Chinese Æsop:

[Xiang Yu's troops] came to Han'gu Pass in former Qin territory. The pass was guarded by (Liu Bang's) soldiers so [Xiang Yu] could not get through. Apart from this, it was said that Pei Gong (namely Liu Bang) had already occupied Xian Yang city. Xiang Yu hence got fiercely angry, so he ordered Lord Dang Yang to attack the pass. Then he got through the pass and marched to Xixi. Pei Gong's troops were stationed in Bashang; he did not have the chance to meet Xiang Yu. A military officer of Pei Gong, Cao Wushang, secretly sent a messenger to Xiang Yu, saying: "Pei Gong intends to be king of Guanzhong, with Zi Ying as prime minister, and possess all the treasures of Qin." Xiang Yu broke out in a rage, and said: "Prepare my soldiers tomorrow morning. I will destroy Pei Gong's army!" At that time, Xiang Yu had 400,000 men stationed in Hongmen, Pei Gong had 100,000 men in Bashang. Fan Zeng said to Xiang Yu: "When Pei Gong was in Shandong, he was ver...

Chang Liang, Marquis of Liu, dealt a blow at Ch'in Shih Huang Ti with a club, but by mistake hit one of the chariots of his retinue. Ch'in Shih Huang Ti, infuriated, gave orders to search for Chang Liang everywhere, but he changed his name and concealed himself in Hsia-pei, where he had always leisure to stroll about at pleasure. Up the river Sse, there was an old man in coarse clothes, who came to Chang Liang's place. He had just lost one shoe down the river, therefore he said to Chang Liang, " Go down, and fetch me my shoe, my boy." — Chang Liang grew angry, and was going to give him a beating, but noticing, how strong the old man looked, be repressed bis feelings, and went down to fetch the shoe, which he offered him on his knees. The old man slipped it on his foot, and went away laughing. Chang Liang felt greatly excited. When the old man had gone to about a Li's distance, he returned. "You can be taught, my boy," be said, "Five days hen...

Po Yi and Shu Ch'i were elder and younger sons of the ruler of Ku-chu. Their father wished to set up Shu Ch’i as his heir but, when he died, Shu Ch’i yielded in favor of his elder borther Po Yi. Po Yi replied that it had been their father’s wish that Shu Ch’i should inherit the throne and so he departed from the state. Shu Ch’i like wise, being unwilling to accept the rule, went away and the people of the state set up a middle brother as ruler. At this time Po Yi and Shu Ch’i heard that Ch’ang, the Chief of the West, was good at looking after old people, and they said, “Why not go and follow him?” But when they had gone they found that the Chief of the West was dead and his son, King Wu, had taken up the ancestral tablet of his father, whom he honored with the posthumous title of King Wen, and was marching east to attack the emperor of the Yin dynasty. Po Yi and Shu Ch’i clutched the reins of King Wu’s horse and reprimanded him, saying, “The mourning for your father not yet complet...