Qin and Han · Rebel

Ying Bu 英布

Yīng Bù

Died BC 196

Passages: 126
Chapters: 13
Histories: 2

Overview

The translated histories identify Ying Bu as an aristocrat, general, rebel, and ruler. This record brings together 126 passages from 13 chapters across 2 histories, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.

Names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Personal	Ying Bu	英布	Yīng Bù
Personal
Alternate
Personal name	Bu	布
Given	Bu	布	Bù
Personal name	Bu	布	Bù
Personal	Bu	布	Bu
Title	King of Huainan	淮南王	Huainan Wang
Title	King of Huainan	淮南王	Huáinán Wáng
Title	King of Jiujiang	九江王	Jiǔjiāng Wáng
Title	King Wu	武王	Wǔ Wáng
Title	Lord Dangyang	當陽君	Dāngyáng Jūn
Title	Lord of Dangyang	當陽君
Alternate	Qing Bu	黥布	Qíng Bù
Alternate name	Qing Bu	黥布	Qing Bu
Alternate	Qing Bu	黥布	Qing Bu
Personal	Qing Bu	黥布	Qing Bu
Personal	Qing Bu	黥布	Qíng Bù
Personal name	Qing Bu	黥布	Qing Bu
Personal name	Qing Bu	黥布	Qíng Bù
Surname	Ying	英	Yīng
Surname	Ying	英氏
Personal name	Ying Bu	英布	Ying Bu
Personal	Ying Bu	英布	Ying Bu
Alternate	Ying Bu
Personal name	Ying Bu	黥布	Qíng Bù
Personal	Ying Bu	黥布	Qíng Bù
Personal name	Ying Bu	英布	Yīng Bù

Identity

Historicity: Historical
Identification: Named
Sex: Male

Sex: male
Explicit · hanshu:044:s0009, hanshu:051:s0018, shiji:048:s0131, shiji:051:s0007, shiji:053:s0071, shiji:077:s0152, shiji:091:s0001, shiji:091:s0003, shiji:091:s0168, shiji:091:s0169, shiji:091:s0171
Sex: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:048:s0220, shiji:054:s0077, shiji:098:s0050
Value: male
Strongly inferred · hanshu:002:s0016

Roles

Aristocrat
General
Rebel
Ruler
Warlord

Life and dates

Death

Manner: killed · Place: Zi Township farmstead, Fanyang / 番陽茲鄉民田舍 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 十一年 · Western Year: BC 196
Explicit · shiji:091:s0166
Manner: execution
Explicit · shiji:053:s0113
Text: 追斬布番陽
Explicit · hanshu:002:s0300

Attested activity

Source Date: Text: 七年 · Western Year: BC 200
Explicit · shiji:091:s0097
Source Date: Text: 九年 · Western Year: BC 198
Explicit · shiji:091:s0099
Source Date: Text: 二世元年 · Western Year: BC 209
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:048:s0007, shiji:048:s0131
Source Date: Text: 八年 · Western Year: BC 199
Explicit · shiji:091:s0098
Source Date: Text: 六年 · Western Year: BC 201
Explicit · shiji:091:s0087
Source Date: Text: 十一年 · Western Year: BC 196
Explicit · shiji:091:s0100, shiji:091:s0117, shiji:091:s0166
Source Date: Text: 四年七月 · Western Year: BC 203
Explicit · shiji:091:s0085
Source Date: Text: 擊黥布 · Western Interval: Start: BC 196 · End: BC 195
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:098:s0050
Source Date: Text: 漢三年 · Western Year: BC 204
Explicit · shiji:091:s0035
Source Date: Text: 漢二年 · Western Year: BC 205
Explicit · shiji:091:s0031
Source Date: Text: 漢五年 · Western Year: BC 202
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:051:s0007
Source Date: Text: 漢五年 · Western Year: BC 202
Explicit · shiji:091:s0086
Source Date: Text: 漢元年八月 · Western Year: BC 206
Explicit · shiji:091:s0030, shiji:091:s0028
Source Date: Text: 漢元年四月 · Western Year: BC 206
Explicit · shiji:091:s0028, shiji:091:s0027
Source Date: Text: 漢初 · Western Interval: Start: BC 209 · End: BC 141
Explicit event contextual date · hanshu:051:s0018
Source Date: Text: 漢十二年秋 · Western Year: BC 195
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:053:s0071
Source Date: Text: 秦時 · Western Interval: Start: BC 221 · End: BC 207
Explicit · shiji:091:s0002
Source Date: Text: 英布者…竟以滅國 · Western Interval: Start: BC 209 · End: BC 196
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:091:s0168, shiji:091:s0169, shiji:091:s0170, shiji:091:s0171, shiji:091:s0172
Source Date: Text: 陳勝之起 · Western Year: BC 209
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:091:s0009
Source Date: Text: 高祖十一年秋 · Western Year: BC 196
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:051:s0016, shiji:051:s0017, shiji:051:s0018
Source Date: Text: 高祖十二年 · Western Year: BC 195
Explicit · shiji:077:s0152
Source Date: Text: 黥布反 · Western Year: BC 196
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:054:s0077

Family

Immediate source-linked family. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select a person to open their record.

