Conquest of Shu by Wei
Encyclopedia
The conquest of Shu by Wei was a military campaign launched by the state of Cao Wei
against its rival Shu Han
in 263 during the Three Kingdoms
period of Chinese history
. The campaign culminated in the fall of Shu and the tripartite equilibrium maintained in China for over 40 years since the end of the Han Dynasty
in 220. The conquest signified the beginning of a reunified China under the Jin Dynasty.
in 220. Among the three, Cao Wei
in the north was the dominant military power in terms of economic resources, manpower, and geographic size, suppressing Shu Han
in the southwest and Eastern Wu
in the southeast. Noting this, Shu chancellor Zhuge Liang
initiated an alliance between Shu and Wu to counter Wei's supremacy, and began a series of ill-fated attempts to capture the Wei capital from 228 until Zhuge's death in 234. Zhuge Liang's protege Jiang Wei
had his own Northern Expeditions
from 247 to 262. Jiang Wei's attempts were even more hurtful to Shu than those of Zhuge Liang, and were criticized by both contemporaries and later historians as wastes of men and resources. These campaigns strained the already disadvantaged Shu, while its incapable emperor Liu Shan
indulged in pleasures and neglected state affairs.
Meanwhile in Wei, the Sima clan, through years of political maneuvering, had ousted the imperial family from power and reduced the roles of the Wei emperors to mere figureheads. The Wei regent and de facto
ruler, Sima Zhao
, believed that a successful military campaign to reunify China would bolster his prestige and convince the imperial court that the Mandate of Heaven
had fallen on the Sima family, which would minimize the opposition for a formal succession. Disturbed by Jiang Wei's constant harassments on the Wei border and aware of Shu's internal decay, Sima Zhao decided that the conquest of Shu would be a vital step in unifying All Under Heaven.
In 262, Sima Zhao announced his intention to conquer Shu. Most subjects in the Wei imperial court were against such a campaign, including general Deng Ai
, who was at the forefront of fighting Shu in the past. Against the majority, Zhong Hui
strongly supported the campaign, and was the most influential factor that turned the opinion in the imperial court to yield. Sima Zhao consequently assigned his personal secretary, Registrar Shi Cuan (师纂), as a major
in Deng Ai's army to "convince" him, which Shi Cuan successfully did and turned Deng's opposition to support.
Wei's decision to launch a campaign against Shu first was the result of careful strategic analysis. Its other rival state, Wu, enjoyed the natural barrier, the Yangtze River
, and a strong navy with over 5,000 ships. Wei's lack of a strong navy meant that it must take its time to build one and train the sailors first if it was to attack Wu. If Shu was attacked, forces of Wei would be marching on land, avoiding the problem it would face in the campaign against Wu. Also, with Shu gone, Wei would concentrate its forces on Wu without worrying being attacked from the west. Shu was the smallest among the Three Kingdoms, with only 100,000-men strong force, less than half of the 230,000 troops Wu had. Despite its small size, Shu had been taking a very aggressive posture by constantly attacking Wei, which proved to be a major mistake, as Sima Zhao used it as a reason to force the Wei court into accepting his plan.
was placed in charge of building a strong navy for the preparation of campaign against Wu. In reality, more than 200,000 troops would be grouped in Guanzhong
under Zhong Hui's command, for the true objective: the campaign against Shu.
Wei would attack Shu in three fronts, with the eastern front as the main thrust, initially attacking Hanzhong
from Xie Valley (斜谷; south of present-day Mei County
, Shaanxi
), Luo Valley (駱谷), and Ziwu Valley (子午谷, south of present-day Xi'an
, Shaanxi). After that, the three forces at the eastern front would join forces and continue the push toward the heart of Shu. The western force would engage Jiang Wei
at Tazhong (沓中; northwest of present-day Zhugqu County
, Gansu
) from four directions and then join the main force. The central front would attack Wuje Bridge (武街橋; northwest of present-day Cheng County
, Gansu) from Mount Qi (祁山; in present-day Li County
, Gansu), cutting off Jiang Wei's retreat route, preventing his army from reinforcing the passes along the attack route.
invented a defense mechanism to hinder and repel invading forces by setting up "covering camps" on the outskirt and exits of trails leading to Hanzhong. Even after Wei Yan's death, Shu had been following his arrangement, and succeeded in driving out Wei forces everytime. However, Jiang Wei argued Wei Yan's design "could only repel the enemy but not reaping big profit." To anticipate a Wei attack, Jiang Wei proposed to abandon the camps set up by Wei Yan and vacate all the passes in the Qinling Mountains
so the Wei forces would go deep into the Hanzhong plain, where the worn-out expedition force would be vulnerable to a Shu counterattack upon retreat. Jiang Wei assured the Shu emperor Liu Shan
that was how to achieve a decisive victory previously unattained when they had just defended along the Qinling Mountains. This strategy, however, was erred in that Wei had mobilized its forces in a way Jiang Wei had never imagined, as the later course of events would point out.
On the eve of the Wei invasion, Jiang Wei had received intelligence that Wei would launch a major offensive and wrote to the Shu imperial court in Chengdu
, urging Liu Shan to send Liao Hua
to Yang'an Pass (陽安關) and Zhang Yi
to Yinping (陰平). Liu Shan, however, trusted his eunuch Huang Hao
, who believed in witchcraft. Huang Hao believed that Wei would not dare to attack Shu and such belief was "confirmed" by a witch doctor when asked. As a result, Jiang Wei's letter was kept a secret to avoid "unnecessary panic", and no one else knew about it. However, on second thought, Liu Shan sent out Liao Hua and Zhang Yi before the engagement started.
, was in charge of constructing roads for the Wei army. However, the road was poorly built and one of the bridges nearly broke when Zhong Hui was crossing. As a result, Xu Yi was executed on Zhong Hui's order, and everyone was shocked. In doing so, Zhong Hui established his authority and the road was built far more efficiently.
When Wei mobilized its troops in September 263, Jiang Wei's plan worked -- only for its first half that Wei forces advanced unopposed until they reached the fortresses of Han (漢; located in present-day Mian County
, Shaanxi
) and Yue (樂; located in present-day Chenggu County
, Shaanxi), which served as a bait to wear the enemy out.
