The Feeling of Filial Piety Moved Heaven 大舜孝感动天

The filial piety of Emperor Shun (23^rd to 22^nd century BC) was mentioned by Mencius when he said:

'Suppose the case of the whole kingdom turning in great delight to an individual to submit to him. To regard the whole kingdom thus turning to him in great delight but as a bundle of grass - only Shun was capable of this. He considered that if one could not get the hearts of his parents he could not be considered a man, and that if he could not get to an entire accord with his parents, he could not be considered a son. By Shun's completely fulfilling everything by which a parent could be served, Gushou (his father, literally means Blind Old-Man) was brought to find delight in what was good. When Gushou was brought to find that delight, the whole kingdom was transformed. When Gu Sou was brought to find that delight, all fathers and sons in the kingdom were established in their respective duties. This is called great filial piety.'

The story of Shun’s filial piety was later included as the first story in the book entitled The Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety written by the Yuan Dynasty scholar Guo Jujing.

In ancient China, during the reign of Yu, there lived a young man named Shun who was the son of Gushou. His nature was most filial. But his father was obstinate and his mother was boorish. His younger brother Xiang was proud and overbearing.

His families treated him very ill, and his mother and brother even had tried to murder him for several times. But every time after he saved himself with his wits, he forgave them. When he realized that his families hated him so much that they could not stop brewing plot against him, he run away and farm on Mount Li (in today's Shandong province)

When he worked in the field, the elephants ploughed for him and the birds weeded for him, for his feelings of filial piety were so great (that even the beasts were moved). Emperor Yao (of Tang) heard of this; he sent nine of his sons to wait on him and two of his daughters to be his wives and later abdicated the throne in his favour.

Verses praise him saying:

Herds of elephants plough in the spring;
Flocks of birds pull the weeds;
He is the heir of Yao and mounts his throne;
The spirit of filial piety moves the heart of Heaven.

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孟子谈到‘孝’时提到了帝舜（公元前23至22世纪之间）：

‘天下大悦而将归己。视天下悦而归己，犹草芥也。惟舜为然。不得乎亲，不可以为 人；不顺乎亲，不可以为子。言舜视天下之归己如草芥，而惟欲得其亲而顺之也。得者。曲为承顺以得其心之悦而已。顺则有以谕之于道，心与之一而未始有违，尤人所难也。为人盖泛言之，为子则愈密矣。舜尽事亲之道而瞽瞍厎豫，瞽瞍厎豫而天下化，瞽瞍厎豫而天下之为父子者定，此之谓 大孝。’

后来元代学者郭居敬把这个故事编排在他所编的《全相二十四孝》里的第一个故事：

虞舜。瞽瞍之子。性至孝。父顽母嚣。弟象傲, 尝谋杀舜，舜遂遁。舜耕于历山。有象为之耕。有鸟为之耘。其孝感如此。帝尧闻之。事以九男。妻以二女。遂以天下让焉。

系诗颂之。诗曰：
对对耕春象。
纷纷耘草禽。
嗣尧登帝位。
孝感动天下。

Zhao XIangzi Enjoyed Drinking Wine 赵襄子饮酒

豫让刺杀赵襄子

In 376 BCE, the states of Han, Wei and Zhao deposed Duke Jing of Jin and divided the Jin territory between them. The Partition of Ji marked the end of the Spring and Autumn Period and the beginning of the Warring States Period. Zhao Xiangzi played an important role in the partition and is considered to be the founding of the state of Zhao. He was in power for 33 years (457 – 425 BC).

Here is a story about him.

King Xiang Zi of the state of Zhao had been enjoying his drink for five days and nights on end without getting drunk. He said to his servants, ‘I must be the greatest man in this State. I have been drinking for five days and nights, but I am not sick yet.’

You Mo replied, ‘You ought to take care of yourself. You are still two days and nights short of the record of Zhou, who drank seven days and nights. Now you have already reached five.’

King Xing Zi was scared, and he asked You Mo, ‘Will my state perish like that of Zhou?’ Mou You replied, ‘The same will not happen.’

‘Only two days less than Zhou, how could my state not be subjugated as he was?’ the King asked.

