Chapter 379: Stalemate 02

  Outside the city of Julu, on the vast plain under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were fluttering in the wind, their drums beating steadily. Amidst the rolling dust and smoke, the shouts of the Chu soldiers shook heaven and earth, each one fighting bravely at the forefront, yelling and killing the Qin soldiers. The Qin army's formation retreated step by step, their camp was set on fire, and their soldiers were beheaded. Outside the city of Julu, on the vast plain under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were fluttering in the wind, their drums beating steadily. Amidst the rolling dust and smoke, the shouts of the Chu soldiers shook heaven and earth, each one fighting bravely at the forefront, yelling and killing the Qin soldiers. The Qin army's formation retreated step by step, their camp was set on fire, and their soldiers were beheaded.

  King Wei laid siege to the city of Julu, starting from September in the second year of the Second Emperor's reign and lasting until November of the third year. The army had been besieging the city for three months. With logistical support from Zhang Han's troops, King Wei's army was well-stocked with food and morale was high, their attacks growing more intense by the day. Inside Julu City, grain stores were dwindling daily, casualties mounted, and there were no reinforcements to be had; the situation was dire, with danger lurking around every corner.

  When the Zhao army was attacked by the Qin army and fell into a disadvantage, King Zhao Xie of Zhao, Prime Minister Zhang Er, and General Tian Jian led the main force of the allied armies of Zhao and Qi to retreat eastward and defend themselves in Julu City. Meanwhile, Chen Yu, a great general of Zhao, went north to enter the Hengshan Commandery, gathered the Zhao army in Hengshan, and marched south to support Julu, stopping outside the Qin army besieging Julu City. King Xie and Prime Minister Zhang Er, who were trapped inside the city, repeatedly sent people to Chen Yu's camp to urge him to attack the Qin army and relieve the crisis in Julu.

  Zhao Wang Zhao Xie and Zhang Er were gazing anxiously at the horizon in Julu City, but they did not see any signs of Chen Yu's army coming to their rescue. They were extremely angry. Zhang Er was impatient and specially dispatched generals Zhang Huan and Chen Ze to break out of the city and go to Chen Yu's camp to deliver a message. They confronted Chen Yu and said: "Since we met, you and I have had a deep friendship, sworn to live and die together. Now, Zhao Wang and I are in danger, on the brink of death, but you, Chen Yu, with an army of tens of thousands, are watching from afar and refusing to come to our rescue. Putting aside the great righteousness of a minister, where is the oath we swore to die together? If there is still any loyalty to be spoken of, why not attack the Qin army and rush to our aid in death?" Chen Yu said: "With the current military strength, attacking would not only fail to relieve Julu's crisis but also lead to the loss of my army. I, Chen Yu, do not want to lose my army and die in vain, but rather preserve some hope for Zhao Wang and Zhang Er to avenge themselves. In the current situation, if you insist on me attacking Qin and rushing to death, it would be like throwing raw meat at a hungry tiger - what's the use?" Zhang Huan and Chen Ze said: "The situation is so critical that there is no room for further consideration. General Chen must take action to rush to our aid in death to gain the trust of Zhao Wang and Zhang Chengxiang."

  Zhang Wu and Chen Ze were with Zhang Er, outside the city of Julu, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags and banners were clear and neat, the golden drums were strict. In the rolling smoke and dust, the voices of the Chu army officers and men shouting shook the heavens and moved the earth, everyone was brave and took the lead, angry and killed the Qin army. The Qin army formation retreated step by step, the Qin army camp was set on fire one after another, the Qin army officers and men were beheaded. Outside the city of Julu, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags and banners were clear and neat, the golden drums were strict. In the rolling smoke and dust, the voices of the Chu army officers and men shouting shook the heavens and moved the earth, everyone was brave and took the lead, angry and killed the Qin army. The Qin army formation retreated step by step, outside the city of Julu, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags and banners were clear and neat, the golden drums were strict. In the rolling smoke and dust, the voices of the Chu army officers and men shouting shook the heavens and moved the earth, everyone was brave and took the lead, angry and killed the Qin army.

  Wang Wei laid siege to Julu City, starting from the ninth month of the second year of Emperor Er Shi's reign and lasting until the eleventh month of the third year. The city had been under siege for three months. With logistical support from Zhang Han's army, Wang Wei's troops were well-supplied with food and their morale was high, leading to increasingly fierce attacks. Inside Julu City, the stored grain was gradually decreasing, casualties among the soldiers were mounting, and there were no reinforcements to replace them, making the situation extremely precarious and critical.

  When the Zhao army was attacked by the Qin army and fell into a disadvantage, King Zhao Xie of Zhao, Prime Minister Zhang Er, and General Tian Jian led the main force of the allied armies of Zhao and Qi to retreat eastward and defend themselves in Julu City. Meanwhile, Chen Yu, a great general of Zhao, went north to enter the Hengshan Commandery, gathered the Zhao army in Hengshan, and marched south to support Julu, stopping outside the Qin army besieging Julu City. King Xie and Prime Minister Zhang Er, who were trapped inside the city, repeatedly sent people to Chen Yu's camp to urge him to attack the Qin army and relieve the crisis in Julu.

  Zhao Wang Zhao Xie and Zhang Er were gazing anxiously at the horizon in Julu City, but they did not see any signs of Chen Yu's army coming to their rescue. They were extremely angry. Zhang Er was impatient and specially dispatched generals Zhang Huan and Chen Ze to break out of the city and go to Chen Yu's camp to deliver a message. They confronted Chen Yu and said: "Since we met, you and I have had a deep friendship, sworn to live and die together. Now Zhao Wang and I are in danger, on the brink of death, but you, Chen Yu, with an army of tens of thousands, are watching from afar and refusing to come to our rescue. Putting aside the great righteousness of a minister, where is the oath we swore to die together? If there is still any loyalty to be spoken of, why not attack the Qin army and rush to our aid to die together?" Chen Yu said: "With the current military strength, attacking would not only fail to relieve Julu's crisis but also lead to the loss of my army. I, Chen Yu, did not abandon my army and die because I wanted to leave some hope for revenge for Zhao Wang and Zhang Er. In the current situation, if you insist on me attacking Qin to die, it would be like throwing raw meat at a hungry tiger - what's the use?" Zhang Huan and Chen Ze said: "The situation is so critical that there is no room for hesitation. General Chen must take action to rush to our aid and die together to gain the trust of Zhao Wang and Zhang Chengxiang."

  Chen Yu led the army of Zhao, along with Zhang Er and Chen Ze, to rescue Chen Sheng, the king of Chu. When Li Liang rebelled, Zhang Hua was leading the main force of the Zhao army in the battle at Shangdang Commandery. After Wu Chen and Shao Zuo were killed, Zhang Er and Chen Yu escaped and re-established the state of Zhao, with Zhang Hua's army becoming the main force. Zhang Hua became a key minister in supporting King Zhao Xie. He also had a brotherly relationship with Zhang Er and Chen Yu, who shared life and death together. Zhang Er sent him and Chen Ze to break through the siege and go to Chen Yu's camp, expressing both urgency and trust. When Zhang Hua and Chen Ze arrived, Chen Yu felt great pressure. After analyzing the situation and explaining his reasoning, he failed to convince Zhang Hua and Chen Ze. Advancing would mean total defeat, while not advancing would mean a breakdown in relations. Under Zhang Hua and Chen Ze's urging, Chen Yu reluctantly agreed to advance. He led 5,000 soldiers as vanguard, with Zhang Hua and Chen Ze in command, to launch a probing attack on Wang Li's army. As a result, Zhang Hua, Chen Ze, and all 5,000 soldiers were killed, not one survived. Chen Yu dared not act rashly again and day and night hoped for the arrival of rescue troops from other states.

  The Xiang Yu army arrived at Pingyuan, made some preparations, and quickly deployed to cross the river. The first Chu army to cross the Yellow River was led by the brave general Ying Bu and General Pu, with 20,000 elite soldiers. After crossing the Yellow River, they immediately launched an attack on the Qin army's logistics support troops stationed between Jinyuan and Julu. The Qin army attacking Zhao Guo and besieging Julu City was led by Wang Li, commander of the northern army. Zhang Han's army was stationed in the southern part of Julu, in the counties of Henan and Handan, responsible for logistics support and defense against the anti-Qin allied forces on the other side of the Yellow River. Zhang Han attached great importance to the grain supply route. At that time, the Qin army's food supply mainly relied on the Ao Granary war reserve depot on the north bank of the Yellow River in Luoyang. Zhang Han used the Yellow River to transport grain, and Jinyuan was a shipping terminal and storage location, serving as the logistics base for hundreds of thousands of troops. The grain and fodder supplies for Wang Li's army were transported from Jinyuan to Julu by land. To ensure the safety and smoothness of the grain supply route between Jinyuan and Julu, Zhang Han built large-scale fortifications between the Yellow River and the Changshan River, constructing defensive walls on both sides of the grain supply route, garrisoning troops to guard it, known as the "Fangdao", to defend against enemy attacks.

