《史記》〈項羽本紀〉與〈高祖本紀〉呈現項羽與劉邦不同形象的對比，軍事強者終歸自刎敗亡，政治強人取得最後勝利果實建立一統天下。後世史家文人評論兩人的文字頗多，本文僅取元曲中以二人為主題或作為典故的，分析兩人的形象是否合乎史遷文字傳遞出來的劉、項面目？元曲作家看待這兩位人物，是寄與同情或鄙視？尊崇或貶抑？劉邦能否永遠頂著在漢代的皇帝光環，而項羽終究是「身死東城，尚不覺悟」，為大家嚴詞批判的對象？全文重點有三：一、前言由現存元雜劇與散曲題寫楚漢人物概況，說明雜劇和散曲取材角度不同，使得漢高祖劉邦在雜劇中隨時被稱揚，但在散曲中的重要性則退居於項羽之後。二、分析元雜劇人物對劉邦、項羽的評價，把握到兩人成功與失敗的原因，但多曲筆維護劉邦形象，也看到淡化消除部分項羽缺點以提高項羽地位的現象。三、論述散曲一片撻伐歷史中功臣名將人物聲中，發現同樣是遭散曲作家貶斥對象，但項羽受到肯定尊崇，劉邦則被貶低。最終歸結出「元代曲家心目中劉邦的地位下降，項羽受到尊崇」的結論。

Biographic Sketches of Hsiang Yu and Biographic Sketches of Kao Tzu of Han Dynasty in Shih Chi have presented different images of comparison with the military strong man depicted to be defeated and overthrown eventually but political sstrong man enjoying the victory to establish the territories under his sovereign. It is rife with commments concerning Liu Pang and Hsiang Yu by historians and men of letters. This essay takes chapters from lyric song of Yuan Dynasty in which Liu and Hsiang are themes or allusions for further analysis of whether the two's images are looks exactly presented by words in Shih Chi. How writers of lyric song of Yuan Dynasty view Liu and Hsiang? In a sympathetic or despised way? In a revent or debased way? If Liu could retain his corona as an emperor of the Han Dynasty forever while Hsiang is “Not awakening till his end of life” that makes him to be the subject receiving rigorous criticisms? It brings out three centers of emphasis in this essay: 1. The preface features the delineation of figures in Chu Dynasty and Han Dynasty based on the available Yuan Comedy and Sanqu (detached song) of the Yuan Dynasty, giving account of the different angles of materials selection between the two literary genres that earns Liu waves of applauses at all times in Yuan Comedy but not that in Sanqu where Liu's role significance falls behind that of Hsiang; 2. Causes of success and failure for Liu and Hsiang are from evaluations on them in the analysis of figures in Yuan Comedy, but it seens the majority of delineation guard Liu's image while the part of playing down is also seen to eliminate Hsiang's part of flaws and elevate his status; 3. In the exposition amid waves of punitive expenditions to those historical figures such as meritorious ministers and famous generals in Sanqu, it is interesting to find these figures fall to subjects of denunciation from writers in which Hsiang earns positive recognition and reverence while Liu is despised. In the final, a conclusion of “Liu is demoted is his status and Hsiang earns reverence from writers of lyric song of Yuan Dynasty” comes out.