| 楚汉战争 | Chǔ Hàn Zhàn zhēng | Chu-Han Contention (206-202 BC), power struggle between Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] of Han and Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽[Xiang4 Yu3] of Chu |
| 暗渡陈仓 | àn dù Chén cāng | lit. secretly crossing the Wei River 渭河[Wei4 He2] at Chencang (idiom, refers to a stratagem used by Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] in 206 BC against Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽[Xiang4 Yu3] of Chu) / fig. to feign one thing while doing another / to cheat under cover of a diversion |
| 鸿门宴 | Hóng mén yàn | Hongmen feast / (fig.) banquet set up with the aim of murdering a guest / refers to a famous episode in 206 BC when future Han emperor Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] escaped attempted murder by his rival Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽[Xiang4 Yu3] |
| 明修栈道，暗渡陈仓 | míng xiū zhàn dào , àn dù Chén cāng | lit. repair the plank road by day while secretly crossing the Wei River 渭河[Wei4 He2] at Chencang (idiom, refers to a stratagem used by Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] in 206 BC against Xiang Yu 項羽|项羽[Xiang4 Yu3] of Chu) / fig. to feign one thing while doing another / to cheat under cover of a diversion |
| 刘邦 | Liú Bāng | Liu Bang (256 or 247-195 BC), bandit leader who became first Han emperor Han Gaozu 漢高祖|汉高祖 (reigned 202-195 BC) |
| 项庄舞剑，意在沛公 | Xiàng Zhuāng wǔ jiàn , yì zài Pèi gōng | lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] (idiom); refers to 206 BC plot to murder Liu Bang, aka Duke of Pei 沛公[Pei4 gong1] and the future Han emperor, during a sword dance at the Hongmen feast 鴻門宴|鸿门宴[Hong2 men2 yan4] / an elaborate deception to hide malicious intent |
| 韩信 | Hán Xìn | Han Xin (-196 BC), famous general of first Han emperor Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] |
| 项庄舞剑 | Xiàng Zhuāng wǔ jiàn | lit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] (idiom, refers to plot to kill Liu Bang during the Hongmen feast 鴻門宴|鸿门宴[Hong2 men2 yan4] in 206 BC) / fig. an elaborate deception hiding malicious intent |
| 萧何 | Xiāo Hé | Xiao He (-193 BC), famous strategist and chancellor, fought on Liu Bang's 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] side during the Chu-Han Contention 楚漢戰爭|楚汉战争[Chu3 Han4 Zhan4 zheng1] |
| 沛公 | Pèi gōng | Duke of Pei (i.e. 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1]) |
| 汉高祖 | Hàn Gāo zǔ | posthumous name of the first Han emperor Liu Bang 劉邦|刘邦 (256 or 247-195 BC), reigned 202-195 BC |
| 曹参 | Cáo Cān | Cao Can (-190 BC), second chancellor of Han Dynasty, contributed to its founding by fighting on Liu Bang's 劉邦|刘邦[Liu2 Bang1] side during the Chu-Han Contention 楚漢戰爭|楚汉战争[Chu3 Han4 Zhan4 zheng1] / also pr. [Cao2 Shen1] |