Xiao He(蕭何)257BC-193BC, is the ancestor of Xiao family. He was born in Pei County (in modern Xuzhou(徐州市沛縣),Jiangsu(江苏),the same birth place as Liu Bang(劉邦).Xuzhou in ancient time is also known as Pengcheng (彭城).Xuzhou is the birth place of Liu Bang, Cao Shen, Xiao He and even the founder of Ming dynasty in 1368,Emperor Hongwu(洪武帝) or Zhu Yuanzhang(朱元璋)was also from the same birth place. Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bang were the founders of dynasty who were peasant from the same place. Is Liu Bang an inspiration for Zhu Yuanzhang?
Xiao He(蕭何),together with Zhang Liang (張良), Han Xin (韓信), helped Liu Bang(劉邦) to defeat Xiang Yu (項羽) who was the king of western Chu kingdom(西楚霸王)in the battle of Gaixia(垓下之戰), after the collapse of Qin dynasty(秦朝). Han Xin is a brave general,Zhang Liang is a good strategist,and Xiao He is a good administrator(CEO of today), the three of them are called The Three Pillars of Liu Bang's victory(汉初三杰). The period of battle between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu was known as Chu Han Contention (楚漢相爭). When Xiang Yu heard the armies sing in Chu ascent, he knew that he had been defeated and his kingdom had fallen(which is called 四面楚歌) , Xiang Yu committed suicide at Wu River(烏江).
The victory of the battle had resulted in the establishment of Han Dynasty (漢朝), which in Chinese history was also known as Western Han Dynasty(西汉)or Early Han(前汉). It reign from 202 BC to 9BC. Liu Bang become the first Emperor, Han Gaozu (漢高祖) of the Han Dynasty who was the emperor from 202 BC to until 195 BC. Xiao He become the first Prime Minister. The capital was at Changan(now Xian)
Proverb "成也蕭何，敗也蕭何",in English it is translated as " Success was because of Xiao He, and failure was also due to Xiao He". This is due to story that Xiao He was the one recommended Han Xin to Liu Bang, and also the one who caused Han Xin's death.
Beijing opera, "Xiao He chasing after Han Xin in the moonlight" 《萧何月下追韓信》. The proverb is refer to an action that is so urgent , that it must be carried out immediately.
There is another proverb, "Cao following the rules of Xiao" (蕭規曹隨) refers to the fact that, after Xiao He's death, Cao did not change his rules at all, but followed them. Cao Shen(曹參), was the 2nd Prime Minister, and the proverb refers to "following and honoring the rules set by your predecessors to avoid changes". Noted Xiao He, Cao Shen and Liu Bang are friends during their youth.
