The author has two opinions on this conclusion, which seems to be quite reasonable, but in fact it can't stand scrutiny: first, there is no contradiction between "physical death in Dongcheng" and "Wujiang suicide"; Second, "Wujiang suicide" cannot be denied.
Wujiang belongs to Dongcheng County.
Let's talk about the unity of "physical death in Dongcheng" and "Wujiang suicide".
Before analyzing this problem in detail, let's talk about two examples: one is the death of revolutionary musician Nie Er. "Nie Er died in Japan." One person said so. Another person said, "Nie Er was unfortunately swept away by the waves while swimming in the swamp of Naichuan County in the summer of 1935." Excuse me: Which of these two statements is correct? The second example is about young AA studying abroad. One person said, "Little AA goes to college in America." The second man said, "Young AA is studying for an MBA in the School of Business Administration of Harvard University. He studied hard and got excellent grades. I'm going to Harvard for further study next year. " Ask again: Which of the two ways is wrong? The author thinks that there is nothing wrong with the two different statements in the two cases, because they are not black and white, and right and wrong are clear; But the relationship between the whole and the parts, the brief and the detailed. Jane said it was a conclusive affirmation, so don't say too much. Detail description is the explanation of the event process (or the whole story), so it must be explained clearly. The two are just different in expression and the essence is the same. "The death of Dongcheng" and "Wujiang suicide" are the unity of this dialectical relationship. "Wujiang River committed suicide" is a detailed description of Xiang Yu's death process in Sima Qian's Biography of Xiang Yu, so it can't be simply a sentence of "Xiang Yu died in Wujiang River" or "Xiang Yu committed suicide in Wujiang River". And "physical death in the East City" is the conclusion of Biography of Xiang Yu. Sima Qian can't repeat the details of Xiang Yu's death just written.
At this point, readers may ask: Do you have any evidence to prove that Xiang Yu's "physical death in Dongcheng" and "Wujiang suicide" are dialectical and unified? The answer is: yes. In the Western Han Dynasty, Wujiang did not belong to today's county, but was a part of Dongcheng County. The evidence is:
The book "Taiping Universe" written by the history of people's music in the first and fifth dynasties and the early Song Dynasty contains: "Ben Qin Wujiang Pavilion, Wujiang County, Dongcheng County of Han Dynasty. Xiang Yu was defeated by Gaixia and crossed the Wujiang River to the east. Jin Taikang for six years began in Wujiang County, Dongcheng County. "
For this historical material, people who hold the opposite theory may not have seen it, but some people have. They believe that "the history of music began in the early Song Dynasty. What is contained in the book is mainly the system in the late Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. " Moreover, after the death of the original author, this book was "revised by later generations and unreliable." The author believes that this statement is debatable. A book, whether written by one person or supplemented by later generations, has nothing to do with the authenticity of the content. It is not credible to say that later generations supplemented and revised it. Then, isn't Hanshu finally finished by Ban Biao, Ban Gu and Ban Zhao after two generations? Sima Qian's Historical Records was not written on the basis of his father Sima Tan's important accumulation! Can we deny the authenticity of the contents of Historical Records and Hanshu?
Second, Ma Duanlin's "Literature General Examination" in the early Yuan Dynasty contained: "Wujiang was originally Wujiang Pavilion, Dongcheng County, Liangjiangdu County ... Wujiang County in the later Zhou Dynasty, and the county in the later Sui Dynasty." For this historical material, people who hold the opposite theory may not have seen it, but some people have. They believe that "the history of music began in the early Song Dynasty. What is contained in the book is mainly the system in the late Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. " Moreover, after the death of the original author, this book was "revised by later generations and unreliable." The author believes that this statement is debatable. A book, whether written by one person or supplemented by later generations, has nothing to do with the authenticity of the content. It is not credible to say that later generations supplemented and revised it. Then, isn't Hanshu finally finished by Ban Biao, Ban Gu and Ban Zhao after two generations? Sima Qian's Historical Records was not written on the basis of his father Sima Tan's important accumulation! Can we deny the authenticity of the contents of Historical Records and Hanshu?
Second, Ma Duanlin's "Literature General Examination" in the early Yuan Dynasty contained: "Wujiang was originally Wujiang Pavilion, Dongcheng County, Liangjiangdu County ... Wujiang County in the later Zhou Dynasty, and the county in the later Sui Dynasty."
