The Battle of Gaixia: Birth of an Empire

Get ready for the final stand that birthed an empire! The Battle of Gaixia (202 BC) was the

decisive engagement that marked the end of the Chu-Han Contention, a power struggle

following the fall of the Qin Dynasty. The superior forces of Liu Bang (Han) cornered the army

of his rival, Xiang Yu (Chu). Faced with a hopeless situation—and hearing Han forces singing

Chu songs, suggesting his homeland was already captured—Xiang Yu made his last, tragic stand.

His defeat and subsequent suicide paved the way for Liu Bang to proclaim himself Emperor Gaozu,

establishing the Han Dynasty, which would rule China for four centuries. But even in victory,

the ghost of the defeated king would linger, a powerful symbol of heroism and loss.