Battle of Xiling

The Battle of Xiling was fought between the states of Western Jin and Eastern Wu from October 272 to February 273 during the Three Kingdoms period of China. The battle concluded with a Wu victory.

Battle of Xiling
DateOctober 272 – February 273
Location
Xiling District, Yichang, Hubei
Result Eastern Wu victory
Belligerents
Eastern Wu Western Jin
Commanders and leaders
Lu Kang Bu Chan Executed
Yang Hu
Yang Zhao
Strength
30,000+ 80,000+
Battle of Xiling
Traditional Chinese西陵之戰
Simplified Chinese西陵之战

Background

During the Three Kingdoms period, the city of Xiling (西陵; present-day Xiling District, Yichang, Hubei) was held by Eastern Wu, and it was located near the border between Wu and its ally, Shu Han. In 229, Bu Zhi was appointed Commander of Xiling, where he would serve up to his death in 247. After he died, his son, Bu Chan, took over his role in Xiling. The Cao Wei state conquered Shu Han in 263, and in 266, Wei was replaced by the Western Jin. In 272, the Wu emperor, Sun Hao recalled Bu Chan to the capital to have him serve as the Controller of the Imperial Guards. However, because the Bu family had been in Xiling for many years, Bu Chan feared that he had been accused of not performing his duty well, and that he was actually being recalled to be punished. Thus, Bu Chan defected to Jin, surrendering Xiling and sending his two nephews, Bu Ji (步璣) and Bu Xuan (步璿), to the Jin capital, Luoyang.[1]

The battle

Initial stage

When Wu's Senior General Who Guards the Army, Lu Kang received news of the revolt, he immediately ordered his subordinates Zuo Yi (左奕), Wu Yan, Cai Gong (蔡貢), and others to lead separate forces and head towards Xiling. He instructed his men to construct defensive structures all the way from Chixi (赤谿) to Gushi (故市) to form an encirclement around Bu Chan's position, while at the same time defending the area from attacks by Jin forces. Hearing that Lu Kang was approaching Xiling, Jin sent the Chief Controller of Jing Province, Yang Hu to rescue Bu Chan.[2]

While constructing the defences, many of Lu Kang's officers repeatedly urged him to attack Xiling but he refused, believing that the city was well-fortified. To prove that he was right, Lu Kang eventually relented and ordered an assault on Xiling. As he expected, they did not succeed in capturing the city, so his officers gave up their idea of attacking and complied with Lu Kang's orders to construct the defensive structures.[3]

Destruction of the dyke near Jiangling

When Jin forces led by Yang Hu were approaching Jiangling County, the Wu officers advised Lu Kang against leaving Jiangling to attack Xiling. However, Lu Kang was confident that Jiangling was impregnable, and even if Jin were to capture it, they would not hold it for long. He was more concerned that if they lose Xiling, the tribes of the southern hills may rise up and cause trouble for Wu.[4]

Jiangling was situated on flat lands and was a very accessible location. However, Lu Kang later ordered Zhang Xian (張咸) to oversee the construction of a large dyke to block the river's flow and direct its waters to flood the flat lands, so as to create a large body of water around the city to serve as a barrier to invaders. When Yang Hu arrived, he planned to make use of this barrier by transporting supplies on boats, but he spread false news that he intended to destroy the dyke to make way for his land army to pass through. When Lu Kang heard that, he saw through Yang Hu's plot and ordered Zhang Xian to destroy the dyke. When Yang Hu reached Dangyang (當陽; southwest of present-day Jingmen, Hubei), he was dismayed to hear that the dyke had been destroyed. He had no choice but to transport his supplies on land, resulting in the wasting of time and effort.[5]

Final stages

Xu Yin (徐胤), the commander of the Jin garrison at Badong Commandery (巴東郡; around present-day Fengjie County, Chongqing), led naval forces towards Jianping (建平; around present-day Zigui County, Hubei), while Yang Zhao (楊肇), the Inspector of Jing Province (also under Jin control), led troops towards Xiling.

Lu Kang gave orders that: Zhang Xian reinforce Jiangling's defences; Sun Zun (孫遵), the Commandant of Gong'an County, patrol the south river bank and resist Yang Hu; and Liu Lü (留慮) and Zhu Wan (朱琬) guard against Xu Yin's attacks. He personally led three armies to hold off Yang Zhao with the aid of the defensive structures they had constructed earlier. However, Lu Kang's subordinates Zhu Qiao (朱喬) and Yu Zan (俞贊) defected to Yang Zhao's side. Lu Kang knew that Yu Zan was aware about the mutinous tribal soldiers in his army and may inform Yang Zhao about this weakness. Hence, that night, Lu Kang immediately replaced the tribal soldiers with other veteran soldiers whom he trusted more. The following day, as Lu Kang expected, Yang Zhao concentrated his attacks on the unit in Lu Kang's army which used to be made up of tribal soldiers, without knowing that they had been replaced. Lu Kang ordered his archers to retaliate, raining arrows on the enemy and inflicting heavy casualties.[6]

