Original subtitles

The events in this film are adapted from Records of the Grand Historian.

195 B.C. CHINA

My nightmare.

My nightmare.

My nightmare.

My name is Liu Bang.

I am 61.

I was born in a small place called Pei County.

I am the emperor of the Han Dynasty.

I have had two mortal enemies in my life.

They haunted my dreams my entire life.

One was Xiang Yu.

The other was Han Xin.

CONCUBINE QI

Your Majesty.

Your Highness.

You may go, Concubine Qi.

EMPRESS LÜ

It is done.

What's done?

XIAO HE

Your Majesty.

I have brought Han Xin.

Han Xin.

Han Xin.

Han Xin claims he first saw me in Xue Town.

I don't remember seeing him.

I only remember Xiang Yu.

Lord Xiang is back!

Welcome back, Lord Xiang!

Xiang Yu was 24 when I first saw him.

I was 48.

He had everything.

Nobility,

a handsome face,

a strong and brave body,

and the most powerful army.

And, of course...

the most beautiful wife.

He was leading the rebellion against the Qin.

A living legend.

Han Xin and I were just street rats.

Our lifelong dream was to join Xiang Yu's army.

Give him a royal burial.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO

HAN XIN

XIANG YU'S CAMP

I've never heard of you before.

FAN ZENG

Someone said you're a Dragon's son,

that clouds follow you,

and thunder roars in your wake.

My wife made that up.

XIANG BO

XIANG YU

You see this rain?

It will stop.

It will stop soon.

A rainmaker!

My Lord,

to tell you the truth,

I'm here to ask for troops

to rescue my wife and my men.

If you don't trust me,

I'll leave immediately.

If we let him go, he'll become a threat.

My Lord, have mercy on me!

-Seize him. -Seize him!

-Stay away from him! -Stay away from him!

These are my men from my hometown.

They're from the country

and don't have any manners.

If you must, kill me, but let them go.

Back off! I'm warning you, I'm a killer! Back off, all of you!

Back off, all of you. I'm a killer, do you hear me?

I suppose we could lend him some troops.

This man should not be killed.

I'll give you 5,000 men.

Go and free your town.

After saving your wife,

come and join us.

Yes, my Lord.

Who are you?

Your Majesty, I am a scribe.

I record your words and deeds.

For whom?

For my wife?

Your Majesty, the records are kept for posterity.

Write good things about me.

Yes, Your Majesty. I will do as I am told.

YU JI

Duke of Pei.

I never dreamt that one day

I would fight alongside Xiang Yu.

I had only a single goal at the time.

Down with the Qin Empire!

Down with the Qin Empire!

-Down with the Qin Empire! -Down with the Qin Empire!

-Help me. -Madam?

-Madam? -Madam?

-Madam? -Madam?

Madam? Where are you?

Madam.

LÜ ZHI

Your Dragon's son rumor

almost got me killed.

How dare they! Kill them all!

Soldiers, officers, all of them!

Slaughter them!

Nice armor.

A gift from Xiang Yu.

You had a bastard son with a widow.

Is it true?

I've devoted myself to big things.

Overthrowing the Qin Empire.

It doesn't seem to stop your womanizing.

Maybe not.

-Father. -Father.

Sit down.

That's him.

Liu Fei.

Have you ever seen him?

His mother died.

I've taken him in.

If he's your son,

I'll take care of him.

I was drunk.

Men like me face death every day.

It just happened.

I'm sorry.

So be it.

I will always remember, as I left,

the lonely figure that watched me from the hill.

My wife.

Over the years,

Xiang Yu and I went from sworn brothers

to mortal enemies.

Meanwhile,

he held my wife hostage.

Years later,

when she finally returned to me,

I didn't know what to say to her.

I had taken another woman,

and we had a son.

Xiao He and the others are waiting for you.

Come closer.

These are my chambers,

not the court. Come closer, all of you!

Lately,

I've been plagued by nightmares and can't sleep.