In addition to redeploying its troops toward Han and Yue fortresses, Shu also requested aid from Wu, which responded rapidly by attacking Wei in the east in the hope of forcing Wei to switch its focus and abandon its campaign against Shu. The Wu General-in-Chief, Ding Feng, led the majority of the Wu army to attack Shouchun, while Wu generals Liu Ping (留平) and Shi Ji (施績) attacked Nan Commandery (南郡), while Ding Feng
(younger brother of the earlier mentioned Ding Feng) and Sun Yi (孫異) attacked Mianzhong (沔中). However, as Wei was prepared, such attacks were rather ineffective and did not alter the course of the war.
As mentioned earlier, Shu emperor Liu Shan
had sent Liao Hua
to Tazhong. That was against Jiang Wei's view to reinforce Yinping (陰平), because Liu Shan's first priority was to get Jiang Wei out from possible annihilation. Jiang Wei's force, despite suffered some defeats from Wei generals Wang Qi (王頎) and Yang Qu (楊趨), was able to avoid to total annihilation by his own ingenuity. When Jiang Wei was heading back, his force was once in danger of being annihilated when the pursuing Yang Qu caught up with him while another Wei force under Zhuge Xu (諸葛緒) blocked his way at Yinping bridge. To trick Zhuge Xu into opening a passage, Jiang Wei led his men from Konghan Valley (孔函谷; southwest of present-day Wudu District
, Gansu) to the rear of Zhuge Xu's force, appearing to be cutting off the latter's retreat route. Fearing this may happen, Zhuge Xu ordered his force to retreat 15 km and Jiang Wei immediately turned back and crossed the bridge. Once Zhuge Xu learned that he was tricked, Jiang Wei's force was long gone and it was impossible to catch up with his force. However, when Jiang Wei safely retreated, he only perceived the imminent attack from Zhong Hui, and even took the local troops at Yinping toward Guancheng, further weakening the defense at Yinping. This blunder was instrumental in Deng Ai
's later operation, which brought the downfall of Shu.
Within weeks, Zhong Hui swiftly arrived at Yang'an. There, Dong Jue
and Zhang Yi
put up some resistance, but Shu's inferior military mobilization and human resources assisted Zhong in achieving a quick victory over them. Despite gaining large portions of land, the length of Zhong Hui's supply line grew longer as his force was deeper into the enemy territory. If a logistic problem arose, Zhong Hui might be forced to retreat, losing all the territory newly gained. Hence, Zhong Hui sent his vanguard, Hu Lie (胡烈), to take Guancheng, where Shu forces stockpiled their food supply. Earlier on, the Shu commander of Wuxing, Jiang Shu
, had born a furtive grudge against Shu's management when he was demoted and put under Fu Qian
. Once Hu Lie arrived at Guankou, Fu Qian and Jiang Shu disagreed in the manner they should defend. Jiang Shu, using the pretext of engaging the Wei force outside the gates, led his original subordinates out of the pass and surrendered to Hu Lie. Furthermore, Jiang Shu opened the gates and let the enemy in when Fu Qian laid his guard down. Fu Qian fiercely resisted the enemy but was killed and Zhong Hui acquired the bulk of supplies stored inside Guancheng. Thus, Zhong Hui's supply problem was temporarily solved. At the time Zhong Hui beached Guankou, Jiang Wei was still lingering on his way to the battlefield. When he knew Guancheng was taken, Jiang Wei spontaneously changed his destination to Jiange (劍閣; present-day Jiange County
, Sichuan
), where he hoped the great pass could resist the enemies.
Taking a break from the battlefield, Zhong Hui spent some time to visit Zhuge Liang
's tomb and personally wrote to Jiang Bin, who was still busy guarding Han fortress, telling the latter that he had already paid his respect to Zhuge Liang at his tomb. Zhong Hui also mentioned that now he wanted to pay his respect to Jiang Wan
, Jiang Bin's late father, and asked Jiang Bin where Jiang Wan's tomb was. Refusing to surrender, Jiang Bin replied politely that his father died in Fu County (涪縣), and Zhong Hui could pay his respect to Jiang Wan on his way west. Fu County was almost 500 km to the west of Yang'an pass, deep in the heart of Shu, and Jiang Bin's reply was a show of determination that he would hold out until the very last. Indeed, Jiang Bin successfully held out against Zhong Hui and it was only after the surrender of Liu Shan did he eventually surrender. Despite this minor setback, the glorious achievement of taking Hanzhong was enough for Sima Zhao to finally accept the title of the "Duke of Jin" (晉公) in Luoyang
on October 22, 263, after rejecting the previous six offers from the Wei imperial court. However, Zhong Hui's continuous push toward Chengdu was checked at the Jiange stronghold where the defeated Shu forces regrouped, thus a stalemate was reached.
Earlier, when Deng Ai reached Yinping, he asked Zhuge Xu to join him to bypass Jiange by directly attacking Chengdu
via Jiangyou
. Deng Ai's plan was rejected by Zhuge Xu as being too ambitious; he preferred a more cautious approach. Stating his job was to destroy the force led by Jiang Wei, Zhuge Xu led his men eastward to join Zhong Hui. However, Zhong Hui wanted to merge the troops under the faint-hearted Zhuge Xu, so he secretly reported to the Wei imperial court about Zhuge Xu's cowardliness to cooperate with Deng Ai, and as a result, Zhuge Xu was tied up in a cage and sent back to the Wei capital Luoyang
, while all of his previous troops were seized by Zhong Hui. However, the strengthened numerical superiority proved to be no help at all when against the geographical advantage held by the defenders: Mount Dajian (大劍山) and Mount Xiaojian (小劍山) at Jiange enabled Jiang Wei's 50,000 strong force to hold out against Zhong Hui's 130,000+ troops, and more importantly, the supply of such a huge army was running low and Sima Zhao once wanted to give order to retreat. Feeling Deng Ai's strategy had no chance of any success, Zhong Hui agreed to let Deng Ai venture towards Jiangyou, and even assigned his own men under Tian Zhang to join Deng Ai's operation.