You Mo replied, ‘The fall of Jie and Zhou was attributed to Tang and Wu respectively. Nowadays there are only the Jies in power, and Your Majesty is like Zhou. Jie and Zhou exist simultaneously. How could they subjugate each other? However neither one is very far away from danger.’

Note: Jie and Xia were the despotic last rulers of the Xia and Shang Dynasties respectively. Tang and Wu defeated Jie and Xia respectively.

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公元前376年，韩、魏、赵把晋静公赶下台，三分晋土。三家分晋发生在春秋末年，战国之初。赵襄子在这件事中扮演了重要角色，可以说是赵国的开国君王。

以下是一个有关赵襄子的故事。

赵襄子饮酒，五日五夜不废酒。谓侍者曰：“我诚邦士也！夫饮酒五日五夜矣，而殊不病。”

优莫曰：“君勉之！不及纣二日耳。纣七日七夜，今君五日。”

襄子惧，谓优莫曰：“然则亡乎？”优莫曰：“不亡。”

襄子曰：“不及纣二日耳，不亡何待？”

优莫曰：“桀纣之亡也，遇汤武；今天下尽桀也，而君纣也。桀、纣并世，焉能相亡？然亦殆矣！”

Emperor Han Gaozu Built Xinfeng 汉高祖建新丰

The first emperor of Han dynasty Liu Bang was born in the city of Feng in the district of Pei. Liu is said to be the first commoner to found a Chinese dynasty and it was not surprised it took some getting used to adjust to the new found status and life style when he and his father moved to the capital Chang-an.

The following record comes from the ‘Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital’ written by Liu Xin (46 BC – AD 23).

The father of Emperor Gaozu (256 BC or 247 BC – 195 BC) of the Han Dynasty moved to the capital Chang-an from his hometown Feng and lived in the palace. He was quite unhappy after a while. The Emperor asked those close to his father in private what might be the reasons. They told him that when his father was in Feng, he got along with young butchers and hawkers who sold liquor, peddled cakes, held cockfights and played soccer ball games. Now that all this was over, he felt depressed. The Emperor gave an order to construct a new district, called Xinfeng (new Feng), in Chang-an, and had old folks in Feng move to this district. His father cheered up at last. That was the reason why ever since a great number of vagrants lived in the Xinfeng district, but not scholars the well-to-do.

When the Emperor was young, he often made sacrifices at a temple for mother earth in Feng. So he had an identical temple built in the new district as well. When Xinfeng and the temple completed, the streets and buildings were all the same as those of the old Feng. As the folks from Feng strolled in the streets, they would have no difficulty in recognising their old houses. Driving the livestock along the lanes, they could find their own homes without hesitation as well. All the folks who moved here were pleased with the resemblance and praised the architect Hu Kuan. They rewarded him a lot for it, and in a month or so, he received a hundred units of gold.

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汉朝开国皇帝刘邦出生于丰县（江苏省）的沛地区`（今`江苏沛县）。他是中国第一个（也是唯一的）平民出身皇帝。搬到首都长安，对于新的地位与生活，需要重新调整，那时不足为奇的。

劉歆(46 BC – 23) 《西京杂记》由以下的记载：

太上皇徙长安，居深宫，凄怆不乐。高祖窃因左右问其故，以平生所好，皆屠贩少年，酤酒卖饼，斗鸡蹴踘，以此为欢，今皆无此，故以不乐。高祖乃作新丰，移诸故人实之，太上皇乃悦。

故新丰多无赖，无衣冠子弟故也。高祖少时，常祭枌榆之社。及移新丰，亦还立焉。高帝既作新丰，并移旧社，衢巷栋宇，物色惟旧。士女老幼，相携路首，各知其室。放犬羊鸡鸭于通涂，亦竞识其家。其匠人胡宽所营也。移者皆悦其似而德之，故竞加赏赠，月余，致累百金。

Liu Bang: Why am I successful? 刘邦：吾所以有天下者何？

In 202 BC, Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu and established the Han Dynasty. Liu Bang is historically known as Emperor Gaozu.

