The Young Xiang Yu 少年项羽

Xiang Yu (232 BC – 202 BC), whose other name is Ji, was one of the most prominent generals in Chinese history. He failed in his struggle with Liu Bang to rule China after the Qin dynasty was over thrown. His life story is recorded in the ‘Records of the Historian’.
Xiang Ji was from Xiaxiang, said to be at the current Suqian, Jiangsu province. He was twenty-four when he first rose in arms. His uncle Xiang Liang was the son of Xiang Yan, a general of Chu who was killed by the Qin general Wang Jian. For many generations the heads of the clan had been enfeoffed in Xiang as generals of Chu; Xiang became their family name.
As a lad Xiang Yu studied to be a scribe. Failing in this, he took up swordsmanship. When he failed in this too, Xiang Liang was angry with him. But he said, ‘All scribes do is to make lists of names, and swordsman can only fight a single foe, that is not worth learning. I want to learn the strategy of fighting ten thousand foes.’
Then, to his great joy, Xiang Liang taught him military strategy. But once he had a general grasp of the subject, Xiang Yu again refused to study to the end.
Xiang Liang was arrested at Yueyang, but procured a letter from Cao Jiu, jailer of Ji, and presented it to Xima Xin, the jailer of Yueyang, who thereupon let him go. Later Xiang Liang killed a man and fled from vengeance with Xiang Yu to Wu where its literati-officials were worked under Xiang Liang before. In Wu, Xiang Liang took charge of large labour and military conscriptions and important funerals. And in secret he trained his followers and young men in the arts of war, to test their abilities.
When the First Emperor of Qin crossed the River Zhe on a visit to Kuaiji, both Xiang Liang and Xiang Yu were there to witness.
‘He can be taken over,’ exclaimed Xiang Yu.
‘Don’t talk so wildly!’ said Xiang Liang, covering his nephew’s mouth. ‘Do you want our clan wiped out?’ However, Xiang Liang had noticed Xiang Yu’s ambition.
Xiang Yu was over six feet and so strong that he could carry a bronze cauldron. He was more brilliant and ambitious than others, so that all the young men in the district stood in awe of him.
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项籍者，下相人也，字羽。初起时，年二十四。其季父项梁，梁父即楚将项燕，为秦将王翦所戮者也。项氏世世为楚将，封于项，故姓项氏。
项籍少时，学书不成，去；学剑，又不成，项梁怒之。籍曰：“书足以记名姓而已。剑一人敌，不足学，学万人敌。”于是项梁乃教籍兵法，籍大喜，略知其意，又不肯竟学。
项梁尝有栎阳逮，乃请蕲狱掾曹咎书抵栎阳狱掾司马欣，以故事得已。项梁杀人，与籍避仇于吴中，吴中贤士大夫皆出项梁下。每吴中有大徭役及丧，项梁常为主办，阴以兵法部勒宾客及子弟，以是知其能。
秦始皇帝游会稽，渡浙江，梁与籍俱观。
籍曰：“彼可取而代也。”
梁掩其口，曰：“毋妄言，族矣！”梁以此奇籍。
籍长八尺余，力能扛鼎，才气过人，虽吴中子弟，皆已惮籍矣。

注：下相，据说在江苏省的宿迁市。