Battle of Jiangling
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Jiangling was fought by the allied forces of Sun Quan
and Liu Bei
against Cao Cao
during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms
period of Chinese history
. The battle was an integral part of the Red Cliffs campaign, and was fought immediately after the Battle of Yiling
in 208, and the preceding engagement at Wulin (烏林; in present-day Honghu
, Hubei
) on land and the marine Battle of Red Cliffs
where Cao Cao's navy was destroyed. Note that the battle at Wulin was a byproduct of the Battle of Red Cliffs, and they were not the same battle.
While the fighting around the city of Jiangling was vigorous, there were not much fierce battles taking place in southern Jing Province. Unable to isolate Jiangling from its supporting cities (except those in Yi Province, see Battle of Yiling (208)
for details), the campaign became a war of attrition, which resulted in enormous casualties for Cao Cao's side. After a year or so, Cao Cao could no longer afford the continuous losses in personnel and materiel
, so he ordered Cao Ren to withdraw from Jiangling.
to block Cao Ren's supply lines via infiltration. Zhou Yu wanted to have Guan Yu attack the enemy rear while bypassing the strongpoint of Jiangling, in order to isolate Jiangling for a coordinated attack. Thus, Guan Yu, along with Su Fei
(relationship to the Su Fei who served Eastern Wu
remains unclear), led a special force composed of navy and elite infantry, sailed up the Han River, and attacked the city of Xiangyang, which was guarded by Yue Jin
. However, Guan Yu was soundly defeated by Yue Jin outside the city. At Xiakou, Guan Yu's fleet met Yue Jin and Wen Ping, and Guan was held off by his rivals. Wen Ping trailed Guan Yu to Han Ford, in which he had Guan's food storage blunt to the ground. As a result, Guan Yu attempted to recuperate at Jingcheng (荆城); however, his pursuers would not allow him to rest, and Guan was forced to fight a naval battle with Wen Ping, which resulted in a total disaster.
from Cao Cao. There were hardly any troops left to defend the region, so all of the administrators of Cao Cao's four commanderies, including Jin Xuan
at Wuling (武陵), Han Xuan
at Changsha (長沙), Zhao Fan at Guiyang (桂陽), and Liu Du at Lingling (零陵) all surrendered without a fight. More importantly, Liu Bei's conquest of these commanderies was an integral portion of the Red Cliffs campaign as part of the goal of the allies. Liu Bei finally had a base of his own and he named Zhuge Liang
as Military Advisor General of the Household (軍師中郎將) to oversee the administrative affairs of Changsha, Guiyang and Lingling.
The biggest gain for Liu Bei; however, was that he was joined by Lei Xu (雷緒) and his troops, which almost doubled Liu Bei's force instantly. As soon as the news of Cao Cao's defeat at Wulin was heard, Lei Xu at Lujiang (盧江, in present-day Chaohu City, Anhui
) rebelled. Cao Cao's earlier strategy of keeping his veteran force in a separate force in the north to prepare for possible rebellions had paid off as he was able to summon the force to suppress the rebellion quickly by putting Xiahou Yuan
in charge, but the victory was not complete: though defeated and lost his turf, Lei Xu's force was largely unscathed; he led them to Liu Bei, strengthening the latter.
to command his troops. He suggested to Zhou Yu to block Jiangling from receiving new supplies as a means of driving Cao Ren out. Thus, Guan Yu was sent north to intercept enemy reinforcements, and blockades were set along the main passages. However, Cao Cao's general Li Tong fought valiantly; he dismounted and removed the blockades one by one, and advanced forward. Unable to suppress his enemy, Guan Yu ordered a retreat and Li Tong managed to enter Jiangling.
Meantime, Liu Bei placed Xiang Lang
in charge of Zigui (秭歸), Yidao (夷道), Wushan (巫山), and Yiling (夷陵) (Yiling was assigned to Liu Bei by Sun Quan after negotiation) counties, all of them were vital to invade Yi Province (covering the Sichuan Basin
).
