Xiang Yu was a native of the state of Chu. He practiced martial arts as a young boy and was able to lift a hundred-catty tripod high above his head. When he grew up, he followed his uncle to participate in the uprising against the Qin Dynasty.
On one occasion, when the Qin army captured the state of Zhao, the king of Zhao fled to Julu and hurriedly sent for help from Chu.
The king of Chu sent Xiang Yu to lead 200,000 Chu troops to rescue Zhao. Xiang Yu first sent two generals, Ying and Pu, to lead 20,000 men as the vanguard, and then, he himself led the main force to cross the river. After crossing the river, Xiang Yu ordered his generals to bring three days of dry food each, smashed all the rice pots in the army, and chiseled and sank all the boats crossing the river. He said to his generals, "We 'break the cauldron and sink the boat', there is no retreat, within three days, we must beat back the Qin army! Otherwise we can only starve to death here!"
It was Xiang Yu's determination and courage that inspired his men. The Chu army's morale was boosted, one person against ten, ten against a hundred, the more they fought, the more courageous they became, and they finally beat the Qin army to a great defeat and fled.
After this battle, Xiang Yu became famous and became the commander of the anti-Qin army.
Expanded:
The Historical Records of Xiang Yu (项羽本纪)："It was Xiang Yu's idea to lead his troops across the river, sinking all the ships, breaking the kettles and cauldrons, burning the huts and holding the three days' worth of food, to show the The soldiers will die, no one still heart".
In 209 B.C., China's history broke out in a peasant uprising led by Chen Sheng Wu Guang. After the sacrifice of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, the two armies led by Liu Bang and Xiang Yu gradually grew stronger. In 207 B.C., Xiang Yu's rebel army fought against the main force of the Qin army led by Qin general Zhang Han at Julu (present-day Xingtai City, Hebei Province); Xiang Yu defied the enemy and led his troops to cross the Zhangshui River (a river that flowed from northeast to southeast of Julu). After crossing the river, Xiang Yu ordered his entire army to "all sink their boats, break their kettles and cauldrons, burn their huts, and hold their grain for three days to show that their soldiers would die and none of them would return." The battle of Julu was a great victory over the Qin army, and Xiang Yu's soldiers shook the vassals with their might.
"Break the kettle and sink the boat" means to break the pot of rice and sink the ferry, which is a metaphor for not leaving a way out, not winning the war, and resolving to do it all the way.
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