秦末,劉邦與項(xiàng)羽各自攻打秦王朝的部隊(duì),劉邦先破咸陽(yáng)(秦始皇的都城) ,但劉邦兵力不及項(xiàng)羽,項(xiàng)羽大怒,派當(dāng)陽(yáng)君擊關(guān),項(xiàng)羽入咸陽(yáng)后,到達(dá)戲西,而劉邦則在霸上駐軍.劉邦的左司馬曹無(wú)傷派人在項(xiàng)羽面前說(shuō)劉邦打算在關(guān)中稱王,項(xiàng)羽聽(tīng)后更加憤怒,下令次日一早讓兵士飽餐一頓,擊敗劉邦的軍隊(duì).一場(chǎng)惡戰(zhàn)在即.劉邦從項(xiàng)羽的季父項(xiàng)伯口中得知此事后,大吃一驚,劉邦兩手恭恭敬敬地給項(xiàng)伯捧上一杯酒,祝項(xiàng)伯身體健康長(zhǎng)壽,并約為親家,劉邦的感情拉攏,說(shuō)服了項(xiàng)伯,項(xiàng)伯答應(yīng)為之在項(xiàng)羽面前說(shuō)情,并讓劉邦次日前來(lái)謝項(xiàng)羽.鴻門宴上,雖不乏美酒佳肴,但卻暗藏殺機(jī),項(xiàng)羽的亞父范增,一直主張殺掉劉邦,在酒宴上,一再示意項(xiàng)羽發(fā)令,但項(xiàng)羽卻猶豫不決,默然不應(yīng).范增召項(xiàng)莊舞劍為酒宴助興,趁機(jī)殺掉劉邦,項(xiàng)伯為保護(hù)劉邦,也撥劍起舞,掩護(hù)了劉邦,在危急關(guān)頭,劉邦部下樊噲帶劍擁盾闖入軍門,怒目直視項(xiàng)羽,項(xiàng)羽見(jiàn)此人氣度不凡,只好問(wèn)來(lái)者為何人,當(dāng)?shù)弥獮閯畹膮⒊藭r(shí),即命賜酒,樊噲立而飲之,項(xiàng)羽命賜豬腿后,又問(wèn)能再飲酒嗎,樊噲說(shuō),臣死且不避,一杯酒還有什么值得推辭的.樊噲還乘機(jī)說(shuō)了一通劉邦的好話,項(xiàng)羽無(wú)言以對(duì),劉邦乘機(jī)一走了之.劉邦部下張良入門為劉邦推脫,說(shuō)劉邦不勝飲酒,無(wú)法前來(lái)道別,現(xiàn)向大王獻(xiàn)上白壁一雙,并向大將軍(亞父范增)獻(xiàn)上玉斗一雙,請(qǐng)收下.不知深淺的項(xiàng)羽收下了白壁,氣得范增卻撥劍將玉斗撞碎.后人將鴻門宴喻指暗藏殺機(jī).