, besides, Cao Ren and his aide, Xu Huang
, were unable to suppress Ling Tong
, who were defending Zhou Yu's main camp on his own. Hence, the soldiers inside Jiangling were low on morale, and Cao Ren knew he needed to do something to change the tide of war. To prevent morale from dropping further, Cao Ren recruited 300 volunteers to form an assault force led by general Niu Jin
, in hope that they could score a minor victory or demonstrate bravery on the field to boost the morale. While the enemy vanguard reached the outskirt of the city, the small detachment was immediately besieged. Cao Ren ordered several tens of his strongest men to be ready for the rescue, and his Chief Clerk Chen Jiao (陳矯) advised against it, claiming that "the enemy force was too high on morale, and losing several hundred men was not a big deal to us." Cao Ren ignored Chen Jiao's plea and went out, charging directly into the enemy. As Chen Jiao lost sight of Cao Ren, he was certain that Cao Ren was dead. However, to everyone's surprise, not only did Cao Ren rescue Niu Jin on the first attempt, he went back for the second time to save the remaining survivors. As Cao Ren and his troops safely returned to the safety behind the city wall, the total fatalities of combined forces of Cao Ren and Niu Jin were minimal. The surprised Chen Jiao could only mutter one sentence: "General (Cao Ren), you are truly a man from Heaven." As Cao Cao learned this soon after, he rewarded Cao Ren the rank of Marquis of Safeness (安平亭侯) for his bravery in this battle. Encouraged with this incident, Cao Ren set up camps outside the city walls. Zhou Yu personally led raids on Cao Ren's camps, and during one such raid, he was seriously wounded after he was hit by an arrow that broke one of his right ribs.
.
, Liu Bei also successfully "borrowed" Nan Commandery from Sun. Thus, Liu Bei had secured everything he needed for the invasion of Yi Province
, and he would mobilize his troops towards Yi Province in 211.
Traditionally, the Battle of Jiangling is regarded as the end of the Red Cliffs campaign because as the confrontations ended and the battle turned into a siege, Cao Cao returned to his forward base in Qiao (谯) in the north in March, 209, and Sun Quan also gave up his attack on Hefei (合肥) in the east, and the remainder of the siege of Jiangling was no longer considered as part of the campaign by most historians. The fall of Jiangling to Sun Quan is generally regarded as the aftermath of the campaign.
and Huang Zhong
which became the source of other cultural works, such as Beijing opera
. In reality; however, none of these were true.
Contrary to what was depicted in Luo Guanzhong
's historical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms, Han Xuan
was not killed by Wei Yan
, who in turn did not join Liu Bei after the fictitious battle, but instead, was already a subject of Liu Bei prior to the conquest of Guiyang.
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
and Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
against Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. The battle was an integral part of the Red Cliffs campaign, and was fought immediately after the Battle of Yiling
Battle of Yiling (208)
The Battle of Yiling of 208 was fought between the warlords Sun Quan and Cao Cao during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle was an integral part in the Red Cliffs campaign, as it was fought immediately after the major engagement at Wulin during the Battle of Red...
in 208, and the preceding engagement at Wulin (烏林; in present-day Honghu
Honghu
Honghu is a county-level city in the municipal region of Jingzhou, in central China's Hubei province. The city lies on the left bank of the Yangzi River, across from Hunan Province and Xianning, Hubei...
, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
) on land and the marine Battle of Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs
The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...
where Cao Cao's navy was destroyed. Note that the battle at Wulin was a byproduct of the Battle of Red Cliffs, and they were not the same battle.
While the fighting around the city of Jiangling was vigorous, there were not much fierce battles taking place in southern Jing Province. Unable to isolate Jiangling from its supporting cities (except those in Yi Province, see Battle of Yiling (208)
Battle of Yiling (208)
The Battle of Yiling of 208 was fought between the warlords Sun Quan and Cao Cao during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle was an integral part in the Red Cliffs campaign, as it was fought immediately after the major engagement at Wulin during the Battle of Red...
for details), the campaign became a war of attrition, which resulted in enormous casualties for Cao Cao's side. After a year or so, Cao Cao could no longer afford the continuous losses in personnel and materiel
Materiel
Materiel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....
, so he ordered Cao Ren to withdraw from Jiangling.
Background
After the great victory in the Battle of Red Cliffs, the allies immediately carried out their next step of their strategy by attempting to take control of Nan Commandery from Cao Cao by driving the retreating enemy toward Jiangling (江陵, located in present-day Jingjiang 荆江, not to be confused with present-day Jiangling County, Hubei).Infiltration into the enemy's rear
Zhou Yu was worried about Cao Cao's unscathed units totaling over 100,000 strong, which were scattered around strategic locations, so he urged Liu Bei to send Guan YuGuan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
to block Cao Ren's supply lines via infiltration. Zhou Yu wanted to have Guan Yu attack the enemy rear while bypassing the strongpoint of Jiangling, in order to isolate Jiangling for a coordinated attack. Thus, Guan Yu, along with Su Fei
Su Fei
Su Fei was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Biao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a subordinate of Huang Zu and fought in the Battle of Xiakou against Sun Quan's forces...