Note: It is difficult for non-Chinese educated Xiao clan to obtain info on Xiao clan,especially most of the books and documents are in Chinese. It is also difficult to translate as many of the books and documents are in ancient Chinese. The Wikipedia has an article on Xiao He, which is useful for non-Chinese educated Xiao clan.
萧何（前257年6.15—前193年7.8），汉族，西汉初期政治家，汉初三杰之一，沛（今属江苏沛县）人。早年任秦沛县狱吏，秦末辅佐刘邦起义。攻克咸阳后，诸将皆争夺金银财宝，他却接收了秦丞相、御史府所藏的律令、图书，掌握了全国的山川险要、郡县户口，并知民间疾苦，对日后制定政策和取得楚汉战争胜利起了重要作用。项羽称王后，萧何劝说刘邦接受分封，立足汉中。刘邦为汉王，以萧何为丞相，萧何极力推荐韩信为大将军，还定三秦。楚汉战争时，他留守关中，侍太子，为法令约束，使关中成为汉军的巩固后方，不断地输送士卒粮饷支援作战，对刘邦战胜项羽，建立汉代起了重要作用。汉代建立后，以他功最高封为“酂侯”，位次第一，食邑八千户。萧何采摭秦六法，重新制定律令制度，作为《九章律》（《盗律》、《贼律》、《囚律》、《捕律》、《杂律》、《具律》，增加《户律》、《兴律》、《厩律》），在法律思想上，主张"无为"，喜好"黄老之术"。高帝十一年（前196年）又协助高祖消灭韩信、英布等异姓诸侯王，被拜为相国。而他未能象张良那样及时地“假托神道明哲保身”，于是为了避免高祖的诛杀，他便以“自毁其名”的方法，以逃避被杀的危机。高祖死后，他辅佐惠帝。惠帝二年（前193年）卒，谥号“文终侯”。
慧眼识才 力荐韩信
韩信原是项羽的部下，他有勇有谋，是天下无双的军事家。但在项羽手下却得不到重用，于是就投到刘邦麾下。起初，刘邦让他当了一个管理粮草的小官，韩信大失所望。一次偶然的机会，萧何结识了韩信。在接触过程中，萧丞相发现韩信有胆有识，是个不可多得的人才，于是多次向刘邦推荐，但并没有引起刘邦的重视。
转眼间两个多月过去了。汉军将士不愿在蜀中久驻，整天思念家乡，念叨东归，开小差的人也越来越多。一天，韩信见久在汉营仍不受重用，一气之下离开了汉营。萧何得知后，马上放下尚没处理完的紧急公务，亲自策马追赶韩信，连个招呼也来不及向刘邦打。刘邦正为军中开小差的人日益增多而焦急，忽然有军吏来报告说：“萧丞相也跑了。”刘邦一听大惊失色，说：“这还了得!我正要与他商议军中大事，怎么他也逃走了!”当下派人去找萧何。一连两天也不见萧何的影子，急得刘邦坐立不安。再说萧何为追韩信，不辞辛苦，一路问，一路追，直到天黑了，还没追着韩信。正想下马休息一下，忽然远远望见有个人牵着马在河边徘徊。萧何顿时抖擞精神，快马加鞭，大声喊着：“韩将军!韩将军厂他策马赶到河边，气喘吁吁地下了马，气呼呼地说：“韩将军，咱们总算一见如故，够得上是朋友。你怎么不说一声，就这么走了？”韩信仍不吭声。萧何又说了一大堆劝他回去的话。这时候，滕公夏侯婴也策马赶到；两个人苦苦地相求非要韩信回去不可。他们说：“要是大王再不听我们的劝告，那我们三个人一起走，好不好了”韩信只好跟着他们回去。到了第三天，三人才回到南郑。
开国首功 位列三杰
消灭项羽、平定楚地后，诸侯联名上《劝进表》给刘邦，推举他为皇帝。公元前202年二月初三，众诸侯及太尉长安侯卢绾等300多人，恭听了刘邦即帝位的诏书。刘邦称帝后，在洛阳南宫大宴群臣。席间，觥筹交错，君臣共饮。刘邦显得特别高兴，他说：“你们都说实话，我为什么能够夺取天下？项羽又为什么会失去天下？”群臣众说不一。刘邦最后说：“你们只知其一，不知其二。运筹于帷幄之中，决胜于千里之外，我不如子房(张良)；镇国家、抚百姓、供军需、给粮饷，我不如萧何；指挥百万大军，战必胜，攻必克，我不如韩信。这三个人都是人中豪杰，我能用他们，所以能得天下。项羽只有一个范增还不能重用，因此最后败在我的手中。”不难看出，刘邦认为张良、萧何、韩信是他最得力的功臣，这三人亦被称为“汉初三杰"。
(extract from http://baike.baidu.com)
城固萧何墓
据明嘉靖四十五年（1566年）（城固县志）：汉酂（音：错）侯萧何墓，（县治）东北三里邯郸村。又据《史记·萧相国世家》：汉惠帝二年（公元前193年）萧何卒，葬长陵东司马门道北百步。古时候，名人死后怕政敌掘墓鞭尸，往往一人多墓，屡见不鲜。也有恩于百姓的，逝去后众人自发修衣冠墓，以便祭祀。那么，城固的萧何墓今何在？属哪一种？
萧何墓
萧何墓
萧何墓坐落在今博望镇谢家井办事处杜家槽村内，离县城三里，坐西朝东，墓前有三间房的祠堂，有塑像，墓上有几株古树。墓前有三通石碑，最早的石碑是清乾隆十一年（1746年）城固知县减应桐所立，写着“汉相国萧公讳何神墓；另一通是清乾隆四十一年（1776年）陕西巡抚毕沅所立，写着：汉丞相酂侯萧公墓，此碑高大气派；最后一通是清道光二十五年，（1845年）知城固县事李炜等人所立。
碑文较长，大意是：汉中为高祖发祥之地，驻军汉王城，萧何等众臣率军民筑堰垒渠，引水浇田，百姓士卒足食丰衣，至今近2000年， 渠堰尚在，惠泽及民，为纪念萧何之功德，李知事（知县）倡导，数百名乡绅富户捐钱物，修萧何墓陵园，以供后人祭奠。拜谒先贤墓冢，缅怀丰功伟绩，心中豁然 开朗：萧何死后虽远葬长陵，可纯朴厚道的汉中城固百姓，为纪念他在此地兴修水利、造福民众的大恩大德，修衣冠墓、盖萧公祠，敬立神位，人心向背使然也
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