Me neither, Your Majesty.

Did I ask you?

FAN KUAI

You've fought alongside me all these years

and earned your place in my empire, but only I get to rule it.

Can you accept that?

Your Majesty.

We have sworn loyalty to you.

What about Han Xin?

He's still locked up.

-Locked up? -For the last six years, Your Majesty.

The great Han Xin.

How is it that I caught you?

Your Majesty, you're a Dragon's son.

I'm just an ordinary man.

I'll kill you.

Someone said you're plotting a rebellion.

-Against whom? -How dare you plot against me!

If I were,

why would I have waited this long?

Set him free.

Watch him closely.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Does His Majesty meant to exile him from his own land?

ZHANG LIANG

What do you think?

He can stay with me.

HAN XIN

Minds alert!

Backs firm!

Easy does it!

All together!

Watch your step!

Xiao He, why this ostentation?

The bell tower was commissioned by Her Highness.

You are the Emperor.

A little extravagance is expected.

The honor of living here

is enough for me. Keep it simple.

Get rid of it.

This was the Qin Emperor Zi Ying's palace.

-Do you remember? -Yes, Your Majesty.

Who would have thought

that commoners like us

could topple an empire

and live here?

207 B.C. OUTSKIRTS OF THE QIN CAPITAL

THE QIN EMPEROR ZI YING SURRENDERED AND WELCOMED LIU INTO THE CITY.

QIN EMPEROR ZI YING

THE QIN PALACE

Here lies all the Qin's registers...

CENSORATE

its legal documents

and historical records.

Liu Ji.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

Family name: Liu. Given name: Ji.

Native of Feng Town, Pei County.

Born in the 51st year of the reign of Ying Ji.

Father: Liu Tuan.

Eldest brother: Liu Bo. Second eldest: Liu Zhong.

Youngest brother: Liu Jiao.

Wife: Lü Zhi,

who bore him two children.

Former administrator of the Sishui Pavilion.

Kings are made, not born.

Kings are made, not born!

Block off the Hangu Pass.

Seal all paths to the capital.

Absolutely not!

Xiang Yu's army is almost here.

Whoever takes the capital first

will be its lord.

Xiang Yu and I had a deal.

Is there a problem?

For those royal pigs,

why do they get to spoil themselves here all day?

I should have died long ago.

The Qin Empire may fall...

but its dream of uniting the world lives on!

I beg you, Duke of Pei.

Keep the dream alive!

Take him away.

I beg you, Duke of Pei!

Find a comfortable place in the city,

and settle him there.

From today onwards,

this place is mine!

Brother Liu!

Brother Liu!

What's wrong with your legs?

I tested

an immortality pill for you

and lost

-all feelings in them. -The pills can wait.

How is Han Xin behaving?

Far less proud,

locking himself up night and day,

chewing on his own mistakes.

You,

Han Xin

and Xiao He.

Without you,

the empire would not be mine.

Then Han Xin was disloyal, and I put him away.

Now, you're ill.

You've been ill for so long.

Is something troubling you?

-Your Majesty! -Zifang,

all these years,

whenever I listened to you,

victory was mine.

If I ignored you,

disaster would come upon me.

Xiao He!

Take everything!

Leave nothing!

Xiao He!

Who authorized this?

Are you out of your mind?

Where is the Duke of Pei?

Xia Houying, out of my way!

I can't let you in.

If you don't, the Duke of Pei will be dead by sunrise.

Who's there?

What do you want?

It's me.

Zhang Liang.

Zhang Liang.

I'm almost done.

This may be the last time I see you.

What do you mean?

It's Xiang Yu.

His army of 400,000 has broken through the Hangu Pass

and will attack us by morning.

-And my troops? -Some fled.

Some surrendered. They're all gone.

LIU BANG'S CAMP

How long must I wait?

-Xiang Bo. -All right, enough.

I'm not here for you.

I'm here for Zhang Liang.

Xiang Bo has advised me to flee.

