Xiang Yu

Name: Xiang Yu
ISBN: 9787203130529

永田英正 / 童岭Shanxi People's Publishing House · ChinaNov 2023

3.8

Word count: 93K words
Chapters: 63
ISBN: 9787203130529

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Summary

This book is a general historical work about Xiang Yu and his era, a "great scholar's small book" written by Nagata Hideyuki, a renowned Japanese scholar of Qin and Han history. Drawing on records in historical texts such as the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Han, the book gives a comprehensive account of Xiang Yu's tumultuous life. Xiang Yu raised troops against Qin at the age of twenty-four and was a dominant figure, yet in the Chu-Han Contention he missed the opportunity to kill his rival and ultimately went down the road of no return to disastrous defeat at Gaixia, ending his life tragically at the age of only thirty-one. On the historical stage at the turn of the Qin and Han dynasties, Xiang Yu was like a comet sweeping across the sky, leaving behind so much splendor and so many unsolved mysteries.

The book vividly presents Xiang Yu's valiant image in the wars at the turn of the Qin and Han dynasties, offers an in-depth analysis of his character and the reasons for his failure, and also discusses his image in later literary and dramatic works. It also depicts important figures closely associated with Xiang Yu at the turn of the Qin and Han dynasties, such as Liu Bang and Han Xin, presenting the entire historical panorama of the period. The book adopts a comparative Chinese-Japanese perspective, rests on a solid command of historical sources, and is vivid and fluent in language with high readability, helping readers understand Xiang Yu's personality and style as well as the history of the turn of the Qin and Han dynasties.

Editor's review

Nagata Hideyuki's Xiang Yu is not a conventional biography of a historical figure but an academic work that deeply deconstructs a key figure in the Chu-Han Contention from the perspective of Japanese Oriental historiography. Drawing on his profound grounding in the study of Qin and Han bamboo and wooden slips, the author cross-verifies transmitted texts with excavated historical materials and subjects Xiang Yu, a hero steeped in tragedy, to a de-stereotyped examination. The book's most outstanding value lies in its calm and restrained analysis—it neither indulges in the romantic tragedy of "my strength plucked up the hills, my might shadowed the world" nor simply attributes his failure to character flaws, but places him within the broad social and structural transformations from the late Warring States period to the turn of the Qin and Han dynasties, exploring the conflict between the aristocratic military merit class and the emerging bureaucratic system. Its interpretations of key events such as the Battle of Julu, the Hongmen Banquet, and the siege of Gaixia offer many details and logical deductions that go beyond traditional narratives, and its analysis of Xiang Yu's political decisions and the enfeoffment system is especially enlightening. For readers in the Chinese-speaking world, this "outsider's eye" from a foreign scholar can help us break free from established frameworks of historical narrative and gain a more three-dimensional and complex understanding of this familiar history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with a basic understanding of the Chu-Han contention who want in-depth interpretation
Enthusiasts who like analyzing historical figures from the perspectives of politics, military affairs, and social structure
Readers interested in the differences and dialogue between Chinese and Japanese historiography
Thinkers who believe evaluations of historical figures should go beyond simple success-or-failure judgments

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking highly story-driven popular biographies with rich literary dramatization
Readers who want quick conclusions and lack patience for source criticism and academic argumentation

Reading tips

Before reading, briefly review basic sources such as the "Basic Annals of Xiang Yu" in the Records of the Grand Historian for comparison and reference
Pay attention to the book's definition and analysis of core concepts such as "aristocratic character" and "military merit beneficiary class"
Can be read alongside works on Qin and Han history by Chinese scholars such as Tian Yuqing to appreciate different academic lineages

About the publisher

Shanxi People's Publishing House China · Founded in 1951

Founded in 1951, Shanxi People's Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its books on history, culture and fine arts, with a list covering politics, economics, history, culture, ancient texts, art, and textbooks and teaching materials. Judging from the 108 titles in the database, history and biography form an important part of its output: Huang Yongnian's A History of Chinese Politics from the Sixth to the Ninth Century, Zhu Dongrun's Biography of Zhang Juzheng and Agricultural Geography of the Song Dynasty reflect a solid grounding in historical scholarship and ancient texts. In biography and social science it has published works such as Pursuit: Comfort Woman Park Young-hee and Her Sisters. In the areas of inspirational growth and foreign literature, Chinese translations of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People and How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, and Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, enrich its popular reading list. Its authors include Huang Yongnian, Zhu Dongrun, Dale Carnegie, Hemingway and Su Zhiliang, giving the house an overall profile centred on history, culture and the humanities and social sciences, while also embracing popular inspirational and classic literary titles.

