Battle of Liyang
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Liyang during the end of Han Dynasty
in China was an invasion attempt by the warlord Cao Cao
against the brothers Yuan Shang
and Yuan Tan
, sons of Cao Cao's rival Yuan Shao
. The battle in the ninth Chinese month of 202 was the first between the two factions since the death of Yuan Shao four months ago. Although it ended in Cao Cao's withdrawal, events in this battle brought tensions between the Yuan brothers to the surface as the elder Yuan Tan mutinied against his younger brother Yuan Shang after Cao Cao's temporary exit from the scene.
, two major factions emerged from the multitudes of feuding warlords: one led by the northern warlord Yuan Shao who nominally controlled the provinces of Ji (冀), Qing (青), Bing
, and You
; the other led by his former friend and subordinate Cao Cao, who, in addition to the three provinces of Yan (兗), Yu
, and Xu (徐), also had the imperial court and the Han Emperor Xian
under his control. The two warlords clashed in the Battle of Guandu
of 200, which ended decisively in Cao Cao's favour. Although Yuan Shao was defeated, he managed to reorganize his army, and the rebellions that sought to take advantage of his defeat were quickly suppressed. Yuan Shao died in June 202, said to be in frustration and anger at his defeat, leaving his sons to succeed his legacy.
Yuan Shao was survived by three sons: the eldest son Yuan Tan, the second son Yuan Xi
, and the youngest son Yuan Shang. Although it was customary for the eldest son to succeed the father, Yuan Shao had favoured the good-looking Yuan Shang and had arranged for Yuan Tan to be adopted by his elder brother, Yuan Tan's uncle. Since Yuan Shao never formally decided on an heir, the uncertainties regarding the inheritance remained uncertain upon his death, dividing Yuan Shao's camp into two. Among Yuan Shao's advisors, Xin Ping
and Guo Tu
supported Yuan Tan while Pang Ji and Shen Pei
rallied behind Yuan Shang. Despite there was general expectation that the eldest Yuan Tan will succeed his father, the pro-Yuan Shang faction feared reappraisal from Yuan Tan and produced a forged will that proclaimed Yuan Shang as the successor. A resentful Yuan Tan then took his army away to Liyang (黎陽; northwest of present-day Xun County
, Henan
) by the Yellow River which held the frontier against Cao Cao. Yuan Shang sent a few additional troops with Pang Ji to assist (or spy on) Yuan Tan, but refused his brother's plea when Yuan Tan requested further reinforcements. A furious Yuan Tan killed Pang Ji in response.
Cao Cao had shifted his focus away from the Yuan clan after his victorious Guandu campaign, but eventually returned to the frontline fortifications in Guandu in the spring of 202. His advisor Xun Yu
had previously warned Cao Cao to not turn his back on his newly defeated enemy, lest the remnants regroup and strike from behind. Four months after Yuan Shao's death, Cao Cao led his army across the Yellow River to attack the remnants at Liyang.
and Cheng Yu
in charge of supplies while he crossed the river. The supplies were to be ferried by water, but Yuan Shang's officer Gao Fan (高蕃) held a position on the river and blocked the supply line. Cao Cao initially suggested that the goods should be brought by land instead, but since Li Dian argued that Gao Fan's men were lightly armed and not prepared for naval warfare, he allowed Li Dian and Cheng Yu to attack Gao Fan. The attack was successful, and the water route was cleared for the supply train.
Historical sources vary on the events following Cao Cao's crossing. The official Cao Wei
records in Records of the Three Kingdoms indicate that Cao Cao won successive battles over the course of six months, forced the Yuan brothers out of Liyang but suddenly lifted the siege of the Yuan headquarters of Ye
and withdrew to Xu city
. However, Yuan Shao's post-biography in the Records, the Book of the Later Han, and contemporary references such as the Chu Shi Biao
contradict the Wei account, while the fact that the operation took so long also suggests that it might not have went as smoothly as Cao Cao's official biography stated. It was more likely, therefore, that the Wei records suppressed mention of Cao Cao's defeats in this region. Using a combination of the aforementioned sources, an alternate account of the battle is presented below.
