Sông Tuy giải Hán Cao

Definition
  1. Proper Noun (Historical Idiom):
    • The River Sui Rescued Emperor Gao of Han: A Chinese historical idiom referring to a specific event where Liu Bang (posthumously known as Emperor Gaozu of Han) was saved from a desperate military encirclement by a sudden, fortuitous sandstorm at the Sui River during the Chu–Han Contention.
Usage Examples
  • Proper Noun:
    • "Sông Tuy giải Hán Cao" là một điển tích nổi tiếng về sự may mắn thoát hiểm. ("Sông Tuy giải Hán Cao" is a famous典故 (diǎn tích - literary allusion) about a lucky escape from danger.)
    • Câu chuyện "Sông Tuy giải Hán Cao" minh họa cho yếu tố thiên thời trong chiến tranh. (The story of "Sông Tuy giải Hán Cao" illustrates the element of favorable timing in warfare.)
Advanced Usage
  • This term is primarily used as a literary or historical reference (典故 - diǎn tích). It is employed to allude to a miraculous or extremely fortunate rescue from a hopeless situation, often implying divine favor or sheer luck.
    • Lần thoát nạn đó của ông ta được ví như "Sông Tuy giải Hán Cao". (His escape from that disaster was compared to "the River Sui rescuing Emperor Gao of Han.")
Detailed Historical Context
  • The idiom originates from the . During the Chu–Han Contention, Liu Bang's Han army was decisively defeated by Xiang Yu's Chu forces at the Sui River near Pengcheng. The Han troops were slaughtered in such numbers that the river's flow was blocked. Xiang Yu then tightly encircled Liu Bang's remaining forces. At the critical moment, a great wind arose from the northwest, destroying trees and houses, blowing sand and dust that darkened the sky. This threw the Chu army into chaos, allowing Liu Bang to escape with a few dozen cavalry. The event is seen as a pivotal moment of survival for the founder of the Han dynasty.
Synonyms
  • A miraculous escape: A deliverance from danger by extraordinary means.
  • A heaven-sent rescue: A rescue attributed to divine intervention or extreme fortune.
  • A narrow escape: An escape that was barely achieved.
Related Concepts
  • Thiên thời (Favorable weather/timing): One of the three key factors for success in traditional Chinese strategic thought, alongside "địa lợi" (terrain) and "nhân hòa" (human unity). This event is a classic example of "thiên thời".
  • Hán Cao Tổ (Emperor Gaozu of Han): The posthumous temple name of Liu Bang, founder of the Han dynasty.
  • Chu-Hán tranh hùng (The Chu–Han Contention): The power struggle between Xiang Yu of Chu and Liu Bang of Han following the collapse of the Qin dynasty.