The route Deng Ai chose was nearly impassible and all the enemy had to do was to starve his force by staying behind the protection of the city walls. Deng Ai's force would even be annihilated much quicker if the enemy ventured out to attack them, for that Deng Ai's force had to travel over 350 km of impassible terrain without any roads, thus leaving little or no horses and supplies. The exhausted troops would be an easy target. However, there were advantages: since the route Deng Ai chose was considered impassible, Shu did not deploy any forces along the way. Furthermore, after the stalemate was reached at Jiange and Zhong Hui's force begun to have supply problems, Shu was confident that the Wei forces would retreat. As a result, no troops were deployed to strengthen the defense of the Shu capital Chengdu, and general Huo Yi
's request to lead his force to reinforce the capital was denied, as with all similar requests. To boost his men's confidence and morale, Deng Ai personally led the way.
After Deng Ai's force reached Jiangyou after safely made it through its 350 km journey in October 263, the Administrator of Jiangyou, Ma Miao
, was so surprised by the sudden appearance of Deng Ai's force hundreds of miles behind the frontline and deep in the heartland of Shu, that he surrendered without a fight. This provided much needed rest and supply Deng Ai's force desperately needed and after getting both, Deng Ai led his force continued on toward Chengdu. The sudden appearance of Deng Ai's force so close to the capital and the fall of Jiangyou shocked Liu Shan. Zhuge Zhan
, son of Zhuge Liang, had led an army in Fu County at the time, but he was too frightened to engage the enemy, when Huang Chong
urged Zhuge Zhan to secure advantageous terrain before Deng Ai would get to a flat plain, Zhuge Zhan simply did not know what to do. When Huang Chong cried, Zhuge Zhan appeased the former by sending out his vanguard to do battle, but was promptly crushed. In fear, Zhuge Zhan fled the battlefield and asked Liu Shan for help. Liu Shan sent the last available men to the heavily fortified Mianzhu Pass (綿竹關), where Zhuge Zhan calmed down and prepared to defend.
When Deng Ai tailed Zhuge Zhan to Mianzhu Pass, he gave a last chance to the latter and promised Zhuge Zhan that he would recommend him to be the "King of Langye". However, Zhuge Zhan executed Deng Ai's messenger, moved out from the fortress, and supposedly arranged the Eight Trigrams Formation improved by Zhuge Liang. Deng Ai initially attacked Zhuge Zhan's formation in a pincer movement, with his son Deng Zhong at the right and Shi Cuan at the left. However, the initial attack was beaten back and the angry Deng Ai ordered an all out attack on the enemy, and threatened to behead both commanders of his if the second attack failed. The second attack was successful, completely defeating the enemy. Shu commanders including Zhuge Zhan, his son Zhuge Shang
, Imperial Secretaries Huang Chong and Zhang Zun
, and Right Commander of the Feathered Forest Imperial Guards Li Qiu (李球) were all killed in action. Zhuge Zhan's defeat at Mianzhu Pass and the subsequent fall of the city meant that the gateway to Chengdu was wide open, and Deng Ai's force marched on toward Shu's capital Chengdu after taking Luo County (雒縣; north of present-day Guanghan
, Sichuan
) on its way.
(border region of present-day southern Sichuan
, Yunnan
and Guizhou
) region while others suggested to flee to Eastern Wu, but the future for both were bleak and uncertain at the best. One of Liu Shan's sons, Prince of Beidi Liu Chen
, advocated resistance, suggesting that they still have a chance given that Deng Ai's forces had exhausted themselves after the perilous journey. However, Liu Shan disregarded this advice, and Liu Chen, in despair, killed his wife and children before committing suicide in the ancestral temple. Finally, Liu Shan accepted Qiao Zhou
's suggestion to surrender and sent Zhang Shao (張紹) Zhang Fei's second son, and Deng Liang (鄧良), Deng Zhi
's son, to Luo County to inform Deng Ai that he would surrender, carrying the Imperial Seal of Shu
. In November 263, Liu Shan had both his hands tied behind his back, a casket behind him, with more than five dozen subjects in waiting, formally surrendered to Deng Ai outside Chengdu
, marking the end of Shu. Deng Ai accepted the surrender by untying Liu Shan and burning the casket.
Jiang Wei, meanwhile, was still holding off Zhong Hui at Jiange. He first learned the news of the disastrous defeat of Zhuge Zhan
but failed to know what exactly happened to the emperor Liu Shan. He decided to withdraw from Jiange, to avoid being attacked by the enemy from both the front and rear, and successfully lost Zhong Hui's force chasing him once reaching Bazhong
. Once he reached Qi County (郪縣; present-day Shehong County, Sichuan), Jiang Wei received Liu Shan's imperial decree ordering him to surrender, so he obeyed by surrendering to Zhong Hui at Fu County.
The final military engagement of Shu was not against Wei but against Wu on the eastern border of Shu. Wu general Sheng Man
, using the pretext of assistance and support, led his army toward the Shu garrison at Yong'an in hopes of enhancing the Wu defenses along the Yangtze River
by capturing the region. The Administrator of Badong, Luo Xian
, deciding that their Wu allies could not be trusted, put up a staunch defense against Wu and submitted to Wei, honouring Liu Shan's last decree as an emperor. Wu forces under Lu Kang
besieged the garrison for six months before they had to retreat when Hu Lie of Wei threatened the line of communication of Wu.
Many refugees such as nobles and troops fled west to Sasanian Persia
when Shu fell.
Eastern flank
Western flank
Central flank
General-in-Chief (大將軍) Jiang Wei
} General of Chariots and Cavalry on the Right (右車騎將軍) Liao Hua
} General of Chariots and Cavalry on the Left (左車騎將軍) Zhang Yi
} Senior General Who Assists the Nation (輔國大將軍) Dong Jue
} Guanzhong
Area Commander (關中都督) Fu Qian
} General Jiang Shu
, served as Fu Qian's deputy
} General Who Protects the Army (護軍將軍) Jiang Bin (蔣斌)
} Administrator of Jiangyou
(江油太守) Ma Miao
} General Who Protects the Army (護軍將軍) Zhuge Zhan
} Zhuge Shang
, Zhuge Zhan's son, served as commander of his father's vanguard
} Imperial Secretary (尚書) Huang Chong
} Imperial Secretary (尚書) Zhang Zun
} Right Commander of the Feathered Forest Imperial Guards (羽林右部督) Li Qiu (李球)
of Koei's Dynasty Warriors
video game series.