Outmatched by Cao Cao in numbers, Yuan Tan found it difficult to hold his position in Liyang and sent for help. In response, Yuan Shang left Shen Pei to guard Ye while he brought his army in person to reinforce Liyang. The two sides fought west and south outside Liyang, where remains of the defenses used in the battle could still be seen during the Tang Dynasty
. In the third month of 203, the Yuan brothers came out of their fortification, but Cao Cao overran them and forced them back behind the walls of Liyang proper. Before Cao Cao could lay siege to Liyang, though, the brothers withdrew at night to Ye, seventy kilometers to the north.
The next month, Cao Cao's army followed the Yuan brothers' retreat until they reached Ye. Here, however, he appeared to had outstretched himself and was driven back by Yuan Shang's counterattack outside the city. The setback caused Cao Cao to turn his attention away from the Yuan headquarters for the moment, as he turned east to storm the city of Yin'an (陰安; in present-day Qingfeng, Henan) and collected grains from the granaries in southern Wei commandery (魏郡). By the time Cao Cao was ready to attack Ye again in the fifth month, his advisor Guo Jia
offered advice to the contrary to take advantage of the Yuan brothers' simmering tensions:
Cao Cao accepted the advice and retreated homeward, placing Jia Xin (賈信) in the beachhead fortress of Liyang while presumably leaving the untenable position of Yin'an to his enemies.
When Cao Cao was retreating across the Yellow River, Yuan Tan requested new equipments and additional troops from Yuan Shang so he could catch Cao Cao midriver. Doubtful of his elder brother's intentions, Yuan Shang granted neither. Yuan Tan's advisors Guo Tu and Xin Ping added fuel to the fire by suggesting it was Shen Pei who made Yuan Shao send Yuan Tan away to be adopted by his uncle, causing a furious Yuan Tan turned his army to attack Yuan Shang and Shen Pei in Ye. Yuan Tan was defeated and fled to Nanpi
, while Cao Cao returned to his capital Xu city
apparently unmolested.
The threat of the Yuan brothers would soon resolve itself, as Guo Jia had reasoned. The Yuan brothers had turned against each other, with Yuan Shang gaining the upper hand in the fraternal conflict. Yuan Tan was eventually driven from Nanpi and took refuge in Pingyuan
; besieged there, he turned to Cao Cao for help. The Governor of Jing Province Liu Biao
, an old ally of Yuan Shao, had the famed writer Wang Can
write a letter each to Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang on his behalf, urging them to fight against their nemesis Cao Cao, not amongst themselves. The letter to Yuan Tan in particular celebrated the Yuan brothers' victory in Ye against a strong enemy, and sternly disapproved of Yuan Tan's reliance on Cao Cao. Still, Liu Biao's remonstrances fell on deaf ears.
Cao Cao was engaged in battle with Liu Biao on their common border when Yuan Tan's ambassador Xin Pi
came to him. It turned out that Xin Pi was disillusioned about his lord, and suggested to Cao Cao that this would be the opportunity to destroy both Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan, before the two brothers make up and unite their forces. Xun Yu had also made an argument along these lines previously. Cao Cao accepted the advice, and ostensibly allied with Yuan Tan. In 204, Cao Cao launched an attack from Liyang and routed Yuan Shang's army from Ye
to relief Yuan Tan, causing Yuan Shang to seek refuge with Yuan Xi. In the year after that, Cao Cao accused Yuan Tan of ill intent and cancelled the alliance, and followed that by laying siege to Nanpi
. Yuan Tan was killed in that battle. The Yuan clan's hold on China's north was thus broken, though they would sustain until their final destruction in 207.
End of Han Dynasty
The End of the Han Dynasty refers to the period from 189 to 220, which roughly coincides with the reign of the Han Dynasty's last ruler, Emperor Xian. During this period, the Han empire's institutions were destroyed by the warlord Dong Zhuo, and fractured into regional regimes ruled by various...
in China was an invasion attempt by the warlord 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...
against the brothers Yuan Shang
Yuán Shàng
Yuan Shang , style name Xianfu , was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the third son of the warlord Yuan Shao, and succeeded his father...
and Yuan Tan
Yuan Tan
Yuan Tan was the oldest son of the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. After Yuan Shao's death, Yuan Tan split with his youngest brother Yuan Shang over the successorship to their father's realm. Yuan Tan sought help from the warlord Cao Cao and defeated Yuan...