After about a month, Yang Zhao failed to overcome Lu Kang, so he withdrew his army on one night. Lu Kang wanted to pursue the enemy but he was worried that Bu Chan (who was still inside Xiling) might use the opportunity to attack him from behind, and he did not have enough troops with him. He then ordered his men to beat the drums and pretend to prepare to attack Yang Zhao's retreating forces. When Yang Zhao's men saw that, they were so terrified that they abandoned their armour and equipment and fled. Lu Kang sent a small group of lightly armed soldiers to pursue Yang Zhao and they inflicted a crushing defeat on the enemy. Yang Hu and the other Jin generals withdrew their armies after receiving news of Yang Zhao's defeat. Lu Kang then attacked and conquered Xiling. Bu Chan, along with his family and high-ranking officers, were executed for treason, while the others, numbering over 10,000, were pardoned after Lu Kang made a request to the Wu court. Lu Kang then had Xiling's fortifications repaired before returning east to Lexiang (樂鄉; east of present-day Songzi, Hubei).[7]

Aftermath

After Lu Kang returned to Lexiang, he was promoted to Protectorate General. Meanwhile, Yang Hu was demoted to General Who Pacifies the South, while Yang Zhao was made a commoner. For the next few years, Yang Hu shifted his focus to winning the hearts of the people of Wu by having he and his soldiers conduct themselves more respectfully towards their enemies. Historical records tell of an uncanny friendship between Yang Hu and Lu Kang after their battle at Xiling. Following Lu Kang's death in 274, Yang Hu began strongly advocating for Jin to carry out the conquest of Wu.

The battle is briefly mentioned by Yang Hu in chapter 120 of Luo Guanzhong's 14th century historical novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

References
  1. (恊弟闡，繼業為西陵督，加昭武將軍，封西亭侯。鳳皇元年，召為繞帳督。闡累世在西陵，卒被徵命，自以失職，又懼有讒禍，於是據城降晉。) Sanguozhi vol. 52.
  2. (鳳皇元年，西陵督步闡據城以叛，遣使降晉。抗聞之，日部分諸軍，令將軍左弈、吾彥、蔡貢等徑赴西陵，勑軍營更築嚴圍，自赤谿至故市，內以圍闡，外以禦寇，晝夜催切，如敵以至，衆甚苦之。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
  3. (諸將咸諫曰：「今及三軍之銳，亟以攻闡，比晉救至，闡必可拔。何事於圍，而以弊士民之力乎？」抗曰：「此城處勢旣固，糧穀又足，且所繕脩備禦之具，皆抗所宿規。今反身攻之，旣非可卒克，且北救必至，至而無備，表裏受難，何以禦之？」諸將咸欲攻闡，抗每不許。宜都太守雷譚言至懇切，抗欲服衆，聽令一攻。攻果無利，圍備始合。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
  4. (晉車騎將軍羊祜率師向江陵，諸將咸以抗不宜上，抗曰：「江陵城固兵足，無所憂患。假令敵沒江陵，必不能守，所損者小。如使西陵槃結，則南山羣夷皆當擾動，則所憂慮，難可竟言也。吾寧棄江陵而赴西陵，況江陵牢固乎？」) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
  5. (初，江陵平衍，道路通利，抗勑江陵督張咸作大堰遏水，漸漬平中，以絕寇叛。祜欲因所遏水，浮船運糧，揚聲將破堰以通步車。抗聞，使咸亟破之。諸將皆惑，屢諫不聽。祜至當陽，聞堰敗，乃改船以車運，大費損功力。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
  6. (晉巴東監軍徐胤率水軍詣建平，荊州刺史楊肇至西陵。抗令張咸固守其城；公安督孫遵巡南岸禦祜；水軍督留慮、鎮西將軍朱琬拒胤；身率三軍，憑圍對肇。將軍朱喬、營都督俞贊亡詣肇。抗曰：「贊軍中舊吏，知吾虛實者，吾常慮夷兵素不簡練，若敵攻圍，必先此處。」即夜易夷民，皆以舊將充之。明日，肇果攻故夷兵處，抗命旋軍擊之，矢石雨下，肇衆傷死者相屬。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.
  7. (肇至經月，計屈夜遁。抗欲追之，而慮闡畜力項領，伺視間隙，兵不足分，於是但鳴鼓戒衆，若將追者。肇衆兇懼，悉解甲挺走，抗使輕兵躡之，肇大破敗，祜等皆引軍還。抗遂陷西陵城，誅夷闡族及其大將吏，自此以下，所請赦者數萬口。脩治城圍，東還樂鄉，貌無矜色，謙沖如常，故得將士歡心。) Sanguozhi vol. 58.

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