ExclusiveDemystifying the Military Immortal, Han Xin, Chapter 1

Demystifying the Military Immortal, Pan Xin. Introduction He created a historical legacy, ending the chaos of rival warlords vying for supremacy at the end of the Qin Dynasty within five years and once again unifying the Central Plains. The rise of the Han Dynasty was entirely due to his efforts. He achieved mythical status with his unbroken record of victories in battle. Even the formidable Xiang Yu, known for his unrivalled strength and martial prowess, fell to him. Pan Xin was a person of extraordinary talent, the likes of which history rarely sees. He harbored grand ambitions and endured great humiliations without anger or fear, embodying the essence of supreme endurance and patience. His military strategies were akin to divine acts, seamlessly executed like celestial horses soaring through the sky. His mastery of warfare has no equal in history. His unparalleled talent has inspired awe throughout the ages. The wars he commanded are considered masterpieces of Chinese history, celebrated for their brilliant strategic artistry and military tactics that have been praised for millennia. Let us pierce through the mists of history to meet the unparalleled military immortal, Pan Xin. Chapter One – Bearing Humiliation to Harbor Grand Ambitions Pan Xin was from Huiyin, Jiangsu. Born into a declining family, little is known about his ancestry, only that he and his mother lived a poor but studious life. However, his family possessed military books and a treasured sword, giving Pan Xin the opportunity to study many military texts and receive a good education from a young age. Based on these facts, it is inferred that Pan Xin was a descendant of the state of Han, one of the seven warring states. His ancestors were believed to be part of the nobility of the state of Han. After his mother passed away, Pan Xin's life became even more difficult. He was often going without food. Due to his poverty, he suffered from disdain and ridicule but also received charity from others. The head of Nanchang Pavilion, recognizing Pan Xin's potential despite his current destitution, often invited him to his home for meals. However, the head's wife grew resentful and devised ways to drive Pan Xin away, such as preparing early meals and cleaning up before he arrived. Realizing the situation, Pan Xin left and never returned, leading to the idioms, guest of Changting and Changting meal. With no place to eat, Pan Xin had no choice but to go fishing outside the city. By chance, an old woman washing clothes by the river noticed his hungry appearance and shared her meals with him. This continued for several days until she finished her work and left. Pan Xin was very grateful to her and promised, I will repay you generously in the future. The old woman, however, angrily replied, Here is a grown man but he cannot even feed himself. I only gave you food out of pity for your noble heritage. Do you really think I expect repayment? She did not realize that Pan Xin, despite his destitution, made this promise because he harbored grand ambitions and was confident of his future success. Later, when Pan Xin returned home in glory, he indeed gave the washerwoman a thousand pieces of gold to thank her for her help. This became the idiom, a meal worth a thousand gold pieces, meaning that a small act of kindness should be repaid generously. This also perfectly illustrates the xin, meaning trustworthiness, in Pan Xin's name. As we will see, throughout his life, Pan Xin consistently demonstrated this trustworthiness. The first historical record of Pan Xin appears in the biography of the Marquis of Huaiyin in Records of the Grand Historian, which describes him as an idle youth. In reality, Pan Xin had ambitions to conquer and unify the world. He was not only well-versed in military texts, but also had extensive knowledge in various fields such as astronomy, geography, laws, and military tactics. He was familiar with historical examples like Bai Lixi assisting Qin in its dominance, authored military books, and revised military regulations. This indicates that he was widely read and knowledgeable, far from being an idle person. Another story reflects Pan Xin's ambition. At 15 or 16, after his mother's death, despite poverty, he chose a spacious highland for her burial, large enough to accommodate 10,000 households. This indicated his belief in his future elevation to high rank. Before Pan Xin became famous, there was a well-known incident where he endured humiliation by crawling between a man's legs. At that time, although he was destitute, Pan Xin had lofty ambitions and as a martial artist, he always carried a sword. In Huaiyin, there was this son of a butcher, a ruffian. He wanted to humiliate Pan Xin. He blocked Pan Xin's path in a busy market and said, why do you carry a sword? Do you dare to kill someone with it? If you dare, cut off my head. If not, crawl between my legs. Faced with this sudden provocation, Pan Xin fearlessly stared at the man for a long time, then calmly bent down and crawled between his legs. The entire market burst into laughter, mocking Pan Xin for his perceived cowardice. But Pan Xin remained unfazed and walked away calmly. There are two types of people who can calmly endure humiliation. Those who are dispirited and seek only to live in ease, the so-called cowards. And those who have grand ambitions, who can both endure and adapt, bearing humiliation with resilience, the truly wise. When an ordinary man is insulted, he draws his sword and fights. This is not true courage. The truly courageous remain unshaken by sudden challenges and undisturbed by undeserved insults as their ambitions are vast and far-reaching. Wrote Su She in his essay on Ma Qi Lu. This passage perfectly illustrates Pan Xin's ability to endure the humiliation of crawling between a man's legs. People viewed Pan Xin's endurance of this humiliation as an act of heroism. The residents of Huaiyin even built a crawling bridge at the site to commemorate Pan Xin's lofty ambitions and his magnanimity in not stooping to the level of petty individuals. Historical records of Pan Xin's youth are sparse, largely due to deliberate omissions by early Han rulers. Liu Bang and Empress Lu's purge of meritorious officials led to the erasure of many of Pan Xin's deeds from historical texts and artifacts. The surviving stories were collected by Sima Qian during his visit to Huaiyin. However, even these may not be entirely reliable, as we will discuss further.