, sons of Cao Cao's rival Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
. The battle in the ninth Chinese month of 202 was the first between the two factions since the death of Yuan Shao four months ago. Although it ended in Cao Cao's withdrawal, events in this battle brought tensions between the Yuan brothers to the surface as the elder Yuan Tan mutinied against his younger brother Yuan Shang after Cao Cao's temporary exit from the scene.
Background
After years of civil war since the failed campaign against Dong ZhuoCampaign against Dong Zhuo
The Campaign against Dong Zhuo was a punitive expedition initiated by a coalition of regional officials and warlords against Dong Zhuo, Chancellor of State, in 190 during the late Han Dynasty of Chinese history...
, two major factions emerged from the multitudes of feuding warlords: one led by the northern warlord Yuan Shao who nominally controlled the provinces of Ji (冀), Qing (青), Bing
Bing (province)
Bing was a province of China during the Han Dynasty, in the approximate area of modern Shanxi and western Hebei. At the end of the Han Dynasty, during a succession dispute among heirs of Yuan Shao , Bing was one of the first provinces to come under control of the warlord Cao Cao...
, and You
Youzhou
Youzhou is a historical place name in northern China. From the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty in 106 BC to the Five Dynasties period in the 10th century AD, Youzhou generally referred to the prefecture around modern-day Beijing and parts of Hebei Province...
; the other led by his former friend and subordinate Cao Cao, who, in addition to the three provinces of Yan (兗), Yu
Yuzhou (nine ancient provinces)
Yuzhou was one of the Nine Provinces in ancient China. It was located near present day Henan and Anhui provinces, China.- History / Romance :...
, and Xu (徐), also had the imperial court and the Han Emperor Xian
Emperor Xian of Han
Emperor Xian of Han , personal name Liu Xie, style name Bohe, was the last emperor of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
under his control. The two warlords clashed in the Battle of Guandu
Battle of Guandu
The Battle of Guandu was a military conflict between the warlords Cao Cao and Yuan Shao in 200 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle, which concluded with victory for Cao Cao, was a turning point in the war between the two warlords...
of 200, which ended decisively in Cao Cao's favour. Although Yuan Shao was defeated, he managed to reorganize his army, and the rebellions that sought to take advantage of his defeat were quickly suppressed. Yuan Shao died in June 202, said to be in frustration and anger at his defeat, leaving his sons to succeed his legacy.
Yuan Shao was survived by three sons: the eldest son Yuan Tan, the second son Yuan Xi
Yuan Xi
Yuan Xi was the second son of the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.Yuan was described in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms as "intelligent but weak and indecisive", in contrast to his older brother Yuan Tan, who was described as...
, and the youngest son Yuan Shang. Although it was customary for the eldest son to succeed the father, Yuan Shao had favoured the good-looking Yuan Shang and had arranged for Yuan Tan to be adopted by his elder brother, Yuan Tan's uncle. Since Yuan Shao never formally decided on an heir, the uncertainties regarding the inheritance remained uncertain upon his death, dividing Yuan Shao's camp into two. Among Yuan Shao's advisors, Xin Ping
Xin Ping
Xin Ping , style name Zhongzhi , was a minister serving under the warlord Han Fu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Following the death of Han Fu, Xin went on to serve Yuan Shao, acting as an adviser to Yuan Tan, Yuan Shao's oldest son. Once, Xin was invited by Cao Cao to serve...
and Guo Tu
Guo Tu
Guo Tu was an advisor to the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Yuan often sought his advice for civil and military decisions.-Serving Yuan Shao:...
supported Yuan Tan while Pang Ji and Shen Pei
Shen Pei
Shen Pei was a minister serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Shen was criticized by Cao Cao's advisor Xun Yu many times as being called "strong of will but without tact". Following the death of Yuan Shao, Shen went on to serve under Yuan Shang....
rallied behind Yuan Shang. Despite there was general expectation that the eldest Yuan Tan will succeed his father, the pro-Yuan Shang faction feared reappraisal from Yuan Tan and produced a forged will that proclaimed Yuan Shang as the successor. A resentful Yuan Tan then took his army away to Liyang (黎陽; northwest of present-day Xun County
Xun County
Xun County is a county of Henan, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Hebi. Xùn literally means "sturgeon" in English....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) by the Yellow River which held the frontier against Cao Cao. Yuan Shang sent a few additional troops with Pang Ji to assist (or spy on) Yuan Tan, but refused his brother's plea when Yuan Tan requested further reinforcements. A furious Yuan Tan killed Pang Ji in response.