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...
against its rival Shu Han
Shu Han
Shu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
in 263 during 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 campaign culminated in the fall of Shu and the tripartite equilibrium maintained in China for over 40 years since the end of the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
in 220. The conquest signified the beginning of a reunified China under the Jin Dynasty.
Background
At that time, three contending states were established after the collapse of the 400-year old Han DynastyHan Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
in 220. Among the three, 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...
in the north was the dominant military power in terms of economic resources, manpower, and geographic size, suppressing Shu Han
Shu Han
Shu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
in the southwest and 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...
in the southeast. Noting this, Shu chancellor 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....
initiated an alliance between Shu and Wu to counter Wei's supremacy, and began a series of ill-fated attempts to capture the Wei capital from 228 until Zhuge's death in 234. Zhuge Liang's protege Jiang Wei
Jiang Wei
Jiang Wei was a military general and regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He originally served Shu's rival state, Cao Wei, as a middle-level military officer, but defected to the Shu strategist Zhuge Liang, leaving his mother in Wei. After that, Jiang...
had his own Northern Expeditions
Jiang Wei's Northern Expeditions
Jiang Wei's Northern Expeditions refer to a series of nine military campaigns launched by Shu Han general Jiang Wei against the rival state of Cao Wei from 247 to 262 during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Each expedition was aborted eventually due to inadequate food supplies or...
from 247 to 262. Jiang Wei's attempts were even more hurtful to Shu than those of Zhuge Liang, and were criticized by both contemporaries and later historians as wastes of men and resources. These campaigns strained the already disadvantaged Shu, while its incapable emperor Liu Shan
Liu Shan
Liu Shan, , was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. As he ascended the throne at the young age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the Chancellor Zhuge Liang and Imperial Secretariat Li Yan...
indulged in pleasures and neglected state affairs.
Meanwhile in Wei, the Sima clan, through years of political maneuvering, had ousted the imperial family from power and reduced the roles of the Wei emperors to mere figureheads. The Wei regent and de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
ruler, Sima Zhao
Sima Zhao
Sima Zhao was a military general, politician and regent of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
, believed that a successful military campaign to reunify China would bolster his prestige and convince the imperial court that the Mandate of Heaven
Mandate of Heaven
The Mandate of Heaven is a traditional Chinese philosophical concept concerning the legitimacy of rulers. It is similar to the European concept of the divine right of kings, in that both sought to legitimaze rule from divine approval; however, unlike the divine right of kings, the Mandate of...
had fallen on the Sima family, which would minimize the opposition for a formal succession. Disturbed by Jiang Wei's constant harassments on the Wei border and aware of Shu's internal decay, Sima Zhao decided that the conquest of Shu would be a vital step in unifying All Under Heaven.
The decision to conquer Shu Han
Deng Ai
Deng Ai was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. It was said that whenever he saw a hill or wide valley, he would immediately size up the best places to store grain and position troops. His talent was recognized by Sima Yi, who recommended him to take up...
, who was at the forefront of fighting Shu in the past. Against the majority, Zhong Hui
Zhong Hui
Zhong Hui was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Zhong Yao, a calligrapher and politician of Wei....
strongly supported the campaign, and was the most influential factor that turned the opinion in the imperial court to yield. Sima Zhao consequently assigned his personal secretary, Registrar Shi Cuan (师纂), as a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in Deng Ai's army to "convince" him, which Shi Cuan successfully did and turned Deng's opposition to support.
Wei's decision to launch a campaign against Shu first was the result of careful strategic analysis. Its other rival state, Wu, enjoyed the natural barrier, the Yangtze River
Yangtze 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...
, and a strong navy with over 5,000 ships. Wei's lack of a strong navy meant that it must take its time to build one and train the sailors first if it was to attack Wu. If Shu was attacked, forces of Wei would be marching on land, avoiding the problem it would face in the campaign against Wu. Also, with Shu gone, Wei would concentrate its forces on Wu without worrying being attacked from the west. Shu was the smallest among the Three Kingdoms, with only 100,000-men strong force, less than half of the 230,000 troops Wu had. Despite its small size, Shu had been taking a very aggressive posture by constantly attacking Wei, which proved to be a major mistake, as Sima Zhao used it as a reason to force the Wei court into accepting his plan.
Strategy of Wei
Sima Zhao made a detailed plan to conquer Shu by appointing Zhong Hui as the commander of the expedition force, while in a move to disguise his true objective, general Tang ZiTang Zi
Tang Zi was a military general of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Once, Tang was sent to lead reinforcements to assist Zhuge Dan's rebellion against the Cao Wei regent Sima Zhao. After Zhuge's defeat, Tang defected to Cao Wei and rose to a prominent position in the...
was placed in charge of building a strong navy for the preparation of campaign against Wu. In reality, more than 200,000 troops would be grouped in Guanzhong
Guanzhong
Guanzhong , or Guanzhong Plain, is a historical region of China corresponding to the lower valley of the Wei River. It is called Guanzhong or 'within the passes' to distinguish it from 'Guandong' or 'east of the pass', that is, the North China Plain. The North China Plain is bordered on the west by...
under Zhong Hui's command, for the true objective: the campaign against Shu.
Wei would attack Shu in three fronts, with the eastern front as the main thrust, initially attacking Hanzhong
Hanzhong
Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
from Xie Valley (斜谷; south of present-day Mei County
Mei County, Shaanxi
Mei County is a county in Baoji, Shaanxi, China....
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
), Luo Valley (駱谷), and Ziwu Valley (子午谷, south of present-day Xi'an
Xi'an
Xi'an is the capital of the Shaanxi province, and a sub-provincial city in the People's Republic of China. One of the oldest cities in China, with more than 3,100 years of history, the city was known as Chang'an before the Ming Dynasty...
, Shaanxi). After that, the three forces at the eastern front would join forces and continue the push toward the heart of Shu. The western force would engage Jiang Wei
Jiang Wei
Jiang Wei was a military general and regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He originally served Shu's rival state, Cao Wei, as a middle-level military officer, but defected to the Shu strategist Zhuge Liang, leaving his mother in Wei. After that, Jiang...
at Tazhong (沓中; northwest of present-day Zhugqu County
Zhugqu County
Zhougqu County is an administrative district in Gansu, the People's Republic of China. It is one of 58 counties of Gansu. It is part of the Gannan Prefecture...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
) from four directions and then join the main force. The central front would attack Wuje Bridge (武街橋; northwest of present-day Cheng County
Cheng County
Cheng County is a county under charge of Longnan City, Gansu Province of China. It has a land area of 1,701 square kilometers and a population of 250,000 in 2004...