(relationship to the Su Fei who served Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...
remains unclear), led a special force composed of navy and elite infantry, sailed up the Han River, and attacked the city of Xiangyang, which was guarded by Yue Jin
Yue Jin
Yue Jin was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty of China. He was noted as much for his short stature as for his valor and ferocity on the battlefield...
. However, Guan Yu was soundly defeated by Yue Jin outside the city. At Xiakou, Guan Yu's fleet met Yue Jin and Wen Ping, and Guan was held off by his rivals. Wen Ping trailed Guan Yu to Han Ford, in which he had Guan's food storage blunt to the ground. As a result, Guan Yu attempted to recuperate at Jingcheng (荆城); however, his pursuers would not allow him to rest, and Guan was forced to fight a naval battle with Wen Ping, which resulted in a total disaster.
Southern Jing Province
Liu Bei asked for and obtained Zhou Yu's permission to cover the rear and the flank of Zhou's navy by taking the remaining four commanderies to the south of the Yangtze RiverYangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
from Cao Cao. There were hardly any troops left to defend the region, so all of the administrators of Cao Cao's four commanderies, including Jin Xuan
Jin Xuan
Jin Xuan , style name Yuanji , was a minor warlord and Administrator of Wuling Commandery during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Biography:...
at Wuling (武陵), Han Xuan
Han Xuan
Han Xuan was a minor warlord and the Administrator of Changsha commandery during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He served under Liu Biao, governor of Jing Province, for three years. After Liu Biao's death, the northern part of Jing Province was divided between two of Liu Biao's...
at Changsha (長沙), Zhao Fan at Guiyang (桂陽), and Liu Du at Lingling (零陵) all surrendered without a fight. More importantly, Liu Bei's conquest of these commanderies was an integral portion of the Red Cliffs campaign as part of the goal of the allies. Liu Bei finally had a base of his own and he named Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
as Military Advisor General of the Household (軍師中郎將) to oversee the administrative affairs of Changsha, Guiyang and Lingling.
The biggest gain for Liu Bei; however, was that he was joined by Lei Xu (雷緒) and his troops, which almost doubled Liu Bei's force instantly. As soon as the news of Cao Cao's defeat at Wulin was heard, Lei Xu at Lujiang (盧江, in present-day Chaohu City, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
) rebelled. Cao Cao's earlier strategy of keeping his veteran force in a separate force in the north to prepare for possible rebellions had paid off as he was able to summon the force to suppress the rebellion quickly by putting Xiahou Yuan
Xiahou Yuan
Xiahou Yuan was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was killed in the Battle of Mount Dingjun against Liu Bei's general Huang Zhong in 219, and was given the posthumous title of Marquis Min , literally meaning "sympathetic...
in charge, but the victory was not complete: though defeated and lost his turf, Lei Xu's force was largely unscathed; he led them to Liu Bei, strengthening the latter.
Attempt to cut Cao Ren's supply lines
Liu Bei authorized Zhang Fei and Guan YuGuan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
to command his troops. He suggested to Zhou Yu to block Jiangling from receiving new supplies as a means of driving Cao Ren out. Thus, Guan Yu was sent north to intercept enemy reinforcements, and blockades were set along the main passages. However, Cao Cao's general Li Tong fought valiantly; he dismounted and removed the blockades one by one, and advanced forward. Unable to suppress his enemy, Guan Yu ordered a retreat and Li Tong managed to enter Jiangling.
Meantime, Liu Bei placed Xiang Lang
Xiang Lang
Xiang Lang , style name Juda , was a minister serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the uncle of Xiang Chong. Xiang Lang originally served under Liu Biao, and he joined Liu Bei after Liu Biao's death...
in charge of Zigui (秭歸), Yidao (夷道), Wushan (巫山), and Yiling (夷陵) (Yiling was assigned to Liu Bei by Sun Quan after negotiation) counties, all of them were vital to invade Yi Province (covering the Sichuan Basin
Sichuan basin
The Sichuan Basin is a lowland region in southwestern China. Despite its historical name, it is not only synonymous to Sichuan province, comprising its central and eastern portions as well as part of Chongqing Municipality...
