公元前207年，秦朝的统治已经摇摇欲坠。各地起兵反秦的力量越来越多，其中有一位出身楚国贵族的年轻人——项羽。
In 207 BC, the Qin dynasty’s rule was already collapsing. More and more forces were rising against Qin, among them a young man from an old aristocratic family of the state of Chu — Xiang Yu.
当时，秦将王离率领大军包围了巨鹿城，章邯在城南驻军，为王离运送军粮。巨鹿危在旦夕，各国援军却只敢在远处扎营观望。
At the time, the Qin general Wang Li had surrounded the city of Julu with a large army, while Zhang Han camped to the south and supplied him with food. Julu was in great danger, yet the allied rescue armies only dared to camp far away and watch.
楚军主将宋义主张等秦军疲惫以后再进攻，在安阳一连停留了四十六天。项羽心急如焚，宋义却完全不听他的意见。
Song Yi, the commander of the Chu army, insisted on waiting until the Qin army was exhausted, and stayed at Anyang for forty-six days in a row. Xiang Yu was burning with anxiety, but Song Yi refused to listen to him at all.
项羽当机立断，在军中杀了宋义，接管了军队。他对将士们说，必须立刻出兵救赵。楚王只好正式任命他为主将。
Xiang Yu acted decisively: he killed Song Yi in the camp and took over the army. He told his officers and men that they must march at once to rescue Zhao. The King of Chu had no choice but to formally appoint him commander.
大军渡过漳河以后，项羽下令：把船全部凿沉，把饭锅全部砸破，把营帐全部烧掉，每人只带三天的干粮。
After the army crossed the Zhang River, Xiang Yu gave his order: sink all the boats, smash all the cooking pots, burn all the tents, and let each man carry only three days of dry rations.
士兵们一下子明白了：身后已经没有退路。要想活着回去，就要打赢这一仗。
The soldiers understood at once: there was no road back behind them. If they wanted to return alive, they had to win this battle.
巨鹿城下，楚军与秦军主力正面交锋。楚军以一当十，喊杀声震天动地，一连打了九仗，终于截断秦军的粮道，大破敌军。
Under the walls of Julu, the Chu army clashed head-on with the main Qin force. Each Chu soldier fought as if he were worth ten enemies; their war cries shook heaven and earth. After nine engagements they finally cut off the Qin supply route and shattered the enemy army.
那些一直在营垒上观战的各国将领，这时才真正心服口服。他们进入楚军大营时，都跪着用膝盖往前走，不敢抬头看项羽。项羽成了诸侯联军的统帅。
Only then were the allied generals — who had watched the whole battle from behind their fortifications — truly convinced. When they entered Xiang Yu’s camp, they crawled forward on their knees and did not dare look up at him. Xiang Yu became commander-in-chief of the allied armies.
这场决战消灭了秦军的主力。从此，“破釜沉舟”成为一个成语，用来形容下定决心、不留退路，一定要把事情做成。
This decisive battle destroyed the main force of the Qin army. From then on, 破釜沉舟 — “breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats” — became an idiom for resolving to leave yourself no retreat and seeing something through to the end.