Descendant of Gao Yao (咎繇)
Kinship Term: ancestor / 先 · Line: paternal · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Kinship Term: descendant / 後 · Line: paternal · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Spouse of Beloved concubine of Ying Bu (愛姬)
Kinship Term: beloved concubine / 愛姬 · Union Category: concubinage · Subject Role: husband · Object Role: concubine · Relationship State: active
Kinship Term: beloved concubine / 愛姬 · Union Category: concubinage · Subject Role: concubine · Object Role: husband · Relationship State: active
Spouse of Favored concubine of Qing Bu (幸姬)
Kinship Term: favored concubine / 幸姬 · Union Category: concubinage · Relationship State: active
Spouse of Daughter of Lord Fan (番君女)
Kinship Term: wife / 妻 · Union Category: marriage · Relationship State: formed

Kinship Role: children · Count: 2 · Note: plural children killed with wife; exact number unstated
Explicit · shiji:091:s0082

Origins and identity

Lineage: Ying clan / 英氏
Explicit · shiji:091:s0001
Statement: Possibly a descendant of Gaoyao through the Ying and Liu lines destroyed by Chu, as recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals / 其先豈春秋所見楚滅英、六，皋陶之後哉 · Person Id: Gao Yao (咎繇) · Negated: false · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Uncertain · shiji:091:s0168

Career and standing

Label: general / 將軍 · Action: appointed
Explicit · shiji:091:s0019
Text: 淮南王
Explicit · hanshu:002:s0034
Title: King of Huainan / 淮南王 · Action: confirmed-with-tally · Place: Liu / 六 · Territories: Jiujiang / 九江, Lujiang / 廬江, Hengshan / 衡山, Yuzhang / 豫章
Explicit · shiji:091:s0096
Title: King of Jiujiang / 九江王 · Place: Liu / 六 · Action: enfeoffed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 項王封諸將 · Western Year: BC 206
Explicit · shiji:091:s0027
Title: King of Huainan / 淮南王 · Action: installed · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 四年七月 · Western Year: BC 203
Explicit · shiji:091:s0085
Title: king / 王 · Action: gained
Explicit · shiji:091:s0171
Title: Lord Dangyang / 當陽君 · Action: granted
Explicit · shiji:091:s0016
Title: Lord of Dangyang / 當陽君 · Action: held
Explicit · shiji:048:s0131
King of Huainan / 淮南王
Explicit · hanshu:044:s0009
Status: convict · Action: branded · Label: branded convict / 被刑法
Explicit · shiji:091:s0169
Status: commoner · Label: commoner / 布衣
Explicit · shiji:091:s0002
Status: convict-laborer · Place: Mount Li / 麗山
Explicit · shiji:091:s0008
Status: bandit · Place: Yangtze region / 江中
Explicit · shiji:091:s0008
Status: corporal-punishment · Action: branded · Label: facial tattoo punishment / 黥
Explicit · shiji:091:s0004
Status: clan-extermination-ordered · Action: exterminated-clan · Other Person Id: Ben He (賁赫)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0117
Status: corporal-punishment · Action: suffered · Label: branding / facial tattoo punishment / 刑法
Explicit · shiji:091:s0169

Places and affiliations

Commander: xiang-yu
Explicit · hanshu:001:s0160
Polity: Chu · Relation: served
Explicit · shiji:091:s0013, shiji:091:s0027
Polity: Han · Relation: served
Explicit · shiji:091:s0075, shiji:091:s0085
Polity: Huainan / 淮南 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · shiji:051:s0016
Polity: Qin · Relation: served
Explicit · shiji:091:s0002
Place: Liu / 六
Explicit · shiji:091:s0001
Place: Jiujiang / 九江 · Relation: ruled
Explicit · shiji:091:s0027
Place: Liu / 六 · Relation: capital
Explicit · shiji:091:s0027, shiji:091:s0096

Works and attributed material

Kind: speech · Role: speaker · Quoted: true
Explicit · shiji:091:s0005, shiji:091:s0006, shiji:091:s0046, shiji:091:s0067, shiji:091:s0074, shiji:091:s0162, shiji:091:s0148, shiji:091:s0149

