Ancient Chinese States Renamed and Defined
Meng Kang said, “Old Jiangling was called Nanchu, Wu was called Dongchu, and Pengcheng was called Xichu.” This was in the first year of the Han dynasty, in the fourth month, when the princes finished their performances and each returned to their own country.
Regarding “performances,” it refers to a river named Xi, as in Xixu and Luoxia. Earlier, it was mentioned that Xiang Yu first halted his troops under Xi River after his victory at Hong Gate in the west, while Liu Bang returned to camp at Bashang. Afterward, although Xiang Yu led his troops west to slaughter Xianyang and burn the Qin palaces, he also returned under Xi River. Therefore, when it says “the princes finished their performances,” it means they all received their fiefdoms and commands, and from under Xi River, each returned to their own country. There’s no need to borrow words to make it seem like a banner under which they’re gathered. The interpretations of Yan Shigu and Liu Bozhuang are both incorrect.
King Xiang left the country and sent someone to move Emperor Yi, saying, “In ancient times, an emperor with a domain of a thousand li must reside upstream.”
The general was sent to move Emperor Yi to Cheng County in Changsha. When Yi’s ministers tried to move him, they slowly betrayed him. They secretly ordered the kings of Hengshan and Linjiang to assassinate him in the river.
King Han Cheng had no military achievements, and Xiang Yu didn’t let him have a country. They came together to Pengcheng. Xiang Yu dismissed him from the title of Marquis and had him killed. Zang Tu’s country was named after he expelled Han Guang from Liaodong, and Guang didn’t listen. Tu killed Guang and became king of that land.
Tian Rong heard that Xiang Yu sent the King of Qi to Jiaodong and appointed Tian Du as the king of Qi. He was very angry and did not send the King of Qi to Jiaodong, but instead sent Qi to fight. Tian Du fled to Chu. King Qi was scared of King Xiang, so he fled to Jiaodong to become a country. Tian Rong was furious and chased and killed him in Jimo. Rong then crowned himself King of Qi, killed and attacked King Tian An of Jibei, and ruled over the three Qis.
In the meantime, Han returned to settle in the three Qins. Xiang Yu heard that the Han king had already conquered Guanzhong and was about to return east, but Qi and Zhao betrayed him. He was furious and appointed Zheng Chang, the former Wu prefect, as King of Han to resist Han. Then, Xiang Yu and others attacked Peng Yue. Peng Yue defeated Zheng Chang and others. Han used Zhang Liang to drive away Han and sent a letter to Xiang Wang, saying, “Han lost his job and wanted to get Guanzhong, but he would stop if he kept his promise and would not return east.” Also, a letter from Qi and Liang was sent to Xiang Wang, saying, “Qi wanted to unify with Zhao to destroy Chu.” Chu did not intend to go west because of this, but attacked Qi to the north. Recruiting soldiers from Jiang Wangbu. Bu claimed to be sick and sent several thousand soldiers. From then on, Xiang Wang resented Bu. In the second year of Han, Xiang Yu went north to Chengyang, and Tian Rong also led troops to fight. Tian Rong was defeated and fled to Pingyuan. The people of Pingyuan killed him and burned down the city and the houses. All the defeated soldiers were killed, and the old and weak women and children were taken prisoner. The soldiers advanced to Beihai, where they were mostly destroyed. The people of Qi gathered and rebelled against them. Therefore, Tian Rong’s younger brother, Tian Heng, gathered the soldiers of the lost Qi and captured tens of thousands of people, returning to Chengyang. Xiang Wang continued to fight, but he was unable to capture them.
In the spring, Han’s five feudal lords led the army. According to Xu Guang, they were “Chai, Zhaitai, Wei, Yin, and Henan.” According to Yin’s case, Ying Shao said, “Yong, Chai, Zhaitai, Yin, and Wei.” Wei Zhao said, “Zhaitai, Yin, and Wei, and Yong has already failed.” The correct answer is Chai, Zhaitai, Yin, and Wei, Henan. According to the interpretation of the ancient Shigong and Shang Shigong, none of them were the same. Han’s ruler Zheng Chang resisted Han, and Han sent Han Xin to defeat him, so Han’s army did not fall but was defeated. Han is not included in this number. The five feudal lords were Chai, Zhaitai, Henan, Wei, and Yin. According to Shi Gongshi, “The opinions of the scholars are all incorrect.” Zhang Liang sent the book to Yu, saying, “Han wanted to capture Guanzhong, but he refused to return east.” Also, a letter from Qi and Liang was sent to Yu, saying, “Qi wanted to unify with Zhao to destroy Chu.” Because of this, Chu had no intention of going west, so they attacked Qi to the north. Jiang Wang recruited soldiers. Jiang Wang claimed to be sick and sent several thousand soldiers. Xiang Wang resented Bu from this.
In the second year of Han, Xiang Yu went north to Chengyang, and Tian Rong also led the army to fight. Tian Rong was defeated and fled to Pingyuan, where he was killed. Xiang Wang burned the Yi and Guang walls. All the soldiers were killed, and the old, weak, and women were taken prisoner. He went to Beihai and destroyed the city. The Qi people gathered and rebelled against him. Therefore, Tian Rong’s younger brother Tian Heng gathered the soldiers of the lost Qi and captured tens of thousands of people, and returned to Chengyang. Xiang Wang continued to fight, but he was unable to capture them.
In the spring, Han’s five feudal lords led the army. According to Xu Guang, they were “Chai, Zhaitai, Wei, Yin, and Henan.” According to the interpretation of the ancient Shigong and Shang Shigong, none of them were the same. Han’s ruler Zheng Chang resisted Han, and Han sent Han Xin to defeat him, so Han’s army did not fall but was defeated. Han is not included in this number. The five feudal lords were Chai, Zhaitai, Henan, Wei, and Yin. According to Shi Gongs