Battle of Tao River
Encyclopedia
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.
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 was a Confucian scholar and prided himself as being the commander of an army with righteousness, responded that he had 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
.
. 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.
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.
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.
205 BC
Year 205 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Africanus and Dives...
between the army of Han, commanded by Han Xin
Hán Xìn
Han Xin was a military general who served Liu Bang during the Chu–Han contention and contributed greatly to the founding of the Han Dynasty...
and a Zhao
Zhao (state)
Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
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.
Background
Having conquered the State of Wei, the general Han XinHán Xìn
Han Xin was a military general who served Liu Bang during the Chu–Han contention and contributed greatly to the founding of the Han Dynasty...
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
Taihang Mountains
The Taihang Mountains are a Chinese mountain range running down the eastern edge of the Loess Plateau in Henan, Shanxi and Hebei provinces. The range extends over 400 km from north to south and has an average elevation of 1,500 to 2,000 meters. The principal peak is Xiao Wutaishan...
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 was a Confucian scholar and prided himself as being the commander of an army with righteousness, responded that he had 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
Battle of Wei River
The Battle of Wei River was fought in 204 BC between the Han and a combined force of Qi and Western Chu. The famous general Han Xin led the Han force, while the Qi were led by Prince Tian Guang , and the Chu were led by Long Ju...
.
Preparation
The forces of Han Xin as they emerged out of Jingxing pass faced the forces of Zhao across the Tao RiverTao River
Tao River is a right tributary of China's Yellow River. It starts in Xiqing Mountains near the Gansu-Qinghai border, flows eastward across Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and then northward more or less along the border between Dingxi Prefecture-level City in the east and Gannan and Linxia...
. 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
Ye River
-See also:*List of rivers in Burma...
, 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.
The battle
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.
Aftermath
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
Hán Xìn
Han Xin was a military general who served Liu Bang during the Chu–Han contention and contributed greatly to the founding of the Han Dynasty...
as a great military commander in Chinese history and eventually decided the Chu-Han contention
Chu-Han contention
The Chu–Han Contention was a post-Qin Dynasty interregnum period in Chinese history. Following the collapse of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu split the former Qin Empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms. Two prominent contending powers, Western Chu and Han, emerged from these principalities and engaged in a...
in favor of Liu Bang.