However, if you compare the two men personality-wise, Liu Bang was a small man while Xiang Yu was often portrayed as the honourable, magnanimous (even romantic), and courageous leader. It was said that Liu Bang had kicked his two children off a cart so that he can escape. According to what Sima Qian wrote, he grabbed the hat of a Confucian scholar and urinated into it. He was also a big womanizer, cunning and very tricky.

But, one may say that Liu Bang was successful because he had political vision, and knew how to attract, retain, and reward talent. Many people from Xiang Yu's camp went over to Liu Bang's due to this reason. Xiang Yu only rewarded favourites of his.

Although Xiang Yu had courage and was devoted fully to his concubine Yuji, his weak points were that he was soft hearted and often ignored the advice of his chief councillor Fan Zeng. For example during Hongmen banquet, Fan wanted Xiang Yu to do away with Liu Bang by using a sword dance. Xiang Yu took no action despite his chief councillor's urges. Liu Bang came out of the party alive instead. If you switch roles, with Liu being the host and Xiang Yu being the target of the sword dance, most likely Liu Bang would waste no time in ensuring Xiang Yu's death. Xiang Yu's inaction at the banquet showed that he was magnanimous and stupid at the same time!

Shima Qian recorded the following in his ‘Records of the Grant Historian’:

While entertaining his generals and officials at a grand banquet after he took the throne, Liu Bang posed this question, ‘My beloved generals and officials, what do you think that made me defeat the powerful Xiang Yu and become the only emperor of the country?’

Gao Qi and Wang Ling replied, ‘My Highness, though you treat you subordinates arrogantly and rudely, you know whom to put in what position so that they can do what they are best at. You maintain a clear and explicit system of rewards and punishments so that people work for you willingly. Xiang Yu, on the other hand, appeared to be courteous and polite, but deep in his heart he was conceited and arrogant. He only trusted his kinsmen who, even when they turned out to be useless, were still placed in important positions. Those who were not related to him by blood were never put in important posts, even when they had rare talents. After his men won victories, he never rewarded them nor shared the profits from his land with them. I believe these are the factors brought his doom.’

Liu Bang said, ‘There is truth in what you say. However your answer is not complete. In making a long-term military plan, I am no match for Zhang Liang; in running a country and providing food and payment, I am no match for Xiao He; in commanding the army and fighting on the battlefield, I am no match for Han Xin. But when these three rare talents worked for me, how could I not succeed? Look at Xiang Yu, all he had was Fan Zeng and more often than not, he refused to accept Fan’s suggestions. These are the reasons for his failure.’

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公元前202年，刘邦打败项羽，成立汉朝。历史上，刘邦被称为高祖。

但是，如果我们比较两人的个性，刘邦可说是个小人，而项羽却被形容为一个令人尊敬的、度量大的（甚至是浪漫的）与英勇的领袖。据说刘邦曾经把他的孩子从车上踢下来，自己逃难。据司马迁记载，他也曾经用一个学者的帽来小便。他爱搞女人、狡猾与善于托辞。

不过，我们可以说刘邦之所以成功，因为他有政治眼光，知道如何吸引、收留及奖赏人才。因为这个原因，不少项羽的人改随刘邦。项羽只会奖赏他的宠臣。

虽然项羽有勇气，完全忠于他的爱妾虞姬，他的弱点是他有妇人之仁，时常不接纳他的谋臣范增的谋略。例如，在鸿门宴中，范增要乘着剑舞把刘邦杀掉。虽然范增一直在催促，项羽却不肯行动。刘邦因此逃过死劫。如果换成刘邦乘设宴以剑舞来杀掉项羽，刘邦把项羽除去的可能性是很大的。项羽不肯在宴会中有所行动，显示他有度量，同时也非常愚蠢。

司马迁在《史记》中有以下的记载：

高祖置酒雒阳南宫。高祖曰：‘列侯诸将无敢隐朕，皆言其情。吾所以有天下者何？项氏之所以失天下者何？’

高起、王陵对曰：‘陛下慢而侮人，项羽仁而爱人。然陛下使人攻城略地，所降下者因以予之，与天下同利也。项羽妒贤嫉能，有功者害之，贤者疑之，战胜而不予人功，得地而不予人利，此所以失天下也。’

