Classical Prose

鸿门宴(节选)

Hóng mén yàn jié xuǎn

司马迁

Sīmǎ Qiān

Pèi Gōng jūn Bàshàng, wèi dé yǔ Xiàng Yǔ xiāng jiàn.

沛公军霸上,未得与项羽相见。

Pèi Gōng zuǒ sīmǎ Cáo Wúshāng shǐ rén yán yú Xiàng Yǔ yuē: “Pèi Gōng yù wàng Guānzhōng, shǐ Zǐ Yīng wéi xiàng, zhēn bǎo jìn yǒu zhī.”

沛公左司马曹无伤使人言于项羽曰:“沛公欲王关中,使子婴为相,珍宝尽有之。”

Xiàng Yǔ dà nù yuē: “Dàn rì xiǎng shì zú, wèi jī pò Pèi Gōng jūn!”

项羽大怒曰:“旦日飨士卒,为击破沛公军!”

Dāng shì shí, Xiàng Yǔ bīng sì shí wàn, zài Xīnfēng Hóngmén; Pèi Gōng bīng shí wàn, zài Bàshàng.

当是时,项羽兵四十万,在新丰鸿门;沛公兵十万,在霸上。

Fàn Zēng shuì Xiàng Yǔ yuē: “Pèi Gōng jū Shāndōng shí, tān yú cái huò, hào měi jī. Jīn rù Guān, cái wù wú suǒ qǔ, fù nǚ wú suǒ xìng, cǐ qí zhì bù zài xiǎo. Wú lìng rén wàng qí qì, jiē wéi lóng hǔ, chéng wǔ cǎi, cǐ tiān zǐ qì yě. Jí jī wù shī!”

范增说项羽曰:“沛公居山东时,贪于财货,好美姬。今入关,财物无所取,妇女无所幸,此其志不在小。吾令人望其气,皆为龙虎,成五采,此天子气也。急击勿失!”

Chǔ zuǒ yǐn Xiàng Bó zhě, Xiàng Yǔ jì fù yě, sù shàn Liú Hóu Zhāng Liáng.

楚左尹项伯者,项羽季父也,素善留侯张良。

Zhāng Liáng shì shí cóng Pèi Gōng. Xiàng Bó nǎi yè chí zhī Pèi Gōng jūn, sī jiàn Zhāng Liáng, jù gào yǐ shì, yù hū Zhāng Liáng yǔ jù qù.

张良是时从沛公。项伯乃夜驰之沛公军,私见张良,具告以事,欲呼张良与俱去。

Zhāng Liáng yuē: “Chén wèi Hán wáng sòng Pèi Gōng, Pèi Gōng jīn shì yǒu jí, wáng qù bù yì, bù kě bù yǔ.”

张良曰:“臣为韩王送沛公,沛公今事有急,亡去不义,不可不语。”

Liáng nǎi rù, jù gào Pèi Gōng. Pèi Gōng dà jīng, yuē: “Wéi zhī nài hé?”

良乃入,具告沛公。沛公大惊,曰:“为之奈何?”

Zhāng Liáng yuē: “Shuí wèi dà wáng wéi cǐ jì zhě?”

张良曰:“谁为大王为此计者?”

Yuē: “Zōu shēng shuì wǒ yuē: ‘Jù Guān, wú nèi zhū hóu, Qín dì kě jìn wàng yě.’ Gù tīng zhī.”

曰:“鲰生说我曰:‘距关,毋内诸侯,秦地可尽王也。’故听之。”

Liáng yuē: “Liào dà wáng shì zú zú yǐ dāng Xiàng wáng hū?”

良曰:“料大王士卒足以当项王乎?”

Pèi Gōng mò rán, yuē: “Gù bù rú yě. Qiě wéi zhī nài hé?”

沛公默然,曰:“固不如也。且为之奈何?”

Zhāng Liáng yuē: “Qǐng wǎng wèi Xiàng Bó, yán Pèi Gōng bù gǎn bèi Xiàng wáng yě.”

张良曰:“请往谓项伯,言沛公不敢背项王也。”

Pèi Gōng yuē: “Jūn ān yǔ Xiàng Bó yǒu gù?”

沛公曰:“君安与项伯有故?”

Zhāng Liáng yuē: “Qín shí yǔ chén yóu, Xiàng Bó shā rén, chén huó zhī. Jīn shì yǒu jí, gù xìng lái gào Liáng.”

张良曰:“秦时与臣游,项伯杀人,臣活之。今事有急,故幸来告良。”

Pèi Gōng yuē: “Shú yǔ jūn shào zhǎng?”

沛公曰:“孰与君少长?”

Liáng yuē: “Zhǎng yú chén.”

良曰:“长于臣。”

Pèi Gōng yuē: “Jūn wèi wǒ hū rù, wú dé xiōng shì zhī.”

沛公曰:“君为我呼入,吾得兄事之。”

Zhāng Liáng chū, yāo Xiàng Bó. Xiàng Bó jí rù jiàn Pèi Gōng.