Events and relationships

Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: attacked-chu-after-killing-envoy
Explicit · shiji:091:s0075
Kind: military · Role: rebel · Action: attacked-Jing · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 高祖十一年秋 · Western Year: BC 196
Explicit · shiji:051:s0016
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: battle-at-zhui · Place: Zhui / 甀 · Other Person Id: King of Han (漢王)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0159, shiji:091:s0163
Kind: military · Role: opponent · Action: campaigned-against-by-Gaozu
Explicit · shiji:077:s0152
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated-jing-and-killed-liu-jia · Other Person Id: Liu Jia (劉賈)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0151
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: defeated-qin-battalions · Place: Qingbo / 清波
Explicit · shiji:091:s0011
Kind: political · Role: defector · Action: defected-from-chu-to-han · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 漢三年 · Western Year: BC 204
Explicit · shiji:091:s0068, shiji:091:s0075
Kind: military · Role: commander · Action: fought-at-gaixia · Place: Gaixia / 垓下 · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 六年 · Western Year: BC 201
Explicit · shiji:091:s0087
Kind: political · Role: ordered · Action: had-righteous-emperor-killed · Other Person Id: King Huai of Chu (楚懷王) · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 漢元年八月 · Western Year: BC 206
Explicit · shiji:091:s0030
Kind: military · Role: rebel commander · Action: joined Lü Chen’s forces in defeating Qin at Qingbo · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 二世元年 · Western Year: BC 209
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:048:s0007, shiji:048:s0131
Kind: political · Role: subject · Action: kingdom-destroyed · Other Person Id: Beloved concubine of Ying Bu (愛姬) · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0172
Kind: military · Role: perpetrator · Action: massacred-qin-surrendered-soldiers · Place: Xin'an / 新安 · Other Person Id: Xiang Yu (項羽)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0024
Kind: military · Role: chief-perpetrator · Action: massacred · Organization: Xiang clan / 項氏 · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0170
Kind: political · Role: rebel · Action: rebelled-against-han · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 十一年 · Western Year: BC 196
Explicit · shiji:091:s0117
Kind: rebellion · Role: leader · Action: rebelled · Date Context: Source Date: Text: 漢十二年秋 · Western Year: BC 195
Explicit event contextual date · shiji:053:s0071
Kind: political · Role: actor · Action: rebelled
Explicit · shiji:054:s0077
Kind: career · Role: subject · Action: rose-suddenly-to-power · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0169
Kind: military · Role: defeated · Action: routed-by-long-ju · Other Person Id: Long Ju (龍且)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0077
Kind: military · Role: vanguard · Action: served-as-army-vanguard
Explicit · shiji:091:s0026
Kind: political · Role: subject · Action: surpassed-feudal-lords-and-gained-kingdom · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0171

Assessments and attributes

Assessment: achievements surpassed the feudal lords, yet he became a great shame before the world · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0171
Assessment: acts only for himself, will choose worst strategy · Provenance: Mode: named-person-judgment · Source Person Id: Duke of Xue (薛公)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0143
Assessment: always foremost in the Xiang clan's massacres · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0170
Assessment: his kingdom was destroyed through calamity born of a beloved concubine and jealousy · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0172
Assessment: prophesied to be punished then become king · Provenance: Mode: named-source-report · Speaker: physiognomist
Explicit · shiji:091:s0003, shiji:091:s0006
Assessment: rose suddenly and violently from branded convict to power · Provenance: Mode: historian-judgment · Speaker Person Id: Sima Qian (太史公)
Explicit · shiji:091:s0169
Assessment: skilled at warfare; people fear him · Provenance: Mode: hearsay
Explicit · shiji:091:s0154

Source notes

Historicity: historical
Explicit · shiji:091:s0168

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 · 11 passages

十一月，項羽殺宋義，并其兵渡河，自立為上將軍，諸將黥布等皆屬。 In the eleventh month, Xiang Yu killed Song Yi and took his troops, crossed the river, and established himself as supreme commander. Generals like Ying Bu and others all came under his command.

聞沛公已定關中，羽大怒，使黥布等攻破函谷關，遂至戲下。 When he heard that Pei Gong had already pacified Guanzhong, Xiang Yu was furious and sent Ying Bu and others to break through Hangu Pass, then advanced to Xi.

當陽君英布為九江王，都六。 Dangyang Lord Ying Bu as King of Jiujiang, capital at Liu.

二年冬十月，項羽使九江王布殺義帝於郴。 In the tenth month of winter in the second year, Xiang Yu ordered King Jiujiang Ying Bu to kill Righteous Emperor Huai at Chen.

漢王西過梁地，至虞，謂謁者隨何曰：「公能說九江王布使舉兵畔楚，項王必留擊之。 The King of Han passed west through Liang territory and reached Yu. He said to the usher Sui He: "Can you persuade Ying Bu, King of Jiujiang, to raise troops and rebel against Chu? Xiang Yu will certainly stay behind to attack him.

隨何往說布，果使畔楚。 Sui He went to persuade Ying Bu, and indeed made him rebel against Chu.

隨何既說黥布，布起兵攻楚。 After Sui He persuaded Ying Bu, Bu raised troops to attack Chu.

楚使項聲、龍且攻布，布戰不勝。 Chu sent Xiang Sheng and Long Ju to attack Bu. Bu fought but was not victorious.

十二月，布與隨何間行歸漢。 In the twelfth month, Bu and Sui He secretly made their way back to Han.

漢王從其計，出軍宛葉間，與黥布行收兵。 King Han followed his plan, led troops out between Wan and Ye, and together with Ying Bu went to gather troops.

秋七月，立黥布為淮南王。 In the seventh month of autumn, he established Ying Bu as King of Huainan.

Book of Han, Chapter 2Volume 1: Annals of Emperor Gaozu 2 · 9 passages

殷畔楚，以舒屠六，舉九江兵迎黥布，並行屠城父，隨劉賈皆會。 Zhou Yin rebelled against Chu, used troops from Shu to sack Liu, raised the forces of Jiujiang to welcome Qing Bu, and together they sacked Chengfu. They followed Liu Jia, and all the forces converged.

