He was an uncle of the warlord Xiang Yu, who competed with Liu Bang (Emperor Gao), the founder of the Han dynasty, for supremacy over China in the Chu–Han Contention (206–202 BC).
Once, he killed someone in his hometown and fled to Xiapi (present-day Suining County, Jiangsu), where he met Zhang Liang, who befriended him and helped him evade the authorities.
The next day, Liu Bang attended the banquet hosted by Xiang Yu at Hong Gate and affirmed his loyalty to the latter.
Fan Zeng left his seat and called for Xiang Zhuang, instructing the latter to pretend to perform a sword dance and find an opportunity to assassinate Liu Bang.
Starting in late 206 BC, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang engaged in a power struggle for supremacy over China, historically known as the Chu–Han Contention.
In addition, Xiang Bo was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Yeyang (射陽侯), granted the imperial family name "Liu", and given the lands southwest of present-day Huai'an County, Jiangsu as his marquisate.