Battle of Jingxing

Battle of Jingxing

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Jingxing

caption=
partof=the Chu-Han contention
date=204 BC
place= Jingxing Pass, Hebei
result= Decisive Han victory
combatant1=Principality of Han
combatant2=Kingdom of Zhao
commander1=Han Xin
commander2=Zhao Xie, Chen Yu
strength1=30,000
strength2=200,000
casualties1=|5,000casualties2=|150,000
The Battle of Jingxing (井陘之戰), also known as the Battle of Tao River (洮水之戰), was fought in 205 BC between the army of Han, commanded by Han Xin and a Zhao army. The Zhao were led by Princes Zhao Xie (趙歇) of Zhao and Chen Yu (陳餘), who is also known as the Lord of Cheng An (成安君) and serving as Zhao Xie's prime minister.

Having conquered the State of Wei, the general Han Xin was ordered by Liu Bang, the King of Han (漢王), to attack the lands of Zhao and Dai (代), with the assistance of Zhang Er (張耳), the Prince of Changshan (常山王, essentially the former Prince of Zhao). Han Xin quickly annihilated the forces commanded by the Dai prime minister Xia Yue (夏說) and marched across the Taihang Mountains into Zhao.

Before the battle, Chen Yu was counseled by Li Zuoju (李左車), the Lord of Guangwu (廣武君) to block off the important routes across the Taihang Mountains, especially Jingxing Pass. He analyzed to Chen Yu that he could win easily by blocking routes and exploiting Han Xin's inevitable logistics problems. However, Chen Yu, who is a Confucian scholar and prides himself as being the commander of an army with righteousness, responded that he has 200,000 men and need not fear Han Xin's small army. Not many people held Han Xin in high esteem at the time, which cost his opponents dearly in this battle and in the later Battle of Wei River.

The forces of Han Xin as they emerged out of Jingxing pass faced the forces of Zhao across the Tao River. Han Xin had his troops eat a simple breakfast before the battle, stating that they will feast upon destroying the Zhao army. Not even his officers believed him, although they did at least follow his orders.

In preparation for the battle the previous evening, Han Xin dispatched a small force of 2,000 mounted men near the Zhao camp, each carrying a red battle flag of the Han army, and told them that they are to overrun the Zhao camp as soon as the entire Zhao army moved out to press the attack. He also had 10,000 men cross the Tao River (at the time also known as the Ye River, 冶河) and dug ditches, and generally fortified the defenses of his bridgehead. Operating out of the small bridgehead with his back to the river would however mean that he would easily be in a position of a fight without retreat in case of defeat. Chen Yu and the other Zhao commanders laughed at the foolhardy move.

Early in the morning, Han Xin marched the bulk of his forces out of Jingxing Pass and across the Tao River to meet the Zhao forces, displaying his banner and other insignia prominently (this is a calculated move, intended to entice the Zhao army). He feinted defeat in the early skirmish and withdrew into his prepared position, with the entire Zhao army in hot pursuit. Since the Han forces had no place to go, they fought ferociously and with the help of their fortifications, they were able to hold out.

Since the Zhao attack on the bridgehead was indecisive, the Zhao commanders tried to regroup for further action. However, as the Zhao army was being ordered to withdraw temporarily, everyone saw that their camp was bristling with the red battle flag of Han, which created the impression that they had been ambushed from the rear. Many Zhao soldiers panicked and their officers was unable to restore order. At this point Han Xin attacked with everything he had, and the Zhao army disintegrated. As the remnants of the Zhao army fled and was chased, Chen Yu was eventually caught on the Zhi River (泜水) and was killed in action; and Prince Zhao Xie was captured.

At the feast after the battle, Han Xin's officers, still somewhat incredulous at their own good fortune, inquired into the rationale for the astounding deployments. Han Xin explained that as he was commanding a ragtag army and he was not a general of high renown, he had to resort to such drastic measures to force everyone to fight hard. This led to the saying "You achieve survival by fighting from a position of certain death (置之死地而後生)".

The battle at Jingxing Pass was one of several that established Han Xin as a great military commander in Chinese history and eventually decided the Chu-Han contention in favor of Liu Bang.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Battle of Xinkou — Infobox Military Conflict conflict=Battle of Xinkou partof=the Second Sino Japanese War caption= Chinese troops marching to defend Xinkou mountain passes date=13 September – 11 November 1937 place=Xinkou and Taiyuan casus= territory=… …   Wikipedia

  • Jingxing Pass — One of the major mountain passes on the Taihang Mountains, site of the famous Battle of Tao River or Battle at Jingjing Pass where the famous general Han Xin (韓信) scored one of his many victories against superior forces …   Wikipedia

  • Chu–Han Contention — Chu Han Contention Date 206–202 BC Location China Result Han victory Belligerents …   Wikipedia

  • List of battles before 601 — List of battles: before 601 601 1400 1401 1800 1801 1900 1901 2000 2001 current See also: List of Roman battles Before 500 BC5th century BC4th century BC*398 BC Siege of Motya Phoenician city Motya sacked. *397 BC Battle of Messene Ionian Greek… …   Wikipedia

  • Timeline of Chinese history — History of China ANCIENT …   Wikipedia

  • List of Chinese battles — The following is a list of Chinese wars and battles, organized by date. The list is not exhaustive. Contents 1 Ancient China 2 Imperial China 2.1 Qin Dynasty (221 BC–207 BC) 2.2 Chu Han …   Wikipedia

  • Emperor Gaozu of Han — Emperor Gao (256 BC or 247 BC ndash;June 1, 195 BC), commonly known inside China by his Temple Name, Gaozu (Zh cp|c=高祖|p=Gāozǔ, Wade Giles: Kao Tsu), personal name Liu Bang (Wade Giles: Liu Pang), was the first emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty …   Wikipedia

  • Immaterielles Kulturerbe Chinas — Die Liste des Immateriellen Kulturerbes der Volksrepublik China (chin. 中國國家級非物質文化遺產 / 中国国家级非物质文化遗产, Zhōngguó guójiājí fēiwùzhì wénhuà yíchǎn, engl. China Intangible Cultural Heritage) führt alle Elemente des chinesischen Brauchtums auf, die vom… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Liste des immateriellen Kulturerbes Chinas — Die Liste des Immateriellen Kulturerbes der Volksrepublik China (chin. 中國國家級非物質文化遺產 / 中国国家级非物质文化遗产, Zhōngguó guójiājí fēiwùzhì wénhuà yíchǎn, engl. China Intangible Cultural Heritage) führt alle Elemente des chinesischen Brauchtums auf, die vom… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Qin's wars of unification — Part of Warring States Period Date 230 BC – 221 BC Location China Result …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”