於是諸侯上疏曰：「楚王韓信、韓王信、淮南王英布、梁王彭越、故衡山王吳芮、趙王張敖、燕王臧荼昧死再拜言，大王陛下：先時秦為亡道，天下誅之。 So the feudal lords submitted a memorial: "Han Xin, King of Chu; Xin, King of Han; Ying Bu, King of Huainan; Peng Yue, King of Liang; Wu Rui, former King of Hengshan; Zhang Ao, King of Zhao; and Zang Tu, King of Yan, risking death, bow twice and say: Great King, Your Majesty, formerly Qin acted without the Way, and the world punished it.

秋七月，淮南王布反。 In the seventh month of autumn, King Huainan Ying Bu rebelled.

上見公，薛公言布形勢，上善之，封薛公千戶。 The emperor saw Xue Gong. Xue Gong spoke of Ying Bu's situation. The emperor approved it and enfeoffed Xue Gong with a thousand households.

布果如薛公言，東擊殺荊王劉賈，劫其兵，度淮擊楚，楚王交走入薛。 Ying Bu indeed did as Xue Gong had said: he attacked eastward and killed Liu Jia, King of Jing, seized his troops, and crossed the Huai to attack Chu. Jiao, King of Chu, fled into Xue.

徵諸侯兵，上自將以擊布。 He summoned the feudal lords' troops. The emperor personally led them to attack Ying Bu.

十二年冬十月，上破布軍于會缶，布走，令別將追之。 In the tenth month, winter, of the twelfth year, the emperor broke Ying Bu's army at Huifu. Ying Bu fled, and the emperor ordered separate generals to pursue him.

漢別將擊布軍洮水南北，皆大破之，追斬布番陽。 Han separate generals attacked Ying Bu's army north and south of Tao River. All greatly defeated them and pursued, beheading Ying Bu at Fanyang.

上擊布時，為流矢所中，行道疾。 When the emperor attacked Ying Bu, he was struck by a stray arrow, and traveling the road he became ill.

Book of Han, Chapter 44Volume 35: Princes of Jing, Yan and Wu · 6 passages

周殷反楚，佐賈舉九江，迎英布兵，皆會垓下，誅項籍。 Zhou Yin rebelled against Chu, helped Liu Jia secure Jiujiang, joined with Ying Bu’s army, and the allied hosts met at Gaixia to destroy Xiang Yu.

立六年而淮南王黥布反，東擊荊。 In the sixth year of his reign Qing Bu, the tattooed king of Huainan, rose in revolt and drove east into Jing.

賈與戰，弗勝，走富陵，為布軍所殺。 Liu Jia engaged him but could not prevail. He retreated to Fuling, where Qing Bu’s troops cut him down.

黥布反，高祖自將往誅之。 When Qing Bu rose, Gaozu marched in person to crush the revolt.

濞年二十，以騎將從破布軍。 At twenty Liu Bi rode as a cavalry general in the host that broke Qing Bu.

荊王劉賈為布所殺，無後。 Liu Jia, king of Jing, had fallen to Qing Bu and had no successor.

Book of Han, Chapter 48Volume 39: Xiao He and Cao Shen · 5 passages

其秋，黥布反，上自將擊之，數使使問相國何為。 That autumn Qing Bu rebelled; the Sovereign took the field against him and kept sending messengers to ask what Minister of State Xiao He was doing.

上罷布軍歸，民道遮行，上書言相國彊賤買民田宅數千人。 On the way home from the Qing Bu campaign, commoners mobbed the road with petitions accusing Minister of State Xiao He of bullying thousands of families into selling land and houses for a pittance.

且陛下距楚數歲，陳豨、黥布反時，陛下自將往，當是時相國守關中，關中搖足則關西非陛下有也。 For years you faced Chu in the field; when Chen Xi and Qing Bu rose, you marched yourself—while the minister of state held Guanzhong. Had that heartland wavered, nothing west of the passes would still be yours.

黥布反，參從悼惠王將車騎十二萬，與高祖會擊黥布軍，大破之。 When Qing Bu rose, Cao Shen led a hundred twenty thousand chariots and horse for Prince Liu Fei (Daohui), joined Gaozu, and shattered Qing Bu’s army.

淮陰、黥布等已滅，唯何、參擅功名，位冠群臣，聲施後世，為一代之宗臣，慶流曲裔，盛矣哉！ With the Marquis of Huaiyin, Qing Bu, and the like gone, only Xiao He and Cao Shen towered above the ministers, their names lasting as the dynasty’s defining pillars, their fortune reaching even distant twigs of the clan—magnificent indeed!

Book of Han, Chapter 51Volume 42: Zhang, Zhou, Zhao, Ren and Shentu · 2 passages

黥布反，漢立皇子長為淮南王，而蒼相之。 When Qing Bu rebelled, the Han enthroned the imperial prince Liu Chang as king of Huainan, with Zhang Cang as his chancellor.

從擊黥布，為都尉。 He campaigned against Qing Bu and was named commandant.

Book of Han, Chapter 117Volume 100a: Afterword and Family History 1 · 2 passages

故雖遭罹阨會，竊其權柄，勇如信、布，彊如梁、籍，成如王莽，然卒潤鑊伏質，亨醢分裂，又況幺{麻骨}，尚不及數子，而欲闇奸天位者虖！ Think of Xin, Bu, Xiang Yu, or even Wang Mang, who briefly seized power yet ended in the pot or on the block; petty upstarts far beneath them have even less business eyeing the throne.