, Gansu) from Mount Qi (祁山; in present-day Li County
Li County, Gansu
-Situation:Lixian is bordered by the Longnan counties of Xihe in the east, Wudu in the south and Dangchang in the west. Dingxi and Tianshui municipalities lie to the northwest and northeast respectively....
, Gansu), cutting off Jiang Wei's retreat route, preventing his army from reinforcing the passes along the attack route.
Strategy of Shu
Previously, Wei YanWei 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...
invented a defense mechanism to hinder and repel invading forces by setting up "covering camps" on the outskirt and exits of trails leading to Hanzhong. Even after Wei Yan's death, Shu had been following his arrangement, and succeeded in driving out Wei forces everytime. However, Jiang Wei argued Wei Yan's design "could only repel the enemy but not reaping big profit." To anticipate a Wei attack, Jiang Wei proposed to abandon the camps set up by Wei Yan and vacate all the passes in the Qinling Mountains
Qinling Mountains
The Qin Mountains are a major east-west mountain range in southern Shaanxi province, China. The mountains provide a natural boundary between the North and South of the country, and support a huge variety of plant and wildlife, some of which is found nowhere else on Earth.To the north is the...
so the Wei forces would go deep into the Hanzhong plain, where the worn-out expedition force would be vulnerable to a Shu counterattack upon retreat. Jiang Wei assured the Shu emperor Liu Shan
Liu Shan
Liu Shan, , was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. As he ascended the throne at the young age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the Chancellor Zhuge Liang and Imperial Secretariat Li Yan...
that was how to achieve a decisive victory previously unattained when they had just defended along the Qinling Mountains. This strategy, however, was erred in that Wei had mobilized its forces in a way Jiang Wei had never imagined, as the later course of events would point out.
On the eve of the Wei invasion, Jiang Wei had received intelligence that Wei would launch a major offensive and wrote to the Shu imperial court in Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, urging Liu Shan to send Liao Hua
Liao Hua
Liao Hua , originally named Liao Chun , style name Yuanjian , was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
to Yang'an Pass (陽安關) and Zhang Yi
Zhang Yi (Bogong)
Zhang Yi , style name Bogong, was a general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Originally from Wuyang and a descendant of Zhang Liang, he became Liu Bei's commander after Liu Bei had captured Yizhou...
to Yinping (陰平). Liu Shan, however, trusted his eunuch Huang Hao
Huang Hao
Huang Hao was a eunuch serving Liu Shan, second and last emperor of the Kingdom of Shu during the Three Kingdoms era in ancient China. Highly favoured by Liu Shan, he was commonly blamed for misguiding the latter into surrendering to the Kingdom of Wei and considered one of the most corrupt and...
, who believed in witchcraft. Huang Hao believed that Wei would not dare to attack Shu and such belief was "confirmed" by a witch doctor when asked. As a result, Jiang Wei's letter was kept a secret to avoid "unnecessary panic", and no one else knew about it. However, on second thought, Liu Shan sent out Liao Hua and Zhang Yi before the engagement started.
Prelude
In the autumn of 263, an order to invade Shu was formally issued by the Wei imperial court. Xu Yi (許儀), son of Xu ChuXu Chu
Xu Chu was a warrior who lived during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He served as a bodyguard to the warlord Cao Cao. Gigantic and strong, yet simple-minded and honest, Xu Chu was referred to as "Dumb Tiger" by his fellow men...
, was in charge of constructing roads for the Wei army. However, the road was poorly built and one of the bridges nearly broke when Zhong Hui was crossing. As a result, Xu Yi was executed on Zhong Hui's order, and everyone was shocked. In doing so, Zhong Hui established his authority and the road was built far more efficiently.
When Wei mobilized its troops in September 263, Jiang Wei's plan worked -- only for its first half that Wei forces advanced unopposed until they reached the fortresses of Han (漢; located in present-day Mian County
Mian County
Mian County is a county of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China....
, Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
) and Yue (樂; located in present-day Chenggu County
Chenggu County
Chenggu County is a county of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China....
, Shaanxi), which served as a bait to wear the enemy out.
In addition to redeploying its troops toward Han and Yue fortresses, Shu also requested aid from Wu, which responded rapidly by attacking Wei in the east in the hope of forcing Wei to switch its focus and abandon its campaign against Shu. The Wu General-in-Chief, Ding Feng, led the majority of the Wu army to attack Shouchun, while Wu generals Liu Ping (留平) and Shi Ji (施績) attacked Nan Commandery (南郡), while Ding Feng
Ding Feng (younger)
Ding Feng was a military general of Eastern Wu during the late Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He had an older brother, who was also named Ding Feng , but with the style name Chengyuan . The Chinese characters for "Feng" in their names are also different. The younger Ding Feng was...
(younger brother of the earlier mentioned Ding Feng) and Sun Yi (孫異) attacked Mianzhong (沔中). However, as Wei was prepared, such attacks were rather ineffective and did not alter the course of the war.
Zhong Hui's advance
The eastern front of the campaign, where the main thrust was, did not progress as Jiang Wei expected. When Zhong Hui reached the two fortresses of Han (guarded by Jiang Bin (蔣斌)) and Yue (defended by Wang Han (王含)), he did not fall into the trap to be wear out. Instead, Zhong Hui simply split out two detachments to besiege the two fortresses, and speedily continued to press on. Wei's General of the Vanguard, Li Fu (李輔) was assigned 10,000 troops to besiege Yue, while General Who Protects the Army Xun Kai (荀愷) was assigned another 10,000 troops to besiege Han. Both Shu commanders proved to be incapable as to follow Jiang Wei's dull orders to just defend the city and let the main force of the enemy go.As mentioned earlier, Shu emperor Liu Shan
Liu Shan
Liu Shan, , was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. As he ascended the throne at the young age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the Chancellor Zhuge Liang and Imperial Secretariat Li Yan...
had sent Liao Hua
Liao Hua
Liao Hua , originally named Liao Chun , style name Yuanjian , was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
to Tazhong. That was against Jiang Wei's view to reinforce Yinping (陰平), because Liu Shan's first priority was to get Jiang Wei out from possible annihilation. Jiang Wei's force, despite suffered some defeats from Wei generals Wang Qi (王頎) and Yang Qu (楊趨), was able to avoid to total annihilation by his own ingenuity. When Jiang Wei was heading back, his force was once in danger of being annihilated when the pursuing Yang Qu caught up with him while another Wei force under Zhuge Xu (諸葛緒) blocked his way at Yinping bridge. To trick Zhuge Xu into opening a passage, Jiang Wei led his men from Konghan Valley (孔函谷; southwest of present-day Wudu District
Wudu District
The Wudu District is an administrative district in Gansu, the People's Republic of China. It is one of 58 counties of Gansu. It is part of the Longnan prefecture, with the city of the same name being the prefecture seat.-References:...
