🧚 A Chinese Hero

Han Hsin1

The youth of Western lands know very little of the great land of China, with its long history reaching far back into the dim past.2 How little is known of the fierce, stupendous struggles in the long ago, when China was not one country but was composed of many small kingdoms whose people were constantly fighting with each other for supremacy.3

It was in those early days that were born China’s heroes who have been remembered ever since in song and story.4 To the Chinese but little stage setting is necessary for their national heroes.5 In their theatrical plays their imaginations fill in, with the help of mere suggestions, all that is needed to make their surroundings very real to them.6

One of China’s greatest heroes was Han Hsin.7 He lived in the kingdom of Chin, very many centuries ago.8 When he was a small boy he showed remarkable wisdom, and, although he was very small of stature, his teachers predicted a great future for him.9

One day, when Han was only six years old, he and another little boy were playing ball, when the ball came down into the deep hole of the millstones.10 They could not get it out at first and the other lad wanted to call for help.11 Little Han Hsin said, “No, I will think of a plan.”12 Finding a long stick, he began filling the hole with earth.13 As he poured the earth into the hole, he kept stirring the ball around, thereby keeping it on top of the earth until he could reach it with his hand.14

Another time he saw a woman, in rage, jump into a large earthen water-barrel.15 He was not strong enough to draw her out, and no one was near, so he found a stone and beat with all his strength on the barrel until he made a hole in it near the bottom, and the water running out, the life of the woman was saved.16 Many such stories, and more wonderful ones, were told of him, and his fame spread all over the kingdom.17

In those days every prince had a wise man, or a group of wise men, about him to give him advice regarding the affairs of his kingdom.18 Han Hsin was presented to his Prince by his teachers as worthy of holding such a position, but when the Prince and his officers saw how small he was, they laughed and said, “We do not want a child,” and would not accept his services.19

Han Hsin then went and presented himself at the court of the Prince of Chin Chou.20 Now, this Prince, Chin Pa, was noted for his strength.21 It was said of him that, if he tried, he could breathe the roof off the house; also that he could lift himself up by the hair.22 When he was small he was fed on the milk of the tiger.23 Thus his strength was not the strength of man.24

When Han Hsin was presented to this Prince by his teachers as a wise man and one who could help him make his country strong, he laughed and said, “What can such a boy do?25 If I hold out my head and tell him to cut it off he has not the strength to do it, even though I stand still and do not resist him.26 How can there be wisdom in such a small boy?27 How can such as he help me?28 He cannot fight for me or wait on me.29 Take away the child, I do not want him.”30

The teachers urged the Prince to give the young man a trial and at last he said, “Here is my spear—let him hold it up straight for half a day.31 If he is strong enough for that, he may find something to do in my service.”32 Alas!33 Han Hsin could not even for half an hour hold up the great iron spear, and he was driven with laughter and derision from the court.34

When the teachers remonstrated with the Prince he said, “I want no such weakling in my kingdom.”35

“But you have made an enemy of him,” they urged, “and if you do not use him, you should kill him.36 Although you, our Prince, will not believe us, we know if you let him go he will, in the end, be used by some other kingdom to destroy yours.”37 At this Chin Pa laughed loud and long, but seeing the anxious and serious faces of the teachers he said, “I will take some soldiers and go after him, and if you wish I will kill him.”38

Now when Han Hsin, in bitterness of heart, was driven from the court he took the road leading to the mountains, and was part way up when, chancing to look back, he saw the mounted band coming.39 They did not see him, but he knew that they were in search of him.40 He knew that he could not escape, so he stretched himself out on the side of the hill with his feet toward the top and his head toward the bottom of the hill, and pretended that he was asleep.41

When Chin Pa came up and saw him there he smiled to himself and called to his men to remount, and away they went back to the castle, laughing and making merry over the thought that any one who would sleep in such a position, could rend the kingdom away from their great Prince.42

When the teachers heard of the outcome of the pursuit of Han Hsin they were troubled and said, “It is craft and not stupidity—go back again, overtake him and kill him.”43 To please them and for the sport of it, the Prince started out again.44 By this time Han Hsin had crossed the mountains and was walking on the plain.45 Again he saw them coming, and looking about he discovered a very ill-smelling hole, and bending over it he exclaimed, as his pursuers came up, “Ah, how sweet, how fragrant!”46

This time the Prince declared that Han Hsin was entirely foolish, and he would not kill a fool, for a man who did not know the difference between the sweetly fragrant and the offensive was not one a Prince need fear.47

Thus Han Hsin was left to himself, and returned to his own country and village.48 His own Prince, Han Kao Lin, again refused him.49 At that time this Prince was at war with Chin Pa and was very hard pressed by the latter, and anxious to surround himself with wise men.50 He could not see, however, how there could be wisdom in such a small man as Han Hsin.51 But, at last, after much persuasion, he gave a reluctant permission for him to be made leader of the army which was about to set out to attack Chin Pa.52

