沐猴而冠 — “A monkey wearing a hat”

At the end of the Qin Dynasty, the empire was in chaos, and various rebel armies rose up against the Qin regime. They fought across the country without unified command, so they agreed that whoever first entered Xianyang and overthrew the Qin tyranny would become the King of Guanzhong.

Among the rebel generals, Liu Bang and Xiang Yu were the most powerful. Although Liu Bang came from humble beginnings, he was skilled at employing capable people. Xiang Yu, on the other hand, was a formidable general himself, leading the strongest military force. However, he was arrogant and headstrong, unwilling to listen to dissenting opinions.

During the war, Liu Bang carefully considered his subordinates' advice, planning a brilliant offensive route that met little resistance. He thus managed to enter Xianyang first, capturing Prince Ziying and ending the Qin Dynasty. Knowing he couldn't yet match Xiang Yu's strength, Liu Bang strategically withdrew his troops from Xianyang, biding his time for future endeavors.

Xiang Yu's campaign was less fortunate, often encountering Qin forces head-on. After immense hardship, he arrived in Xianyang only to find Liu Bang had already left. Enraged, Xiang Yu vented his frustration by rampaging through the city. He burned down the magnificent Qin palaces, which blazed for months, reducing them to ashes. Still unsatisfied, he looted all the Qin treasures and prepared to return to his homeland in Jiangdong.

A wise advisor under Xiang Yu urged him, "Xianyang is a strategic location in Guanzhong, with fertile land, abundant resources, and strong defenses. You should establish your capital here to secure your dominion." Xiang Yu was initially tempted, but seeing Xianyang utterly ruined by his own actions, it no longer resembled a capital. He yearned more for his hometown. He told the advisor, "When one becomes rich and noble, one should return to one's hometown to let the elders know of one's achievements. To be rich and not return home is like walking in splendid silken clothes in the dark \u2013 no one sees your fine garments, so what's the point? I must return to Jiangdong."

Upon hearing this, the advisor felt Xiang Yu was far from a true hero. He secretly remarked to others, "People say the Chu people are merely monkeys wearing hats, I didn't believe it before, but after speaking with the King of Chu, I now know it's true!" Unfortunately, this comment reached Xiang Yu, who was furious. He immediately seized the advisor and had him boiled alive.