Liu Bang, founder of the Han Dynasties (206 BC-AD 220), is known as an outstanding statesman, strategist and military commander in Chinese history.

In 256 BC, he was born to a farming family in Peixian county, today's Xuzhou city, Jiangsu province.

In 225 BC, he became head of Sishui county. On a journey escorting a group of prisoners, many of them escaped. So he decided to release all of them and hide on Mangdang Mountains.

After military captain Chen Sheng's uprising, he gathered about 3,000 followers and captured Peixian.

In 206 BC, Liu's army entered Bashang, an area in today's Shaanxi province, and made the prince of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) surrender. After defeating Xiang Yu, another warlord from the Chu kingdom, Liu unified the country.

In 202 BC, Liu took the throne as emperor in Xingyang. He settled his capital in Chang'an, which is known as Xi'an today.