英雄誠知覺寤，畏若禍戒，超然遠覽，淵然深識，收陵、嬰之明分，絕信、布之覬覦，距逐鹿之瞽說，審神器之有授，毋貪不可幾，為二母之所咲，則福祚流于子孫，天祿其永終矣。 Wake to that lesson, shun Xin and Bu's ambition, laugh off the deer hunt, respect Heaven's chosen vessel, and you may pass fortune to your heirs instead of becoming a jest to history's mothers.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 48House of Chen She · 1 passage

鄱盜當陽君黥布之兵相收，復擊秦左右校，破之青波，復以陳為楚。 He joined forces with the bandit chief of Po and the troops of Qing Bu, Lord of Dangyang. Together they attacked the Qin Left and Right Colonels, defeated them at Qingbo, and once again restored Chen to the banner of Chu.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 51Houses of Jing and Yan · 4 passages

周殷反楚，佐劉賈舉九江，迎武王黥布兵，皆會垓下，共擊項籍。 Zhou Yin turned against Chu and helped Liu Jia seize the Jiujiang region. They then welcomed the forces of King Wu, Ying Bu, and all their armies converged at Gaixia to strike against Xiang Ji.

高祖十一年秋，淮南王黥布反，東擊荊。 In the autumn of the eleventh year of Emperor Gaozu's reign, Ying Bu, the King of Huainan, rose in rebellion and marched east to attack the kingdom of Jing.

荊王賈與戰，不勝，走富陵，為布軍所殺。 King Jia of Jing fought against him but could not prevail. He fled to Fuling, where he was slain by Ying Bu's forces.

高祖自擊破布。 Emperor Gaozu personally led the campaign that crushed Ying Bu.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 53House of Chancellor Xiao · 4 passages

漢十二年秋，黥布反，上自將擊之，數使使問相國何為。 In the autumn of the twelfth year of Han, Ying Bu rose in rebellion. The emperor personally led the campaign against him, and kept sending messengers back to ask what the Prime Minister was doing.

上罷布軍歸，民道遮行上書，言相國賤彊買民田宅數千萬。 When the emperor returned from defeating Ying Bu, people along the road blocked his procession to present petitions, accusing the Prime Minister of using his power to buy up their fields and houses at low prices, spending tens of millions in all.

且陛下距楚數歲，陳豨、黥布反，陛下自將而往，當是時，相國守關中，搖足則關以西非陛下有也。 Moreover, Your Majesty fought Chu for years, and when Chen Xi and Ying Bu rose in rebellion, Your Majesty personally led the armies against them. During all that time, the Prime Minister guarded the lands within the passes. Had he so much as stamped his foot, everything west of the passes would have ceased to be yours.

淮陰、黥布等皆以誅滅，而何之勳爛焉。 The Marquis of Huaiyin, Ying Bu, and the others all met their end by execution, but Xiao He's merit shone ever more brightly.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 54House of Chancellor Cao · 1 passage

黥布反，參以齊相國從悼惠王將兵車騎十二萬人，與高祖會擊黥布軍，大破之。 When Ying Bu revolted, Cao Shen, as Chancellor of Qi, accompanied King Daohui with a force of one hundred and twenty thousand infantry, chariots, and cavalry to join Emperor Gaozu in striking Ying Bu's army. They inflicted a crushing defeat.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 77Biography of the Prince of Wei · 1 passage

高祖十二年，從擊黥布還，為公子置守冢五家，世世歲以四時奉祠公子。 In the twelfth year of Gaozu's reign, upon returning from the campaign against Qing Bu, he established five families to guard the prince's tomb, with each generation offering seasonal sacrifices to the prince year after year.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 91Biography of Qing Bu · 79 passages

黥布者，六人也，姓英氏。 Qing Bu was a native of Liu, with the surname Ying.

布欣然笑曰； Bu laughed with delight and said,

布已論輸麗山，麗山之徒數十萬人，布皆與其徒長豪桀交通，乃率其曹偶，亡之江中為群盜。 After Bu was sentenced to hard labor at Mount Li, he found himself among hundreds of thousands of convicts. There he befriended every leader and formidable figure among the laborers, and eventually led a band of his companions to escape to the Yangtze River region, where they turned to banditry.

陳勝之起也，布乃見番君，與其眾叛秦，聚兵數千人。 When Chen Sheng raised the banner of revolt, Bu sought out Lord Fan of Poyang and joined forces with his followers to rebel against Qin, assembling an army of several thousand men.

章邯之滅陳勝，破呂臣軍，布乃引兵北擊秦左右校，破之清波，引兵而東。 After Zhang Han destroyed Chen Sheng and routed the army of Lü Chen, Bu led his forces northward to attack the Qin left and right battalions. He defeated them at Qingbo, then marched his army eastward.

陳嬰以項氏世為楚將，乃以兵屬項梁，渡淮南，英布、蒲將軍亦以兵屬項梁。 Chen Ying, recognizing that the Xiang family had served as generals of Chu for generations, placed his forces under Xiang Liang's command and crossed south of the Huai River. Ying Bu and General Pu likewise pledged their troops to Xiang Liang.

