成语典故：一败涂地

To Collapse Like an Earthen Wall

　　Explanation：

　　To suffer a crushing defeat from which one can never recover.

　　Story：

　　Liu Bang， the founder of the Han Dynasty， was originally a minor official in Peixian County in the later part of the Qin Dynasty. He was ordered to escort a large group of laborers north to work on the Great Wall， which was just being built at that time. Because he was not a harsh disciplinarian， large numbers of the laborers took advantage of this to escape， and Liu Bang， knowing that he would be punished harshly when he reached his destination， decided to free the rest of the laborers and flee himself.

　　With only about a dozen companions， Liu Bang became an outlaw. He gained a reputation for courage when the band came across a giant snake lying in their path. None of the other outlaws dared to approach it， but Liu Bang strode fearlessly forward and drove it away with his sword.

一败涂地

　　解释：

　　形容失败到不可收拾的地步。

　　故事：

　　秦朝末年，刘邦是沛县一名亭长（管理十里以内的小官）。他性格豪爽，乐于帮助别人。有一次，刘邦奉命押送一批民夫到骊山去做苦工。在路上，每天总有几个民夫逃走。有天晚上，他对大家说：“你们到骊山做苦工也是累死，你们都走吧！”当时就有十几个民夫情愿跟随刘邦。

　　刘邦带这十几个人正往别处逃走，忽然有条大蛇挡在路上，别人吓得不敢前进，刘邦手提宝剑，把大蛇赶走，大家很佩服他这种勇敢精神。

　　At that time the Qin Dynasty was collapsing under the pressure of widespread rebellion. Xiao He and Cao Can， respectively secretary and prison governor of Peixian County， admired Liu Bang and had secret contacts with him ，urging him to help overthrow the corrupt and tyrannous Qin Dynasty.

　　As the first step， they occupied the county seat of Peixian. The local people chose Liu Bang as their leader， and his acceptance speech contained the following words： "To overthrow the Qin Dynasty will be a most arduous task . If we fail we will be like an earthen wall which has collapsed-there is no way that it can be put together again."

　　Starting with a rag-tag army of only 3，000 men， Liu Bang went on to overthrow the decadent Qin Dynasty and establish a new and vigorous dynasty， that of the Han.

　　那时候秦朝政治腐败，各地百姓纷纷起来造反。沛县衙里的文书萧何和监狱官曹参知道刘邦是个好汉，便经常暗地与他来往，商量准备起兵反秦。

　　在萧何和曹参的帮助下，刘邦决定起义，他们首先攻下了沛县。大家推举刘邦为起义军的首领；刘邦说：“抗秦大业是艰巨的，如果一败涂地，就要赔上性命啊！我刘邦愿带领大家大干一场！”

　　刘邦从这天开始，便率领沛县的三千弟子展开反抗暴秦的斗争，最后终于*了秦朝，建立了汉朝。