韩信（公元前231～196年）是中国古代著名的谋略家、战术家、统帅和谋战派军事理论家，古代军事思想“兵权谋家”的代表人物，在历史上以卓绝用兵才能著称。韩信为西汉的开国立下汗马功劳，“王侯将相”一人全任。在中国民间传说中，韩信也因他的大忍之心而闻名。

胯下之辱的故事
韩信的童年充满了悲伤和艰辛。他在很小时就成了孤儿，自幼靠乞讨和捕鱼为生，经常遭受他人的欺辱。然而韩信却对武术、兵法有著非凡的天赋，在他一生中，从未打过一次败仗。更重要的是，韩信非常谦虚。有一个有名的故事，讲述了他的大忍之心。

在古代，像韩信这样练武的人，经常会随身携带一把佩剑。有一天，韩信走在路上，忽然被一个地痞无赖拦住，这个地痞叫嚣著让韩信用剑杀了他，如果韩信做不到，或者不敢做的话，就必须得从他的胯下躜过去。韩信想了一下，就从这个地痞的两腿之间躜了过去，避免了不必要的纠纷。围观的人哄堂大笑，但韩信却没有恼羞成怒，反而在他的余生中， 韩信总会用这件事鼓励自己——成大事者，必须能忍他人所不能。直到今天，韩信受胯下之辱的故事，依然被人们广为流传，交口称赞。


杰出的军事家
公元209年，韩信先追随了楚军，但只是做了一个小官。汉王刘邦入蜀，韩信脱离了楚军归顺了汉王。韩信的才华受到刘邦的一名大将萧何的赏识，他几次向刘邦推荐，可惜刘邦仍不为所动。

韩信心灰意冷，决定离开汉营。韩信走时，萧何知悉，从后追赶。后来萧何向刘邦说：“像韩信这样的人才，是普天下也找不出第二个来的。大王假如只想老做汉中王，当然用不上他；假如要想争夺天下，除了韩信就没有可以商量大计的人。”

最后，刘邦拜韩信为大将。 在之后的战争中，韩信充分展现了他的实力，为刘邦攻城略地，所向披靡；在楚汉之争的5年里，刘邦凭著韩信的辅佐，平定了中原。


韩信之死
韩信帮助刘邦一统中原，被封为楚王。几个月后，刘邦称帝。然而，因为韩信的才能和成就实在太大，很快遭到刘邦的妒忌。

天下已定，刘邦不再需要韩信，于是他夺回了韩信的军权。 之后，刘邦的皇后吕雉和萧何合谋抓了韩信，并将他杀害，韩信的整个家族也都受到了牵连，夷灭三族。

汉语中的很多成语都于韩信丰富精彩的人生有关。最耳熟能详的一个便是“胯下之辱”，讲述的就是上面的故事。

韩信一生战功赫赫，不到30岁便为汉室打下了江山，后世称其为“兵仙”。

你知道那个羞辱韩信的痞子后来怎么样了吗?当韩信功成名就，衣锦还乡后遇到了这个人。这个痞子吓得要死，恳求韩信饶他一命。韩信没有报复他，相反，他发觉这个痞子也有些才能，帮助他成为楚国的一名副官，可谓以德报怨。

General Han Xin: A Shining Symbol of Tolerance

Han Xin （231-196 B.C.） is listed as a hero from the early Han Dynasty. Han Xin was an ingenious military leader. The general’s contribution to the founding of the Han Dynasty was paramount. Han Xin is known in Chinese folklore as having been a remarkable person of tolerance.

A symbol of tolerance 
Han Xin’s early childhood was marked by sadness and hardship. Orphaned at a young age, he relied on handouts and fishing to survive. As a result, Han Xin was often shunned. Nevertheless, the young man was keen on military strategy.

Han Xin also had an extraordinary gift. During his entire military career, he never lost a single battle. What’s more, he was never arrogant. There is a famous story about how Han Xin demonstrated his great ability to forbear.

In those days, people practicing martial arts, like Han Xin, would often carry around a sword. One day he was stopped by a local thug who demanded that Han Xin kill him with his sword. If he could not do so, then Han Xin would have to crawl between his legs. Han Xin considered the proposition and then proceeded to crawl between the legs.

He reasoned that, otherwise, he would have to face the death penalty for taking a life. The bystanders exploded with laughter, but Han Xin was not fazed. Later in life, he always reminded himself of this incident and used it to encourage himself. To this day, this story of Han Xin’s example of forbearance continues to win the admiration of people who read about him.

A brilliant military strategist
In 209 B.C., Han Xin joined the most powerful rebels of Western Chu. However, he was given a low position as a guard. He left the Chu for the Han state, ruled by Liu Bang. One of Liu Bang’s chief advisors called Xiao He took notice of Han Xin’s potential and recommended him to Liu. But Liu rebuffed him.

Disheartened, Han Xin departed, but Xiao persuaded him to return and went to Liu and told him: “Han Xin has unparalleled talent. If you wish only to remain king of Han, then you do not need him. But if you wish to rule all of China, only Han Xin can devise a way to do so.”

Lui finally granted Han Xin the position of a senior general. Han Xin proved his worth as a formidable military strategist by scoring tactical victories one after another. The five years of war between the Chu and Han ended with Liu Bang conquering all of China with Han Xin as his right-hand man.

Treachery, tragedy, and death
China was unified under Liu Bang’s rule, and Liu granted Han Xin the title of “King of Chu” in recognition of his contributions. Months later, Liu Bang was proclaimed emperor. But Liu became extremely jealous of Han Xin’s military genius.

After the states were unified, Liu had no need for Han Xin anymore. The Emperor secretly seized Han Xin’s military command and began demoting him. Xiao He, the advisor who originally recognized Han Xin, with the help of Emperor Liu’s wife, had Han Xin arrested, tortured, and then executed. Han Xin’s entire clan sadly was also put to death.

Some Chinese idioms and sayings originated from Han Xin’s life. The most famous one is: “The shame of crawling through between someone’s legs.” （胯下之辱） It describes a humiliating incident. This idiom originated from the story when Han Xin was tyrannized by a troublemaker.

Han Xin achieved incredible victories and built the Han dynasty before he was 30 years old. Later generations called him the “God of War.”

And do you know what happened to the ruffian who humiliated Han Xin? When Han Xin became general, he went to his hometown where he encountered the person. The thug grew mortally afraid and begged Han to let him live. Han Xin, being the man he was, did one better; he forgave him and made him a lieutenant in charge of security in the capital of Chu.

https://visiontimes.com/2020/06/10/general-han-xin-a-shining-symbol-of-tolerance2.html