高祖曰：‘公知其一，未知其二。夫运筹策帷帐之中，决胜於千里之外，吾不如子房。镇国家，抚百姓，给餽饟，不绝粮道，吾不如萧何。连百万之军，战必胜，攻必取，吾不如韩信。此三者，皆人杰也，吾能用之，此吾所以取天下也。项羽有一范增而不能用，此其所以为我擒也。’

Not Feeling Cold in Snowing Days 雨雪而不寒

During the Warring States (475-221 BC), Yanzi was an outstanding prime minister of the state of Qi. The following story is recorded in ‘The Stories of Yanzi’.

Once during the reign of King Jing (?-490 BC) in the State of Qi, it had been snowing for three days without break. The King, dressed in a white fox fur cape, was sitting in a porch on one side of the palace.

Yan Zi (? – 500 BC), the Prime Minister, came to see the King. After he stood before the King for a while, the King spoke to him, ‘Strange, it has been snowing for three days without break, but still I don’t feel cold.’ Yan Zi asked, ‘Is it actually not cold?’

The King smiled. Yanzi spoke out again, ‘I have heard that the ancient kings of virtue knew that the people were hungry while they themselves were full, that the people were cold while they were warm and that the people were exhausted by hard work while they were in comfort and at leisure. How could Your Majesty know nothing of these?’

The King said, ‘Well said and I appreciate it.’ So he ordered that clothing and food be provided to the hungry and cold, regardless of their nationality and family background. There was also no need to write down their names. All government officials were given two month food supply and the sick two year food supply.

On hearing the case, Confucius said, ‘Yanzi knows what he wants and King Jing does what he does best.’

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晏子为战国时期（公元前475-221)齐国宰相。以下故事来自《晏子春秋》。

景公之时，雨雪三日而不霁，公被狐白之裘，坐堂侧陛。

晏子入见，立有间，公曰：“怪哉！雨雪三日而不寒。”晏子对曰：“天不寒乎？”

公笑。晏子曰：“婴闻之，古之贤君，饱而知人之饥，温而知人之寒，逸而知人之劳，今君不知也。”

公曰：“善！寡人闻命矣。”乃令出裘发粟与饥寒者。今所睹于途者，无问其乡；所睹于里者，无问其家；循国计数，无言其名。士既事者兼月，疾者兼岁。

孔子闻之曰：“晏子能明其所欲，景公能行其所善也。”

Zhang Liang: A Teachable Young Man 张良：孺子可教

Zhang Liang was a distinguished statesman of the early Western Han (207BC -25) period. Zhang was the descendant of a noble family of State of Han during the Warring States Period - his father, grandfather and great-grandfather (a total of five generations) were all royal officials of the state of Han. He later joined Liu Bang in 208 BC to rebel against the rule of Qin and helped him establish the Han Dynasty, after which he soon retired and became a practitioner of Daoism.

Zhang Liang was considered one of the Three Pillars of Liu Bang's victory, along with the Han Xin, the grand-general of Han forces and Xiao He, the first Prime Minister of the Han Dynasty.

Here is a story about him recorded in the ‘Records of the Grant Historian’

One day when he was leisurely walking along a river near a bridge at Xia Pi, an elderly man in homespun approached, suddenly took off his shoe and dropped it under the bridge. He turned to Zhang and said, ‘Young man, go down and fetch it for me.’

Zhang was astonished, thinking of hitting the old man. However, he controlled himself on account of the other’s old age and went down to fetch the shoe. The old man then said, ‘Put it on for me.’ Since Zhang already fetched the shoe, When Zhang complied, the old man proceeded to lee knelt down to put it on. The old man just stretched out his foot for it and then going away with a laugh. Zhang looked at him in amazement.

After going some distance, the old man turned back and said, ‘You can be taught, young man! Meet me here five days from now at dawn.’ Zhang’s curiosity was aroused, and he knelt down and answered, ‘I will.’

