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Warmatrix

War Matrix - Han Xin

Greek Era 330 BCE - 200 BCE, Generals and leaders

Han Xin and Piaomu
Han Xin and Piaomu
Han Xin was a cunning general who served the Han dynasty in China. He helped the Han to power, but was executed once the wars were over.
Han Xin was born somewhere in the 3rd century BCE. His father died early and he often had to beg for meals, which caused many people around him to treat him with derision. He was very interested in military matters and studied the martial arts.
When large peasant rebellions broke out in 209 BCE, Han Xin joined a rebel army. His first appearance on the battlefield was as a sentry and cook under Xiang Liang, who founded the state of Chu, and later Xiang Yu. He bombarded his superiors with strategic advice but was ignored. After a few years he decided to try another side, that of Liu Bang. Again he was busied with food and supplies. At one point he was almost executed for transgression of a rule, but pardoned. Finally he caught the attention of Xiao He, Liu Bang's first minister. Xiao He served as his patron, rescued him from another desertion and got him promoted to general.
Soon he proved that the trust was well founded. He defeated Zhang Han by a ruse, pretending to advance over a road but then striking with another force in the rear. He was defeated in the Battle of Pengcheng, but recovered and won the Battle of Jingsuo. A year later he campaigned against the Western Wei, the Zhao kingdom and other states, who were allied with the Chu or opposed the Han in another way. In 203 BCE, he played a decisive role in the Battle of Gaixia, where he managed to encircle the Chu army, in a way that was quite similar to Hannibal Barca's victory at the Battle of Cannae. Xiang Yu tried to break out, but when he saw that the situation was hopeless, committed suicide. This allowed Liu Bang to re-unify China, becoming emperor Gao of the Han alias Gaozu Han.
Han Xi seems to have been at his best when he was in a position of initiative. Again and again he tried to fool the enemy with feints and then struck from another direction; often he was successful. At Gaomi he even created an artificial river flood to split the army of the Qi in two halves.
In 202 BCE Han Xin was suspected of treason, maneuvering to seize the throne for himself. It is unclear if there was truth in the accusations, or that political enemies, afraid of his prestige, tried to weaken his position. Gaozu demoted him, but did not dismiss him outright. In 197 BCE, when the emperor was away on campaign, the empress and his former protege Xiao He got him arrested and executed, together with his clan.
Han Xin remained a famous general in Chinese history. Some sayings and idiom originated from him.