Cao Cao had shifted his focus away from the Yuan clan after his victorious Guandu campaign, but eventually returned to the frontline fortifications in Guandu in the spring of 202. His advisor Xun Yu
Xun Yu
Xun Yu was a strategist and statesman who served as an advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Early life:...
had previously warned Cao Cao to not turn his back on his newly defeated enemy, lest the remnants regroup and strike from behind. Four months after Yuan Shao's death, Cao Cao led his army across the Yellow River to attack the remnants at Liyang.
The battle
Cao Cao put Li DianLi Dian
Li Dian was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He participated in the Battle of Guandu between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao...
and Cheng Yu
Cheng Yu
Cheng Yu , originally named Cheng Li and changed his name to Yu after dreaming of the sun on top of Mount Tai, was one of the major advisors to the Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao, and became a high-ranking official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of China...
in charge of supplies while he crossed the river. The supplies were to be ferried by water, but Yuan Shang's officer Gao Fan (高蕃) held a position on the river and blocked the supply line. Cao Cao initially suggested that the goods should be brought by land instead, but since Li Dian argued that Gao Fan's men were lightly armed and not prepared for naval warfare, he allowed Li Dian and Cheng Yu to attack Gao Fan. The attack was successful, and the water route was cleared for the supply train.
Historical sources vary on the events following Cao Cao's crossing. The official Cao Wei
Cao 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...
records in Records of the Three Kingdoms indicate that Cao Cao won successive battles over the course of six months, forced the Yuan brothers out of Liyang but suddenly lifted the siege of the Yuan headquarters of Ye
Ye, China
Ye or Yecheng was an ancient Chinese city located in what is now Linzhang County, Hebei and the neighbouring Anyang County, Henan....
and withdrew to Xu city
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
. However, Yuan Shao's post-biography in the Records, the Book of the Later Han, and contemporary references such as the Chu Shi Biao
Chu Shi Biao
There are two Chu Shi Biao , the former and the second were documents submitted by Shu Han Prime Minister Zhuge Liang to Emperor Liu Shan before his first and second Northern Expedition of Wei, in 225 and 226, respectively...
contradict the Wei account, while the fact that the operation took so long also suggests that it might not have went as smoothly as Cao Cao's official biography stated. It was more likely, therefore, that the Wei records suppressed mention of Cao Cao's defeats in this region. Using a combination of the aforementioned sources, an alternate account of the battle is presented below.
Outmatched by Cao Cao in numbers, Yuan Tan found it difficult to hold his position in Liyang and sent for help. In response, Yuan Shang left Shen Pei to guard Ye while he brought his army in person to reinforce Liyang. The two sides fought west and south outside Liyang, where remains of the defenses used in the battle could still be seen during the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
. In the third month of 203, the Yuan brothers came out of their fortification, but Cao Cao overran them and forced them back behind the walls of Liyang proper. Before Cao Cao could lay siege to Liyang, though, the brothers withdrew at night to Ye, seventy kilometers to the north.
The next month, Cao Cao's army followed the Yuan brothers' retreat until they reached Ye. Here, however, he appeared to had outstretched himself and was driven back by Yuan Shang's counterattack outside the city. The setback caused Cao Cao to turn his attention away from the Yuan headquarters for the moment, as he turned east to storm the city of Yin'an (陰安; in present-day Qingfeng, Henan) and collected grains from the granaries in southern Wei commandery (魏郡). By the time Cao Cao was ready to attack Ye again in the fifth month, his advisor Guo Jia
Guo Jia
Guo Jia was a strategist and advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. During his 11 years of service, Guo Jia's brilliance greatly aided Cao Cao in his victories over rival warlords Lü Bu and Yuan Shao, as well as chief of the Wuhuan tribe, Tadun...
offered advice to the contrary to take advantage of the Yuan brothers' simmering tensions:
Cao Cao accepted the advice and retreated homeward, placing Jia Xin (賈信) in the beachhead fortress of Liyang while presumably leaving the untenable position of Yin'an to his enemies.
