ABSTRACT
Liu-Pang would never have attained to the dignity of being the founder of a dynasty had he not been assisted by men of extraordinary abilities, both as statesmen and generals. He took brown as the imperial colour, and he ordered that the first month of the first year of his reign should date from the third month of the late dynasty. Han-sin joined himself to Liu-pang, and his splendid generalship soon swept away every enemy that dared to face him. Wang Mang, apparently overcome by the force of the revelation that he had concocted, gracefully yielded to the wishes of the nobles, and according to royal precedent ordered that the twelfth month of the Hans should be the first in his new dynasty. He terrified at the progress of events, sent an army of over four hundred thousand men against the new Emperor, but after some slight successes it was defeated, and the enemy marched upon the capital.