Xiang Bo, I've always been loyal to Lord Xiang.

I heard you've moved into the palace?

Absolutely not!

He's been living at the camp. He hasn't set foot in the palace.

Xiang Bo, Zhang Liang is right.

-I haven't touched anything in the palace. -Stop.

I believe you.

What about Lord Xiang?

What about Fan Zeng?

Xiang Bo, the Duke of Pei couldn't have been more wronged.

If you can't save him, I'll die with him.

-Please do something. -Xiang Bo.

Tomorrow morning, Lord Xiang's troops will be upon you.

-What can I do at this hour? -Help me, Xiang Bo.

I've done no wrong.

Xiang Bo, you have a son,

and I have a daughter.

Let us join families.

I've always been loyal.

Now you believe me?

Perhaps...

I could hurry back tonight and talk to Lord Xiang.

Thank you, Xiang Bo.

But tomorrow at first light,

you must see Lord Xiang yourself.

Duke of Pei, I'll go with you.

I should go.

Goodbye.

XIANG BO

Marquis of Yeyang,

you're here.

At your royal summons, Your Majesty.

And today, I've brought something

for you, Your Majesty.

Come.

All right.

Leave us.

Marquis of Yeyang, you are here today,

so I can ask you

why Han Xin deserted Xiang Yu and came to me.

I haven't a clue, Your Majesty.

But your first name was Xiang.

You were Xiang Yu's uncle,

his closest kin.

Weren't you?

-Are you writing this? -Yes, Your Majesty.

Han Xin left him after the banquet

when the Qin were crushed

and Xiang Yu was at the height of his power.

Why would Han Xin desert him at that moment?

His record is questionable.

Your Majesty sees all.

Some truths are never told,

such as why Han Xin left Xiang Yu and came to me.

Nonetheless, I never thought about killing Han Xin

or I wouldn't have kept him locked up for six years.

My ministers revealed Han Xin's threat.

They lit a raging fire inside me.

Has Han Xin been at court recently?

It seems so.

Nonsense!

He has been at court only once! Only once!

You think I don't know?

-Zifang told me that Han Xin-- -You and Zifang

are always covering for him.

I don't go to court.

but I know everything that happens there.

That little bastard

was only at court once

wearing his phony funeral face.

Whose death is he waiting for? Tell me. It's mine, isn't it?

Your Majesty, who's telling you all this?

I'll never tell you.

I'm asking you, is it true?

Stay away! Get off! I'm telling you I will kill him!

Your Majesty.

Don't do it. I beg you, Your Majesty.

Were it not for Han Xin, we wouldn't be here today.

It was he who defeated Xiang Yu

and conquered two-thirds of our territory.

What would the people think

if we killed him?

I'm sick and tired of this!

We all fought together.

Everyone played their part.

Everyone earned their credit.

Why should he get all the glory?

-Your Majesty. -Your Majesty.

Get back!

-Your Majesty. -Your Majesty.

Send for my wife.

I'm here, Your Majesty.

My wife?

Yes, it's me.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

My nightmare.

HONGMEN BANQUET XIANGYU'S CAMP

My nightmare.

The people are predators,

I am their prey.

Whenever

danger strikes,

I feel

I transported back 11 years

to Hongmen Banquet.

In Xiang Yu's camp, where death lurked around every corner,

it was my last meeting with Xiang Yu.

The Qin imperial seal. For you, My Lord.

It was also the darkest,

most frightening moment of my life.

Who dares touch my Brother Liu!

What are you waiting for?

-Kill him! -Wait!

What for? Do it now!

On your knees!

Did you enter the Qin palace?

-I didn't. -Of course

you entered the palace.

Speak!

I never entered the Qin palace.

At Hongmen Banquet I pretended to be drunk

and fled.

I ran and ran

and ran.

One day

you will all be his servants!

I ran for my life.

But I knew in my heart it was Xiang Yu who had let me go.

He knew the Qin palace was like a key

that unlocks a man's ambition.