項梁涉淮而西，擊景駒、秦嘉等，布常冠軍。 Xiang Liang crossed the Huai River and pushed westward, attacking Jing Ju, Qin Jia, and their allies. In every engagement, Bu distinguished himself as the foremost warrior.

項梁號為武信君，英布為當陽君。 Xiang Liang took the title of Lord Wuxin, and Ying Bu was granted the title of Lord Dangyang.

項梁敗死定陶，懷王徙都彭城，諸將英布亦皆保聚彭城。 After Xiang Liang was defeated and killed at Dingtao, King Huai relocated the capital to Pengcheng. The generals, Ying Bu among them, all withdrew and regrouped at Pengcheng.

懷王使宋義為上將，范曾為末將，項籍為次將，英在、蒲將軍皆為將軍，悉屬宋義，北救趙。 King Huai appointed Song Yi as supreme commander, Fan Zeng as rear general, and Xiang Ji as deputy commander. Ying Bu and General Pu were both given generalships, and all were placed under Song Yi's authority with orders to march north and relieve Zhao.

項籍使布先渡河擊秦，布數有利，籍迺悉引兵涉河從之，遂破秦軍，降章邯等。 Xiang Ji sent Bu across the river first to engage the Qin forces. Bu scored several victories, after which Ji led the full army across the river to join him. Together they crushed the Qin army and accepted the surrender of Zhang Han and his officers.

諸侯兵皆以服屬楚者，以布數以少敗眾也。 The reason every feudal army submitted to Chu was that Bu had time and again defeated vastly superior forces with inferior numbers.

項籍之引兵西至新安，又使布等夜擊阬章邯秦卒二十餘萬人。 When Xiang Ji led his army westward to Xin'an, he ordered Bu and others to carry out a nighttime massacre, burying alive over two hundred thousand of Zhang Han's surrendered Qin soldiers.

至關，不得入，又使布等先從閒道破關下軍，遂得入，至咸陽。 When they arrived at the pass and found it blocked, Xiang Ji sent Bu and others ahead through a hidden route to smash the defending garrison below the pass. With the way cleared, the army entered and advanced to Xianyang.

布常為軍鋒。 In every campaign, Bu served as the army's vanguard.

項王封諸將，立布為九江王，都六。 When the King of Xiang enfeoffed the generals, he made Bu the King of Jiujiang and established his capital at Liu.

項氏立懷王為義帝，徙都長沙，乃陰令九江王布等行擊之。 The Xiang clan elevated King Huai to the title of Righteous Emperor and relocated his capital to Changsha. Then they secretly ordered the King of Jiujiang, Bu, and others to go and attack him.

其八月，布使將擊義帝，追殺之郴縣。 In the eighth month, Bu dispatched a general to attack the Righteous Emperor, who was pursued and killed at Chen County.

漢二年，齊王田榮畔楚，項王往擊齊，徵兵九江，九江王布稱病不往，遣將將數千人行。 In the second year of Han, Tian Rong, the King of Qi, rebelled against Chu. The King of Xiang marched to attack Qi and demanded troops from Jiujiang, but Bu, the King of Jiujiang, pleaded illness and refused to go in person, dispatching only a general with several thousand men.

漢之敗楚彭城，布又稱病不佐楚。 When Han was routed at Pengcheng by Chu, Bu once again pleaded illness and refused to come to Chu's aid.

項王由此怨布，數使使者誚讓召布，布愈恐，不敢往。 From this point on, the King of Xiang bore a grudge against Bu. He repeatedly dispatched envoys to reprimand and summon him, but Bu only grew more fearful and dared not comply.

項王方北憂齊、趙，西患漢，所與者獨九江王，又多布材，欲親用之，以故未擊。 The King of Xiang was preoccupied with threats from Qi and Zhao in the north and from Han in the west. His sole remaining ally was the King of Jiujiang, and he prized Bu's military talent and wished to retain his services. For these reasons, he held off from attacking him.

謁者隨何進曰：「不審陛下所謂。」 The palace attendant Sui He stepped forward and said, "I do not understand what Your Majesty means by this."

使何得見，言之而是邪，是大王所欲聞也； If I am granted an audience and my arguments prove sound, then the king will hear what he needs to hear.

隨何曰：「漢王使臣敬進書大王御者，竊怪大王與楚何親也。」 Sui He said, "The King of Han has sent me to respectfully present a letter to Your Majesty. I confess myself puzzled by Your Majesty's close attachment to Chu."

淮南王曰：「寡人北鄉而臣事之。」 The King of Huainan replied, "I face north and serve him as a vassal."

隨何曰：「大王與項王俱列為諸侯，北鄉而臣事之，必以楚為彊，可以託國也。 Sui He said, "Your Majesty and the King of Xiang were both enfeoffed as feudal lords, yet you face north and serve him as a vassal. This can only be because you consider Chu powerful enough to entrust your kingdom to.

項王伐齊，身負板筑，以為士卒先，大王宜悉淮南之眾，身自將之，為楚軍前鋒，今乃發四千人以助楚。 When the King of Xiang campaigned against Qi, he personally shouldered planks and rammed earth alongside his men, leading from the very front. If you truly serve him, Your Majesty ought to have mustered every soldier in Huainan and personally led them as the vanguard of Chu's army. Instead, you sent a mere four thousand men to assist.

