This poem is also known as 《和項王歌》 / With King Xiang’s song. Lady Yu was the beloved wife of 项羽 Xiang Yu, known as the 西楚霸王 / despot-king of Western Chu, a noble and warlord of the state of Chu who led the Chu armies to victory against the Qin towards the end of the Qin dynasty. They met when Xiang Yu fled to 吴中 Wuzhong with his uncle 项梁 Xiang Liang after the latter killed someone, since Lady Yu hailed from a very distinguished family there. After the two of them gathered an army of eight thousand from 江东 Jiangdong, Lady Yu, who greatly admired Xiang Yu’s heroic reputation, was married to him as his wife and kept him company often, including on his campaigns and battles. After Xiang Yu took the title “despot-king of Western Chu”, he conferred the title of 美人 / beauty upon Lady Yu.
This poem was composed during the final moments of Lady Yu’s life. During this time, Xiang Yu was warring with 刘邦 Liu Bang, the founding emperor of the Han dynasty, in the 楚汉相争 Chu-Han contention, which culminated in Xiang Yu’s eventual defeat at the 垓下之战 / battle of Gaixia and his suicide. The battle of Gaixia is famous for its ending, in which Liu Bang trapped Xiang Yu and his army in Gaixia and had those under his command who could sing Chu folk songs to do so. At this point, Xiang Yu had tried and failed numerous times to break out of the Han encirclement, and his troops were isolated and their rations exhausted. Upon being besieged on all four sides by the songs of Chu at night, he believed the land of Chu to be entirely lost. His troops too lost all morale upon hearing the songs of their hometowns, and fled one after another.
When Xiang Yu realised that the war was as good as lost, he cared for nothing but Lady Yu. As the two of them drank wine in their tent, Xiang Yu couldn’t help but sing the 《垓下歌》 / Song of Gaixia in sorrow, to which Lady Yu responded with a mournful dance and her own verse, which was this poem. After her song came to an end, she drew a sword and slit her own neck so that Xiang Yu would no longer have any attachments. Xiang Yu deeply grieved her loss, yet could only bury her beneath the grass of Gaixia in his haste.
漢兵已略地，
The armies of Han have now conquered the land;
四面楚歌聲。
From all four sides the songs of Chu resound.
大王意氣盡，
O great king, your will and mettle have been exhausted—
賤妾何聊生！
How could this ignoble wife of yours speak of life without you?