I am sure Han Xin's ambition

was unlocked as he entered it.

Halt!

Halt!

My Lord.

It's Han Xin.

What are you doing here, Han Xin?

Please forgive me, My Lord.

There's something you should see.

They're all fake. He did enter the palace.

That liar!

We should have killed him at the banquet. That bastard should have been killed!

Of course he entered the palace.

I knew it.

Don't you know no one can enter the palace alone?

You want to be Liu Bang?

Tell me the truth.

Was Liu Bang ever here?

If you don't tell me, I'll kill you.

So be it.

I now realize why

Zi Ying brought me to his palace.

Down with the Qin Empire!

To plant a seed of ambition…

Down with the Qin Empire!

…in my heart.

Down with the Qin Empire!

When that seed sprouts,

I will become the sword of revenge.

-Down with the Qin Empire! -Down with the Qin Empire!

-Down with the Qin Empire! -Down with the Qin Empire!

-Down with the Qin Empire! -Down with the Qin Empire!

-Down with the Qin Empire! -Down with the Qin Empire!

-Down with the Qin Empire! -Down with the Qin Empire!

Long live

the Qin Empire.

-The Qin Empire has fallen! -The Qin Empire has fallen!

-The Qin Empire has fallen! -The Qin Empire has fallen!

-The Qin Empire has fallen! -The Qin Empire has fallen!

-The Qin Empire has fallen! -The Qin Empire has fallen!

-The Qin Empire has fallen! -The Qin Empire has fallen!

This was the Qin Emperor's palace.

Many people have suggested that I live here.

Never. I will destroy it to remove the temptation

of becoming another Qin Emperor.

We didn't overthrow the Qin Empire to follow in their footsteps.

The Qin Emperor unified the world,

decreeing that all had to wear the same color,

ride the same carriages

and speak the same language.

He wanted to unify all the people.

Most people need a lifetime to see themselves clearly.

As for me,

during my days in my hometown Feng Town,

my life was like water at the bottom of a well.

Modest and unstirred.

But after I entered the Qin Palace,

a door was unlocked.

I saw the ambition deep within my heart,

raged like an ocean.

I've divided the empire into 19 kingdoms to share with you,

my brothers who fought alongside me.

Return to your kingdoms. Speak your own language.

Write your own history.

Si Maxin was made Djoser, governing the east area to Xianyang.

The Duke of Pei, Liu Bang, first to conquer the capital,

captured the Qin Emperor Zi Ying, for which he is to be praised.

You are hereby made King of Han,

to govern the lands of Ba, Shu and Hanzhong.

Nanzheng will be your capital.

I don't know why Xiang Yu spared me.

Or why he spared Han Xin.

He let Han Xin live.

Such is the nobleman who sees his own glory,

but is blind to the ambitions of others.

That day, Han Xin, an ordinary soldier,

left Xiang Yu

and joined my army.

On Xiao He's recommendation, he became my chief general.

Five years later,

Han Xin and I showed Xiang Yu

that he had made a fatal mistake.

203 B.C. GAIXIA BATTLEFIELD

HAN XIN DEFEATED XIANG YU WITH AN ARMY OF 300,000

-Long Live the king! -Long Live the king!

Spare yourself the labor.

Leave it to the servants.

I'm used to it.

You can go.

As you wish.

Stop it, Your Majesty.

You are not recovered yet.

It's getting late.

You should get some rest.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

Liu Ji from Pei County.

Your Majesty?

What's wrong, Your Majesty?

Do you hear that?

Someone's trying to kill me.

You already killed Xiang Yu.

Don't worry.

Get some rest.

I am not the man

who killed Xiang Yu.

That man is still alive.

Get out.

There is trouble.

-What happened? -The rumors are growing.

What do they say?

They say you are dying.

Impossible.

The ministers in court are paying respect to Han Xin.

I never should've trusted those cowards!

I will go.

I will go. I'll grace their court.

I'm not dead yet.

Send for Han Xin.

