The Feast at Hong Gate (Traditional Chinese: 鴻門宴; pinyin: Hóngményàn) was a historical event (206 BC or 205 BC -- it happened around the new year) later often memorialized in Chinese history, novels, and drama, including in Beijing opera. Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin (拼音, pÄ«nyÄ«n) literally means join (together) sounds (a less literal translation being phoneticize, spell or transcription) in Chinese and usually refers to HànyÇ” PÄ«nyÄ«n (汉语拼音, literal meaning: Han language pinyin), which is a system of romanization (phonetic notation and transliteration to roman script) for Standard Mandarin. ... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC Years: 211 BC 210 BC 209 BC 208 BC 207 BC - 206 BC - 205 BC 204 BC... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC Years: 210 BC 209 BC 208 BC 207 BC 206 BC - 205 BC - 204 BC 203 BC... In Beijing, September 2002 Beijing Opera or Peking Opera (Simplified Chinese: 京剧; Traditional Chinese: 京劇; Pinyin: JÄ«ngjù) is a kind of Chinese Opera which arose in the mid-19th century and was extremely popular in the Qing dynasty court. ...

The feast came about as Liu Bang, who had conquered the heartland of Qin Dynasty and caused its destruction, was being resented by Xiang Yu for doing so; Xiang had considered the destruction of Qin to be the prize reserved for him. Xiang was also angry that Liu, assuming that he would be made the Prince of Qin, appeared to be about to make the last ruler of Qin, Ying Ying, his prime minister in governing Qin. Outnumbering Liu by about three-to-one and considering himself to be the superior general, and further instigated by his advisor Fan Zeng (范增), Xiang was set to attack Liu and annihilating Liu's army. Emperor Gao (256 BC or 247 BC–June 1, 195 BC), commonly known inside China as Gaozu, personal name Liu Bang, was the first emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty, ruling over China from 202 BC until 195 BC, and one of only two dynasty founders who emerged from the... The Qin Dynasty (秦朝 Pinyin Qín, Wade-Giles Chin; 221 BC - 207 BC) was preceded by the Zhou Dynasty and followed by the Han Dynasty in China. ... Xiang Yu é …ç¾½ Simplified: 项羽 (Wade-Giles: Hsiang Yü; 232 BC - 202 BC) was a prominent general during the fall of the Qin Dynasty. ... Ziying (子嬰 zi5 ying1) ( ? - end of January 206 BC) was the last ruler of the Qin Dynasty of China, ruling as King of Qin (秦王) from mid-October to the beginning of December 207 BC. He was the son of Fusu (扶蘇), who was the eldest son of the First...

Xiang Yu's uncle Xiang Bo (項伯), a general in his army, found out about this plan. Being a good friend of Liu's strategist Zhang Liang (張良), he secretly rode to Liu's camp at night and told Zhang what was happening, trying to persuade Zhang to return to Xiang's camp with him and avoid the slaughter. Zhang, arguing that he had an obligation to Liu, refused, and further arranged a meeting between Xiang Bo and Liu. Liu flattered Xiang Bo and promised to be subservient to Xiang Yu and to pay respect to Xiang Yu the next morning, and Xiang Bo believed him. Returning to Xiang Yu's camp, Xiang Bo persuaded Xiang Yu that it was inappropriate and ungrateful to destroy Liu and his army. Instead, Xiang Yu began to set up a feast to entertain Liu the next day. There were two Zhang Liangs during the Han Dynasty of China, one was a helper and the other was a rebel. ...

The next morning, Liu rode to Xiang Yu's camp with a small contingent of guards to pay respect to Xiang. He apologized to Xiang for robbing him of his glory but at the same time extolling Xiang's valor in battle. Xiang responded with sarcastic words but then started the feast. During the feast, Xiang considered killing Liu, and Fan gave him multiple signals to do so, but Xiang could not make the decision to do so. Fan then summoned Xiang's cousin Xiang Zhuang (項莊), giving him instructions to do a sword dance as part of the entertainment and to stab Liu to death during the dance. With Fan's instructions, Xiang Zhuang indeed offered to do a sword dance, and with Xiang Yu's approval, started dancing. Xiang Bo, who had by this point been convinced that killing Liu was wrong, saw through the plan and started dancing as well and blocking Xiang Zhuang from being able to stab Liu. Although sometimes treated as a form of morris dance, sword dancers are proud of their own tradition and often wish to be treated as a traditional dance category in its own right. ...

When Zhang, who was also at the feast, saw what danger Liu was in, he went outside and summoned Liu's chief guard and brother-in-law Fan Ceng (樊噌), who advanced in full armor into the feast tent despite not having been invited, interrupting the sword dance. While offended, Xiang was also impressed by Fan Ceng's bravado, and gave him an urn of wine and a pork shoulder -- which Fan proceeded to eat, using his shield as a plate. Xiang was further impressed. Fan hen gave a lengthy speech about Liu's accomplishments and how it would be unjust for Xiang to kill him, but also implicitly confirming that Liu would not challenge Xiang's authority. Xiang did not respond but invited Fan to join the table. Fan sat next to Zhang, and they planned an escape. Soon, when Liu was going to the latrine, Fan accompanied him, and they took a single horse (to avoid attention) for Liu to ride on to escape, with only Fan and several other guards -- Xiahou Ying (夏侯嬰), Jin Jiang (靳疆), and Ji Xin (紀信) accompanying him on foot. A latrine is a method of disposal of human waste used in rural areas and much of the developing world. ...

Zhang Liang remained at the feast. After a sufficient time period, in which he thought was enough for Liu to escape, he bowed to Xiang and apolologized on Liu's behalf for leaving, giving as the rationale that Liu had become drunk and unable to continue at the feast. He offered, as gifts, a precious jade tablet for Xiang and a pair of jade measuring cups for Fan Zeng. Xiang accepted his gift, but Fan, in disgust, threw the cups on the ground and cut it to pieces with his sword, predicting that now that Xiang had failed to kill Liu when he could, Liu would eventually lead to Xiang's downfall -- words that would turn out to be prophetic. A selection of antique, hand-crafted Chinese jadeite jade buttons Jade An ornamental stone, jade is a name applied to two different silicate minerals. ...

In Chinese idiomatic usage, "the Feast at Hong Gate" has often been used to refer to a trap or a situation ostensibly joyous but in fact treacherous. Another idiom that relates to the event is "Xiang Zhuang's sword dance is aimed at the Duke of Pei" (Xiang Zhuang wujian, yi zai Pei Gong; "Duke of Pei" being a title that Liu had at the time), meaning that a person's acts were intended to be a veiled attack on another person.