivotal moment in the power struggles following the Qin collapse, exposing the fragile foundations of Xiang Yu’s feudal system. The roots of this conflict stretched back to the anti-Qin coalition’s fractured campaigns, where personal rivalries and competing ambitions sowed discord between Qi and Chu.

The Origins of the Qi-Chu Rivalry

The animosity between Qi and Chu crystallized during the critical campaigns of 207 BCE. When Xiang Yu executed the pro-Qi general Song Yi at Anyang (modern Shandong’s Dongping) and pursued Song’s son—a Qi official—into Qi territory, he irrevocably alienated Tian Rong. This hostility deepened when Tian Rong refused to contribute troops to Xiang Yu’s northern campaign against the Qin at Julu, while two Qi commanders (Tian An and Tian Du) defected to join Chu forces.

After the Qin’s fall, Xiang Yu’s controversial “Eighteen Kingdoms” settlement in 206 BCE deliberately marginalized Tian Rong. Following his principle of rewarding only those who fought at Julu or entered the Qin heartland, Xiang Yu carved Qi into three weaker states:
– Jiaodong Kingdom: Under demoted King Tian Shi (capital: Jimo)
– Qi Kingdom: Under Xiang Yu’s ally Tian Du (capital: Linzi)
– Jibei Kingdom: Granted to defector Tian An (capital: Boyang)

This trisection was both punishment and precaution—Xiang Yu sought to prevent Qi from regaining its former strength as a unified state.

Tian Rong’s Defiance and the Qi Restoration

Tian Rong’s response was swift and brutal:
1. May 206 BCE: Drove out Tian Du when he came to claim Linzi
2. June 206 BCE: Executed his own nephew Tian Shi for attempting to accept the demotion to Jiaodong
3. July 206 BCE: Allied with the rogue warlord Peng Yue to eliminate Tian An

Within three months, Tian Rong reunified Qi under his rule, directly challenging Xiang Yu’s authority. His strategy revealed keen political insight:
– Leveraging Outsiders: Peng Yue, the “Marsh Bandit” of Juye, was legitimized with a Qi generalship to attack Jibei
– Exploiting Resentment: Chen Yu, a disgruntled Zhao general, was supplied with troops to overthrow Xiang Yu’s ally Zhang Er

The Strategic Calculus of Rebellion

Tian Rong’s revolt created the perfect diversion for Liu Bang’s forces. As Han Xin observed the eastern chaos, he recognized the opportunity to implement his famous “Openly Repair the Plank Roads, Secretly Advance Through Chencang” strategy. The Qi uprising:
– Drew Xiang Yu’s elite forces eastward
– Destabilized the critical Wei-Zhao corridor
– Demonstrated the vulnerability of Xiang Yu’s feudal order

Hanzhong: The Forgotten Strategic Hub

The article then shifts to analyze Hanzhong’s geographical significance—the springboard for Han Xin’s northern campaign. This mountainous basin, nestled between the Qinling and Daba ranges, possessed:
– Agricultural Wealth: Its subtropical climate supported abundant rice harvests
– Transportation Challenges: Five treacherous mountain routes connected it to Guanzhong:
– Ziwu Dao (600 li, nearest to Xianyang)
– Tangluo Dao (most direct but perilous)
– Baoxie Dao (later famous for its plank roads)
– Chencang Dao (the eventual breakthrough path)
– Qishan Dao (the northwestern loop through Longxi)

The historical transformation of the Han River system—particularly its pre-186 BCE navigability linking Longnan to Jingchu—explains why Hanzhong remained a contested pivot throughout Chinese history, from Zhuge Liang’s Northern Expeditions to the Mongol conquests.

Legacy of a Failed Rebellion

Though Tian Rong would eventually fall to Xiang Yu’s counterattack in 205 BCE, his revolt achieved three lasting impacts:
1. Strategic Diversion: Enabled Liu Bang’s conquest of the Three Qins
2. Coalition Building: Demonstrated how anti-Xiang Yu forces could unite
3. Systemic Weakness: Exposed the flaws in Xiang Yu’s feudal restructuring

The article concludes by noting how these events set the stage for the Chu-Han Contention’s next phase—where Han Xin’s military genius would eclipse both Tian Rong’s regional rebellion and Xiang Yu’s fading hegemony.