When Cao Cao was retreating across the Yellow River, Yuan Tan requested new equipments and additional troops from Yuan Shang so he could catch Cao Cao midriver. Doubtful of his elder brother's intentions, Yuan Shang granted neither. Yuan Tan's advisors Guo Tu and Xin Ping added fuel to the fire by suggesting it was Shen Pei who made Yuan Shao send Yuan Tan away to be adopted by his uncle, causing a furious Yuan Tan turned his army to attack Yuan Shang and Shen Pei in Ye. Yuan Tan was defeated and fled to Nanpi
Nanpi County
Nanpi County is a county of Hebei, China. It is under the administration of Cangzhou City.-Administrative Divisions:Towns:*Nanpi Town , Pingjiakou , Zhaizi , Baoguantun , Wangsi , Wumaying Townships:...
, while Cao Cao returned to his capital Xu city
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
apparently unmolested.
Aftermath
Despite initial successes, Cao Cao had suffered setbacks, and in the end could only retain the beachhead Liyang after nine months of campaigning. He stayed in Xu city for the next three months, possibly to assert his authority to prevent any disorder that might arise from his extended absence. During his stay there, he issued two proclamations that sought to punish and demote officers who had been unsuccessful, with the reason that ranks and rewards should not be given to those who failed to earn them.The threat of the Yuan brothers would soon resolve itself, as Guo Jia had reasoned. The Yuan brothers had turned against each other, with Yuan Shang gaining the upper hand in the fraternal conflict. Yuan Tan was eventually driven from Nanpi and took refuge in Pingyuan
Pingyuan County, Shandong
Pingyuan County is a county of northwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It is administered by Dezhou City. It has an area of .- History :...
; besieged there, he turned to Cao Cao for help. The Governor of Jing Province Liu Biao
Liu Biao
Liu Biao , style name Jingsheng , was a warlord and the governor of Jing Province during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a member of the extended family of the Han Dynasty emperors...
, an old ally of Yuan Shao, had the famed writer Wang Can
Wang Can
Wang Can was a politician, scholar and poet during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He contributed greatly to the establishment of laws and standards during the founding days of the Principality of Wei – predecessor to the later Cao Wei kingdom – under Cao Cao...
write a letter each to Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang on his behalf, urging them to fight against their nemesis Cao Cao, not amongst themselves. The letter to Yuan Tan in particular celebrated the Yuan brothers' victory in Ye against a strong enemy, and sternly disapproved of Yuan Tan's reliance on Cao Cao. Still, Liu Biao's remonstrances fell on deaf ears.
Cao Cao was engaged in battle with Liu Biao on their common border when Yuan Tan's ambassador Xin Pi
Xin Pi
Xin Pi, style name Zuozhi , was a minister of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He originally served the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period. He had an older brother, Xin Ping. He switched allegiance to Cao Cao after Yuan's defeat and served as a...
came to him. It turned out that Xin Pi was disillusioned about his lord, and suggested to Cao Cao that this would be the opportunity to destroy both Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan, before the two brothers make up and unite their forces. Xun Yu had also made an argument along these lines previously. Cao Cao accepted the advice, and ostensibly allied with Yuan Tan. In 204, Cao Cao launched an attack from Liyang and routed Yuan Shang's army from Ye
Battle of Ye
The Battle of Ye of 204 took place during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought between the warlord Cao Cao and Yuan Shang, son and successor of Cao Cao's rival Yuan Shao, in the Yuan clan's headquarters Ye...
to relief Yuan Tan, causing Yuan Shang to seek refuge with Yuan Xi. In the year after that, Cao Cao accused Yuan Tan of ill intent and cancelled the alliance, and followed that by laying siege to Nanpi
Battle of Nanpi
The Battle of Nanpi happened in the first month of 205, during the period known as the end of the Han Dynasty. The battle spelled the annihilation of Yuan Tan, one of Yuan Shao's sons vying to succeed their father, by their common enemy Cao Cao, one of the serving Three Ducal Ministers...
. Yuan Tan was killed in that battle. The Yuan clan's hold on China's north was thus broken, though they would sustain until their final destruction in 207.