46 Facts About Liu Bang

1.

Liu Bang was one of the few dynasty founders in Chinese history who was born into a peasant family.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,130
2.

Liu Bang won the race against fellow rebel leader Xiang Yu to invade the Qin heartland and forced the surrender of the Qin ruler Ziying in 206 BC.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,131
3.

In 202 BC, Liu Bang emerged victorious following the Battle of Gaixia, unified most of China under his control, and established the Han dynasty with himself as the founding emperor.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,132
4.

Liu Bang initiated the policy of heqin to maintain a de jure peace between the Han Empire and the Xiongnu after losing the Battle of Baideng in 200 BCE.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,133
5.

In imperial Han myth, Liu Bang's ancestors were the mythical Emperor Yao and the Yellow Emperor.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,134
6.

Liu Bang lived with Zhang Er for several months, until the latter went into hiding after the conquest of Chu by Qin.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,135
7.

Liu Bang forged close relationships with most of the local county bureaucrats, and earned a small reputation in the district.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,136
8.

Liu Bang attended the feast without money, and made an offer of ten thousand coins which Xiao He realized was not serious.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,137
9.

Liu Bang was responsible for escorting a group of penal laborers to the construction site of the First Emperor's mausoleum at Mount Li.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,138
10.

Liu Bang was joined by some of the grateful ex-prisoners, and he became their leader.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,139
11.

Liu Bang secretly remained in contact with some old friends, including Xiao He and Cao Shen in Pei County.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,140
12.

On Xiao's advice, Liu Bang secured the aid of commoners from the county beside Pei through written appeals delivered by arrows fired across the border.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,141
13.

Liu Bang was made "Marquis of Wu'an" and ordered to lead an army against Guanzhong in the Qin heartland.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,142
14.

Liu Bang escaped Xiang Yu's camp after pretending to go to the latrine, and then led his army westward.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,143
15.

Liu Bang gave Guanzhong to three former Qin generals – Zhang Han, Sima Xin and Dong Yi – instead of to Liu.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,144
16.

Liu Bang received the isolated Bashu region, then a place used for exiling prisoners, as Xiang Yu claimed that Bashu was part of Guanzhong.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,145
17.

Liu Bang's army was escorted across the Qinling Mountains by a detachment of Xiang Yu's army.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,146
18.

On Zhang Liang's advice, Liu Bang burned the gallery roads behind him to prevent attack by Xiang Yu, and to reassure Xiang Yu that he would not return.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,147
19.

Liu Bang grew temperamental, as he was very unhappy with his own predicament.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,148
20.

When Xiao He returned the following morning, Liu Bang furiously confronted him and demanded an explanation.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,149
21.

Under Han Xin's advise, Liu Bang sent men to pretend trying to repair the previously burnt gallery roads, drawing away the attention of the Three Qins.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,150
22.

Liu Bang's army entered Xiang Yu's capital of Pengcheng apparently unopposed, looting its valuables and taking its women, but discipline had become lax and each day found the Han troops deeper in their cups.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,151
23.

Liu Bang escaped the city with a handful of mounted bodyguards, heading to nearby Pei to collect his family.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,152
24.

Liu Bang's family had all fled, but Liu Bang encountered on the road his eldest daughter and second eldest son Liu Ying.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,153
25.

In 205 BC, Liu Bang named his son Liu Ying as his crown prince and ordered him to defend Yueyang.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,154
26.

Liu Bang reorganised his army, which now included reinforcements from Guanzhong and Han Xin's troops, and attacked Chu at Jing County and Suoting .

FactSnippet No. 1,348,155
27.

Liu Bang emerged victorious, and drove Xiang Yu's forces east of Xingyang.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,156
28.

Liu Bang negotiated for an armistice with Xiang Yu and agreed to cede the lands east of Xingyang to Western Chu.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,157
29.

Xiang Yu wanted to accept Liu Bang's offer, but Fan Zeng advised him to reject it and use the opportunity to destroy Liu Bang.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,158
30.

Xiang Yu had no choice but to request to make peace with Liu Bang and released Liu's family members, who were held hostage by him.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,159
31.

In 203 BC, while Xiang Yu was retreating eastward, Liu Bang, acting on the advice of Zhang Liang and Chen Ping, renounced the Treaty of Hong Canal and ordered an attack on Western Chu.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,160
32.

Liu Bang requested assistance from Han Xin and Peng Yue to attack Xiang Yu simultaneously from three directions.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,161
33.

However, Han Xin and Peng Yue did not mobilise their troops and Liu Bang was defeated by Xiang Yu at Guling, and was forced to retreat and reinforce his defences.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,162
34.

Liu Bang made a last stand and managed to slay several hundred Han soldiers before eventually committing suicide.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,163
35.

Liu Bang named his dynasty "Han", and was historically known as "Emperor Gaozu" .

FactSnippet No. 1,348,164
36.

Liu Bang established the capital in Luoyang and instated his official spouse Lu Zhi as the empress and their son Liu Ying as the crown prince.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,165
37.

Liu Bang named Cao Shen as the person who made the greatest contributions in battle and rewarded him and the others accordingly.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,166
38.

Liu Bang gave an order stating that the people who remained in Guanzhong were exempted from taxes and corvee for 12 years while those who returned to their respective native territories were exempted for six years and that the central government would provide for them for a year.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,167
39.

Liu Bang granted freedom to those who had sold themselves into slavery to avoid hunger during the wars.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,168
40.

Liu Bang thought that Liu Ying, his heir apparent was born on to the empress, and was too weak to be a ruler.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,169
41.

The emperor was pleased to see that Liu Bang Ying had their support so he dismissed the idea of changing his heir apparent.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,170
42.

Liu Bang became seriously ill and remained in his inner chambers for a long period of time and ordered his guards to deny entry to everyone who tried to visit him.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,171
43.

Liu Bang said that Wang Ling might be too young to perform his duties so Chen Ping could assist Wang, but Chen was qualified to assume the responsibilities of a chancellor all by himself.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,172
44.

Liu Bang named Zhou Bo as a possible candidate for the role of Grand Commandant.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,173
45.

Liu Bang prepared a banquet and invited all his old friends and townsfolk to join him.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,174
46.

Liu Bang is one of the 32 historical figures who appear as special characters in the video game Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI by Koei.

FactSnippet No. 1,348,175