Five days later Zhang Liang went back to the place at dawn. However, the old man was there before him. The old man said angrily, ‘Why are coming late for appointment with an old man? Come earlier five days from now.’ With that he left.

This time Zhang Liang got up early, but still the old man beat him to the clock. The old man was angry again, ‘Late again. Why? Come earlier five days from now.’ With that again he left.

This time, Zhang got up in midnight and went to wait at the bridge. The old man came shortly. He said approvingly, ‘That’s right.’ He took out a book and said, ‘Read this book and you will become the teachers of kings. Ten years from now you will make it big. Thirteen years from now you will see me again as the yellow rock at the foot of Mount Gucheng, north of the River Ji.’ Without another word he left and did not appear again.

When the day broke, Zhang examined the book and found that it was The Grand Duke’s Art of War. Prizing the book, he read it again and again.

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张良是西汉（公元前207年到公元25年）名臣。张良是战国时期韩国的贵族后代。他的父亲、祖父及曾祖五代都是韩国朝廷重臣。他后来加入刘邦的队伍，帮他成立汉朝。事成后退休，成为一个道学者。

张良是刘邦成事的‘汉家三杰’之一。另两名是汉军的大将军韩信与汉朝开国宰相萧何。

以下是《史记》记载有关张良的一个故事。

良尝从容步游于下邳圯上，有一老父，衣褐，至良所，直堕其履圯下，顾谓良曰：“孺子，下取履！”

良愕然，欲欧之，为其老，强忍，下取履。父曰：“履我！”良业为取履，因长跪履之。父以足受，笑而去。良殊大惊，随目之。

父去里所，复还，曰：“孺子可教矣。后五日平明，与我会此。”良因怪之，跪曰：“诺。”

五日平明，良往。父已先在，怒曰：“与老人期，后，何也？”去，曰：“后五日早会。”五日鸡鸣，良往。父又先在，复怒曰：“后，何也？” 去，曰：“后五日复早来。”

五日，良夜未半往。有顷，父亦来，喜曰：“当如是。”出一编书，曰：“读此则为王者师矣。后十年兴，十三年孺子见我济北，谷城山下黄石即我矣。”遂去，无他言，不复见。

旦日视其书，乃《太公兵法》也。良因异之，常习诵读之。

Han Emperor Liu Bang 汉王刘邦

Liu Bang (256 BC or 247 BC– 195 BC) was the first emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty, ruling over China from 202 BC until 195 BC, and one of only a few dynasty founders who emerged from the peasant class.

His life story is recorded in the ‘Records of the Historian’.

Gaozu (Liu Bang) was from Yang Li in Fengyi, Peixian County (today’s Fengxian County). His family name was Liu and his alternative name was Ji. His father was known as Taigong and his mother Liu Yun. On day Yun was resting at a lake side and in her dream she was courted by a divine. At that time, the sky was dark and there were lighting and thunder, and Taikong saw a giant snake coiled around her body. Later Yun was pregnant and gave birth to Liu.

Once, Liu served in the military in Xianyang, capital of Qin. He was very impressed with the pomposity of the guards of honour who accompanied the First Emperor of Qin on his inspection tours. Liu had a long breath and sigh, ‘Ah, what a way to be a man!’

Lu, from a prominent family in Shanfu County (today’s Shanxian, Shandong), was a close friend of the magistrate of Peixian County. Escaping from a family enemy, Lu came to live in Peixian. All prominent people and local gentry in the county turned out to congratulate him on his arrival and settling in their hometown. Xiao He, a county secretary who was there on the day registering gifts received by Lu, told guests, ‘All those with gifts worth less than a thousand dollars please sit outside.’

Liu Bang did not think highly of the local gentry, although he was then only a minor official. He had no money to offer as a gift, but he wrote on the visiting card, ‘A ten thousand dollar gift for the host.’

When Lu was shown the visiting card, he was overwhelmed and so he hurried out of the sitting hall to greet the guest. Lu was good at face-reading. After looking at Liu, Lu was clearly impressed and invited Liu to sit in the hall. Xiao He remarked, ‘Liu is full of empty talk and he seldom completes his tasks.’

Liu behaved in a manner that is disrespectful to other guests by taking the VIP seat without hesitation.

