A native of Liu, he was born with the name Ying Bu, but became known by the tattoo (Qing) he had put on his face as punishment for some crime when he was young. Before this had occurred, his face had been read by someone, who told him, "You will suffer punishment and become a king." Because of this, he was pleased when he had been given the tattoo, expecting the latter part of the prediction to come true as well.
After being sentenced to manual labor at Mt. Li, he escaped and formed an outlaw band around the Yangtze. He joined the rebellion against the Qin with Wu Rui (also known as the Lord of Po). Wu Rui gave his daughter in marriage to Qing Bu. Their forces attacked the Qin forces some time after Zhang Han had defeated Chen She and Lu Chen. He took Qingpo, and then joined up with Xiang Liang, putting his troops under his command. After King Huai was established, Xiang Liang made Qing Bu Lord of Dangyang.
Qing Bu was a subordinate general with Wu Rui under Song Yi, who led the Chu attack on Qin to relieve Zhao. After Song Yi was murdered by Xiang Yu, he served in the vanguard of Xiang Yu's force, and was integral in the defeat of Zhang Han, seizing victory often even though he was outnumbered. Upon Zhang Han's surrender to Chu, Qing Bu butchered the surrendered troops of Qin upon Xiang Yu's orders. After Qin was destroyed, Qing Bu was made King of Jiu Jiang by Xiang Yu.
Not long after assuming control of Jiu Jiang, Xiang Yu sent the Righteous Emperor to Chang Sha, telling him that the land there was more suited for his capital than Peng Cheng. However, Qing Bu, once again under orders from Xiang Yu, intercepted Emperor Huai and assassinated him. This action caused many of the nobles and kings to rebel against Chu. Xiang Yu asked Qing Bu for his aid in fighting Liu Bang and Tian Rong's rebellion in Qi, but he refused repeatedly, pleading illness, and only sent small numbers of troops. Xiang Yu wanted to punish him, but respected his abilities and hoped that he would change his mind.
Liu Bang sent Sui He to Huai Nan to persuade Qing Bu to join the side of the Han. He resisted at first, but eventually agreed, sending the murdered body of Xiang Yu's envoy back to announce his revolt. Xiang Yu sent Xiang Sheng and Long Ju to attack Qing Bu shortly afterward. Qing Bu was forced to flee by the hand of Long Ju after several months, escaping to the side of Liu Bang with only 10,000 men and Sui He. His wife and children were murdered by Xiang Bo for punishment of his treachery.
While his revolt did not succeed in defeating Chu, it succeeded in stalling Xiang Yu, allowing Liu Bang to gain greater favor with the nobles and kings of the land. Qing Bu accompanied Liu Bang eastward, fighting Chu's forces. He was sent with Liu Jia to return to Jiu Jiang, where he caused Zhou Yin, the Grand Marshal of Chu, to revolt and join Han as well. After the defeat of Xiang Yu, he was officially made King of Huai Nan by Liu Bang, given rule over Jiu Jiang, Lujiang, Hengshan, Yuzhang, and his capital and homeland, Liu.
After the King of Qi, Han Xin, and the King of Liang, Peng Yue, were both executed, Qing Bu became nervous, and placed his troops on alert. About this same time, Qing Bu became jealous of the relationship between his favorite concubine and Bi He, a doctor she had been seeing regularly. Bi He fled the land, fearing Qing Bu's wrath, and was escorted quickly to the capital with a report of Qing Bu's disaffection, claiming he was organizing a revolt. Qing Bu, having seen Peng Yue and Han Xin, two men who gained equal merit to Qing Bu in fighting Chu, both executed, expected Liu Bang to believe Bi He. He then had Bi He's family executed and raised his armies in revolt.
The Marquis of Ruyin, Xiahou Ying, summoned the former Prime Minster of Chu, Xue Gong, and asked him about Qing Bu's revolt. Xiahou Ying then brought Xue Gong before Liu Bang, and had him explain the situation. Xue Gong said that Qing Bu only revolted because of the deaths of Han Xin and Peng Yue, and after laying out three possible courses of action, he said that Qing Bu would pick the worst out of the three, because he only revolted out of fear that he would be executed as well, and would not advance far into the land and obtain a good defensible position.
Xue Gong's prediction came true. Qing Bu attacked Wu, killing the King of Jing (Wu), Liu Jia. He split his army into thirds, which proved to be a critical error, because when one of the thirds was destroyed, the other two fled the field. When Liu Bang and Qing Bu's armies faced off at Guizhui (which is west of Qi), Liu Bang said, "What is your grievance that you revolt against me?" Qing Bu replied, "I want to be emperor, that is all!" Qing Bu was defeated there, and fled to Yue upon the invitation of King Cheng, the son of Wu Rui. However, Wu Cheng had him killed en route.
Thu Jul 29, 2010 1:25 pm 
