The Shifting Tides of the Chu-Han Contention

The prolonged conflict between Liu Bang’s Han forces and Xiang Yu’s Chu army (206–202 BCE) marked a pivotal era in China’s transition from the Qin dynasty to the Han Empire. While Xiang Yu initially dominated through superior battlefield tactics, Liu Bang’s strategic brilliance and resource management gradually turned the tide. This article explores how Han’s military campaigns—particularly the legendary Zhao campaign led by General Han Xin—reshaped the balance of power.

Han Xin’s Northern Campaign: A Masterclass in Tactics

### The Underdog’s Gambit

Tasked by Liu Bang to secure the northern territories while the main Han army struggled against Chu at Xingyang, Han Xin faced impossible odds. With only 30,000 troops, he was ordered to subdue the kingdoms of Wei, Dai, and Zhao. His first move—crossing the Yellow River using makeshift barrel rafts—demonstrated his trademark ingenuity. After swiftly defeating Wei Bao and Dai’s Xia Yue, Han Xin faced his greatest challenge when Liu Bang abruptly recalled most of his troops, leaving him with a skeleton force against Zhao’s 200,000-strong army.

### The Trap at Jingxing Pass

Zhao forces under King Xie and chancellor Chen Yu occupied the impregnable Jingxing Pass, a narrow 100-li mountain corridor where conventional military wisdom dictated defense. Zhao’s brilliant strategist Li Zuoche proposed encircling Han Xin’s army by cutting supply lines, but Chen Yu—a self-righteous Confucianist—rejected the plan, declaring: “A righteous army needs no tricks!” This critical intelligence, likely leaked by a Zhao insider, reached Han Xin, who immediately advanced.

Han Xin’s subsequent actions became a textbook example of psychological warfare:
1. Deploying 2,000 cavalry with Han banners to infiltrate Zhao’s rear
2. Deliberately baiting Zhao forces with a feigned retreat
3. Forcing his own troops into a “back-to-the-river” formation that eliminated retreat options

When Zhao troops abandoned their fortifications to pursue the “retreating” Han army, the hidden cavalry swapped banners, creating panic. The sight of Han flags in their own camp shattered Zhao morale, leading to a rout where Chen Yu was killed and King Xie captured.

The Strategic Implications

### Liu Bang’s Resource Calculus

While Han Xin’s victories expanded Han territory, tensions emerged. His eight-month pause after conquering Zhao—following Li Zuoche’s advice to pressure Yan and Qi into surrender—left Liu Bang vulnerable at Xingyang and Chenggao. This strategic divergence sowed early seeds of distrust between the Han ruler and his most gifted general.

### The Espionage Edge

The Zhao campaign highlighted Liu Bang’s sophisticated intelligence network. From the unnamed mole in Chen Yu’s council to earlier spies like Xiang Bo (Xiang Yu’s uncle turned Han informant), Han’s victories relied as much on subterfuge as battlefield prowess. In contrast, Xiang Yu’s failure to protect informants like Cao Wushang exemplified his political naivety.

The Climactic Struggle: Gaixia and Beyond

### The Siege Mentality

Following Han Xin’s northern triumphs, Liu Bang adopted a war of attrition:
– Avoiding direct confrontations with Xiang Yu
– Using Peng Yue’s guerrilla forces to harass Chu supply lines
– Forcing exhausting troop movements that depleted Chu resources

The strategy reached its zenith at the Battle of Wei River (203 BCE), where Han Xin annihilated 200,000 Chu troops under Long Ju, irrevocably shifting the balance.

### The Human Cost

Xiang Yu’s desperation manifested in brutal theatrics—threatening to boil Liu Bang’s father alive. Liu’s infamous response (“Since we’re sworn brothers, my father is yours—send me soup!”) demonstrated his psychological resilience. When Xiang Yu later wounded Liu Bang with an arrow, the Han leader’s quick thinking (“You hit my toe!”) preserved troop morale despite life-threatening injuries.

Legacy of the Conflict

### The Art of Asymmetric Warfare

Han Xin’s campaigns established enduring military principles:
– The use of terrain as force multiplier
– Psychological operations over brute strength
– “Death ground” tactics (置之死地而后生)

His Zhao campaign remains studied worldwide, influencing figures from Napoleon to modern PLA strategists.

### The Price of Victory

The Chu-Han contention’s conclusion at Gaixia (202 BCE) masked its complex aftermath. While Liu Bang unified China, his subsequent purge of talented commanders like Han Xin revealed the paradox of imperial consolidation—the very brilliance that built empires often became their first casualties.

From the barrel rafts at Yellow River to the banner deception at Jingxing, these campaigns transcended their era, offering timeless lessons in leadership, adaptability, and the unforgiving calculus of power.