【the walls are closing in】四面楚歌

 

【the walls are closing in】

According to "Historical Records. Volume 7. "The Chronicles of Xiang Yu" records:

After the fall of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang have been at a stalemate in order to compete for the world.

 

Later, it was agreed that the boundary should be divided by the chasm, with the east belonging to Xiang Yu and the west belonging to Liu Bang.

Later, Liu Bang followed the advice of counselors Zhang Liang and Chen Ping and broke the agreement.

 

On the one hand, he led the army to attack the retreating Chu army.

 

On the other hand, he combined the armies of other generals to heavily surround the Chu army in Gaixia(垓下).

 

At this time, the Chu army not only suffered heavy casualties among its soldiers, but also was running out of food.

 

At night, the songs of Chu came from the camp of the Han army.

After hearing the songs of their hometown, the soldiers in the Chu camp couldn't help but think of their hometown,

 

which they had not returned to for a long time due to years of conquests.

 

Xiang Yu, who was in the camp, heard the songs.

 

He was also surprised and said: "Has the Han army already occupied the Chu land?

 

Otherwise, why would there be so many Chu people in the Han army!"

 

Thinking that the situation was irreversible, he led his soldiers to break out overnight.

 

Later, this story was condensed into "Besieged on all sides",

 

which is used to describe being surrounded by enemies on all sides and being isolated and helpless.