Chen Sheng

Raised the banner of revolt at Dazexiang and founded the Zhangchu regime, setting in motion the fall of the Qin dynasty.

Life

Hired farmhand

Chen Sheng, courtesy name She, was a native of Yangcheng. As a young man he worked as a hired farmhand and once told his companions, "If one of us becomes rich and noble, let us not forget each other." When they laughed at him, he sighed, "How could swallows and sparrows know the ambitions of a swan?"

Dazexiang Uprising

In 209 BCE he and Wu Guang were conscripted for garrison duty at Yuyang. Held up by rain at Dazexiang, they missed their deadline, an offense punishable by death under Qin law. The two killed the officers escorting them and rallied the conscripts with the cry "Are kings and nobles born to their station?" They raised the banner of revolt, and people everywhere rose in response.

Fall of Zhangchu

After taking Chen County he proclaimed himself king, naming his state Zhangchu, and sent troops out in all directions to attack Qin. But once he became king he grew distant from his old friends, and his lieutenants each went their own way. In 208 BCE the Qin general Zhang Han counterattacked; after his defeat Chen Sheng was killed by his carriage driver Zhuang Jia. The uprising had lasted only six months.

Legacy

The Chen Sheng and Wu Guang uprising was the first large-scale peasant uprising in Chinese history; though it failed, it lit the beacon fires that brought down the Qin, and Sima Qian placed him among the "hereditary houses."

Major works & achievements

• Launched the uprising against Qin

Did you know? The sayings "How can sparrows know the ambitions of the swan?" and "If we become rich and noble, let us not forget one another" both come from him.

Key dates

• 209 BCEDazexiang Uprising
• 209 BCEProclaimed himself king at Chen County and founded Zhangchu
• 208 BCEKilled after defeat