).
Stalemate
The allies appeared to be suffering losses but their failures were considered minor as compared to that of Cao Cao's side. A few months earlier, Cao Ren had his elite cavalry suffered a casualty of more than 3,000 men in a single day in an attempt to retake YilingBattle of Yiling (208)
The Battle of Yiling of 208 was fought between the warlords Sun Quan and Cao Cao during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle was an integral part in the Red Cliffs campaign, as it was fought immediately after the major engagement at Wulin during the Battle of Red...
, besides, Cao Ren and his aide, Xu Huang
Xu Huang
Xu Huang was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He served the state of Cao Wei, founded by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, during the Three Kingdoms period...
, were unable to suppress Ling Tong
Ling Tong
Ling Tong was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He started his service to the Sun family since his childhood, and throughout his entire life, he had been contributing to the foundation and solidification of Eastern Wu...
, who were defending Zhou Yu's main camp on his own. Hence, the soldiers inside Jiangling were low on morale, and Cao Ren knew he needed to do something to change the tide of war. To prevent morale from dropping further, Cao Ren recruited 300 volunteers to form an assault force led by general Niu Jin
Niu Jin
Niu Jin was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He continued serving the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period.-Biography:...
, in hope that they could score a minor victory or demonstrate bravery on the field to boost the morale. While the enemy vanguard reached the outskirt of the city, the small detachment was immediately besieged. Cao Ren ordered several tens of his strongest men to be ready for the rescue, and his Chief Clerk Chen Jiao (陳矯) advised against it, claiming that "the enemy force was too high on morale, and losing several hundred men was not a big deal to us." Cao Ren ignored Chen Jiao's plea and went out, charging directly into the enemy. As Chen Jiao lost sight of Cao Ren, he was certain that Cao Ren was dead. However, to everyone's surprise, not only did Cao Ren rescue Niu Jin on the first attempt, he went back for the second time to save the remaining survivors. As Cao Ren and his troops safely returned to the safety behind the city wall, the total fatalities of combined forces of Cao Ren and Niu Jin were minimal. The surprised Chen Jiao could only mutter one sentence: "General (Cao Ren), you are truly a man from Heaven." As Cao Cao learned this soon after, he rewarded Cao Ren the rank of Marquis of Safeness (安平亭侯) for his bravery in this battle. Encouraged with this incident, Cao Ren set up camps outside the city walls. Zhou Yu personally led raids on Cao Ren's camps, and during one such raid, he was seriously wounded after he was hit by an arrow that broke one of his right ribs.
Withdrawal of Cao Ren
In addition, the allied force was unable to block the numerous reinforcements continually sent by Cao Cao, so the siege turned out to be a prolonged one. As Zhou Yu could hardly command the troops, the battles were left to Ling Tong, Lü Meng and others, who were forced to expediently alter their temporary objective into inflicting damage to the enemy units. After a year of intense fighting, Zhou Yu regained health and insisted on personally leading the army, he purposefully flaunted before Cao Ren and rallied his army to illustrate his determination to keep on the offensive. Being deceived by Zhou Yu, who was actually still in critical condition, Cao Cao unwillingly ordered Cao Ren to retreat under the rationale that his forces could no longer afford continuous loss of materiel and labour. Therefore, Sun Quan's forces finally succeeded in their objective of capturing Nan Commandery, which holds the upper stream of the Yangtze River, a strategic stronghold that would never be reclaimed by the state of Cao WeiCao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
.
Aftermath
After Liu Bei became a powerful warlord of southern Jing Province, Sun Quan was a bit apprehensive of him, so he arranged a marriage for Liu and his sister. With the help of Sun Quan's strategist, Lu SuLu Su
Lu Su , style name Zijing , was a politician, militarist and diplomat serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
, Liu Bei also successfully "borrowed" Nan Commandery from Sun. Thus, Liu Bei had secured everything he needed for the invasion of Yi Province
Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province
Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province was a military campaign by the warlord Liu Bei in taking control of Yi Province from its Governor, Liu Zhang. The campaign took place between 212 and 215 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
, and he would mobilize his troops towards Yi Province in 211.
Traditionally, the Battle of Jiangling is regarded as the end of the Red Cliffs campaign because as the confrontations ended and the battle turned into a siege, Cao Cao returned to his forward base in Qiao (谯) in the north in March, 209, and Sun Quan also gave up his attack on Hefei (合肥) in the east, and the remainder of the siege of Jiangling was no longer considered as part of the campaign by most historians. The fall of Jiangling to Sun Quan is generally regarded as the aftermath of the campaign.