, Gansu) to the rear of Zhuge Xu's force, appearing to be cutting off the latter's retreat route. Fearing this may happen, Zhuge Xu ordered his force to retreat 15 km and Jiang Wei immediately turned back and crossed the bridge. Once Zhuge Xu learned that he was tricked, Jiang Wei's force was long gone and it was impossible to catch up with his force. However, when Jiang Wei safely retreated, he only perceived the imminent attack from Zhong Hui, and even took the local troops at Yinping toward Guancheng, further weakening the defense at Yinping. This blunder was instrumental in Deng Ai
Deng Ai
Deng Ai was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. It was said that whenever he saw a hill or wide valley, he would immediately size up the best places to store grain and position troops. His talent was recognized by Sima Yi, who recommended him to take up...
's later operation, which brought the downfall of Shu.
Within weeks, Zhong Hui swiftly arrived at Yang'an. There, Dong Jue
Dong Jue
Dong Jue, style name Gongxi , was an official and military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.Along with Fan Jian, Dong Jue served as a secretary under Shu's chancellor Zhuge Liang during the Southern Campaign and Northern Expeditions, and attained the titles of...
and Zhang Yi
Zhang Yi (Bogong)
Zhang Yi , style name Bogong, was a general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Originally from Wuyang and a descendant of Zhang Liang, he became Liu Bei's commander after Liu Bei had captured Yizhou...
put up some resistance, but Shu's inferior military mobilization and human resources assisted Zhong in achieving a quick victory over them. Despite gaining large portions of land, the length of Zhong Hui's supply line grew longer as his force was deeper into the enemy territory. If a logistic problem arose, Zhong Hui might be forced to retreat, losing all the territory newly gained. Hence, Zhong Hui sent his vanguard, Hu Lie (胡烈), to take Guancheng, where Shu forces stockpiled their food supply. Earlier on, the Shu commander of Wuxing, Jiang Shu
Jiang Shu
Jiang Shu was a military general of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Following certain orders from Jiang Wei, Jiang Shu joined up with Fu Qian in the defense of Yangping Pass during the conquest of Shu by Wei. Following the attack by the Wei general Zhong...
, had born a furtive grudge against Shu's management when he was demoted and put under Fu Qian
Fu Qian
Fu Qian was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Fu Rong, also a Shu general.-Biography:...
. Once Hu Lie arrived at Guankou, Fu Qian and Jiang Shu disagreed in the manner they should defend. Jiang Shu, using the pretext of engaging the Wei force outside the gates, led his original subordinates out of the pass and surrendered to Hu Lie. Furthermore, Jiang Shu opened the gates and let the enemy in when Fu Qian laid his guard down. Fu Qian fiercely resisted the enemy but was killed and Zhong Hui acquired the bulk of supplies stored inside Guancheng. Thus, Zhong Hui's supply problem was temporarily solved. At the time Zhong Hui beached Guankou, Jiang Wei was still lingering on his way to the battlefield. When he knew Guancheng was taken, Jiang Wei spontaneously changed his destination to Jiange (劍閣; present-day Jiange County
Jiange County
Jiange County is a county of Sichuan Province, China. It is under the administration of Guangyuan city....
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
), where he hoped the great pass could resist the enemies.
Taking a break from the battlefield, Zhong Hui spent some time to visit 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....
's tomb and personally wrote to Jiang Bin, who was still busy guarding Han fortress, telling the latter that he had already paid his respect to Zhuge Liang at his tomb. Zhong Hui also mentioned that now he wanted to pay his respect to Jiang Wan
Jiang Wan
Jiang Wan , style name Gongyan , was an official of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. After Zhuge Liang's death, he succeeded Zhuge as the regent for the Shu emperor, Liu Shan.-Early career:...
, Jiang Bin's late father, and asked Jiang Bin where Jiang Wan's tomb was. Refusing to surrender, Jiang Bin replied politely that his father died in Fu County (涪縣), and Zhong Hui could pay his respect to Jiang Wan on his way west. Fu County was almost 500 km to the west of Yang'an pass, deep in the heart of Shu, and Jiang Bin's reply was a show of determination that he would hold out until the very last. Indeed, Jiang Bin successfully held out against Zhong Hui and it was only after the surrender of Liu Shan did he eventually surrender. Despite this minor setback, the glorious achievement of taking Hanzhong was enough for Sima Zhao to finally accept the title of the "Duke of Jin" (晉公) in Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
on October 22, 263, after rejecting the previous six offers from the Wei imperial court. However, Zhong Hui's continuous push toward Chengdu was checked at the Jiange stronghold where the defeated Shu forces regrouped, thus a stalemate was reached.
Deng Ai's tactic
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
via Jiangyou
Jiangyou
Jiangyou is a Chinese county-level city located in Mianyang, Sichuan. The city proper is subdivided into four urban districts and has jurisdiction over 21 towns, and 19 rural townships...
