Editing Xiang Yu (section)

==Revolt against the Qin dynasty==
[[File:Qin Uprisings.png|330px|thumb|A map showing the uprisings against the Qin dynasty. Xiang Yu's campaign is shown in blue.]]

In 209&nbsp;BC, several uprisings erupted throughout China to overthrow the Qin dynasty. Some of these rebel groups claimed to be restoring the former [[Seven Warring States|six states]] which were conquered by the Qin state. {{ill|Yin Tong (Qin dynasty)|lt=Yin Tong|zh|殷通}}, the Qin-appointed administrator of [[Kuaiji Commandery]], wanted to rebel against the Qin government as well, so he invited the Xiangs to meet him and discuss. Xiang Yu and Xiang Liang lured Yin Tong into a trap and killed him; Xiang Yu killed hundreds of Yin Tong's men during the battle. After that, Xiang Liang started his own rebellion and rallied about 8,000 men to support him, declaring himself the new Administrator of Kuaiji and appointing Xiang Yu as a general. Xiang Liang's rebel group grew in size until it was between 60,000 and 70,000 men. In 208&nbsp;BC, Xiang Liang installed [[Emperor Yi of Chu|Mi Xin]] as King Huai II of [[Chu (state)|Chu]] to rally support from those eager to help him overthrow the Qin dynasty and restore the former Chu state. At this time, King Huai II was merely a puppet ruler as the Xiangs still controlled the Chu rebel group's armed forces. During this time, Xiang Yu gained a reputation for being a competent general and formidable warrior from participating in battles against Qin forces.

Later that year, after Xiang Liang was killed at [[Dingtao, Heze|Dingtao]] against Qin forces, control over the Chu rebel group's armed forces fell into the hands of King Huai II and his close aides. In the winter of 208 BC, the [[Zhao (state)|Zhao]] rebel group led by {{Ill|Zhao Xie|zh|趙歇}} requested for assistance from the Chu rebel group while they were under attack by Qin forces in [[Handan]]. King Huai II gave Xiang Yu the title "Duke of Lu" ({{zhi|c=魯公}}) and appointed him as second-in-command to [[Song Yi (Qin dynasty)|Song Yi]], who had been tasked with leading reinforcements to help the Zhao rebel group. At the same time, King Huai II sent [[Emperor Gaozu of Han|Liu Bang]] to attack [[Guanzhong]], the heartland of the Qin dynasty, promising both Xiang Yu and Liu Bang that whoever entered Guanzhong first would be made King of Guanzhong.

===Battle of Julu===
{{Main article|Battle of Julu}}

Song Yi and Xiang Yu headed to [[Anyang]], some distance away from [[Julu Commandery]], where the Zhao forces had retreated to after their defeat at [[Handan]]. At Anyang, Song Yi ordered the troops to make camp for 46 days, refusing to accept Xiang Yu's suggestion to advance further. Frustrated at Song Yi's inaction, Xiang Yu took him by surprise during a meeting, accused him of treason, and killed him. Song Yi's other subordinates feared Xiang Yu so they did not stop him from becoming their acting commander. Xiang Yu then sent a messenger to report the situation to King Huai II, who reluctantly approved his command.

In 207&nbsp;BC, Xiang Yu advanced towards Julu Commandery, sending [[Ying Bu]] and [[Zhongli Mo]] to lead a 20,000-strong vanguard to cross the river and attack the Qin forces, while he followed behind with the rest of the troops. After crossing the river, Xiang Yu ordered his men to sink their boats and destroy all but three days worth of rations in order to force his men to choose between prevailing against overwhelming odds within three days and perishing with no hope of turning back. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Chu forces scored a decisive victory against the 300,000-strong Qin army after nine engagements. After the battle, some other rebel groups came to join Xiang Yu out of admiration. When Xiang Yu met them at the entrance of his camp, the other rebel leaders were so fearful of him that they sank to their knees and did not dare to look up at him.

Meanwhile, the Qin general [[Zhang Han (Qin dynasty)|Zhang Han]] sent his deputy [[Sima Xin]] to the Qin capital [[Xianyang]] to seek reinforcements and supplies. However, the Qin government, which was under [[Zhao Gao]]'s control, dismissed the request. Zhao Gao even sent assassins to kill Sima Xin on his way back to Julu Commandery, but Sima Xin survived and returned to report the situation to Zhang Han. Left with no choice, Zhang Han and his 200,000 Qin soldiers surrendered to Xiang Yu in the summer of 207 BC. Xiang Yu did not trust the 200,000 surrendered Qin soldiers and saw them as a liability, so he ordered them to be buried alive at Xin'an ({{zhi|c=新安}}; present-day [[Yima, Henan]]]) while sparing Zhang Han and his deputies Sima Xin and [[Dong Yi (Qin dynasty)|Dong Yi]].

===Feast at Hong Gate===
{{Main article|Feast at Hong Gate}}

After his victory at the [[Battle of Julu]], Xiang Yu prepared for an invasion of the [[Guanzhong]] region, the heartland of the Qin dynasty. In the winter of 207&nbsp;BC, the last Qin emperor [[Ziying of Qin|Ziying]] surrendered to [[Emperor Gaozu of Han|Liu Bang]] in [[Xianyang]], bringing an end to the Qin dynasty. By the time Xiang Yu arrived at [[Hangu Pass]], the eastern gateway to Guanzhong, he saw that the pass was occupied by Liu Bang's troops and knew that Liu Bang had beat him in the race to Guanzhong. Cao Wushang ({{zhi|曹無傷}}), one of Liu Bang's subordinates, sent a messenger to see Xiang Yu, saying that Liu Bang would be King of Guanzhong in accordance with [[Emperor Yi of Chu|King Huai II]]'s earlier promise, while Ziying would be appointed as Liu Bang's chancellor. Xiang Yu was furious after hearing that. At the time, Xiang Yu had about 400,000 troops while Liu Bang had only a quarter of that number.

Acting on [[Fan Zeng]]'s advice, Xiang Yu invited Liu Bang to attend a [[feast at Swan Goose Gate]] and plotted to assassinate Liu Bang during the feast. However, Xiang Yu later listened to his uncle [[Xiang Bo]] and decided to spare Liu Bang, allowing Liu Bang to escape halfway during the feast.

In 206 BC, Xiang Yu paid no attention to Liu Bang's presumptive title and led his troops into Xianyang, where he executed Ziying and his family, and ordered the destruction of the [[Epang Palace]] by fire. It was said that Xiang Yu would leave behind a trail of destruction in the places he passed by, and the people of Guanzhong were greatly disappointed with him.<ref name="Shiji 8" />

Acting against his followers' advice to remain in Guanzhong and continue with conquering the territories held by the other rebel groups, Xiang Yu was insistent on returning to his home territory. He said, "To not return home when one has made his fortune is equivalent to walking on the streets at night in glamorous outfits. Who would notice that?"<ref name="Shiji, Xiang Yu Benji" /> One of his followers remarked, "It is indeed true when people say that the men of Chu are apes dressed in human clothing." Xiang Yu had that man boiled alive when he heard that insult.<ref name="Shiji, Xiang Yu Benji" />