版权信息
中译版序
前言
第一章豪爽男儿项羽
第一节戒严令下的吴地街道
第二节怀王的悲剧
第三节项羽的气魄
第二章秦的始皇帝
第一节出生的秘密
第二节大地上的绝对王者
第三节始皇帝之死与赵高之阴谋
第三章反乱军的蜂起
第一节陈胜与吴广的反乱
第二节项梁、项羽的举兵
第三节刘邦的举兵
第四章正义的旗帜
第一节陈王之死
第二节拥立怀王
第三节怀王的约定
第四节钜鹿之战
第五节章邯投降
第六节新安的大屠杀
第五章鸿门之会
第一节刘邦的西征
第二节张良
第三节秦王投降
第四节项羽入关
第五节霸上与鸿门
第六节前夜
第七节优柔不断
第六章西楚霸王
第一节秦的灭亡
第二节论功行赏
第三节项羽的失策
第七章反楚势力的结集
第一节刘邦进驻汉中
第二节韩信
第三节田荣与陈余的叛乱
第四节刘邦的进击
第五节项羽的出阵
第六节彭城的争夺战
第八章力量与智慧之战
第一节荥阳的攻防战
第二节黥布的倒戈
第三节范增之死
第四节项羽之怒
第五节勇武的“游击队长”彭越
第六节背水之阵
第七节东奔西走的项羽
第八节韩信破齐
第九节广武山的对决
第九章四面楚歌
第一节韩信的去就
第二节项羽陷入困境
第三节垓下之围
第十章英雄项羽之死
第一节虎与龙
第二节天命之下
第三节诸将的末路
再版后记
文库版后记
项羽关系年表
译后记

FAQ

What is this book's Douban rating?

According to searches, this book has a relatively high rating on the Douban platform; the specific score changes dynamically over time. The general assessment is that its academic perspective is unique and its analysis profound, but as a translated academic work, reading it requires a certain foundation in historical knowledge.

What is the academic background of the author Nagata Hideyuki?

Nagata Hideyuki is a renowned Japanese scholar of Oriental history, specializing in Qin and Han history and especially known internationally for his research on bamboo and wooden slips. His research emphasizes combining empirical evidence with a macro perspective, which in this book Xiang Yu manifests as rigorous textual criticism of detailed historical sources and a grasp of the broader trends of the era.

What are the main differences between this book and biographies of Xiang Yu written by Chinese scholars?

The main difference lies in the problematic and the explanatory framework. This book focuses more on structural factors such as changes in social strata (e.g., the decline of the aristocratic forces of the six states) and institutional change (e.g., from enfeoffment to commanderies and counties), rather than on personal character and moral evaluation, offering an analytical path different from common domestic narratives.

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About the author

永田英正 Author

Eita Nagata is an author listed on this Chinese-language book site, with only one work currently in the collection: the biographical work Xiang Yu. Public information about his nationality, dates of birth and death, education, positions, and writing career is limited, and the site has no more detailed author profile, so only the existing work can be discussed here. Xiang Yu falls under the general biography category and takes as its subject the historical figure Xiang Yu from the Qin-Han transition. Writing of this kind generally requires the author to balance historical sources with commentary on the figure, presenting the outline of Xiang Yu's life and his historical context while offering a careful reading of this tragic figure. Based on the available information, Nagata's writing tends toward a chronological account and accessible narration of historical figures, suitable for readers interested in Qin-Han history and the life of Xiang Yu. More material is needed to assess the number and overall influence of his works.

童岭 Author

Public information about Tong Ling is currently limited, and his research interests center on the transmission and textual organization of Chinese books in the medieval period. Judging from the five works held in the collection, he has both participated in compiling the Journal of Overseas Chinese Texts and written a monograph such as A Study of Old Manuscripts of Chinese Texts from the Six Dynasties, Sui, and Tang, which focuses on textual editions and manuscript criticism, showing a sustained attention to overseas Chinese texts and the manuscript era. At the same time, The Charm of the Southern Dynasties: Lectures on Six Dynasties Stone Inscriptions and Rubbings turns to stone carvings and rubbings, presenting the cultural spirit of the Six Dynasties in lecture form, while Xiang Yu enters the field of biography and historical reading, attempting to tell the story of a historical figure to a broader readership. Overall, his writing balances specialized research with accessible narrative, covering culture, literary appreciation, and history, and is suitable for readers interested in Six Dynasties and Sui-Tang documents and traditional culture.