Bring that bastard to me.

The last person Chen Xi met with before leaving

was Han Xin.

He went to Zhang Liang's home,

met with him and Han Xin, returned home and revolted.

Zhang Liang would never do that.

-Zhang Liang wouldn't do that. -I know he met with Zhang Liang.

Zhang Liang's servant

reports to me.

The ministers fear for their life.

Pay Zhang Liang a visit.

As long as he and Xiao He are on my side,

all will be well.

Take my sedan.

My humblest regards, Your Highness.

His Majesty told me you've been living modestly.

He asked me to have the mansion refurbished. A gift for you.

My humblest gratitude.

Han Xin has been loyal.

Why would His Majesty want to kill him?

Does His Majesty need a reason to kill anyone?

But he is Han Xin.

If there's no reason, how do we know we won't be next?

Han Xin was with Xiang Yu,

then defected to us

and defeated Xiang Yu.

A man like him might be with us today

and rebel tomorrow.

Not Han Xin.

If he wanted to rebel,

he'd have done it.

Back then, he ruled 72 cities.

His army exceeded the combined armies of Xiang Yu and his Majesty.

I convinced him to join us and finish Xiang Yu.

Now you want me to kill him?

I can't do it.

Your Highness, I beg you,

give him one more chance.

His Majesty has held you in high regard.

But he has some concerns.

When you asked him to make you King of Shandong,

-it made him upset. -I conquered half the country for him

and crushed Xiang Yu.

Was ruling over Shandong too much to ask?

You are taking several potions these days.

Not because your heart is weak,

but to convince His Majesty

that you are old

and ill,

that you are free of ambition

and no longer a threat to him.

-You can't fool me. -You are too sharp.

But if a blade is too sharp,

it not only cuts others,

it cuts you as well.

Do you know why I'm different from His Majesty?

Do you know how I differ from you all?

The way I see things.

The world belongs to all people under heaven.

Do you still remember

the battle cry of the people

when we rose against the Qin Empire?

Kings are made, not born!

-Kings are made, not born! -Stop!

Stop. I beg you!

Han Xin,

never utter these words again.

Times have changed.

Times have changed.

Kings are made, not born.

His Majesty held Han Xin prisoner for six years

hoping his heart might change.

-Has it changed? -No.

His Majesty's days are numbered.

The rest of us are getting old.

Han Xin's only 35.

The elderly struggle to preserve the status quo,

while the youth long for change.

It's human nature. No one can stop it.

Xiang Yu was the noblest man I've ever known.

He had many chances to kill His Majesty

and me.

But he didn't.

He let me go.

He let His Majesty go.

As a result,

his body lies in the ground.

A voice from the dust,

crying out from the grave.

Don't make the same mistake!

Don't throw your life away in vain!

You'd best reconsider.

Your Highness!

Among Han Xin's men,

thirteen are still in command.

Send them northwest to quell the rebels.

Han Xin's strategist has served him for years.

Cunning and eloquent. A snake in the grass.

Had Han Xin listened to me, none of this would be happening!

Xiao He is the key.

He's closest to Han Xin.

He has the ear of the court.

What's to be done?

I'm thinking.

I'm thinking.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

His Majesty once

promised my son a marriage.

Is it still to be?

Let me think about it.

It's over.

I've reviewed the record of Hongmen Banquet.

It doesn't make any sense.

The founding of the Han Dynasty is written for posterity.

No mistake is allowed.

Understand?

Minister, for every new record,

we speak with those who witnessed the event.

For Hongmen Banquet, we asked Fan Kuai.

No wonder His Majesty's rescue is credited to him.

Three-hundred fully armed guards outside the tent

and 28 bodyguards inside the tent.

How could he have possibly stormed in alone?

If he were that cunning, we could've defeated Xiang Yu years ago!

According to the record, Fan Kuai and Zhang Liang, with 100 men,

accompanied His Majesty to the banquet.

Upon entering the camp, they surrendered their weapons.