夫漢王戰於彭城，項王未出齊也，大王宜騷淮南之兵渡淮，日夜會戰彭城下，大王撫萬人之眾，無一人渡淮者，垂拱而觀其孰勝。 When the King of Han was fighting at Pengcheng, the King of Xiang was still in Qi. Your Majesty should have rallied the forces of Huainan to cross the Huai River and rush to join battle at Pengcheng day and night. Yet with tens of thousands of troops at your command, you did not send a single soldier across the Huai, content to fold your arms and watch from the sidelines to see who would prevail.

大王提空名以鄉楚，而欲厚自託，臣竊為大王不取也。 Your Majesty pledges allegiance to Chu in name only, yet expects the full protection that comes with genuine loyalty. I venture to say that Your Majesty's strategy is deeply flawed.

然而大王不背楚者，以漢為弱也。 And yet the reason Your Majesty has not turned against Chu is simply that you consider Han to be weak.

今大王不與萬全之漢而自託於危亡之楚，臣竊為大王惑之。 Yet now Your Majesty refuses to side with Han, whose victory is assured, and instead stakes your fate on Chu, which teeters on the brink of destruction. I confess myself bewildered by Your Majesty's reasoning.

夫大王發兵而倍楚，項王必留； But if Your Majesty raises an army and turns against Chu, the King of Xiang will be forced to stay and deal with you.

臣請與大王提劍而歸漢，漢王必裂地而封大王，又況淮南，淮南必大王有也。 Allow me to ride at Your Majesty's side with sword in hand and go over to Han. The King of Han will certainly grant you a fief of carved-out territory, and Huainan itself will assuredly remain yours.

故漢王敬使使臣進愚計，願大王之留意也。」 For these reasons, the King of Han has respectfully dispatched me to present this humble counsel. I beg Your Majesty to consider it carefully."

淮南王曰：「請奉命。」 The King of Huainan said, "I shall comply."

楚使者在，方急責英布發兵，舍傳舍。 At this time, the Chu envoy was still present, pressing Ying Bu to mobilize his troops, and was staying at the official guesthouse.

隨何直入，坐楚使者上坐，曰：「九江王已歸漢，楚何以得發兵？」 Sui He strode in unannounced and seated himself in the place of honor above the Chu envoy, declaring, "The King of Jiujiang has already gone over to Han. On what grounds does Chu demand his troops?"

布愕然。 Bu was struck dumb with shock.

何因說布曰：「事已搆，可遂殺楚使者，無使歸，而疾走漢并力。」 Sui He then urged Bu, saying, "The deed is already done. You must kill the Chu envoy immediately and prevent him from returning. Then make haste to join forces with Han."

布曰：「如使者教，因起兵而擊之耳。」 Bu said, "I shall follow your counsel and raise my army to strike against Chu."

數月，龍且擊淮南，破布軍。 After several months of fighting, Long Ju attacked Huainan and routed Bu's forces.

布欲引兵走漢，恐楚王殺之，故閒行與何俱歸漢。 Bu wished to lead his forces to join Han, but feared the King of Chu would have him killed. He therefore slipped away in secret and traveled with Sui He back to the Han court.

淮南王至，上方踞床洗，召布入見，布（甚）大怒，悔來，欲自殺。 When the King of Huainan arrived, the Emperor was lounging on his couch having his feet washed. He summoned Bu in for an audience in this state. Bu was seized with fury and regretted having come, wanting to take his own life.

出就舍，帳御飲食從官如漢王居，布又大喜過望。 But when he retired to his quarters, he found the furnishings, attendants, food, and retinue identical to those of the King of Han himself. Bu was overjoyed beyond all expectation.

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.

布使者頗得故人幸臣，將眾數千人歸漢。 Bu's agents managed to rally a number of his old friends and trusted ministers, and led several thousand men back to the Han side.

漢益分布兵而與俱北，收兵至成皋。 Han reinforced Bu with additional troops, and together they marched northward, recruiting soldiers along the way until they reached Chenggao.

四年七月，立布為淮南王，與擊項籍。 In the seventh month of the fourth year, Bu was formally installed as the King of Huainan and joined the campaign against Xiang Ji.

漢五年，布使人入九江，得數縣。 In the fifth year of Han, Bu sent agents into Jiujiang and recovered several counties.

六年，布與劉賈入九江，誘大司馬周殷，周殷反楚，遂舉九江兵與漢擊楚，破之垓下。 In the sixth year, Bu and Liu Jia entered Jiujiang and won over the Grand Marshal Zhou Yin to their cause. Zhou Yin defected from Chu, and together they raised the entire Jiujiang army to join Han in the final assault on Chu, crushing them at Gaixia.

布遂剖符為淮南王，都六，九江、廬江、衡山、豫章郡皆屬布。 Bu was thus formally invested with the split tally as the King of Huainan, with his capital at Liu. The commanderies of Jiujiang, Lujiang, Hengshan, and Yuzhang were all placed under his rule.

十一年，高后誅淮陰侯，布因心恐。 In the eleventh year, Empress Gao had the Marquis of Huaiyin executed, and Bu grew fearful in his heart.

至淮南，淮南王方獵，見醢，因大恐，陰令人部聚兵，候伺旁郡警急。 When the parcel arrived in Huainan, the King of Huainan was out hunting. Upon seeing the flesh paste, he was seized with terror. He secretly ordered his men to assemble troops and keep watch for signs of military action in the neighboring commanderies.

