| Timeline of events |
| Year | Events |
| 207 BC | - A coalition rebel army led by Xiang Yu defeats Qin forces led by Zhang Han at the Battle of Julu.
- End of the Qin dynasty: The last Qin emperor, Ziying, surrenders to Liu Bang.
- Liu Bang occupies the Qin capital, Xianyang.
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| 206 BC | - Feast at Swan Goose Gate
- Xiang Yu occupies Xianyang and sacks the city.
- King Huai II of Chu becomes a figurehead emperor (Emperor Yi of Chu) and gets relocated to Chen County.
- Xiang Yu divides the former Qin Empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms.
- Xiang Yu declares himself Hegemon-King of Western Chu.
- Liu Bang becomes King of Han.
- Han Xin leaves Xiang Yu and joins Liu Bang.
- War breaks out in the Qi territories:
- Tian Rong conquers the Kingdom of Qi. Tian Du, the King of Qi, takes shelter under Xiang Yu.
- Tian Rong conquers the Kingdom of Jiaodong and kills its king, Tian Fu.
- Xiang Yu kills Han Cheng, the King of Hán.
- Zhang Liang joins Liu Bang.
- Liu Bang appoints Han Xin as a general.
- Tian Rong sends Peng Yue to conquer the Kingdom of Jibei and kill its king, Tian An.
- Ying Bu, the King of Jiujiang, assassinates Emperor Yi of Chu.
- Liu Bang's forces secretly pass through Chencang.
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| Start of the Chu–Han contention |
| Year | Events |
| 206 BC | - Zhang Han, the King of Yong, is defeated by Liu Bang's forces and retreats to Feiqiu.
- Dong Yi, the King of Di, and Sima Xin, the King of Sai, surrender to Liu Bang.
- Zang Tu, the King of Yan, kills Han Guang, the King of Liaodong.
- Xiang Yu makes Zheng Chang the King of Hán to replace Han Cheng.
- Zhao Tuo proclaims himself King of Nanyue.
- Shen Yang, the King of Henan, surrenders to Liu Bang.
- Rebellion in Zhao:
- Chen Yu conquers the Kingdom of Changshan. Zhang Er, the King of Changshan, takes shelter under Liu Bang.
- Chen Yu helps Zhao Xie, the King of Dai, become the new King of Zhao. Chen Yu then replaces Zhao Xie as the King of Dai.
- Hán Xin conquers the Kingdom of Hán with support from Liu Bang. Zheng Chang surrenders to Hán Xin.
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| 205 BC | - Xiang Yu attacks Tian Rong. Tian Rong retreats to Pingyuan and dies there. Xiang Yu makes Tian Jia the new King of Qi.
- Wei Bao, the King of Wei, surrenders to Liu Bang.
- Sima Ang, the King of Yin, is captured by Liu Bang's forces.
- Tian Jia is defeated by Tian Heng, Tian Rong's younger brother.
- Tian Jia is killed by Xiang Yu.
- Tian Heng helps Tian Guang, Tian Rong's son, become the new King of Qi.
- Battle of Pengcheng:
- Dong Yi and Sima Xin defect to Xiang Yu.
- Sima Ang dies.
- Peng Yue joins Liu Bang.
- Battle of Jingsuo:
- Liu Bang occupies Xingyang and his forces start building supply routes linking Xingyang to Aocang.
- Liu Bang makes his son, Liu Ying, his heir apparent.
- Liu Bang's forces flood Feiqiu. Zhang Han commits suicide.
- Battle of Anyi:
- Han Xin conquers the Kingdom of Dai and captures its chancellor, Xia Shuo.
- Battle of Jingxing:
- Han Xin receives the surrender of the Kingdom of Yan.
- Ying Bu, the King of Jiujiang, defects to Liu Bang.
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| 204 BC | - Xiang Yu attacks Liu Bang's supply lines in Xingyang and Aocang.
- Xiang Yu dismisses Fan Zeng after falling for Chen Ping's ruse. Fan Zeng dies of illness on his journey home.
- Battle of Xingyang:
- Wei Bao, the King of Wei, is killed by Zhou Ke and Zong Gong. Zhou Ke and Zong Gong die after Xingyang falls to Xiang Yu's forces.
- Hán Xin, the King of Hán, is captured by Xiang Yu.
- Yuan Sheng advises Liu Bang to attack Wan and Ye.
- Peng Yue defeats Xiang Yu's forces at Xiapi.
- Xiang Yu turns back to attack Peng Yue. Liu Bang uses the opportunity to capture Chenggao.
- Xiang Yu defeats Peng Yue, conquers Xingyang, and besieges Liu Bang in Chenggao.
- Liu Bang breaks out of the siege and escapes to the Kingdom of Zhao. Liu Bang takes over Han Xin and Zhang Er's command of his forces in Zhao territory.
- Gong Ao, the King of Linjiang, dies and is succeeded by his son, Gong Wei.
- Liu Bang sends Li Yiji to the Kingdom of Qi to persuade its king, Tian Guang, to surrender.
- Battle of Si River:
- Cao Jiu, Dong Yi and Sima Xin commit suicide.
- Liu Bang's forces conquer Chenggao.
- Han Xin attacks the Kingdom of Qi and conquers Lixia and Linzi. Li Yiji is executed by Tian Guang.
- Battle of Wei River:
- Long Ju is killed in action.
- Tian Guang is killed while trying to escape. Tian Heng proclaims himself the King of Qi.
- Liu Bang makes Zhang Er the King of Zhao.
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| 203 BC | - Liu Bang makes Han Xin and Ying Bu the kings of Qi and Huainan respectively.
- Battle of Guling
- Zhou Yin defects to Liu Bang.
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| 202 BC | |
| End of the Chu–Han contention |
| Year | Events |
| 202 BC | - Liu Bang rewards some of his subjects by granting them vassal king titles:
- Liu Bang becomes emperor and establishes the Han dynasty as the ruling dynasty in China.
- Liu Bang disbands the military and grants a general amnesty to convicts.
- Zang Tu starts a rebellion.
- Tian Heng, the former King of Qi, commits suicide in Luoyang.
- Zhang Er dies and is succeeded by his son, Zhang Ao.
- Liu Bang suppresses Zang Tu's rebellion and captures him.
- Liu Bang's forces conquer the Kingdom of Linjiang and execute its king, Gong Wei.
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