A low-ranking Qin-dynasty village official (
亭长) turned rebel, Liu Bang rose during the collapse of the Qin and defeated the aristocratic warrior Xiang Yu (
项羽) in the
楚汉争霸 (Chu-Han Contention), ending with Xiang's suicide at
乌江. His pragmatic
约法三章 ('Three Articles of Law') on entering Xianyang, and his reliance on
张良,
萧何, and
韩信, became models for later founding emperors.