. Deng Ai's plan was rejected by Zhuge Xu as being too ambitious; he preferred a more cautious approach. Stating his job was to destroy the force led by Jiang Wei, Zhuge Xu led his men eastward to join Zhong Hui. However, Zhong Hui wanted to merge the troops under the faint-hearted Zhuge Xu, so he secretly reported to the Wei imperial court about Zhuge Xu's cowardliness to cooperate with Deng Ai, and as a result, Zhuge Xu was tied up in a cage and sent back to the Wei capital Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
, while all of his previous troops were seized by Zhong Hui. However, the strengthened numerical superiority proved to be no help at all when against the geographical advantage held by the defenders: Mount Dajian (大劍山) and Mount Xiaojian (小劍山) at Jiange enabled Jiang Wei's 50,000 strong force to hold out against Zhong Hui's 130,000+ troops, and more importantly, the supply of such a huge army was running low and Sima Zhao once wanted to give order to retreat. Feeling Deng Ai's strategy had no chance of any success, Zhong Hui agreed to let Deng Ai venture towards Jiangyou, and even assigned his own men under Tian Zhang to join Deng Ai's operation.
The route Deng Ai chose was nearly impassible and all the enemy had to do was to starve his force by staying behind the protection of the city walls. Deng Ai's force would even be annihilated much quicker if the enemy ventured out to attack them, for that Deng Ai's force had to travel over 350 km of impassible terrain without any roads, thus leaving little or no horses and supplies. The exhausted troops would be an easy target. However, there were advantages: since the route Deng Ai chose was considered impassible, Shu did not deploy any forces along the way. Furthermore, after the stalemate was reached at Jiange and Zhong Hui's force begun to have supply problems, Shu was confident that the Wei forces would retreat. As a result, no troops were deployed to strengthen the defense of the Shu capital Chengdu, and general Huo Yi
Huo Yi
Huo Yi, style name Shaoxian , was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. After Huo heard of Deng Ai's victory over the capital of Shu, Chengdu, he put on mourning attire and began to weep. Huo wept even though he knew that it was inevitable for Shu Han to...
's request to lead his force to reinforce the capital was denied, as with all similar requests. To boost his men's confidence and morale, Deng Ai personally led the way.
After Deng Ai's force reached Jiangyou after safely made it through its 350 km journey in October 263, the Administrator of Jiangyou, Ma Miao
Ma Miao
Ma Miao was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was from Hailing, Guangling, Yang Province .Ma was tasked with defending Jiangyou...
, was so surprised by the sudden appearance of Deng Ai's force hundreds of miles behind the frontline and deep in the heartland of Shu, that he surrendered without a fight. This provided much needed rest and supply Deng Ai's force desperately needed and after getting both, Deng Ai led his force continued on toward Chengdu. The sudden appearance of Deng Ai's force so close to the capital and the fall of Jiangyou shocked Liu Shan. Zhuge Zhan
Zhuge Zhan
Zhuge Zhan , style name Siyuan , was a politician and military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
, son of Zhuge Liang, had led an army in Fu County at the time, but he was too frightened to engage the enemy, when Huang Chong
Huang Chong
Huang Chong was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the son of Huang Quan....
urged Zhuge Zhan to secure advantageous terrain before Deng Ai would get to a flat plain, Zhuge Zhan simply did not know what to do. When Huang Chong cried, Zhuge Zhan appeased the former by sending out his vanguard to do battle, but was promptly crushed. In fear, Zhuge Zhan fled the battlefield and asked Liu Shan for help. Liu Shan sent the last available men to the heavily fortified Mianzhu Pass (綿竹關), where Zhuge Zhan calmed down and prepared to defend.
When Deng Ai tailed Zhuge Zhan to Mianzhu Pass, he gave a last chance to the latter and promised Zhuge Zhan that he would recommend him to be the "King of Langye". However, Zhuge Zhan executed Deng Ai's messenger, moved out from the fortress, and supposedly arranged the Eight Trigrams Formation improved by Zhuge Liang. Deng Ai initially attacked Zhuge Zhan's formation in a pincer movement, with his son Deng Zhong at the right and Shi Cuan at the left. However, the initial attack was beaten back and the angry Deng Ai ordered an all out attack on the enemy, and threatened to behead both commanders of his if the second attack failed. The second attack was successful, completely defeating the enemy. Shu commanders including Zhuge Zhan, his son Zhuge Shang
Zhuge Shang
Zhuge Shang was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Zhuge Zhan and grandson of Zhuge Liang.Zhuge Shang and his father defended Chengdu when the rival state of Cao Wei invaded Shu Han...
, Imperial Secretaries Huang Chong and Zhang Zun
Zhang Zun
Zhang Zun was a minister of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Zhang Zun was the son of Zhang Bao . Zhang Zun along with Zhuge Zhan were both to defend Mianzhu Pass after the Cao Wei general Deng Ai led a campaign to conquer Shu Han...
, and Right Commander of the Feathered Forest Imperial Guards Li Qiu (李球) were all killed in action. Zhuge Zhan's defeat at Mianzhu Pass and the subsequent fall of the city meant that the gateway to Chengdu was wide open, and Deng Ai's force marched on toward Shu's capital Chengdu after taking Luo County (雒縣; north of present-day Guanghan
Guanghan
Guanghan is a county-level city in Deyang, Sichuan province, China. The predominant industries are tourism, pharmaceuticals and the supply of building material....
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
) on its way.
The fall of Shu
While other forces of Shu such as those led by Jiang Wei were hundreds of miles away, Shu was unable to gather anymore forces to defend its capital, and the subjects in the imperial court were divided on what to do in their panic. Some had suggested to flee southward to the NanzhongNanzhong
Nanzhong was an ancient region consisting of modern-day Yunnan, Guizhou, and southern Sichuan in southern China.The region was the homeland of the rebellious Nanman tribes, led by Meng Huo. In 225 AD, the famed statesman Zhuge Liang led three columns into Yunnan to pacify the tribes. His seven...
(border region of present-day southern Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
, Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
and Guizhou
Guizhou
' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. Its provincial capital city is Guiyang.- History :...
) region while others suggested to flee to Eastern Wu, but the future for both were bleak and uncertain at the best. One of Liu Shan's sons, Prince of Beidi Liu Chen
Liu Chen
Liu Chen , Prince of Beidi , was the fifth son of Liu Shan, the second ruler of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Liu Chen opposed the plans of Qiao Zhou to surrender to the opposing force under general Deng Ai from the rival state of Cao Wei...