Yet, when Fan Kuai stormed in,

he had a shield in his hand.

Who dares touch my Brother Liu?

Where did the shield come from?

During the banquet, the swordsman tried to kill His Majesty.

Zhang Liang ran outside for help

striding through 300 guards

with Fan Kuai without being stopped.

How is it possible?

The swordsman tried to kill His Majesty.

He had a sword. No doubt about it.

But Xiang Bo defended His Majesty, also with a sword,

which I really don't understand. This was supposed to be a banquet.

No one was supposed to be armed.

So where did Xiang Bo's sword come from?

As scribers, you must respect history.

Or posterity will receive fiction instead of facts!

Get up.

All of you!

At Hongmen Banquet,

someone was secretly protecting His Majesty.

Xiang Yu knew many of his men wanted to kill His Majesty.

So he sent someone

to protect him during the banquet.

Mr. Zhang.

This man was Xiang Yu's bodyguard,

Han Xin.

Have you written everything I've said?

Why haven't you written a single word? How dare you!

Prime Minister.

Your Highness.

Prime Minister.

I've heard everything.

You're trying to save Han Xin, aren't you?

But Han Xin's history has already been written.

I think a revision is unnecessary.

Already written?

Come.

Han Xin.

-Han Xin. -Han Xin.

Read it.

"In the 11th spring of the Han Dynasty,

Han Xin, along with convicts and slaves,

plotted an attack on Her Highness and the prince--"

Wait.

Plotted an attack with convicts and slaves?

Nonsense! Absolute nonsense!

"…and was executed by Her Highness in the bell tower

at the age of 35, along with his family."

What have you done?

Your Highness,

Zhang Liang and Xiang Bo are on their way.

They can prove that Han Xin never plotted any treachery.

That he saved His Majesty at Hongmen Banquet!

Listen to me, all of you!

As soon as they get here, take down their every word.

Present it to His Majesty. I will present it to His Majesty.

Prime Minister, Zhang Liang is suffering from leg pain.

I'm afraid he won't make it.

I'm afraid Xiang Bo won't be coming, either.

Why not?

Read.

"In the 11th spring of the Han Dynasty,

Xiang Bo was granted a royal audience. In light of his age and loyal service,

His Majesty granted him the royal surname Liu.

On his way back, he was stabbed."

No!

Impossible!

Xiang Bo is on his way here now.

Prime Minister, not everything written in books is right.

Indeed. That's true.

Your Highness, Prime Minister,

Xiang Bo was indeed stabbed today at noon.

I saw it with my own eyes.

It seems that books do tell the truth.

Your Highness,

have you also

written my history?

I've discussed this with His Majesty.

Your history

is to be written by you.

I need to see His Majesty.

-I need to see His Majesty. -His Majesty is not well.

I need to see His Majesty!

His Majesty is not well.

Prime Minister Xiao, Her Highness says the banquet will begin soon.

Please send for Han Xin.

So be it.

Her Highness is hosting a banquet tonight and has asked me to invite you.

Han Xin!

-Fight! -Fight!

Han Xin,

I cannot go any further.

Please inform His Majesty.

Han Xin has plotted treason, with Chen Xi and other traitors,

against Her Highness and the prince.

An unpardonable offense.

It's all your words.

Given his notable service...

let him die intact.

Remember...

how your Dragon's son rumor

almost got me killed?

I'm here, Your Majesty.

I have brought Han Xin.

What did he say?

SPRING, 195 B.C.

LIU BANG DIES AT THE CHANGLE PALACE.

My name is Liu Bang.

I am the first emperor of the Han Dynasty.

When I was 61,

my story came to an end.

A commoner

became an emperor.

I never could have known

that upon my death,

my wife would kill all my concubines' sons.

Nor could I have known

that 400 years later,

the Han Dynasty would disappear from the land.

People say my fate changed

after I escaped from Hongmen Banquet.

They're wrong.

The truth is

I never escaped from anything.

But finally,

it is at an end.