Peasant Revolt in the Late Qin Dynasty

The peasant uprising at the end of Qin Dynasty was the first large-scale civilian uprising in Chinese history, which spanned from 209 BC to 202 BC (from the uprising of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang to the founding of Han Dynasty by Liu Bang). The fundamental reason lies in the tyranny of the Qin Dynasty: severe punishments (such as "beheading if you miss the deadline"), heavy corvee labor (repairing the Great Wall, Afang Palace, etc.), Plus heavy taxes and land annexation, led to economic collapse and people's livelihood. In 209 BC, garrison soldiers Chen Sheng and Wu Guang were delayed due to rain. They rose up in Daze Township (now Suzhou, Anhui) and shouted the slogan "Princes and generals will rather have their own kind!" This became the fuse of the uprising. The uprising was divided into three stages: 209 BC was the outbreak period, when Chen Sheng and Wu Guang captured Chen County and established the "Zhang Chu" regime. Zhou Wen led his army to approach Xianyang and was defeated by Zhang Han. The old nobles of the Six Kingdoms, Xiang Liang, Xiang Yu, Liu Bang, etc. Responded one after another; 208 BC entered the Qin army's counterattack period, when Zhang Han defeated Chen Sheng's troops and annihilated Xiang Liang's main force. In the Battle of Julu in 207 BC, Xiang Yu destroyed the main force of the Qin army and Zhang Han surrendered; from 206 to 202 BC, it was the period of destroying Qin and fighting for hegemony. Liu Bang detoured to Wuguan and surrendered to the Qin prince Ying to destroy Qin. Its historical significance is far-reaching: it created the first example of civilian uprising and broke the concept of "nobles with destiny"; it accelerated the demise of the Qin Dynasty and confirmed that "tyranny must perish"; the Han Dynasty learned lessons and implemented "recuperation and rest", laying the foundation for Confucian governance. The limitations are also obvious: the peasant army lacks organization and is prone to internal divisions, and the restoration of the old aristocracy leads to the resurgence of separatism. In the end, Liu Bang achieved true unification and opened a new chapter in the imperial system.