At the end of the Ch’in dynasty (221-207 B.C.) there was great disorder and confusion in the country. Because of dissatisfaction in the Ch’in despotic rule, one after another, brave men from everywhere rose up in revolution. Among them, the Han King Liu Pang and the great King Hsiang Yu of Western Ch’u were the strongest. In their struggle for the country, both sides fought bitterly against each other for over four years without distinguishing a winner.

     Later, the two kings agreed upon a treaty declaring that the Hung River would act as boundary and that neither side would invade the other. But upon the advise of Chang Liang and Ch’en P’ing, Liu Pang secretly took advantage of the time when Hsiang Yu was withdrawing his troops to take his own troops in, attack and drive the Ch’u forces to Kai-hsia.

    By this time Hsiang Yu’s troop provisions were almost gone and now they were surrounded by the Han forces. The situation was extremely desperate. Liu Pang, however, was a bit fearful of this great King, so he did not immediately throw his troops into action.

    Chang Liang again offered his advice at this time. He suggested the use of psychological warfare and assembled a large group of Han troops to practice singing songs from State of Ch’u. Then on one starless night, Chang Liang played a flute and Han soldiers surrounded the tents of the Ch’u troops to sing mournful songs from Ch’u. The sound resonated and surged. When the Ch’u soldiers heard songs from their homeland coming from all directions, it could not help but induce their feelings of longing for their country. Each of them grieved and wept.

    In hearing the Ch’u songs Hsiang Yu also wept silent tears. When he saw each of his fellow soldiers, who had been with him in so many battles, this dejected and downcast, he lost his ambition to fight to the death.

    Hsiang Yu’s most beloved imperial concubine, Yu-chi, knew that the trend of events could not be reversed; she pulled out a sword and killed herself. At the sight of this, Hsiang Yu felt that he simply could not return to the eastern side of the river and face his elders. Holding the precious saber and riding his black stallion, he broke through the siege surrounding his troops. On the bank of Wu river he lifted the saber and cut his throat.

    Ch’u Songs From All Sides(四面楚歌)-facing hostility, difficulty or frustration on all sides.

(Copy from The Overseas Chinese Library, Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission.The Republic of China)