  The armies of Ying Bu and Pu, like a sharp knife inserted between the armies of Zhang Han and Wang Li, launched a fierce attack on the Qin army guarding the Yangtze River, breaking through several places in the long snake-like Qin army's Yangtze River line, cutting off the Qin army's food supply line to Julu City, and also separating the armies of Zhang Han and Wang Li. Upon receiving news of the vanguard's advantage, Xiang Yu led the main force of the Chu army across the Yellow River, supporting Ying Bu and Pu to expand their gains, withstanding the Qin army's counterattack, and standing firm between the Zhang River and the Yellow River. The armies of Ying Bu and Pu faced off against Zhang Han's army, building a strong defense, while Xiang Yu's main force relied on the cover of Ying Bu and Pu's armies to quickly reach the Zhang River, preparing to attack Wang Li's army across the river. As Zhang Han's and Wang Li's armies were cut off, Wang Li's grain supply was severed, and supplies were scarce, the situation took a turn in favor of the allied forces.

  Inside Julu City, the defending army was greatly encouraged by the news of the arrival of the Chu army and became even more determined to defend. Outside Julu City, several supporting armies also gathered. Chen Yu's army of tens of thousands of people built walls and fortifications, stationed north of Julu City, which was the earliest arriving reinforcement. Zhang Er's son Zhang Heng had been active in Dai Prefecture and received news of the emergency in Julu, leading the troops from Dai Prefecture to come and rescue, with about 10,000 people, stationed beside Chen Yu's army. Yan King Han Guang was originally a subordinate of the former Zhao King Wu Chen, a colleague of Zhang Er and Chen Yu. After leaving Zhao and establishing an independent Yan state, due to the presence of Zhao's buffer zone in the southwest, he had not been directly attacked by the Qin army. Between Yan and Zhao, despite disputes over territory and other issues, Han Guang understood the principle of "when lips are gone, teeth will be cold". After Julu was besieged, Han Guang sent his general Zang Ju to lead the Yan state's reinforcements south to arrive outside Julu City, also stationed beside Chen Yu's army. Due to the strength of the Qin army and the recent defeat of 5,000 of Chen Yu's troops, none of the rescue armies from various states dared to attack the Qin army again. The supporting armies deeply fortified themselves, waiting for the arrival of the main force of the Chu army.

  Xiang Yu was a brave and fearless military genius. When Chen Yi's envoy came again to ask for troops, he decided to concentrate his forces and first engage in a decisive battle with Wang Li's army. Wang Li's army was the elite main force of the Qin army, which had been stationed in the north for a long time and had defeated the Xiongnu under the command of famous general Meng Tian. At the end of the Qin dynasty, it had been fighting against the armies of Zhao, Yan, and Qi north of the Yellow River and was the main force besieging Julu. However, when the Chu army inserted itself between Wang Li's army and Zhang Han's army, Wang Li's supply line was cut off, and his army was temporarily trapped in an unfavorable situation surrounded by the allied forces of various countries.

  Xiang Yu seized the opportunity and ordered Ying Bu and Pu to hold their ground firmly, determined to resist Zhang Han's counterattack and prevent him from linking up with Wang Li's army. He himself led the main force of the Chu army and crossed the Zhang River in one move. After crossing the river, Xiang Yu made a major decision that shocked the entire army and left a lasting legacy in history. He ordered all soldiers to prepare three days' worth of dry rations, then had all the boats burned, tents destroyed, and cooking utensils smashed, cutting off their line of retreat and demonstrating his determination to fight a decisive battle with no possibility of defeat or retreat.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, leaving them with no choice but to win within three days or perish. Everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army clashed with the Qin army nine times, winning every battle, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, and capturing their strongholds. The commander of the Qin army, Wang Li, was captured, his deputy Su Jiao was killed, and another deputy, She Jian, was surrounded by the Chu army and refused to surrender, burning himself to death.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied forces from various countries did not dare to move lightly and watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the plains outside Julu City, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were fluttering, and their drums were beating in unison. Amidst the rolling dust and smoke, the shouts of the Chu soldiers shook heaven and earth, everyone fighting bravely at the forefront, yelling and killing Qin soldiers. The Qin army's formations retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their soldiers were beheaded.

  The battle began at dawn, and by noon, life and death hung in the balance. By late afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated. The allied forces from various countries, who had been watching from the walls of their camps with wide eyes and open mouths, finally came to their senses and opened their camps to join forces with the Chu army in attacking the retreating Qin soldiers.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  I have sorted out the history up to this point, carefully examined the documents, and repeatedly compared ancient and modern maps. I had doubts about Yan Shigu and Sima Zhen's statements. When I actually went to Anyang, Linzhang, and Cheng'an to investigate, I immediately ruled out Yan Shigu's statement. During the Battle of Julu, Henan Anyang was west of the Yellow River, and south of the banks of the Huan and Zhan rivers. The Henan Prefecture where Anyang is located has been firmly guarded by the Qin army since the end of the Qin dynasty, with its western side relying on the Hedong Prefecture to connect with Guanzhong, and its southern side leaning against the Sanchuan Prefecture to supply food to Ao Village, which was the most stable strategic base of the Qin Empire in northern Henan. Zhang Han killed Xiang Liang in Dingtao because he received reinforcements from Henan who crossed the river. Zhang Han broke through Handan and relocated the people of Handan to Henan, also relying on the stability of Henan. When Wang Li's army besieged Julu, Zhang Han's main camp was in the Anyang area of Henan, with 200,000 troops densely arrayed and strictly guarding against possible reinforcements from vassal states. Song Yi led the Chu army across the Yellow River to Henan Anyang, and was able to stay for over 40 days without any battles, going out to drink and hold grand feasts. Judging by the geographical situation, it is absolutely impossible.

  Dongjun Anyang is east of the Yellow River, and from here to cross the Yellow River, the nearest crossing point is 300 miles away at Baima Jin (now Henan Huaxian), after crossing Baima Jin into Henan and Handan counties, directly facing the waiting army of Zhang Han. To rescue Zhao in the north, we must first fight against Zhang Han's army. Such action cannot lift the siege of Julu, but also falls into the Qin army's net, violating common military sense, difficult to understand, and impossible to explain. I am perplexed and puzzled, don't know what to do.

  After returning from the inspection, I read Mr. Xinderong's new book "New Geography of the Battle of Julu" and felt refreshed. Mr. Xin is a new expert in historical geography, he reviewed various theories and inferred that Anyang was located in the eastern part of Shandong Province, and further deduced that when Xiang Yu led the Chu army to rescue Zhao by crossing the Yellow River, they did not go west through Dongguan, Anyang, and cross the White Horse Ford, but instead went north through Jibei County and crossed the Pingyuan Ford. From the perspective of the seven warring states revived after the war, Xiang Yu's army did not pass through the state of Wei to the west, but rather passed through the state of Qi to the north to rescue Zhao. The inference about Anyang's geographical location may still need verification, but the view that Xiang Yu went north through Qi and crossed the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford is probably an established theory.

  Regarding the historical context of the Battle of Julu, no one has ever noticed the influence and role of the State of Qi. I have already described in my article that after Li Liang's betrayal and the collapse of the Zhao state regime, King Tian Dan of Qi sent General Tian Jian to lead his army across the Yellow River into Zhao to support the establishment of the new regime of Zhao Xie. The establishment of the new regime relied heavily on this. General Tian Jian's army crossed the Yellow River from Qi into Zhao, and should have taken the route through Jibei Commandery and Pingyuan Ford. After the establishment of the new regime, instead of being in the old capital Handan, it was built in Xindu in the north, and when the Qin army approached, the king and ministers of Zhao abandoned Xindu and retreated to Julu to defend against the enemy, all of which were related to relying on Qi's support. Xindu is adjacent to Julu, and Julu is connected to Jibei Commandery in Qi through Pingyuan Ford. The line from Xindu, Julu, Pingyuan Ford, and Jibei became a thoroughfare for travel between Zhao and Qi. It was a reasonable choice for Xiang Yu to lead the Chu army into Qi via Pingyuan Ford across the Yellow River.

  Xiang Yu's army crossed the river to rescue Zhao, and received support from two branches of the Qi state army. One branch was led by Tian An, and the other was led by Tian Dou. Tian An's army joined Xiang Yu's camp after occupying part of Jibei Commandery and crossing the river together to rescue Zhao. The location where Tian Dou's army joined Xiang Yu's camp is estimated to be in Jibei Commandery as well. Due to the cooperation between Tian An and Tian Dou, Xiang Yu's army smoothly entered Qi state's Jibei Commandery from Pingyuan Ford across the Yellow River, which was also a favorable time and place for them.

  Xiang Yu led the Chu army to Pingyuanjin, crossing the Yellow River. The city of Julu was still over 300 miles away, with the rivers Wen and Zhang separating them. Especially the Zhang River, which originated from the Taihang Mountains, flowed eastward through Quzhou County in Hebei Province, taking the old course of the Yellow River, and then turned northeast to flow past Julu, becoming another natural barrier for Xiang Yu's army to reach Julu west of the Yellow River. Faced with the two natural barriers of the Yellow River and the Zhang River, how Xiang Yu's army crossed the river to rescue Zhao became a famous story in history.

