| Chu–Han Contention |
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Territories and troop movements of the Chu–Han Contention |
| Date | 206–202 BCE |
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| Location | China |
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| Result |
Han victory |
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| Belligerents |
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Han |
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| Commanders and leaders |
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The Chu–Han Contention (楚漢相爭), also known as the Chu–Han War (楚漢戰爭), was an interregnum of civil wars in Imperial China between the fall of the Qin dynasty in 206 BCE and the establishment of the Han dynasty in 202 BCE.
After the Qin dynasty was overthrown, the empire was divided into the Eighteen Kingdoms, ruled by enfeoffed rebel leaders and surrendered Qin generals according to the arrangement by Xiang Yu, the hegemon warlord. Due to dissatisfaction among the rebels, wars and rebellions soon broke out, most prominently between two major powers – Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, who were the rulers of the Western Chu and Han kingdoms, respectively. Other kingdoms also waged war against Chu and Han and among themselves, but these were largely insignificant compared to the Chu-Han conflict. The wars ended with a total victory to Liu Bang at the Battle of Gaixia, during which Xiang Yu committed suicide after losing all his men in a last stand. Having subdued all rival contenders, Liu Bang subsequently proclaimed himself emperor of the newly established Han dynasty.