Old pictures show Han Hsin seated on a throne and worshipped by the military men and soldiers under him.53 They believed that he was to lead them to victory and save their country.54 It is said that he knew every soldier, and could tell at a glance how many there were in a company passing before him and who were absent from the ranks.55 He was one of the greatest military leaders, if not the greatest, in Chinese history.56

One time, when engaged in war with the Kingdom of Chao, he drove the enemy to the bank of a river, but they got over in their own boats and destroyed them on the other side.57 Feeling secure in the thought that the army under Han Hsin could not cross that night, they made a camp and had a feast.58 But Han Hsin was not an ordinary man and he commanded every man to get a board of some kind and in the darkness to swim across quietly.59 This they did, and fell upon the merry camp and won a great victory.60

Another time Han Hsin insisted on camping on the shore of the great river.61 His officers and men protested, and said that he was not leaving any path for retreat in case of defeat, as they had no ships or bridges and few could swim so far.62 All the comfort they could get was his reply, “When defeat comes we will discuss the question.”63 The enemy were seen coming upon them from the front, and then Han Hsin called to his men to fight for their lives, for death was certainly behind them in the river, but, if they fought bravely, they could defeat the enemy in front.64 This they did with great slaughter.65

At another time, when fighting with the great Chin Pa, of the Kingdom of Chin, the latter shut up all but one of the roads over the mountains and awaited Han Hsin in ambuscade in a very narrow place, the only one where it seemed possible for him to get over the mountains.66 He did not even then know the military master that he had to deal with in Han Hsin, as it was still early in the war.67 Han Hsin sent out his spies, disguised as countrymen, and learned the condition of things.68 So, calling up his men to make a lot of bags, even turning their clothes into bags, his army set out.69

On reaching the steepest place in ascending the mountains, he commanded the army to halt and fill the bags with earth.70 This place was not guarded, as it was supposed to be impossible of ascent.71 During the night, however, Han Hsin ordered an advance, and, using the bags to make a series of steps, his army went quickly up and over to the other side, to the rear of Chin Pa’s army.72 Here Han Hsin attacked the enemy in force and easily put them to flight.73 Later they recovered themselves and in many battles afterward between these two great generals neither could obtain any great advantage.74

Now Han Hsin had a friend and helper in Chang Lang, a literary man who was wise and safe to trust, and who often helped him in his plans.75 They talked over the situation, and Chang Lang said that the strength of Chin Pa was in a company of three thousand soldiers who were all related to each other, and whose officers were also of the same clan.76 In some way that company must be disbanded or Han Hsin never would win the final victory.77 Many plans were formed, but the soldiers of the clan seemed to possess charmed lives.78

At last Chang Lang came one night to the tent of Han Hsin and said, “I have found a way, and, as there is a fine wind and it is on the eve of a battle, I will try my new scheme.”79 He then produced a large kite, the first ever made, and disclosed his plan.80 All these years Han Hsin had remembered how Chin Pa had laughed at his small stature, but he was that night to show him that, though small, he was formidable as an enemy.81

Some of his officers were called in and fastened him by ropes to the kite and then let go.82 Gradually the kite ascended, and, in the twilight, appeared high over the camp of the three thousand soldiers.83 They were filled with terror, for never before had such a thing been seen or heard of.84 It was dark enough to prevent them from seeing Han Hsin at the height and distance he was from them.85 The kite came to rest for a few moments, and they heard a voice say, “You all have old and young in your homes.86 Why do you not go home to them?87 If you stay on, you will some day all be killed; then who will worship at the grave of your fathers and hand down the name?”88

The men said, “It is a voice of a god, a warning, let us depart at once,” and that night they left the camp.89

The battle the next day was terrific, but in the end Han Hsin won a great victory.90 When urged to kill his old enemy he said, “No, let him go, for he will kill himself, and that will be better.”91 So, Chin Pa was set at liberty and started with his army to return south.92 The battle had been near a river and Han Hsin knew that Chin Pa must cross it on his retreat.93 So, before the battle was fought, Han Hsin had written, in honey, on a big stone slab near the ford, these four words, “Heaven Destroy Hsiang Yi.”94 The last two words were Chin Pa’s name.95 A swarm of ants scenting the honey crawled up to eat it, and thus outlined the characters very distinctly.96

When Chin Pa came over the river and saw the stone with the four large characters he said, “Woe is me, even the worms and ants know that Heaven has deserted me.97 I will kill myself.”98 And then and there, almost in sight of his enemy, the man he had regarded with contempt, he killed himself.99

Thus ended a strife of nearly twenty years between two kingdoms, and Han Hsin came to be the Prince of his kingdom.100 Often during the time of kite-flying in China, away in the heavens one sees a kite in the shape of an old-time warrior, and few of the many beautiful and fancy kites to be seen have such an interesting story.101 The kite has come to be, in Western lands, merely an amusement, but in China, where it was probably invented, it ever carries with the sport the message, “Strength of mind is greater than strength of body.”102