  According to "The Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Xiang Yu", when Xiang Yu crossed the river to rescue Julu, he said: "Xiang Yu had already killed Yingbu (Song Yi), shaking the state of Chu and making his name known among the feudal lords. He then sent Yangjun (Ying Pu) and General Pu with 20,000 soldiers to cross the river and rescue Julu. The battle was not going well, and Chen Yu asked for more troops. Xiang Yu then led all his troops to cross the river, sinking their ships, breaking their cauldrons, burning their houses, and holding only three days' worth of rations, to show his soldiers that they must fight to the death, with no thought of returning." This is the origin of the idiom "break the cauldron and sink the boat".

  However, the river that Xiang Yu's army crossed to rescue Zhao was actually which river? Since Sima Qian only used the word "river" in his writing, some people say it was the Zhang River, while others claim it was the Yellow River, making it a historically debated case. I read the famous historical geographer Tan Qixiang's book "The Lower Reaches of the Yellow River before the Western Han Dynasty", and only then did I understand the geographical layout of the Zhang River, Wen River, and Yellow River during the Battle of Julu. Based on this, I re-read the Records of the Grand Historian and roughly restored a coherent picture of the military situation during the Battle of Julu.

  As Tan Qixiang said, before the Tang and Song dynasties, "river" was a special term for the Yellow River and not used to refer to other waterways. However, the Yellow River was also called "river", and its old course could also be called "river". At that time, the Zhang River flowing through Julu was actually an old course of the Yellow River, so it naturally retained the old name "river".

  According to this analysis, Xiang Yu's army had to cross two "rivers" when they went to rescue Zhao. The first one was the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and if they did not win within three days, there would be no chance of survival, so everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles against the Qin army, winning each time, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, and capturing their camps. The Qin army's commander Wang Li was captured, his deputy Su Jia was killed, and another deputy general Shi Jian was surrounded by the Chu army and refused to surrender, burning himself to death.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied armies of other states did not dare to move lightly and watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the plains outside Julu City, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were clear, and their drums were in order. In the midst of the rolling dust, the voices of the Chu army's soldiers shouting and killing the Qin army shook the heavens.

  The Qin army's formation retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their soldiers were beheaded. The two armies started fighting at dawn, and by noon, life and death were imminent. By late afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated.

  The allied armies of other states, who had been watching from the walls, finally came to their senses and opened their camps to join forces with the Chu army in attacking the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals trembled with fear as they traversed the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, arriving at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate without fail, bowing their heads in reverence and terror. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states submitted to Xiang Yu's authority, unanimously recommending him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South" to mourn the Qin army officers and soldiers who died for their country.

  Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Song Yi's army set out from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu, but stopped at Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route taken by the Chu army to rescue Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in what is now southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of the Henan Commandery.

  Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in what is now eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of the Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's view, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  However, the river that Xiang Yu's army crossed to rescue Zhao was actually which river? Since Sima Qian only used the word "river" in his writing, some people say it was the Zhang River, while others claim it was the Yellow River, making it a historically debated case. I read the famous historical geographer Tan Qixiang's book "The Lower Reaches of the Yellow River before the Western Han Dynasty", and only then did I understand the geographical layout of the Zhang River, Wen River, and Yellow River during the Battle of Julu. Based on this, I re-read the Records of the Grand Historian and roughly restored a coherent picture of the military situation during the Battle of Julu.

  As Tan Qixiang said, before the Tang and Song dynasties, "river" was a special term for the Yellow River and not used to refer to other waterways. However, the Yellow River was also called "river", and its old course could also be called "river". At that time, the Zhang River flowing through Julu was actually an old course of the Yellow River, so it naturally retained the old name "river".

  According to this analysis, Xiang Yu's army had to cross two "rivers" when they went to rescue Zhao. The first one was the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and if they did not win within three days, there would be no chance of survival, so everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles against the Qin army, winning each time, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, and capturing their camps. The Qin army's commander Wang Li was captured, his deputy Su Jiao was killed, and another deputy, She Jian, was surrounded by the Chu army and refused to surrender, burning himself to death.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied forces from other states did not dare to move lightly and watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the plains outside Julu City, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were clear, and their drums were in order. In the midst of the rolling dust, the Chu army's soldiers shouted loudly, shaking the heavens and the earth, with everyone fighting bravely and killing the Qin army.

  The Qin army's formation retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their soldiers were beheaded. The battle began at dawn, and by noon, life and death were at stake. By late afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated.

  The allied forces from other states, who had been watching from the walls, finally came to their senses and opened their camps to join forces with the Chu army in attacking the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended that he be made the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the heroic spirits of those who died for their country could meet again in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take to do so was naturally a major issue. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the events, saying that Xiang Yu led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to the event of Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, breaking through the cauldron and sinking the boats, arriving at Julu City, and annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record leaves many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals, trembling with fear, traversed the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, and arrived at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling in terror. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously elected him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look up at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended that he be made the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  However, the river that Xiang Yu's army crossed to rescue Zhao was actually which river? Since Sima Qian only used the word "river" in his writing, some people say it was the Zhang River, while others claim it was the Yellow River, making it a historically debated case. I read the famous historical geographer Tan Qixiang's book "The Lower Reaches of the Yellow River before the Western Han Dynasty", and only then did I understand the geographical layout of the Zhang River, Wen River, and Yellow River during the Battle of Julu. Based on this, I re-read the Records of the Grand Historian and roughly restored a coherent picture of the military situation during the Battle of Julu.

  As Tan Qixiang said, before the Tang and Song dynasties, "river" was a special term for the Yellow River and not used to refer to other waterways. However, the Yellow River was also called "river", and its old course could also be called "river". At that time, the Zhang River flowing through Julu was actually an old course of the Yellow River, so it naturally retained the old name "river".

  According to this analysis, Xiang Yu's army had to cross two "rivers" when they went to rescue Zhao. The first one was the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and if they did not win within three days, there would be no chance of survival, so everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles against the Qin army, winning every time, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, and capturing their camps. The Qin army's commander Wang Li was captured, his deputy Su Jia was killed, and another deputy general Shi Jian was surrounded by the Chu army and refused to surrender, burning himself to death.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied armies of other states did not dare to move lightly and watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the open fields outside Julu City, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were clear, and their drums were in order. In the midst of the rolling dust, the shouts of the Chu army's soldiers shook the heavens, everyone fought bravely, and the Qin army was defeated.

  The Qin army's formation retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their soldiers were beheaded. The battle began at dawn, and by noon, the outcome was decided. By late afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated. The allied armies of other states, who had been watching from the walls, finally realized what was happening and opened their camps to join forces with the Chu army in attacking the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the heroic spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun set out from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is a key to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery.

  Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without reaching a consensus. After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered his generals to gather at the headquarters of Wang Li's army. The generals, still shaken by the battle, walked through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, and entered the camp with their heads bowed in fear.

  When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to look up at him. After this battle, the generals of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously elected him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce battle and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the enemy lines, and arrived at Julu City, annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts. Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written 2,000 years ago to mourn the Chu soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South" to mourn the Qin soldiers who died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, it was all for nothing. If the spirits of those who died for their countries could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations between the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts. Outside Julu City on the original wilderness, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army flags were clear, and the golden drums were strict. In the rolling smoke and dust, the voices of the Chu army officers and men shouting to the sky and shaking the earth, everyone was brave and took the lead, angry and killed the Qin army. The Qin army array retreated step by step, the Qin army camp started a fire one after another, and the Qin army officers and men were separated from their heads and bodies. Outside Julu City on the original wilderness, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army flags were clear, and the golden drums were strict. In the rolling smoke and dust, the voices of the Chu army officers and men shouting to the sky and shaking the earth, everyone was brave and took the lead, angry and killed the Qin army. The Qin army array retreated step by step, the Qin army camp started a fire one after another, and the Qin army officers and men were separated from their heads and bodies.

  King Wei laid siege to the city of Julu, starting from September in the second year of the Second Emperor's reign and lasting until November of the third year. The army had been besieging the city for three months. With logistical support from Zhang Han's troops, King Wei's army was well-stocked with food and morale was high, with increasingly fierce attacks. Inside Julu City, grain stores were dwindling daily, casualties mounted, and there were no reinforcements to be had, the situation was pressing, danger lurking around every corner.

  When the Zhao army was attacked by the Qin army and fell into a disadvantage, King Zhao Xie of Zhao, Prime Minister Zhang Er, and General Tian Jian led the main force of the allied armies of Zhao and Qi to retreat eastward and defend themselves in Julu City. Meanwhile, Chen Yu, a great general of Zhao, went north to enter the Hengshan Commandery, gathered the Zhao army in Hengshan, and marched south to support Julu, stopping outside the Qin army besieging Julu City. King Xie and Prime Minister Zhang Er, who were trapped inside the city, repeatedly sent people to Chen Yu's camp to urge him to attack the Qin army and relieve the crisis in Julu.

