Qin and Han · Chu Noble

Xiang Bo 項伯

Xiàng Bó

Attested BC 206 - BC 204

Passages: 12
Chapters: 5
Histories: 4

Overview

The translated histories identify Xiang Bo as an aristocrat, military officer, named individual, and official. This record brings together 12 passages from 5 chapters across 4 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Xiang Bo	項伯	Xiàng Bó
Personal
Given
Title
Personal name	Xiang Bo	項伯	Xiang Bo
Personal name	Xiang Bo	項伯
Personal name	Xiang Bo	項伯	Xiàng Bó
Personal	Xiang Bo	項伯	Xiang Bo

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Strongly inferred · liangshu:016:s0111
Sex: male
Explicit · suishu:043:s0044

Roles

Aristocrat
Military Officer
Named Individual
Official

Life and dates

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 楚漢之際 · Western Year: BC 206
Explicit · liangshu:016:s0111
Source Date: Text: 漢三年 · Western Year: BC 204
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:091:s0082, shiji:091:s0035
Source Date: Text: 秦漢之際 · Western Interval: Start: AD 209 · End: AD 202
Explicit event contextual date · suishu:043:s0044

Family

Kin of Xiang Yu (項羽)
Kinship Term: uncle / 季父 · Subject Role: uncle · Object Role: nephew

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: seized-jiujiang-and-killed-bu-family · Other Person Id: Ying Bu (英布)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0082
Relation: paternal-uncle-of · Person Key: Xiang Yu (項羽)
Explicit · hanshu:001:s0228

Source notes

Text: 賜姓劉氏
Explicit · hanshu:002:s0024

References in the histories

Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.

Book of Han, Chapter 1Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 1 · 8 passages

會羽季父左尹項伯素善張良，夜馳見張良，具告其實，欲與俱去，毋特俱死。 Xiang Yu's uncle, Left Yin Xiang Bo, had long been on good terms with Zhang Liang. He galloped at night to see Zhang Liang, told him everything in detail, and wanted Zhang Liang to leave with him rather than perish together for nothing.

乃與項伯俱見沛公。 So he went with Xiang Bo to see Pei Gong.

沛公與伯約為婚姻，曰：「吾入關，秋豪無所敢取，籍吏民，封府庫，待將軍。 Pei Gong formed a marriage alliance with Xiang Bo and said: "When I entered the passes, I dared not take even the smallest thing. I registered the officials and people, sealed the storehouses and treasuries, and waited for the general.

願伯明言不敢背德。」 I hope Xiang Bo will make this clear that I dare not betray righteousness."

項伯許諾，即夜復去。 Xiang Bo agreed and that night left again.

戒沛公曰：「旦日不可不早自來謝。」 Xiang Bo warned Pei Gong: "Tomorrow you must come early to apologize."

項伯還，具以沛公言告羽，因曰：「沛公不先破關中兵，公巨能入乎？ Xiang Bo returned and told Xiang Yu everything Pei Gong had said, then added, "If Pei Gong had not first defeated the Guanzhong troops, could you have entered?

項伯亦起舞，常以身翼蔽沛公。 Xiang Bo also rose to dance, constantly using his body to shield Pei Gong.

Book of Han, Chapter 2Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 2 · 1 passage

封項伯等四人為列侯，賜姓劉氏。 He enfeoffed Xiang Bo and three others as marquises and granted them the surname Liu.

Book of Liang, Chapter 16Volume 16: Wang Liang; Zhang Ji; Wang Ying · 1 passage

今獨夫自絕于天，四海已歸聖主，斯實微子去殷之時，項伯歸漢之日，可不勉哉！」 Now the tyrant has cut himself off from Heaven; the four seas already belong to the sage lord—this is Weizi leaving Yin, Xiang Bo returning to Han. You must exert yourselves!"

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 91Biography of Qing Bu · 1 passage

楚已使項伯收九江兵，盡殺布妻子。 But Chu had already dispatched Xiang Bo to seize the Jiujiang army and had put Bu's wife and children to death.

Book of Sui, Chapter 43Volume 43 Biographies 8: He Jian Wanghong, Yang Chugang, Yang Zichong, Guang De, Wang Xiong · 1 passage

夫微子紂之元兄，族實為重，項伯籍之季父，戚乃非疏，然猶去朝歌而入周，背西楚而歸漢。 Wei Zi was King Zhou of Shang's own elder brother—the tie of blood could scarcely have been closer; Xiang Bo was Xiang Ji of Western Chu's uncle—hardly a distant kinsman—yet both men left Chaoge to join King Wu of Zhou, and turned from Western Chu to serve the Han.