芈心 / Mi Xin / Later Chu Huai Wang
芈心 / Mi Xin enters the wiki through Qinji 130-3 as a grandson of the earlier 楚怀王. After 范增 tells 项梁 that 陈胜 failed partly because he did not restore a Chu royal descendant, Xiang Liang sends people to search among the common population and finds Mi Xin herding sheep.
Mi Xin’s low status is the point rather than a disqualification. The source says Xiang Liang installs him as a new Chu Huai Wang in the sixth month because the old title can borrow the earlier ruler’s reputation, the old Chu grievance against 秦国, and 楚虽三户式反秦记忆. This makes him the episode’s central case of 复国王室名义合法性.
After the installation, 陈英 / 陈婴 is made pillar of state, receives five counties, and follows Mi Xin to Xuyi. The source therefore places Mi Xin at the symbolic center of Xiang Liang’s anti-Qin camp, while Xiang Liang still remains the effective military organizer.
Qinji 132 changes Mi Xin’s status after 项梁 dies at 定陶. 项羽, 刘邦, and 吕臣 move him from Xuyi to 彭城, but the move does not leave him a passive symbol. In the episode’s reading, Xiang Liang’s death gives Mi Xin room to recover authority from the Xiang military household.
Mi Xin merges Lu Chen’s and Xiang Yu’s troops under his own command, assigns Liu Bang to Dang commandery and the Wu’an Hou title, gives Xiang Yu the Chang’an Hou and Lu Gong titles, makes Lu Chen situ, and appoints Lu Chen’s father Lu Qing as lingyin. He also recognizes 魏豹 as Wei king after Wei Bao recovers old Wei cities.
The most consequential act is 怀王之约. Mi Xin and his ministers promise that whoever first enters 关中 and destroys 秦国 will become king there. The same strategic planning sends 宋义, Xiang Yu, and 范增 to rescue 巨鹿, while Liu Bang moves west.
This page is separate from 楚怀王, the earlier Warring States ruler whose captivity and death in Qin create the reputation being reused here.
Connections
- 项梁 - installs him as the restored Chu king.
- 范增 - supplies the argument for restoring a Chu royal descendant.
- 楚怀王 - grandfather and title source in the episode’s account.
- 楚国 and 秦国 - restored polity claim and enemy.
- 陈英 / 陈婴 - pillar of state attached to his court.
- 项羽, 刘邦, 吕臣, 彭城, and 魏豹 - Qinji 132 post-Xiang-Liang political reorganization.
- 怀王之约, 关中, 宋义, and 巨鹿 - reward rule and mission assignment issued under his court.
- 复国王室名义合法性, 六国复国式反秦策略, and 楚虽三户式反秦记忆 - concept branches his role anchors.