  Zhao Wang Zhao Xie and Zhang Er were gazing anxiously at the horizon in Julu City, but they did not see any signs of Chen Yu's army coming to their rescue. They were extremely angry. Zhang Er was impatient and specially dispatched generals Zhang Huan and Chen Ze to break out of the city and go to Chen Yu's camp to deliver a message. They confronted Chen Yu and said: "Since we met, you and I have had a deep friendship, sworn to live and die together. Now Zhao Wang and I are in danger, on the brink of death, but you, Chen Yu, with an army of tens of thousands, are watching from afar and refusing to come to our rescue. Putting aside the great righteousness of a minister, where is the oath we swore to die together? If there is still any loyalty to be spoken of, why not attack the Qin army and rush to our aid to die together?" Chen Yu said: "With the current military strength, attacking would not only fail to relieve Julu's crisis but also lead to the loss of my army. I, Chen Yu, did not abandon my army and die because I wanted to leave some hope for revenge for Zhao Wang and Zhang Er. In the current situation, if you insist on me attacking Qin to die, it would be like throwing raw meat at a hungry tiger - what's the use?" Zhang Huan and Chen Ze said: "The situation is so critical that there is no room for hesitation. General Chen must take action to rush to our aid and die together to gain the trust of Zhao Wang and Zhang Chengxiang."

  Zhang Wu and Chen Ze were with Zhang Er, outside the city of Julu, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags and banners were clear and neat, the golden drums were strict. In the rolling smoke and dust, the voices of the Chu army officers and men shouting shook the heavens and moved the earth, everyone was brave and took the lead, angry and killed the Qin army. The Qin army formation retreated step by step, the Qin army camp was set on fire one after another, the Qin army officers and men were beheaded. Outside the city of Julu, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags and banners were clear and neat, the golden drums were strict. In the rolling smoke and dust, the voices of the Chu army officers and men shouting shook the heavens and moved the earth, everyone was brave and took the lead, angry and killed the Qin army. The Qin army formation retreated step by step, the Qin army camp was set on fire one after another, the Qin army officers and men were beheaded.

  Wang Wei laid siege to Julu City, starting from the ninth month of the second year of Emperor Er Shi's reign and lasting until the eleventh month of the third year. The city had been under siege for three months. With logistical support from Zhang Han's army, Wang Wei's troops were well-supplied with food and their morale was high, leading to increasingly fierce attacks. Inside Julu City, the stored grain was gradually decreasing, casualties among the soldiers were mounting, and there were no reinforcements to replace them, making the situation extremely precarious and critical.

  When Zhao's army was attacked by the Qin army and fell into a disadvantage, King Zhao Xie of Zhao, Prime Minister Zhang Er, and General Tian Jian led the main force of the allied armies of Zhao and Qi to retreat eastward and defend themselves in Julu City. Meanwhile, Chen Yu, a great general of Zhao, went north to enter the Hengshan Commandery, gathered the troops of the Hengshan Commandery, and marched south to support Julu, stopping outside the city of Julu where the Qin army was besieging. King Xie and Prime Minister Zhang Er in the city repeatedly sent people to Chen Yu's camp to urge him to attack the Qin army and relieve the crisis in Julu.

  Zhao Wang Zhao Xie and Zhang Er were gazing anxiously at the horizon in Julu City, but they did not see any signs of Chen Yu's army coming to their rescue. They were extremely angry. Zhang Er was impatient and specially dispatched generals Zhang Huan and Chen Ze to break out of the city and go to Chen Yu's camp to deliver a message. They confronted Chen Yu and said: "Since we met, you and I have had a deep friendship, sworn to live and die together. Now, Zhao Wang and I are in danger, on the brink of death, but you, Chen Yu, with an army of tens of thousands, are watching from afar and refusing to come to our rescue. Putting aside the great righteousness of a minister, where is the oath we swore to die together? If there is still any loyalty to be spoken of, why not attack the Qin army and rush to our aid in death?" Chen Yu said: "With the current military strength, attacking would not only fail to relieve Julu's crisis but also lead to the loss of my army. I, Chen Yu, do not want to lose my army and die in vain, but rather preserve some hope for Zhao Wang and Zhang Er to avenge themselves. In the current situation, if you insist on me attacking Qin and rushing to death, it would be like throwing raw meat at a hungry tiger - what's the use?" Zhang Huan and Chen Ze said: "The situation is so critical that there is no room for further consideration. General Chen must take action to rush to our aid in death to gain the trust of Zhao Wang and Zhang Chengxiang."

  Chen Yu led a contingent of veteran soldiers from the Chu state, following Wu Chen and Shao Tong into Zhao territory. When Li Liang rebelled, Zhang Yi was leading the main force of the Zhao army in battle in Shangdang Commandery. After Wu Chen and Shao Tong were killed, Zhang Er and Chen Yu, who had managed to escape, regrouped their remaining forces and rebuilt the Zhao state. The army led by Zhang Yi became the mainstay of the Zhao military, and Zhang Yi became a key official in supporting the restoration of King Zhao Xie. He also shared a deep bond with Zhang Er and Chen Yu, forged through life-and-death struggles together as comrades-in-arms. When Zhang Er sent him and Chen Ze to break through the siege lines and join Chen Yu's camp, it was an expression of both urgency and trust. The arrival of Zhang Yi and Chen Ze put immense pressure on Chen Yu, who tried to reason with them but failed to convince them. Advancing would mean certain annihilation, while not advancing would mean a breakdown in relations. Under the urging of Zhang Yi and Chen Ze, Chen Yu reluctantly agreed to advance, sending 5,000 men as vanguard under their command to launch a probing attack on Wang Li's army. The result was that Zhang Yi, Chen Ze, and all 5,000 soldiers were killed in action, with not one survivor. Chen Yu never dared to act rashly again, day and night hoping for the arrival of reinforcements from other states.

  The Xiang Yu army arrived at Pingyuan, made some preparations, and quickly deployed to cross the river. The first Chu army to cross the Yellow River was led by the brave general Ying Bu and General Pu, with 20,000 elite soldiers. After crossing the Yellow River, they immediately launched an attack on the Qin army's logistics support troops stationed between Jinyuan and Julu. The Qin army attacking Zhao Guo and besieging Julu City was led by Wang Li, while Zhang Han's army was stationed in the southern part of Julu, in the counties of Henan and Handan, responsible for logistics support and defense against the anti-Qin allied forces on the other side of the Yellow River.

  The armies of Ying Bu and Pu, like a sharp knife inserted between the armies of Zhang Han and Wang Li, launched a fierce attack on the Qin army guarding the Yongmen Pass, breaking through several places in the long snake-like Qin army's passageway, cutting off the grain supply line for the Qin army to Julu City, and also separating the armies of Zhang Han and Wang Li. Upon receiving news of the vanguard's advantage, Xiang Yu led the main force of the Chu army across the Yellow River, supporting Ying Bu and Pu to expand their gains, withstanding the Qin army's counterattack, and standing firm between the Zhanghe River and the Yellow River. The armies of Ying Bu and Pu faced off against Zhang Han's army, building fortifications and walls to defend themselves. Xiang Yu's main force relied on the cover of Ying Bu and Pu's armies, quickly reaching the Zhanghe River, preparing to attack Wang Li's army across the river. As a result of being cut off, Wang Li's grain supply was severed, and supplies were scarce, with the battle situation changing in favor of the allied forces.

  Inside Julu City, the defenders were greatly encouraged by the news of the arrival of the Chu army and became even more determined to hold out. Outside Julu City, several supporting armies also gathered. Chen Yu's army of tens of thousands of soldiers built walls and fortifications, stationed north of Julu City, which was the earliest arriving reinforcement. Zhang Er's son Zhang Hao had been active in Dai Prefecture and received news of the emergency at Julu, leading an army from Dai Prefecture to come and rescue, with about 10,000 people, stationed beside Chen Yu's army. Yan King Han Guang was originally a subordinate of the former Zhao King Wu Chen, a colleague of Zhang Er and Chen Yu. After leaving Zhao and establishing Yan independently, due to the buffer zone between Zhao in the southwest, he had not been directly attacked by the Qin army. Between Yan and Zhao, despite disputes over territory and other issues, Han Guang understood the principle that when lips are gone, teeth will be cold. After Julu was besieged, Han Guang sent his general Zang Ju to lead the Yan army south to arrive outside Julu City, also stationed beside Chen Yu's army. Due to the strength of the Qin army, and the recent defeat of 5,000 of Chen Yu's soldiers, none of the relief armies from various countries dared to attack the Qin army again. The relief armies deeply fortified their walls, defended firmly, and waited with one heart for the arrival of the main force of the Chu army.

  Xiang Yu was a brave and fearless military genius. When Chen Yi's envoy came again to ask for troops, he decided to concentrate his forces and first engage in a decisive battle with Wang Li's army. Wang Li's army was the elite main force of the Qin army, which had been stationed in the north for a long time and had defeated the Xiongnu under the command of famous general Meng Tian. At the end of the Qin dynasty, it had been fighting against the armies of Zhao, Yan, and Qi north of the Yellow River and was the main force besieging Julu. However, when the Chu army inserted itself between Wang Li's army and Zhang Han's army, Wang Li's supply line was cut off, and for a time, it found itself in an unfavorable situation surrounded by the allied armies of various states.