布所幸姬疾，請就醫，醫家與中大夫賁赫對門，姬數如醫家，賁赫自以為侍中，乃厚餽遺，從姬飲醫家。 One of Bu's favored concubines fell ill and asked permission to visit a physician. The physician's house happened to be directly opposite the residence of Ben He, a Palace Grandee. As the concubine visited the physician frequently, Ben He—considering his own rank as a court attendant—sent her lavish gifts and joined her for drinks at the physician's house.

布使人追，不及。 Bu sent men in pursuit, but they failed to catch him.

赫至，上變，言布謀反有端，可先未發誅也。 When He reached the capital, he reported the plot, declaring that Bu's rebellion was taking shape and that he should be struck down before he could act.

相國曰：「布不宜有此，恐仇怨妄誣之。 The Chancellor said, "It is unlikely Bu would do such a thing. I fear a personal enemy has falsely accused him.

請擊赫，使人微驗淮南王。」 I recommend having He arrested, and dispatching someone to quietly investigate the King of Huainan."

淮南王布見赫以罪亡，上變，固已疑其言國陰事； When Bu, the King of Huainan, learned that He had fled under threat of arrest and reported treason to the court, he already suspected that He had revealed the kingdom's secret plans.

漢使又來，頗有所驗，遂族赫家，發兵反。 When the Han envoys arrived and seemed to be probing into the matter, Bu had He's entire clan executed and raised his troops in open rebellion.

反書聞，上乃赦賁赫，以為將軍。 When the report of Bu's rebellion reached the capital, the Emperor pardoned Ben He and appointed him as a general.

上召諸將問曰：「布反，為之柰何？」 The Emperor summoned his generals and asked, "Bu has rebelled. What is to be done?"

薛公對曰：「布反不足怪也。 The Duke of Xue replied, "Bu's rebellion should come as no surprise.

使布出於上計，山東非漢之有也； If Bu adopts the best strategy, the lands east of the mountains will be lost to Han.

令尹曰：「布故麗山之徒也，自致萬乘之主，此皆為身，不顧後為百姓萬世慮者也，故曰出下計。」 The Chief Minister said, "Bu was once a convict laborer at Mount Li who raised himself to become the ruler of ten thousand chariots. Everything he has done has been for himself alone—he has never given a thought to the welfare of the people or planned for future generations. This is why I say he will choose the worst strategy."

上遂發兵自將東擊布。 The Emperor then raised an army and personally led the campaign eastward against Bu.

布之初反，謂其將曰：「上老矣，厭兵，必不能來。 When Bu first raised his rebellion, he told his generals, "The Emperor is old and weary of war. He will certainly not come in person.

果如薛公籌之，東擊荊，荊王劉賈走死富陵。 Just as the Duke of Xue had predicted, Bu struck eastward against Jing. The King of Jing, Liu Jia, fled and met his death at Fuling.

或說楚將曰：「布善用兵，民素畏之。 Someone warned the Chu general, saying, "Bu is a master of warfare, and the people have long feared him.

布果破其一軍，其二軍散走。 Sure enough, Bu routed one of the columns, and the other two scattered and fled.

布兵精甚，上乃壁庸城，望布軍置陳如項籍軍，上惡之。 Bu's forces were formidable in their discipline. The Emperor fortified his position at Yong City, and when he observed Bu's formations arranged in the same manner as Xiang Ji had once deployed his troops, he was deeply troubled.

與布相望見，遙謂布曰：「何苦而反？」 Facing Bu across the lines, the Emperor called out from a distance, "What drove you to rebel?"

布曰：「欲為帝耳。」 Bu replied, "I wanted to be emperor, nothing more."

布軍敗走，渡淮，數止戰，不利，與百餘人走江南。 Bu's army was routed and fled. He crossed the Huai River, making several stands along the way, but each time without success. In the end he fled south of the Yangtze with barely a hundred men.

布故與番君婚，以故長沙哀王使人紿布，偽與亡，誘走越，故信而隨之番陽。 Bu had once been connected by marriage to Lord Fan of Poyang. Taking advantage of this, King Ai of Changsha sent an agent to deceive Bu, pretending to flee with him and luring him toward the kingdom of Yue. Bu trusted the ruse and followed the agent to Fanyang.

番陽人殺布茲鄉民田舍，遂滅黥布。 The people of Fanyang killed Bu at the farmstead of a villager in Zi Township. And so ended the life of Qing Bu.

太史公曰：英布者，其先豈春秋所見楚滅英、六，皋陶之後哉？ The Grand Historian remarks: Could Ying Bu's ancestors have been those recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals, from the states of Ying and Liu that Chu destroyed—descendants of the ancient sage Gaoyao?

項氏之所阬殺人以千萬數，而布常為首虐。 When the Xiang clan slaughtered men by the tens of thousands, Bu was always at the forefront of the carnage.

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 98Biographies of Fu, Jin, and the Marquis of Kuaicheng · 1 passage

從擊黥布有功，益封定食五千三百戶。 For his merit in the campaign against Qing Bu, his fief was increased to a fixed allotment of five thousand three hundred households.