The Chinese traditional story ----Po fu chen zhou

The Chinese traditional story ----Po fu chen zhou

At the end of Qin Dynasty, peasant rebellions broke out throughout China to overthrow the Qin's tyranny which plunged China into a state of anarchy.

Xiang Liang, a nobleman in the southern China , initiated a rebellion and rallied about 8,000 men to support him. His rebel force grew quickly in size, but later Xiang Liang was killed in the Battle of Ding Tao against the Qin army led by Zhang Han and the military power fell into the hands of Song Yi, an experienced but ultra-conservative general.

After the Battle of Ding Tao, Zhang Han took advantage of his victory to attack the kingdom of Zhao , surrounding the Zhao city of Ju Lu . In the winter of 208 B.C, Song Yi led the force to An Yang, some distance away from Ju Lu. He ordered the troops to lay camp there for more than a month and refused subordinates' suggestions to relieve the besieged city. Irritated by this, Xiang Yu, the nephew of Xiang Liang, took Song by surprise in a military conference and killed him. The other generals were afraid of Xiang Yu, letting him become the acting-commander.

In beginning of 207 B.C, Xiang Yu's army advanced towards Ju Lu. After crossing the Zhang river, Xiang Yu ordered his men to sink their boats and destroy all Fu ( a kind of pot used to cook food for soldiers), which on one hand showed his determination to win or die, and on the other hand greatly inspired soldiers' morale by smashing their hope of escape.

As a result, despite being heavily outnumbered, Xiang Yu's forces scored a great victory after nine engagements, defeating the 300,000 strong Qin army, and Xiang Yu's order to destroy Fu and sink boats was also remembered as a heroic legendary in Chinese history.