  Xiang Yu seized the opportunity and ordered Ying Bu and Pu to hold their ground firmly, determined to resist Zhang Han's counterattack and prevent him from linking up with Wang Li's army. He himself led the main force of the Chu army and crossed the Zhang River in one move. After crossing the Zhang River, Xiang Yu made a major decision that shocked the entire army and left a lasting legacy.

  He ordered all soldiers to prepare three days' worth of dry rations, then had all the boats burned, all the tents destroyed, and all the cooking utensils smashed. He cut off his own line of retreat and demonstrated to the entire army his determination to fight quickly and win, with no possibility of defeat or retreat.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, leaving themselves no way out except to win within three days. Everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. In one day, the Chu army clashed with the Qin army nine times, winning every battle, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, and capturing their strongholds.

  The main commander of the Qin army, Wang Li, was captured, his deputy Su Jiao was killed, and another deputy, She Jian, was surrounded by the Chu army and refused to surrender, burning himself to death. When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied armies of various states did not dare to move lightly and watched from the outer walls of their camps.

  On the plain outside Julu city, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were clear, and their drums were in order. In the midst of swirling dust, the voices of the Chu soldiers shouting and killing the Qin army shook heaven and earth. Everyone fought bravely, and the Qin army's formations retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their soldiers were beheaded.

  The battle began at dawn, life and death hung in the balance at noon, and by late afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory. Wang Li's army was defeated, and its fate was sealed. The allied armies of various states, who had been watching from the walls, finally came to their senses, opened their camps, and joined forces with the Chu army to attack the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henan Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  I have sorted out the history up to this point, carefully examined the documents, and repeatedly compared ancient and modern maps. I had doubts about Yan Shigu and Sima Zhen's statements. When I actually went to Anyang, Linzhang, and Cheng'an to investigate, I immediately ruled out Yan Shigu's statement. During the Battle of Julu, Henan Anyang was west of the Yellow River, and south of the banks of the Wan and Zhang rivers. The Henan Prefecture where Anyang is located has been firmly guarded by the Qin army since the end of the Qin dynasty, with its western side relying on the Hedong Prefecture to connect with Guanzhong, and its southern side leaning against the Sanchuan Prefecture to supply food to Ao Village, which was the most stable strategic base of the Qin Empire in northern Henan. Zhang Han killed Xiang Liang in Dingtao because he received reinforcements from Henan who crossed the river. Zhang Han broke through Handan and moved the people of Handan to Henan, also relying on the stability of Henan. When Wang Li's army besieged Julu, Zhang Han's main camp was in the Anyang area of Henan, with 200,000 troops densely arrayed and strictly guarding against possible reinforcements from the vassal states. Song Yi led the Chu army across the Yellow River to Henan Anyang, and was able to stay for over 40 days without any battles, going out to drink and have a grand feast. Judging by the geographical situation, it is absolutely impossible.

  Dongjun Anyang is east of the Yellow River, and from here to cross the Yellow River, the nearest crossing point is 300 miles away at Baima Jin (now Henan Huaxian), after crossing Baima Jin into Henan and Handan counties, directly facing the waiting army of Zhang Han. To rescue Zhao in the north, we must first fight against Zhang Han's army. Such action cannot lift the siege of Julu, but also falls into the Qin army's net, violating common military sense, difficult to understand, and impossible to explain. I am perplexed and puzzled, don't know what to do.

  After returning from the inspection, I read Mr. Xinderong's new book "New Geography of the Battle of Julu" and felt refreshed. Mr. Xin is a new expert in historical geography, he reviewed various theories and inferred that Anyang was located in the present-day Dongping area of Shandong Province. From this, he further deduced that when Xiang Yu led the Chu army to rescue Zhao by crossing the Yellow River, they did not go west through East County's Anyang and cross at Baima Ford, but instead went north through Jibei County and crossed at Pingyuan Ford. Considering the seven countries of the Warring States period revived after the war, Xiang Yu's army did not pass through Wei State to the west, but rather passed through Qi State to the north to rescue Zhao. The inference about Anyang's geographical location may still require verification, but the view that Xiang Yu went north through Qi State and crossed the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford has probably become an established theory.

  Regarding the historical context of the Battle of Julu, no one has ever noticed the influence and role of the State of Qi. I have already described in my article that after Li Liang's betrayal and the collapse of the Zhao state regime, King Tian Dan of Qi sent General Tian Jian to lead his army across the Yellow River into Zhao to support the establishment of the new regime of Zhao Xie. The establishment of the new regime relied heavily on this. General Tian Jian's army crossed the Yellow River from Qi into Zhao, and should have taken the route through Jibei Commandery and Pingyuan Ford. After the establishment of the new regime, instead of using the old capital Handan, it was built in Xindu in the north, and when the Qin army approached, the king and ministers of Zhao abandoned Xindu and retreated to Julu to defend against the enemy, all of which were related to relying on Qi's support. Xindu is adjacent to Julu, and Julu is connected to Jibei Commandery in Qi through Pingyuan Ford. The line from Xindu, Julu, Pingyuan Ford, and Jibei became a thoroughfare for travel between Zhao and Qi. It was a reasonable choice for Xiang Yu to lead the Chu army into Qi via Pingyuan Ford across the Yellow River.

  Xiang Yu's army crossed the river to rescue Zhao, and received support from two branches of the Qi state army. One branch was led by Tian An, and the other was led by Tian Dou. Tian An's army joined Xiang Yu's camp after occupying part of Jibei Commandery and crossing the river together to rescue Zhao. The location where Tian Dou's army joined Xiang Yu's camp is estimated to be in Jibei Commandery as well. Due to the cooperation between Tian An and Tian Dou, Xiang Yu's army smoothly entered Qi state's Jibei Commandery from Pingyuan Ford across the Yellow River, which was also a favorable time and place for them.

  Xiang Yu led the Chu army to Pingyuanjin, crossing the Yellow River. The city of Julu was still over 300 miles away, with the rivers Wen and Zhang separating them. Especially the Zhang River, which originated from the Taihang Mountains, flowed eastward through Quzhou County in Hebei Province, taking the old course of the Yellow River, and then turned northeast to flow past Julu, becoming another natural barrier for Xiang Yu's army to reach Julu west of the Yellow River.

  Facing the two natural barriers of the Yellow River and the Zhang River, how Xiang Yu's army crossed the river to rescue Zhao became a famous story and a case in history. The "Records of the Grand Historian - Biography of Xiang Yu" describes Xiang Yu crossing the river to rescue Zhao: "Xiang Yu had already killed Ying Crown Prince (Song Yi), shaking the state of Chu, and his name was known among the feudal lords. He then sent Dangyang Jun (Ying Bu) and Pu Jiangjun with 20,000 soldiers to cross the river and rescue Julu. The battle was slightly advantageous, and Chen Yu asked for more troops again. Xiang Yu then led all his troops to cross the river, sinking their ships, breaking their cauldrons, burning their houses, and holding only three days' worth of rations, to show his soldiers that they must fight to the death, with no intention of returning."

  This is the origin of the idiom "break the cauldron and sink the boat".

  However, the river that Xiang Yu's army crossed to rescue Zhao was actually which river? Since Sima Qian only used the word "river" in his writing, some people say it was the Zhang River, while others claim it was the Yellow River, making it a historically debated case. I read the famous historical geographer Tan Qixiang's book "The Lower Reaches of the Yellow River before the Western Han Dynasty", and only then did I understand the geographical layout of the Zhang River, Wen River, and Yellow River during the Battle of Julu. Based on this, I re-read the Records of the Grand Historian and roughly restored a coherent picture of the military situation during the Battle of Julu.

  As Tan Qixiang said, before the Tang and Song dynasties, "river" was a special term for the Yellow River and not used to refer to other waterways. However, the Yellow River was also called "river", and its old course could also be called "river". At that time, the Zhang River flowing through Julu was actually an old course of the Yellow River, so it naturally retained the old name "river".

  According to this analysis, Xiang Yu's army had to cross two "rivers" when they went to rescue Zhao. The first one was the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and if they did not win within three days, there would be no chance of survival, so everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles against the Qin army, winning every time, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, and capturing their camps. The Qin army's commander Wang Li was captured, his deputy Su Jia was killed, and another deputy general Shi Jian was surrounded by the Chu army and refused to surrender, burning himself to death.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied forces from other states did not dare to move lightly and watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the plains outside Julu City, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were clear, and their drums were in order. In the midst of the rolling dust, the Chu army's soldiers shouted loudly, shaking the heavens and the earth, everyone fought bravely, and the Qin army was defeated.

  The Qin army's formation retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their generals were beheaded. The battle began at dawn, and by noon, the outcome was decided. By mid-afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was doomed to defeat.

  The allied forces from other states, who had been watching from the walls, finally came to their senses and opened their camps to join forces with the Chu army in attacking the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the Dead Soldiers" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the Dead Soldiers" and recite it to mourn the Qin soldiers who died for their country. Looking back on history, I wonder what was the point of it all in the end? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals, trembling with fear, traversed the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, and arrived at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling in reverence. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously elected him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army generals and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army generals and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the heroic spirits of those who died for their country could meet again in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six nations were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South" to mourn the Qin army officers and soldiers who died for their country.

  Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Song Yi's army set out from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu, and stationed in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in today's southwestern Henan Province, which was then part of the Henan Prefecture.

  However, another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in today's eastern Shandong Province, which was then part of the Dongguo Prefecture. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's view, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  However, the river that Xiang Yu's army crossed to rescue Zhao was actually which river? Since Sima Qian only used the word "river" in his writing, some people say it was the Zhang River, while others claim it was the Yellow River, making it a historically debated case. I read the famous historical geographer Tan Qixiang's book "The Lower Reaches of the Yellow River before the Western Han Dynasty", and only then did I understand the geographical layout of the Zhang River, Wen River, and Yellow River during the Battle of Julu. Based on this, I re-read the Records of the Grand Historian and roughly restored a coherent picture of the military situation during the Battle of Julu.

  As Tan Qixiang said, before the Tang and Song dynasties, "river" was a special term for the Yellow River and not used to refer to other waterways. However, the Yellow River was also called "river", and its old course could also be called "river". At that time, the Zhang River flowing through Julu was actually an old course of the Yellow River, so it naturally retained the old name "river".

  According to this analysis, Xiang Yu's army had to cross two "rivers" when they went to rescue Zhao. The first one was the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and if they did not win within three days, there would be no chance of survival, so everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles against the Qin army, winning every time, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, and capturing their camps. The Qin army's commander Wang Li was captured, his deputy Su Jia was killed, and another deputy general Shi Jian was surrounded by the Chu army and refused to surrender, burning himself to death.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied armies of other states did not dare to move lightly and watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the plains outside Julu City, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were clear, and their drums were in order. In the midst of the rolling dust, the shouts of the Chu army's soldiers shook the heavens, everyone fought bravely, and the Qin army was defeated.

  The Qin army's formation retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their soldiers were beheaded. The battle began at dawn, and by noon, the outcome was decided. By late afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated. The allied armies of other states, who had been watching from the walls, finally realized what was happening and opened their camps to join forces with the Chu army in attacking the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led his troops from Pengcheng to Anyang, where they stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led his troops across the river to rescue Zhao, breaking through the cauldron and sinking the boats, and arrived at Julu City, annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record leaves many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route taken by the Chu army to rescue Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang County. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang County. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals, trembling with fear, traversed the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, and arrived at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling in terror. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously elected him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to come and see him. The generals were all trembling with fear as they walked through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, and came to the camp of Wang Li's army, which was used as the headquarters of the Chu army.

  In the midst of the dust and chaos, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head and look up at him.

  After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army. Xiang Yu was a brave and fearless military genius. When Chen Yu's envoy came again to ask for troops, he decided to concentrate his forces and first engage in a decisive battle with Wang Li's army.

  Wang Li's army was the elite force of the Qin army, which had been stationed in the north for a long time and had defeated the Xiongnu under the command of General Meng Tian. At the end of the Qin dynasty, it had been fighting against the armies of Zhao, Yan, and Qi north of the Yellow River and was the main force besieging Julu.

  However, when the Chu army inserted itself between Wang Li's army and Zhang Han's army, Wang Li's army's supply lines were cut off, and it found itself in a disadvantageous position surrounded by the allied forces. Xiang Yu seized the opportunity and ordered Ying Bu and Pu to hold their ground firmly and prevent Zhang Han's army from breaking through and linking up with Wang Li's army.

  He himself led the main force of the Chu army and crossed the Zhang River. After crossing the river, Xiang Yu made a decision that shocked the entire army and would go down in history. He ordered all soldiers to prepare three days' worth of dry rations, then had all the boats burned and the tents destroyed, and even smashed all the cooking utensils, cutting off their line of retreat and declaring to the whole army that they would either win quickly or die.

  Xiang Yu was a brave and fearless military genius. When Chen Yu's envoy came again to ask for troops, he decided to concentrate his forces and first engage in a decisive battle with Wang Li's army. Wang Li's army was the elite force of the Qin army, which had been stationed in the north for a long time and had defeated the Xiongnu under the command of General Meng Tian.

  At the end of the Qin dynasty, it had been fighting against the armies of Zhao, Yan, and Qi north of the Yellow River and was the main force besieging Julu. However, when the Chu army inserted itself between Wang Li's army and Zhang Han's army, Wang Li's army's supply lines were cut off, and it found itself in a disadvantageous position surrounded by the allied forces.

  Xiang Yu seized the opportunity and ordered Ying Bu and Pu to hold their ground firmly and prevent Zhang Han's army from breaking through and linking up with Wang Li's army. He himself led the main force of the Chu army and crossed the Zhang River. After crossing the river, Xiang Yu made a decision that shocked the entire army and would go down in history.

  He ordered all soldiers to prepare three days' worth of dry rations, then had all the boats burned and the tents destroyed, and even smashed all the cooking utensils, cutting off their line of retreat and declaring to the whole army that they would either win quickly or die.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and except for winning within three days, there was no possibility of survival. Everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles against the Qin army, winning every time.

  They broke through the Qin army's defenses, took their strongholds, and captured Wang Li, the commander-in-chief of the Qin army. Su Jia, the deputy commander, was killed, and another deputy commander, She Jian, was surrounded by the Chu army and refused to surrender, so he was also killed.

  On the battlefield, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were fluttering in the wind, their drums beating loudly. In the midst of the dust and chaos, the soldiers' shouts shook the heavens, everyone fighting bravely and killing the Qin soldiers.

  The Qin army's formations retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their soldiers were beheaded. The battle began at dawn, and by noon, the outcome was clear. By mid-afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated.

  The allied forces, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally realized what was happening and opened their camps to join in the attack on the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the Dead Soldiers" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the Dead Soldiers" and recite it to mourn the Qin soldiers who died for their country. Looking back on history, I wonder what was the point of it all in the end? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henan Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  I have sorted out the history up to this point, carefully examined the documents, and repeatedly compared ancient and modern maps. I had doubts about Yan Shigu and Sima Zhen's statements. When I actually went to Anyang, Linzhang, and Cheng'an to investigate, I immediately ruled out Yan Shigu's statement. During the Battle of Julu, Henan Anyang was west of the Yellow River, and south of the banks of the Huan and Zhan rivers. The Henan Prefecture where Anyang is located has been firmly guarded by the Qin army since the end of the Qin dynasty, with its western side relying on the Hedong Prefecture to connect with Guanzhong, and its southern side leaning against the Sanchuan Prefecture to supply food to Ao Cang, which was the most stable strategic base of the Qin Empire in northern Henan. Zhang Han killed Xiang Liang in Dingtao because he received reinforcements from Henan who crossed the river. Zhang Han broke through Handan and moved the people of Handan to Henan, also relying on the stability of Henan. When Wang Li's army besieged Julu, Zhang Han's main camp was in the Anyang area of Henan, with 200,000 troops densely arrayed and strictly guarding against possible reinforcements from the vassal states. Song Yi led the Chu army across the Yellow River to Henan Anyang, and was able to stay for over 40 days without any battles, going out to drink and have a grand feast. Based on the geographical situation, it is absolutely impossible.

  Dongjun Anyang is east of the Yellow River, and from here to cross the Yellow River, the nearest crossing point is 300 miles away at Baima Jin (now Henan Huaxian), after crossing Baima Jin into Henan and Handan counties, directly facing the waiting army of Zhang Han. To rescue Zhao in the north, we must first fight against Zhang Han's army. Such an action cannot lift the siege of Julu, but also falls into the Qin army's net, violating common military sense, difficult to understand, and impossible to explain. I am perplexed and puzzled, don't know what to do.

  After returning from the inspection, I read Mr. Xinderong's new book "New Geography of the Battle of Julu" and felt refreshed. Mr. Xin is a new expert in historical geography, he reviewed various theories and inferred that Anyang was located in the eastern part of Shandong Province, and further deduced that when Xiang Yu led the Chu army to rescue Zhao by crossing the Yellow River, it was not going west through Dongguan Anyang to cross the White Horse Ford, but rather going north through Jibei County to cross the Pingyuan Ford. From the perspective of the seven countries of the Warring States period that revived after the war, Xiang Yu's army did not go west through the State of Wei, but rather went north through the State of Qi to rescue Zhao. The inference about Anyang's geographical location may still need verification, but the view that Xiang Yu went north through Qi and crossed the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford is probably an established theory.

  Regarding the historical context of the Battle of Julu, no one has ever noticed the influence and role of the State of Qi. I have already described in my article that after Li Liang's betrayal and the collapse of the Zhao state regime, King Tian Dan of Qi sent General Tian Jian to lead his army across the Yellow River into Zhao to support the establishment of the new regime of Zhao Xie. The establishment of the new regime relied heavily on this. General Tian Jian's army crossed the Yellow River from Qi into Zhao, and should have taken the route through Jibei Commandery and Pingyuan Pass. After the establishment of the new regime, instead of using the old capital Handan, it was built in Xindu in the north, and when the Qin army approached, the king and ministers of Zhao abandoned Xindu and retreated to Julu, all of which were related to relying on Qi's support. Xindu is adjacent to Julu, and Julu is connected to Jibei Commandery in Qi through Pingyuan Pass. The line from Xindu, Julu, Pingyuan Pass, and Jibei became a thoroughfare for travel between Zhao and Qi. It was a reasonable choice for Xiang Yu to lead the Chu army into Qi via Pingyuan Pass across the Yellow River.

