living as an official underling, drifting in that capacity to the establishment of a petty Magistrate at Nan-ch‘ang in Kiangsi. But his master's wife would not give him enough food, and he was driven to seek his fortune elsewhere. He then went to fish in the river outside the city; and one of the Washerwomen at work there, seeing how hungry he looked, gave him something to eat. Han Hsin thanked her, and said that some day he would repay this kindness, as he eventually did; but the Washerwoman flared up, and declared that she Wanted no reward. While a youth at Huai-yin, some other lads were one day bullying him in the market-place. One of them called out, “If you are not afraid to die, strike me; if you are afraid, then pass under my fork.” Whereupon Han Hsin bent down and crawled between the boy's legs; at which all the people in the market-place laughed, calling Han Hsin a coward. When Hsiang Liang passed through Huai-yin, Han Hsin at once entered his service, and after his death continued to serve under Hsiang Chi. But his ambition was unsatisfied, and ere long he left Hsiang Chi and betook himself to the camp of the great rival captain, Liu Pang. There, after narrowly escaping decapitation, he attracted the attention of Hsiao Ho, who when Han Hsin had once more departed in disgust at want of recognition, followed him and brought him back, and told Liu Pang that he had not such another man in his army. Liu Pang gave him a command, and he then began a series of campaigns against the various States, the successes in which have made his name famous in Chinese military annals. On one occasion Liu Pang said to him, “How large an army do you think I could lead?" “About a hundred thousand men,” he replied. “And you?” asked Liu Pang. “Oh!” he answered, “the more the better.” In B.C. 203 he proposed to Liu Pang to
appoint him nominal Prince of Ch‘i, in order to preserve peace in
