Feast at Swan Goose Gate facts for kids
The Feast at Swan Goose Gate, also called the Hongmen Banquet, was a very important historical event. It happened in 206 BC at a place called Hong Gate, near Xianyang. Xianyang was the capital city of the Qin dynasty in ancient China. Today, this area is in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.
The two main people at this feast were Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. They were both powerful leaders who led rebellions against the Qin dynasty. This feast was a key moment in their struggle for power. It happened just before a big civil war called the Chu–Han Contention. This war ended with Xiang Yu's defeat and Liu Bang becoming the first emperor of the new Han dynasty.
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Why the Feast Happened: The Background Story
From 209 BC to 206 BC, many rebellions broke out across China. People wanted to overthrow the Qin dynasty. Some rebel groups wanted to bring back the old states that the Qin state had taken over. Liu Bang and Xiang Yu became two of the most important rebel leaders.
In 208 BC, Xiang Yu and his uncle, Xiang Liang, put King Huai II in charge of the Chu state. But Xiang Yu and his uncle were the real rulers. After Xiang Liang died in battle, King Huai II took control of the Chu army. He sent Xiang Yu and Liu Bang to lead separate armies to attack the Qin capital region, Guanzhong. King Huai II promised that whoever reached Guanzhong first would become its "King."
In late 207 BC, Liu Bang's army won a battle at Wu Pass. They then took control of Guanzhong and the Qin capital, Xianyang. The last Qin emperor, Ziying, gave up to Liu Bang. This marked the end of the Qin dynasty. After taking Xianyang, Liu Bang told his soldiers not to steal or harm anyone. He also sent troops to guard Hangu Pass. This was to stop Xiang Yu from entering Guanzhong.
Around this time, Xiang Yu's army had just defeated a large Qin army. When Xiang Yu arrived at Hangu Pass, he was upset that Liu Bang had already taken Guanzhong. So, he attacked and captured the pass. He then moved his army close to where Liu Bang's army was. Xiang Yu had about 400,000 soldiers, while Liu Bang had about 100,000.
Before the Feast: A Secret Plan
A person named Cao Wushang, who was on Liu Bang's side, secretly sent a message to Xiang Yu. He told Xiang Yu that Liu Bang planned to declare himself "King of Guanzhong." Cao Wushang also said that Liu Bang had taken all the riches from Xianyang for himself.
Xiang Yu was very angry when he heard this. He planned to attack Liu Bang. Xiang Yu's advisor, Fan Zeng, believed Liu Bang was a threat. He strongly told Xiang Yu to get rid of Liu Bang right away.
However, one of Xiang Yu's uncles, Xiang Bo, was a close friend of Liu Bang's advisor, Zhang Liang. Xiang Bo was worried about his friend. He secretly went to Liu Bang's camp to warn Zhang Liang. He told Zhang Liang to escape. Liu Bang was shocked when Zhang Liang told him the news. He asked Zhang Liang for advice on how to avoid danger.
Zhang Liang told Liu Bang to ask Xiang Bo for help. This would make Xiang Yu less suspicious. Liu Bang met Xiang Bo and treated him with great respect. Liu Bang flattered Xiang Bo and even pretended to arrange a marriage between his son and Xiang Bo's daughter. He asked Xiang Bo to speak to Xiang Yu for him. When Xiang Bo returned to Xiang Yu's camp, he told his nephew that Liu Bang had no bad intentions. He also said that Liu Bang was willing to follow Xiang Yu.
The Feast at Hong Gate
The next day, Liu Bang went with about 100 men to meet Xiang Yu at Hong Gate. Xiang Yu had prepared a big feast for him. Liu Bang explained that he entered Guanzhong first by pure luck. He apologized to Xiang Yu for taking his glory. He also praised Xiang Yu's bravery in battle. Liu Bang said that the misunderstanding was caused by someone trying to create trouble between them. Xiang Yu then said that it was Cao Wushang who told him about Liu Bang's supposed plans. He then invited Liu Bang to join the banquet.
At the feast, everyone sat in a specific way:
- Xiang Yu and Xiang Bo faced east.
- Fan Zeng faced south.
- Liu Bang faced north.
- Zhang Liang faced west.