  Xiang Yu's army crossed the river to rescue Zhao, and received support from two branches of the Qi state army. One branch was led by Tian An, and the other by Tian Dou. Tian An's army joined Xiang Yu's camp after occupying part of Jibei Commandery and crossing the river together to rescue Zhao. It is estimated that Tian Dou's army also joined Xiang Yu's camp in Jibei Commandery. With the cooperation of Tian An and Tian Dou, Xiang Yu's army smoothly entered Qi state's Jibei Commandery from Pingyuan Ford across the Yellow River, which was a perfect combination of heaven, earth and human factors.

  Xiang Yu led the Chu army to Pingyuanjin, crossing the Yellow River. The city of Julu was still over 300 miles away, with the rivers Wen and Zhang separating them. Especially the Zhang River, which originated from the Taihang Mountains, flowed eastward through Quzhou County in Hebei Province, taking the old course of the Yellow River, and then turned northeast to flow past Julu, becoming another natural barrier for Xiang Yu's army to reach Julu west of the Yellow River.

  Facing the two natural barriers of the Yellow River and the Zhang River, how Xiang Yu's army crossed the river to rescue Zhao became a famous story and a debated case in history. The "Records of the Grand Historian - Biography of Xiang Yu" describes Xiang Yu crossing the river to rescue Zhao: "Xiang Yu had already killed Yingbu (Song Yi), shaking the state of Chu, and his name was known among the feudal lords. He then sent Dangyangjun (Ying Bu) and Pu Jiangjun with 20,000 soldiers to cross the river and rescue Julu. The battle was slightly advantageous, and Chen Yu asked for more troops again. Xiang Yu then led all his troops to cross the river, sinking their ships, breaking their cauldrons, burning their houses, and holding only three days' worth of rations, to show his soldiers that they must fight to the death, with no intention of returning."

  This is the origin of the idiom "break the cauldron and sink the boat".

  However, the river that Xiang Yu's army crossed to rescue Zhao was actually which river? Since Sima Qian only used the word "river" in his writing, some people say it was the Zhang River, while others claim it was the Yellow River, making it a historically debated case. I read the famous historical geographer Tan Qixiang's book "The Lower Reaches of the Yellow River before the Western Han Dynasty", and only then did I understand the geographical layout of the Zhang River, Wen River, and Yellow River during the Battle of Julu. Based on this, I re-read the Records of the Grand Historian and roughly restored a coherent picture of the military situation during the Battle of Julu.

  As Tan Qixiang said, before the Tang and Song dynasties, "river" was a special term for the Yellow River and not used to refer to other waterways. However, the Yellow River was also called "river", and its old course could also be called "river". At that time, the Zhang River flowing through Julu was actually an old course of the Yellow River, so it naturally retained the old name "river".

  According to this analysis, Xiang Yu's army had to cross two "rivers" when they went to rescue Zhao. The first one was the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and if they did not win within three days, there would be no chance of survival, so everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles against the Qin army, winning every time, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, and capturing their camps. The Qin army's commander Wang Li was captured, his deputy Su Jia was killed, and another deputy, She Jian, was surrounded by the Chu army and refused to surrender, burning himself to death.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied armies of other states did not dare to move lightly and watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the plains outside Julu City, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were clear, and their drums were in order. In the midst of the rolling dust, the shouts of the Chu army's soldiers shook the heavens, everyone fought bravely, and the Qin army was defeated.

  The Qin army's formation retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their soldiers were beheaded. The battle began at dawn, and by noon, the outcome was decided. By late afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated. The allied armies of other states, who had been watching from the walls, finally realized what was happening and opened their camps to join forces with the Chu army in attacking the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Xiang Yu led the army from Pengcheng to Anyang, where they stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to the incident of Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, breaking through the cauldron and sinking the boats, and arrived at Julu City, annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record leaves many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals trembled with fear as they traversed the battlefield littered with piles of corpses and rivers of blood, arriving at the grand camp of Wang Li, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty chaos and flashing blades, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling in terror. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations between the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major issue. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Xiang Yu led the army from Pengcheng to Anyang, where they stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to the incident of Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, breaking through the cauldron and sinking the boats, and arrived at Julu City, annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu military officers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South" and recite it to mourn the Qin military officers who died for their country. Looking back on history, I wonder what was the point of it all in the end? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Song Yi's army set out from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu, but stopped at Anyang without advancing further. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route taken by the Chu army to rescue Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in what is now southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of the Henan Commandery's Anyang County.

  Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in what is now eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of the Dong Commandery's Anyang County. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  However, the river that Xiang Yu's army crossed to rescue Zhao was actually which river? Since Sima Qian only used the word "river" in his writing, some people say it was the Zhang River, while others claim it was the Yellow River, making it a historically debated case. I read the famous historical geographer Tan Qixiang's book "The Lower Reaches of the Yellow River before the Western Han Dynasty", and only then did I understand the geographical layout of the Zhang River, Wen River, and Yellow River during the Battle of Julu. Based on this, I re-read the Records of the Grand Historian and roughly restored a coherent picture of the military situation during the Battle of Julu.

  As Tan Qixiang said, before the Tang and Song dynasties, "river" was a special term for the Yellow River, not used to refer to other waterways. However, the Yellow River was also called "river", and its old course could also be called "river". At that time, the Zhang River flowing through Julu was actually an old course of the Yellow River, so it naturally retained the old name "river".

  According to this analysis, Xiang Yu's army had to cross two "rivers" when they went to rescue Zhao. The first one was the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and if they did not win within three days, there would be no chance of survival, so everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles with the Qin army, winning every time, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, capturing their strongholds, and killing or capturing many of their generals.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied forces from other states did not dare to move lightly, but instead watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the plains outside Julu city, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were clear, their drums were loud, and their soldiers' shouts shook the heavens.

  The Qin army's formations retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their generals were killed or captured. The battle began at dawn, and by noon, the outcome was decided. By mid-afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated.

  The allied forces from other states, who had been watching from the walls of their camps, finally realized what was happening and opened their gates to join the battle, coordinating with the Chu army to attack the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route taken by the Chu army to rescue Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang County. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang County. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals, trembling with fear, traversed the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, and arrived at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling in reverence. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states submitted to Xiang Yu's authority, unanimously recommending him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals, still shaken by the battle, made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the camp of Wang Li, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered all the generals of various countries to come and see him. The generals were all trembling with fear as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses piled up like mountains and blood flowing like rivers, and arrived at Wang Li's military camp which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. In the midst of the dusty battlefield and under the flashing lights of swords, all the generals who entered the camp gate bowed down to their knees in fear and trepidation. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift up his head. After this battle, all the generals of various countries were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces of various countries.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major issue. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Xiang Yu led the army from Pengcheng to Anyang, where they stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to the incident of Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, breaking through the cauldron and sinking the boats, and arrived at Julu City, annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record leaves many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals trembled with fear as they traversed the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, arriving at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate without fail, bowing their heads in reverence and terror. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously elected him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major issue. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, breaking through the cauldron and sinking the boats, arriving at Julu City, and annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record leaves many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six nations were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals trembled with fear as they traversed the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, arriving at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate without fail, bowing their heads in reverence and terror. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states submitted to Xiang Yu's authority, unanimously recommending him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin soldiers who died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major issue. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, breaking through the cauldron and sinking the boats, arriving at Julu City, and annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henan Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals, still shaken by the battle, made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the camp of Wang Li, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to look up at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals, trembling with fear, traversed the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, and arrived at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling in terror. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously elected him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke his cauldrons and sank his boats, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record leaves many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major issue. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, breaking through the cauldron and sinking the boats, arriving at Julu City, and annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu military officers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South" and recite it to mourn the Qin military officers who died for their country. Looking back on history, I wonder what was the point of it all in the end? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Song Yi's army set out from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu, but stopped at Anyang without advancing further. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route taken by the Chu army to rescue Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in what is now southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of the Henan Commandery's Anyang County.

  Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in what is now eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of the Dong Commandery's Anyang County. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's view, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the heroic spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  However, the river that Xiang Yu's army crossed to rescue Zhao was actually which river? Since Sima Qian only used the word "river" in his writing, some people say it was the Zhang River, while others claim it was the Yellow River, making it a historically debated case. I read the famous historical geographer Tan Qixiang's book "The Lower Reaches of the Yellow River before the Western Han Dynasty", and only then did I understand the geographical layout of the Zhang River, Wen River, and Yellow River during the Battle of Julu. Based on this, I re-read the Records of the Grand Historian and roughly restored a coherent picture of the military situation during the Battle of Julu.

