9月20日

高祖本紀
西漢 司馬遷 ( 約 145~86 B.C.E. )

高祖置酒雒陽南宮。高祖曰：「列
侯諸將無敢隱朕，皆言其情。吾所
以有天下者何？項氏之所以失天下
者何？」

高起、王陵對曰：「陛下慢而侮人，
項羽仁而愛人。然陛下使人攻城掠
地，所降下者因以予之，與天下同
利也。項羽妒賢嫉能，有功者害之，
賢者疑之，戰勝而不予人功，得地
而不予人利，此所以失天下也。」

高祖曰：「公知其一，未知其二。
夫運籌策帷帳之中，決勝於千里之
外，吾不如子房。鎮國家，撫百姓，
給餽饟，不絕糧道，吾不如蕭何。
連百萬之軍，戰必勝，攻必取，
吾不如韓信。此三者，皆人傑也，
吾能用之，此吾所以取天下也。項羽
有一范增而不能用，此其所以為我
擒也。」

──選自《史記》

September 20

Biography of Gao Zu
Sima Qian (Approx. 145 BCE - 86 BCE, Western Han Dynasty)
English translation: Miao Guang

At a banquet inside his Yangnan Palace, Emperor Gaozu of Han
said, "My dukes and generals, I know that none of you dare conceal
your thoughts from me, and that you always tell the truth. So tell
me the reason that I have won the war, and why Xiang Yu has lost?"

Gao Qi and Wang Ling replied, "My lord, you are proud and you
insult people, while Xiang Yu was benevolent and loving towards
them. However, after you conquer cities and plunder lands, you
give your fighters their proper rewards and share all profits with
your subjects. Xiang Yu on the other hand, begrudges the eminent
and is jealous of the capable. Thus, he sabotages those who are
meritorious, and is suspicious of those who are reputable. When
victorious, he withholds merits and keeps conquered lands to
himself. For this reason, he has lost."

Emperor Gaozu then said, "You only see one part, but not the
entire picture. When it comes to mapping out a strategy from
within a tent to win a battle that is a thousand miles away, I cannot
compare to Zi Fang. When it comes to guarding the kingdom,
pacifying the people, rewarding the army, and sustaining food
resources, I am nowhere near Xiao He. In creating an alliance army
of a million warriors which is always victorious in its conquers,
I am no match to Han Xin. The abovementioned are all heroes, but
I am able to command them. For this reason, I have conquered the
world. On the other hand, although Xiang Yu had Fan Zheng, he
nevertheless failed to employ him. For this reason, he has become
my captive."

── from Shi Ji (Records of the Grand Historian)