In Qin customs, the east-facing seat was the most honored. It was usually for the guest. The south-facing seat was for the emperor. His ministers would face north. This seating showed that Xiang Yu saw Liu Bang as someone below him. By taking the north-facing seat, Liu Bang accepted this role. This also showed he would not harm Xiang Yu.
During the banquet, Fan Zeng kept making signals to Xiang Yu. He hinted many times that Xiang Yu should kill Liu Bang. But Xiang Yu ignored him. Fan Zeng then called Xiang Yu's cousin, Xiang Zhuang. He told Xiang Zhuang to pretend to do a sword dance to entertain everyone. His real goal was to find a chance to kill Liu Bang. Xiang Zhuang started dancing after Xiang Yu agreed. But Xiang Bo joined the dance. He used his body to block Xiang Zhuang whenever he moved his sword towards Liu Bang.
Meanwhile, Zhang Liang left the feast. He went outside to call Liu Bang's general, Fan Kuai. He gave Fan Kuai some instructions and then returned to his seat. Fan Kuai then burst into the banquet area. He was not invited, but he was dressed in full armor and carried his sword and shield. He stopped the sword dance and stared at Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu was impressed by Fan Kuai's courage. He asked for his name and called him a "brave warrior." He told his men to give Fan Kuai a cup of wine, which Fan Kuai quickly drank. Xiang Yu then offered Fan Kuai a cut of meat, a pork shoulder. Fan Kuai put the meat on his shield and used his sword to cut off pieces and eat them. Xiang Yu was even more impressed. He asked Fan Kuai if he wanted more wine.
Fan Kuai then gave a long speech. He talked about Liu Bang's achievements. He said it would be wrong for Xiang Yu to kill Liu Bang. He also made it clear that Liu Bang would not challenge Xiang Yu's power.
Fan Kuai said: "I am not afraid to die. A cup of wine is enough for me. The King of Qin was cruel. He killed countless people. This made everyone rebel against him. King Huai had promised all the generals that whoever conquered Qin and entered Xianyang first would be king. Now, Liu Bang has taken Qin and Xianyang. He did not harm the people. Instead, he closed the palace and moved his army to wait for you. He sent troops to guard the passes because there are many bandits around. He has worked so hard, but he has not received any reward. Now, after listening to rumors, you want to kill someone who has done so much. You are following the same path that led to Qin's downfall."
Xiang Yu did not reply. He invited Fan Kuai to join the banquet.
Liu Bang's Escape from Danger
Liu Bang later said he needed to use the restroom. He left the banquet with Fan Kuai. Soon after, Xiang Yu sent Chen Ping to call Liu Bang back to the feast. Liu Bang felt he should say goodbye to Xiang Yu. But Fan Kuai disagreed.
Fan Kuai told Liu Bang: "They are the cleaver and chopping board, and we are the fish and meat."
Fan Kuai was reminding Liu Bang that their lives were in Xiang Yu's hands. They should escape as soon as they had a chance. Fan Kuai then chose a horse for Liu Bang to ride. Liu Bang escaped, with Fan Kuai, Xiahou Ying, Jin Jiang, and Ji Xin walking beside him.
Before escaping, Liu Bang gave Zhang Liang two jade tablets and two jade measuring cups. He told Zhang Liang to give them to Xiang Yu and Fan Zeng. Zhang Liang returned to his seat and gave the gifts to Xiang Yu and Fan Zeng. He apologized for Liu Bang leaving without saying goodbye. Xiang Yu accepted the jade tablets. But Fan Zeng threw the jade cups to the ground. He cut them into pieces with his sword. He predicted that Liu Bang would take the empire from Xiang Yu one day.
Fan Zeng said: "Oh no! This young man is not good enough to plan with me. Liu Bang will definitely be the one who takes the empire from King Xiang. We will all become his prisoners."
After returning to his camp, Liu Bang had Cao Wushang executed for his betrayal.
What Happened Next: The Aftermath
Fan Zeng's prediction came true. In 202 BC, Xiang Yu finally lost to Liu Bang. This power struggle for control over China lasted from 206 BC to 202 BC. It is known as the Chu–Han Contention. Xiang Yu killed himself after his defeat at the Battle of Gaixia. Liu Bang then started the Han dynasty and became its first emperor.