Third, the "Continuation Code" compiled by the imperial edict during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty contains: "Jin Taikang set up Wujiang County in Dongcheng County for six years. In the first year of Jin Yongxing, it was divided into Wujiang and Liyang counties in Huainan, and Liyang County was established. "
Fourthly, Zhang Xuecheng in Qing Dynasty wrote in the revised Annals of Hezhou: "(Liyang) is therefore in Yangzhou. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, they all belonged to the State of Chu. Liyang in Jiujiang County of Qin Wei and Wujiang Pavilion in Dongcheng County. " Zhang Xuecheng is not only a famous historical critic, but also pays attention to time by compiling local chronicles. His detailed exposition on the evolution of state governance deserves our serious consideration.
The above examples are enough to show that Dongcheng County and Wujiang River in the Han Dynasty were vassal relations. As long as you died in any place in Dongcheng County at that time, you can use the expression "physical death in Dongcheng". It's okay to die in Wujiang River. If you want to talk about it in detail, you must make clear the specific location and death process of Dongcheng. You can't use these simple four words instead. This is the accuracy and unity of Sima Qian's two statements.
Xiang Yu "can't escape the Wujiang River"?
Next, there is no doubt that Xiang Yu "committed suicide in Wujiang River".
As mentioned earlier, the biggest reason why someone suggested that "Wujiang suicide" was impossible was that when Xiang Yu got lost from Yinling to Dongcheng, there were only 28 riders left. How to escape to Wujiang River 240 miles away? For this problem, the author thinks that what may be overlooked is that the "Battle of Dongcheng" is by no means an offensive and defensive war between the two sides in Dongcheng County, but an escape and pursuit war in Dongcheng County at that time. Xiang Yu from Yin Ling to Dongcheng is by no means stationed and stuck to Dongcheng; But along the road of Dongcheng County, desperately fled to the direction of Wujiang River in the east. Among them, there is no "powerlessness" 240 miles away. This is how the two sides escape and kill, kill and chase. This point has been clearly written by Sima Qian in "Biography of Xiang Yu": "Riding on all sides, looking at three places in Shandong" and "riding three places with it". Here, the mountains of Shandong and Huisan are extremely important. It not only shows the fighting in the wild, but also shows the place where Xiang Yu arrived. Is this mountain around Dongcheng or near Wujiang today? Sima Qian did not give a clear explanation, but it is very important for today's debate, and look at the ancient records:
(1) Pu's Biography of the River Table says: "Xiang Yu was defeated by the Wujiang River, and the Han soldiers chased the feathers here." This shows that it is a mountain near Wujiang River.
(2) The Records of the State in the Tang Dynasty also said: "Wujiang Pavilion, that is, Wujiang County, Hezhou ... The so-called Wujiang Pavilion in Hanshu treats Xiang Yu, that is, this is also." Here, once again, is a mountain near the Wujiang River.
But some people still think it's incredible. I don't want to argue any more about this essay. Fortunately, the ancients had a truly authoritative judgment on this "mountain", that is, Ban Gu and his Hanshu. As we all know, the greatest advantage of Hanshu is that it preserves many precious historical materials which are richer than those recorded in historical books, such as Jia Jean's strategy of river management, Jia Yi's strategy of public security, and Chao Cuo's resettlement. In Biography of Chen Sheng and Biography of Ji Xiang, it is the "mountain" in Xiang Yu's book that gives a very important and clear explanation of "Shandong is divided into three places": "Today I am determined to die, and I am willing to fight for all the armies as soon as possible. I will win the third battle and cut the flag, but after I die, I will know that I am innocent in fighting, and I will die in heaven." So, he was led to ride out because of four big mountains. Han's riding laps are heavy. Feather said he rode, and said, I will take one for the public. Riding down on three sides, Shandong will be surprised by three places ... (still) happy horses and horses, and it will be three places instead of meeting. The Han army doesn't know where Feather lives ... The two riders meet again, and the two riders are dead. It means riding:' how?' Everyone says' as Wang said'. So Sui Yu Gu Dong wanted to cross the Wujiang River. Wujiang pavilion and other ships. This clearly explains that the "mountains" in Sima Qian's Biography of Xiang Yu are "four mountains". Where is Qin Si? Is it around Dongcheng in Dingyuan County, or near Wujiang River in County today? We'll know this as soon as we get to Wujiang. More than ten kilometers from Wujiang River. "Liyang Dianlu" also clearly records: "Four hills, seven miles north of the state. Xiang Yu rode in a circular array and flew down all around, smashing the encirclement and beheading the generals. This is it. " This solved all doubts and disputes: the exact location of Xiang Yu's death was in Wujiang, not Dongcheng, Dingyuan County. .