In a third version popularized by a recent book from David H. Li, it was Han Xin that invented the game. One common factor cited in these folklores is that in the game of xiangqi, the line which divides the board into 2 parts is marked "Chu River" on the black side and "Han Border" on the red side. There is, however, no historical documentation suggesting an actual origin in this era; the first written description of xiangqi's rules appeared much later, in the Tang dynasty.
In a third iteration championed by a recent book from David H. Li, it was Han Xin who created the game. A common thread among these legends is that in the game of xiangqi, the dividing line on the board is labeled "Chu River" on the black side and "Han Border" on the red side. However, this origin story lacks historical basis; the first written account of xiangqi's rules emerged much later, in the Tang dynasty.