From Noble Lineage to Fugitive Rebels

The Xiang family’s story begins in the twilight years of the Warring States period, when they served as distinguished military leaders for the Chu state. Xiang Yan, grandfather of the legendary Xiang Yu, famously led Chu’s final resistance against the Qin unification before committing suicide after defeat. This noble military heritage would shape the family’s destiny.

Following Chu’s collapse in 223 BCE, young Xiang Yu and his uncle Xiang Liang became fugitives in the new Qin empire. The nine-year-old Xiang Yu, now orphaned, grew up under his uncle’s tutelage in the frontier region of Wuzhong (modern Suzhou area). This remote area, with its weak imperial oversight and strong Chu cultural identity, provided perfect conditions for nurturing rebellion.

Building a Rebellion in Plain Sight

Xiang Liang masterfully played a dual game in Wuzhong. Publicly, he established himself as a community leader by organizing local events and rituals. Privately, he assembled a formidable network of ninety loyal followers – warriors, strategists, and even counterfeiters. The most valuable was Canmu, an expert in illicit coin minting who produced high-denomination counterfeit currency to fund their arms purchases.

Remarkably, the towering Xiang Yu (over 1.85m tall) never performed the mandatory Qin corvée labor, demonstrating both the region’s weak governance and the family’s growing influence. Contemporary Qin law required all men over approximately 1.5m tall to serve, making Xiang Yu’s exemption particularly glaring.

The Spark of Rebellion

When Chen Sheng and Wu Guang ignited the anti-Qin rebellion in 209 BCE, the opportunity Xiang Liang had prepared for arrived. In a dramatic coup, Xiang Yu single-handedly killed the governor of Kuaiji Commandery, establishing their rebel base. The speed with which Xiang Liang raised 8,000 elite troops (compared to Liu Bang’s 2-3,000 conscripts) testified to their preparation.

A pivotal moment came when the opportunistic envoy Zhao Ping falsely claimed Chen Sheng had appointed Xiang Liang as Chu’s supreme commander (Shangzhuguo). Though recognizing the deception, Xiang Liang leveraged this legitimacy to cross the Yangtze, attracting major rebel leaders like Ying Bu and growing his force to 60-70,000.

Consolidating Power and the Rise of Chu

Xiang Liang’s strategic brilliance shone in his handling of political legitimacy. After eliminating rival claimant Jing Ju, he followed advisor Fan Zeng’s counsel to restore the Chu monarchy, installing the shepherd Xiong Xin as King Huai II. This symbolic move united anti-Qin forces under the Chu banner while keeping real power with Xiang Liang as “Lord Wuxin.”

The military campaigns that followed demonstrated the Xiang forces’ prowess. At the Battle of Puyang, they defeated the renowned Qin general Zhang Han. Xiang Yu’s separate campaigns showed both his military genius and brutal tendencies – his massacres at Xiangcheng and Chengyang (where Liu Bang was complicit) revealed the dark side of his leadership.

The Turning Tide at Dingtao

Overconfidence proved fatal. While Xiang Yu campaigned successfully westward, defeating and killing Qin minister Li Si’s son Li You, Xiang Liang grew careless. Zhang Han, secretly reinforcing his army with northern frontier troops, launched a devastating night attack at Dingtao in 208 BCE. The Qin forces used “gagged soldiers and muzzled horses” to achieve complete surprise, killing Xiang Liang and crushing the Chu main army.

This catastrophe left the 24-year-old Xiang Yu as the Xiang clan’s leader, setting the stage for his legendary rivalry with Liu Bang. The young warrior now faced the immense challenge of rebuilding while the Qin regrouped – a test that would ultimately lead to the climactic struggle for supremacy after the Qin’s fall.

Cultural Legacy and Historical Significance

The Xiang clan’s story represents a microcosm of the Qin-Han transition. Their military traditions reflected Warring States values increasingly anachronistic in the imperial era. Xiang Yu’s eventual loss to Liu Bang symbolized the triumph of pragmatism over aristocratic virtue, a theme that would resonate throughout Chinese history.

Modern assessments of Xiang Yu reveal fascinating contradictions. Traditional critiques paint him as the “three-without” leader (without culture, skills, or vision), yet his military successes and poetic “Gaixia Song” suggest greater depth. His relationship with Xiang Liang illustrates the tension between tactical brilliance and strategic vision – while the uncle built networks and legitimacy, the nephew excelled only in combat.

The Xiang clan’s legacy endures as a cautionary tale about the limits of military power and the importance of political acumen – lessons that would shape Chinese statecraft for millennia to come.