172 Xiang Yu

A7.1|2

Xiang Ji was from Xiaxiang, with the courtesy name Yu. He was only 24 years old when he first started his army. His uncle was Xiang Liang, whose father was Xiang Yan, a general of Chu, who was killed by Wang Jian, a general of Qin. The Xiang family had served as generals of Chu for generations and was granted the title of Xiang, hence the surname Xiang. 

When Xiang Ji was young, he failed to learn to write, and then he tried to learn sword, but failed. Xiang Liang was very angry with him. Xiang Ji said, "Writing is enough to remember names. Sword can only fight against one person, these are not worth learning, but I want to learn to fight against ten thousand people." So Xiang Liang taught Xiang Ji the art of war, and Xiang Ji was very happy. After he roughly understood the main points of the art of war, he was unwilling to finish learning. Xiang Liang was once wanted in Liyang, so he asked Cao Jiu, a prison official in Qi County, to write a letter to Sima Xin, a prison official in Liyang, so the matter was settled . Xiang Liang killed someone, and went to Wuzhong with Xiang Ji to avoid his enemies. The wise and capable scholars in Wuzhong were not as good as Xiang Liang. Whenever there were large-scale corvée or funerals in Wuzhong, Xiang Liang was often in charge of the event. He secretly used military tactics to deploy guests and young men, so he was able to understand their talents. When the First Emperor of Qin toured Kuaiji and crossed Zhejiang, Xiang Liang and Xiang Ji went with the crowd to watch. Xiang Ji said, "I can replace him." Xiang Liang covered his mouth and said, "Don't talk nonsense, or your clan will be exterminated!" Xiang Liang felt that Xiang Ji was extraordinary. Xiang Ji was more than eight feet tall and very strong. He could lift a large tripod. His talent and courage were beyond ordinary people, and even the young men in Wuzhong were afraid of him.。

卷七·项羽本纪第七

项籍者，下相人也，字羽。初起时，年二十四。其季父项梁，梁父即楚将项燕，为秦将王翦所戮者也。项氏世世为楚将，封于项，故姓项氏。

项籍少时，学书不成，去学剑，又不成。项梁怒之。籍曰：“书足以记名姓而已。剑一人敌，不足学，学万人敌。”于是项梁乃教籍兵法，籍大喜，略知其意，又不肯竟学。项梁尝有栎阳逮，乃请蕲狱掾曹咎书抵栎阳狱掾司马欣，以故事得已。项梁杀人，与籍避仇于吴中。吴中贤士大夫皆出项梁下。每吴中有大繇役及丧，项梁常为主办，阴以兵法部勒宾客及子弟，以是知其能。秦始皇帝游会稽，渡浙江，梁与籍俱观。籍曰：“彼可取而代也。”梁掩其口，曰：“毋妄言，族矣！”梁以此奇籍。籍长八尺余，力能扛鼎，才气过人，虽吴中子弟皆已惮籍矣。