张良出,要项伯。项伯即入见沛公。

Pèi Gōng fèng zhī jiǔ wéi shòu, yuē wéi hūn yīn, yuē: “Wú rù Guān, qiū háo bù gǎn yǒu suǒ jìn, jí lì mín, fēng fǔ kù, ér dài jiāng jūn. Suǒ yǐ qiǎn jiāng shǒu Guān zhě, bèi tā dào zhī chū rù yǔ fēi cháng yě. Rì yè wàng jiāng jūn zhì, qǐ gǎn fǎn hū? Yuàn bó jù yán chén zhī bù gǎn bèi dé yě.”

沛公奉卮酒为寿,约为婚姻,曰:“吾入关,秋毫不敢有所近,籍吏民,封府库,而待将军。所以遣将守关者,备他盗之出入与非常也。日夜望将军至,岂敢反乎?愿伯具言臣之不敢倍德也。”

Xiàng Bó xǔ nuò. Wèi Pèi Gōng yuē: “Dàn rì bù kě bù zǎo zì lái xiè Xiàng wáng.”

项伯许诺。谓沛公曰:“旦日不可不蚤自来谢项王。”

Pèi Gōng yuē: “Nuò.”

沛公曰:“诺。”

Yú shì Xiàng Bó fù yè qù, zhì jūn zhōng, jù yǐ Pèi Gōng yán bào Xiàng wáng.

于是项伯复夜去,至军中,具以沛公言报项王。

Yīn yán yuē: “Pèi Gōng bù xiān pò Guānzhōng, gōng qǐ gǎn rù hū? Jīn rén yǒu dà gōng ér jī zhī, bù yì yě. Bù rú yīn shàn yù zhī.”

因言曰:“沛公不先破关中,公岂敢入乎?今人有大功而击之,不义也。不如因善遇之。”

Xiàng wáng xǔ nuò.

项王许诺。


Translation

Liu Bang, the Duke of Pei, was stationed at Bashang and had not yet met Xiang Yu. Cao Wushang, one of Liu Bang’s officers, secretly reported to Xiang Yu that Liu Bang intended to become king in Guanzhong, appoint Ziying as chancellor, and take all the treasures for himself. Xiang Yu was furious and planned to reward his troops the next morning before attacking Liu Bang’s army. At the time, Xiang Yu had four hundred thousand troops at Hongmen near Xinfeng, while Liu Bang had one hundred thousand at Bashang. Fan Zeng urged Xiang Yu to strike quickly, saying that Liu Bang had once loved wealth and women, but after entering the Passes he had taken nothing and touched no women—proof that his ambition was far from small. Those who observed his aura saw dragons and tigers in five colors, the sign of an emperor. Xiang Bo, Xiang Yu’s uncle, was an old friend of Zhang Liang, who was then serving Liu Bang. Xiang Bo rode by night to Liu Bang’s camp, privately told Zhang Liang everything, and wished to take him away. Zhang Liang refused to abandon Liu Bang in danger and reported the matter to him. Liu Bang was alarmed and asked what could be done. Zhang Liang advised him to explain through Xiang Bo that he had no intention of betraying Xiang Yu. Liu Bang received Xiang Bo with the respect due an elder brother, offered him wine, and arranged a marriage alliance. He explained that after entering the Passes he had not touched even the smallest thing, had registered officials and people, sealed the storehouses, and waited for Xiang Yu’s arrival. The troops guarding the Passes, he said, were there only to prevent bandits and unexpected trouble. Xiang Bo promised to speak for him and told him to come early the next day to apologize to Xiang Yu. Returning to camp, Xiang Bo reported Liu Bang’s words and persuaded Xiang Yu that attacking a man of great merit would be unjust. Xiang Yu agreed.

Analysis

The Hongmen Banquet is one of the most dramatic episodes in the Shiji. This excerpt precedes the banquet itself, yet it already establishes the crisis: betrayal from within Liu Bang’s camp, Xiang Yu’s fury, Fan Zeng’s urgent advice, and a stark imbalance of military power. Liu Bang is in danger before the banquet begins. The central contrast is between Xiang Yu’s overwhelming strength and Liu Bang’s vulnerable position. Xiang commands four times as many troops and is ready to attack. Fan Zeng recognizes that Liu Bang’s restraint after entering the Passes is not modesty but ambition. His warning is sharp: a man who no longer indulges in wealth and women may be pursuing something much larger. The turning point comes through Zhang Liang and Xiang Bo. Xiang Bo comes only to save an old friend, but Zhang Liang transforms personal loyalty into political rescue. Liu Bang’s response reveals his survival instinct: he lowers himself, treats Xiang Bo as an elder brother, offers wine, proposes a marriage alliance, and carefully reframes his actions as loyal preparation for Xiang Yu’s arrival. His words are both explanation and performance. When Xiang Yu accepts Xiang Bo’s plea, the immediate danger is deferred, but history has already begun to turn. The scene shows Sima Qian’s narrative genius: he allows character to emerge through crisis. Xiang Yu is powerful but hesitant; Fan Zeng is perceptive but not obeyed; Zhang Liang is calm and principled; Liu Bang is adaptable and politically skilled. The drama of the banquet is prepared before a single cup is raised.

About the Author

Sima Qian was a historian and writer of the Western Han dynasty, best known for the Shiji, a monumental history written in biographical form. His narrative art lies in turning historical events into scenes of moral and political choice. The Hongmen Banquet is one of his finest episodes, revealing the characters of Liu Bang, Xiang Yu, Zhang Liang, and Fan Zeng through dialogue, timing, and crisis.