After the feast, Lu asked Liu Bang to stay and said to him, ‘I have been doing face-reading since young. While I have done so many face- readings, I have not seen any face as good as yours. I hope you look after yourself well. If you do not mind, I would like to marry my daughter, Lu Zhi, to you.’

Lu’s wife was angry and complained, ‘You have always wanted our daughter to marry someone special and outstanding so that she can have a good life. The magistrate of Peixian is your friend but you refused to marry her to him. But now you want to marry her to a scoundrel!’ Lu said, ‘it is something that is beyond your understanding.’

So Lu married his daughter to Liu. She later became the Empress Lu who gave birth to Emperor Xiaohui and princess Luyuan.

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刘邦（公元前256或247-195）是中国汉朝的开朝皇帝，于公元前202年至195年统治中国。它是少数农民出身的开朝皇帝。

《史记》记录了的他生平。

高祖，沛丰邑中阳里人，姓刘氏，字季。父曰太公，母曰刘媪。其先刘媪尝息大泽之陂，梦与神遇。是时雷电晦冥，太公往视，则见蛟龙於其上。已而有身，遂产高祖。

高祖常繇咸阳，纵观，观秦皇帝，喟然太息曰：「嗟乎，大丈夫当如此也！」

单父人吕公善沛令，避仇从之客，因家沛焉。沛中豪桀吏闻令有重客，皆往贺。萧何为主吏，主进，令诸大夫曰：「进不满千钱，坐之堂下。」

高祖为亭长，素易诸吏，乃绐为谒曰「贺钱万」，实不持一钱。

谒入，吕公大惊，起，迎之门。吕公者，好相人，见高祖 状貌，因重敬之，引入坐。萧何曰：「刘季固多大言，少成事。」

高祖因狎侮诸客，遂坐上坐，无所诎。

酒阑，吕公因目固留高祖。高祖竟酒，後。吕公曰：「臣少 好相人，相人多矣，无如季相，愿季自爱。臣有息女，愿为季箕帚妾。」

酒罢，吕媪怒吕公曰：「公始常欲奇此女，与贵人。沛令善公，求之不与，何自妄许与刘季？」吕公曰：「此非儿女子所知也。」

卒与刘季。吕公女乃吕后也，生孝惠帝、鲁元公主。

Who is Dearer, Father or Husband? 父与夫孰亲？

The power politics among the rulers and high ministers can result in severe consequences for their family members. Sometimes, their wives and daughters are confronted with agonizing conflicts of loyalty.
Below is one such sad story happened in 697 BC as recorded in Zuozhuan.
The Prime Minister Zhai Zhong monopolized power, much to the distress of the ruler of Zheng. The latter ordered Zhai’s son-in-law, Yong Jiu, to kill Zhai.
In order to do so, Yong invited Zhai to a banquet in the suburbs of the capital. Yong’s wife was aware of the plot and said to her mother, ‘who is dearer, a father or a husband?’
Her mother replied, ‘All men are potential husbands, but you have only one father. How could there be any comparison?’
In the end she informed her father, saying, ‘Yong deliberately decided not to hold the banquet in his own house, he decided to hold it in the suburbs instead. I tell you this because I am suspicious of the arrangement.’
Zhai killed Yong and threw his corpse into the hill of Zhou family. The ruler of Zheng loaded the corpse on his carriage and fled from the capital, saying, ‘He told even his wife about the plot, no wonder he died!’
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统治者与大臣之间的权力政治会对他们的家庭成员带来严重的结果。有时，他们的妻子和女儿会面对痛苦的忠贞的矛盾。
下面发生于公元前697年不幸的故事来自《左传》。
祭仲专，郑伯患之，使其婿雍纠杀之。
将享诸郊，雍姬知之，谓其母曰：‘父与夫孰亲？’
其母曰：‘人尽夫也，父一而已。胡可比也？’
遂告祭仲曰：‘雍氏舍其室而将享子于郊，吾惑之，以告。’
祭仲杀雍纠，尸诸周氏之丘。
公载以出，曰：‘谋及妇人，宜其死也。’

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。