At the end of the Qin Dynasty, the common people suffered greatly, and heroes rose in rebellion. At the Hongmen Banquet, hidden dangers lurked and the situation shifted dramatically, marking the beginning of the rivalry between Liu and Xiang for supremacy. Ultimately, Xiang Yu suffered a crushing defeat at Gaixia, surrounded by the songs of Chu, and took his own life by the Wu River. Liu Bang secured the empire, establishing the grand and prosperous Han Dynasty that would endure for four centuries.