  As Tan Qixiang said, before the Tang and Song dynasties, "river" was a special term for the Yellow River, not used to refer to other waterways. However, the Yellow River was also called "river", and its old course could also be called "river". At that time, the Zhang River flowing through Julu was actually an old course of the Yellow River, so it naturally retained the old name "river".

  According to this analysis, Xiang Yu's army had to cross two "rivers" when they went to rescue Zhao. The first one was the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and if they did not win within three days, there would be no chance of survival, so everyone vowed to fight to the death. The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles with the Qin army, winning every time, breaking through the Qin army's defenses, capturing their strongholds, and killing or capturing many of their generals.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied forces from other states did not dare to move lightly, but instead watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the plains outside Julu city, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were clear, their drums were loud, and their soldiers' shouts shook the heavens as they fought bravely against the Qin army.

  The Qin army's formations retreated step by step, their camps were set on fire one after another, and their generals were killed or captured. The battle began at dawn, and by noon, the outcome was clear. By mid-afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated.

  The allied forces from other states, who had been watching from the walls of their camps, finally realized what was happening and opened their gates to join the battle, attacking the retreating Qin army together with the Chu army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations between the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts. After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various nations to be summoned, and the generals trembled with fear, crossed the battlefield where corpses were piled up like mountains and blood flowed like rivers, and came to the camp of Wang Li's army, which was used as the headquarters of the Chu army. In the dusty and bloody scene, when the generals entered the gate of the camp, they all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to raise their head. After this battle, the generals of various nations were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army of the six nations.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look up at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations of the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major issue. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Xiang Yu led the army from Pengcheng to Anyang, where they stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to the incident of Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, breaking through the cauldron and sinking the boats, and arrived at Julu City, annihilating Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record leaves many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals, trembling with fear, traversed the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, and arrived at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling in terror. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously elected him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers who died for their country. Looking back on history, thinking about it afterwards, what was it all for in the end? If the heroic spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henan Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to come and see him. The generals were all trembling with fear as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the camp of Wang Li, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. In the midst of the dust and under the flashing lights of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed down on their knees in reverence and awe. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their heads up to look at him.

  After this battle, the generals of various countries were all deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended that he be made the commander-in-chief of the allied forces. The Song Yi army set out from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu, and stationed itself in Anyang without advancing further. The location of Anyang is a key to understanding the route taken by the Chu army when it went to rescue Zhao.

  The Tang dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in what is now southwestern Henan province's Anyang city, which was then part of the Henan prefecture. Another Tang dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in what is now eastern Shandong province's Cao county, which was then part of the Dongguo prefecture.

  Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's view, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the heroic spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route taken by the Chu army to rescue Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang County. However, another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, thought that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang County. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle ended, Xiang Yu issued an order to summon the military leaders of various states. The generals, trembling with fear, traversed the battlefield littered with piles of corpses and rivers of blood, arriving at Wang Li's camp, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty chaos and flashing sword lights, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads and kneeling in terror. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head.

  Following this battle, the military leaders of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located east of present-day Cao County in Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South" to mourn the Qin army officers and soldiers who died for their country.

  Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Song Yi's army set out from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu, but stopped at Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route taken by the Chu army to rescue Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in what is now southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of the Henan Commandery.

  Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in what is now eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of the Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's view, without reaching a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army generals who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South" to mourn the Qin army generals who died for their country.

  Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army generals who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South" to mourn the Qin army generals who died for their country.

  Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  However, the river that Xiang Yu's army crossed, which river was it exactly? Because Sima Qian only used the word "river" to describe it, some people say it was the Zhang River, while others say it was the Yellow River. This has become a famous unsolved case in historical studies.

  I read the famous historical geographer Tan Qixiang's book "The Lower Reaches of the Yellow River Before the Western Han Dynasty", and only then did I understand the geographical layout of the Zhang River, Wen River, and Yellow River during the Battle of Julu. Based on this, I re-read "The Records of the Grand Historian" and gained a deeper understanding of the military situation during the Battle of Julu.

  As Tan Qixiang said, before the Tang and Song dynasties, the word "river" was specifically used to refer to the Yellow River, and not other waterways. However, the Yellow River could also be referred to as "river", and its old course could also be called "river". At that time, the Zhang River flowing through Julu was actually an old course of the Yellow River, so it naturally retained the old name "river".

  Based on this understanding, Xiang Yu's army needed to cross two "rivers" when they went to rescue Zhao. The first river was the Yellow River at Pingyuan Ford.

  The Chu army broke their cauldrons and sank their boats, and if they did not win within three days, there would be no chance of survival. Everyone vowed to fight to the death.

  The Chu army approached Julu and launched a fierce attack on Wang Li's army. Within one day, the Chu army fought nine battles against the Qin army, winning each time. They broke through the Qin army's defenses, captured their strongholds, and killed or captured many of their generals.

  When the Chu army attacked Wang Li's army, the allied armies from other states did not dare to move lightly, and instead watched from the outer walls of their camps. On the plains outside Julu city, under the blue sky and white clouds, the Chu army's flags were fluttering in the wind, and their drums were beating loudly.

  In the midst of the dust and smoke, the Chu army's soldiers were shouting and killing the Qin army. The Qin army's formations were collapsing, their camps were being set on fire, and their soldiers were being beheaded.

  The battle began at dawn, and by noon, the outcome was clear. By late afternoon, the Chu army had won a great victory, and Wang Li's army was defeated.

  The allied armies from other states, who had been watching from the walls, finally realized what was happening and opened their camps to join forces with the Chu army and attack the retreating Qin army.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and under the glint of swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be gathered from within the country. Under the situation where Qin and the six nations were engaged in a fierce struggle and the internal relations between the six nations were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would take was naturally a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the troops across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one battle. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts. After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various nations to be summoned, and the generals trembled with fear, crossed the battlefield where corpses were piled up like mountains and blood flowed like rivers, and came to the camp of Wang Li's army, which was used as the headquarters of the Chu army. In the dusty and bloody scene, when the generals entered the gate of the camp, they all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they came before Xiang Yu, no one dared to raise their head. After this battle, the generals of various nations were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army of the six nations.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his troops in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Anyang City, Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's perspective, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered his generals to gather before him. The generals, still shaken by the carnage, made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate, all bowing their heads in fear and trepidation. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to look up at him.

  Following this battle, the generals of various states were deeply intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously elected him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers who died for their country. Looking back on history, thinking about it afterwards, what was it all for in the end? If the heroic spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the large camp of Wang Li's army which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. Amidst the dust and flashing swords, the generals who entered the camp gate all bowed their heads and kneeled down in fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him. After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied army.

  Qu Yuan's "The Lament for the South" is a sacrificial song, written two thousand years ago to mourn the Chu army officers and soldiers who died for their country. Two thousand years later, I read "The Lament for the South", mourning the Qin army officers and soldiers who also died for their country. Looking back on history, it seems that in the end, what was it all for? If the spirits of those who died for their country could meet in heaven, they would join hands and sing together.

  Before the Battle of Julu, in order to rescue Zhao, Chu mobilized all the troops that could be mobilized at home. In the situation where Qin and the six countries were fighting to the death and the internal relations of the six countries were complex, how the Chu army would rescue Zhao and by what route they would rescue Zhao was a major problem. However, Sima Qian simply narrated the event, saying that Song Yi led the army from Pengcheng, marched to Anyang, stayed for 46 days without advancing, which led to Xiang Yu killing Song Yi. After Xiang Yu took command of the Chu army, he led the army across the river to rescue Zhao, broke through the cauldron and sank the boat, arrived at Julu City, and annihilated Wang Li's army in one fell swoop. The overly simple record left many unresolved doubts.

  Song Yijun departed from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu State, and stationed his army in Anyang without advancing. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route of the Chu army's rescue of Zhao. Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was west of the Yellow River, roughly southwest of present-day Anyang City in Henan Province, which was then part of Henei Commandery's Anyang. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day Cao County, Shandong Province, which was then part of Dong Commandery's Anyang. Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, without a consensus.

  After the battle, Xiang Yu ordered the generals of various countries to meet with him. The generals were all nervous and fearful as they made their way through the battlefield littered with corpses and blood, to the camp of Wang Li, which served as the headquarters of the Chu army. In the midst of the dusty and bloody scene, the generals entered the camp gate with their heads bowed and bodies trembling with fear. When they arrived before Xiang Yu, no one dared to lift their head to look at him.

  After this battle, the generals of various countries were all intimidated by Xiang Yu and unanimously recommended him as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces. The Song Yi army set out from Pengcheng, the capital of Chu, and stationed in Anyang without advancing further. The location of Anyang is crucial to understanding the route taken by the Chu army to rescue Zhao.

  The Tang Dynasty scholar Yan Shigu believed that Anyang was located west of the Yellow River, roughly in present-day southwestern Henan Province's Anyang City, which was then part of the Henan Commandery. Another Tang Dynasty scholar, Sima Zhen, believed that Anyang was east of the Yellow River, located in present-day eastern Shandong Province's Cao County, which was then part of the Dong Commandery.

  Scholars throughout history have either followed Yan Shigu's view or Sima Zhen's opinion, with no consensus on the matter.