Cao Cao forces
- General Who Attacks the South (征南將軍) Cao RenCao RenCao Ren was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He played a significant part in assisting Cao Cao in the civil wars leading to the end of the Han Dynasty...
, stationed in Jiangling (江陵; located in present-day Jingjiang 荊江, not to be confused with present-day Jiangling County, HubeiHubei' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
)- Chief Clerk (長史) Chen Jiao (陳矯)
- General Who Swipes Across the Wilderness (橫野將軍) Xu HuangXu HuangXu Huang was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He served the state of Cao Wei, founded by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, during the Three Kingdoms period...
- General Niu JinNiu JinNiu Jin was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He continued serving the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period.-Biography:...
- Administrator of Xiangyang (襄陽太守) Yue JinYue JinYue Jin was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty of China. He was noted as much for his short stature as for his valor and ferocity on the battlefield...
- Administrator of Runan (汝南太守) Li Tong
- Administrator of Jiangxia (江夏太守) Wen Ping
- General Who Demonstrates Bravery (奮威將軍) Man ChongMan ChongMan Chong , style name Boning , was an official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
Sun Quan forces
- General in the Center Protecting the Army (中護軍將軍) Zhou YuZhou YuZhou Yu was a military general and strategist who served his close friend, the warlord Sun Ce, during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
, served as commander-in-chief of the allied forces- Right Area Commander (右都督) Cheng PuCheng PuCheng Pu was a military general serving under the warlord Sun family of Eastern Wu for three generations during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Early service under Sun Jian:...
- General of the Household (中郎將) Han DangHan DangHan Dang was a military general of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
- General of the Household Who Swipes Across the Wilderness (橫野中郎將) Lü MengLü MengLü Meng was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as the commanding general in the invasion of Jing Province that led to the death of Guan Yu.-Early life:Lü Meng was born in Fupo, Runan Commandery in 178...
- Commandant Who Inherits Fierceness (承烈都尉) Ling TongLing TongLing Tong was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He started his service to the Sun family since his childhood, and throughout his entire life, he had been contributing to the foundation and solidification of Eastern Wu...
- Chief of Yichun (宜春長) Zhou TaiZhou TaiZhou Tai , style name Youping , was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Early life and career:...
- Prefect of Dangkou (當口令) Gan NingGan NingGan Ning was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was born in Linjiang, Ba Commandery .-Early life as a pirate:...
- Right Area Commander (右都督) Cheng Pu
Liu Bei forces
- General on the Left (左將軍) Liu BeiLiu BeiLiu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
, served as vanguard of the allied ground forces- Lieutenant General (偏將軍) Guan YuGuan YuGuan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
, served as commander of Liu Bei's naval forces - General of the Household (中郎將) Zhang Fei
- Chief of Linju (臨沮長) Xiang LangXiang LangXiang Lang , style name Juda , was a minister serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the uncle of Xiang Chong. Xiang Lang originally served under Liu Biao, and he joined Liu Bei after Liu Biao's death...
- Lieutenant General (偏將軍) Guan Yu
In fiction
For dramatic effect, in many literary works, Liu Bei's conquest of the four commanderies south of the Yangtze River were listed as separate battles, and there was a match between Guan YuGuan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
and Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong
Huang Zhong was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was most noted for his victory in the Battle of Mount Dingjun, in which his force routed that of Xiahou Yuan, who was slain during battle...
which became the source of other cultural works, such as Beijing opera
Beijing opera
Peking opera or Beijing opera is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court...
. In reality; however, none of these were true.
Contrary to what was depicted in Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
's historical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms, Han Xuan
Han Xuan
Han Xuan was a minor warlord and the Administrator of Changsha commandery during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He served under Liu Biao, governor of Jing Province, for three years. After Liu Biao's death, the northern part of Jing Province was divided between two of Liu Biao's...
was not killed by Wei Yan
Wei Yan
Wei Yan was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He became a soldier of Liu Bei when the latter fled Jing Province and seek protection from the eastern warlord, Sun Quan, in 208. In 211, Wei had climbed up the ranks and become a general in Liu Bei's...
, who in turn did not join Liu Bei after the fictitious battle, but instead, was already a subject of Liu Bei prior to the conquest of Guiyang.