, advocated resistance, suggesting that they still have a chance given that Deng Ai's forces had exhausted themselves after the perilous journey. However, Liu Shan disregarded this advice, and Liu Chen, in despair, killed his wife and children before committing suicide in the ancestral temple. Finally, Liu Shan accepted Qiao Zhou
Qiao Zhou
Qiao Zhou , style name Yunnan , was a minister of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Qiao formerly served under Liu Zhang. Qiao is remembered in later fiction as a very gifted astrologer whose readings of the sky were of use to Zhuge Liang's dispatch of troops...
's suggestion to surrender and sent Zhang Shao (張紹) Zhang Fei's second son, and Deng Liang (鄧良), Deng Zhi
Deng Zhi
Deng Zhi was a minister of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Early career:Deng Zhi was a native of Xinye , and went to Yi Province to avoid the turmoil of central China...
's son, to Luo County to inform Deng Ai that he would surrender, carrying the Imperial Seal of Shu
Imperial Seal of China
The Imperial Seal of China, or the Heirloom Seal of the Realm is a Chinese jade seal carved out of the He Shi Bi, a historically famous piece of jade.-Creation:...
. In November 263, Liu Shan had both his hands tied behind his back, a casket behind him, with more than five dozen subjects in waiting, formally surrendered to Deng Ai outside Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, marking the end of Shu. Deng Ai accepted the surrender by untying Liu Shan and burning the casket.
Jiang Wei, meanwhile, was still holding off Zhong Hui at Jiange. He first learned the news of the disastrous defeat of Zhuge Zhan
Zhuge Zhan
Zhuge Zhan , style name Siyuan , was a politician and military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
but failed to know what exactly happened to the emperor Liu Shan. He decided to withdraw from Jiange, to avoid being attacked by the enemy from both the front and rear, and successfully lost Zhong Hui's force chasing him once reaching Bazhong
Bazhong
Bazhong is a prefecture-level city in north-eastern Sichuan province, People's Republic of China.-History:Bazhong was made a prefecture-level city in 1993. Its history, however, goes back much further. During the Xia and Shang Dynasties, it was purportedly a vassal territory of the Liang State. In...
. Once he reached Qi County (郪縣; present-day Shehong County, Sichuan), Jiang Wei received Liu Shan's imperial decree ordering him to surrender, so he obeyed by surrendering to Zhong Hui at Fu County.
The final military engagement of Shu was not against Wei but against Wu on the eastern border of Shu. Wu general Sheng Man
Sheng Man
Sheng Xian, style name Xiaozhang , was an official who lived during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was from Kuaiji .-Biography:...
, using the pretext of assistance and support, led his army toward the Shu garrison at Yong'an in hopes of enhancing the Wu defenses along the Yangtze River
Yangtze 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...
by capturing the region. The Administrator of Badong, Luo Xian
Luo Xian
Luo Xian , style name Lingze , was a military general of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. After the fall of Shu in 263, Luo Xian defended his position at Yong'an from being captured by Shu's former ally, Eastern Wu, for a period of more than six months...
, deciding that their Wu allies could not be trusted, put up a staunch defense against Wu and submitted to Wei, honouring Liu Shan's last decree as an emperor. Wu forces under Lu Kang
Lu Kang
Lu Kang , style name Youjie , was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Lu Xun and a maternal grandson of Sun Ce. He was praised for his talent and wisdom....
besieged the garrison for six months before they had to retreat when Hu Lie of Wei threatened the line of communication of Wu.
Many refugees such as nobles and troops fled west to Sasanian Persia
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
when Shu fell.
Wei forces
The Wei offensive would be split into three prongs, each with a specific mission and answerable to Sima Zhao. The three prong would act independently, with Zhong Hui and Deng Ai having the staff of authority to intercede when necessary. This arrangement meant that the three commanders could largely kept watch on each other, preventing the possibility of one commander taking full control of the expedition force and rebel.Eastern flank
- Director of Retainers (司隸校尉) Zhong HuiZhong HuiZhong Hui was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Zhong Yao, a calligrapher and politician of Wei....
, the strongest supporter of Sima Zhao's decision to launch the campaign, was rewarded with the rank of General Who Stabilizes the West (鎮西將軍), and was named as the Area Commander (都督) of Guanzhong. Zhong Hui was in charge of the eastern front, the main thrust, commanding over 100,000 troops attacking HanzhongHanzhongHanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
.- General Who Stabilizes the West (鎮西將軍) Du YuDu YuDu Yu , style name Yuankai , was a military general of Cao Wei during the late Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He served the Jin Dynasty after the end of the Three Kingdoms period. Also a prolific author, it is said that Du Yu read the Zuozhuan so often that he was addicted to the book...
- General of the Vanguard (前將軍) Li Fu (李輔)
- General Who Protects the Army (護軍將軍) Xun Kai (荀愷), great-grandson of Xun YuXun YuXun 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:...
and maternal grandson of Sima YiSima YiSima Yi was a general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is perhaps best known for defending Wei from Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions... - General Who Protects the Army (護軍將軍) Hu Lie (胡烈) was named as the vanguard of the eastern front
- Administrator of Weixing (魏興太守) Liu Qin (劉欽) as the deputy vanguard of the eastern front
- General Who Stabilizes the West (鎮西將軍) Du Yu
Western flank
- General who Subdues the West (征西將軍) Deng AiDeng AiDeng Ai was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. It was said that whenever he saw a hill or wide valley, he would immediately size up the best places to store grain and position troops. His talent was recognized by Sima Yi, who recommended him to take up...
, who was already an Area Commander (都督) of Longyou, was given 30,000 troops to attack Jiang Wei at Tazhong from the western front. This force was to split in two directions, with Deng Ai himself attacking Gansong (甘松, south of present-day Têwo CountyTêwo CountyTêwo County is an administrative district in Gansu, the People's Republic of China. It is one of 58 counties of Gansu. It is part of the Gannan Prefecture...
, Gansu) from Didao (狄道, present-day Lintao CountyLintao CountyLintao County is administratively under the control of Dingxi, Gansu province. In ancient times, Lintao was centered around present day Min County.-Geography:...
, Gansu), while three subordinates of his would attack Tazhong directly.- Administrator of TianshuiTianshuiTianshui is the second largest city in Gansu province in northwest China. Its population is approximately 3,500,000.Tianshui lies along the route of the ancient Northern Silk Road at the Wei River, through which much of trade occurred between China and the west...
(天水太守) Wang Qi (王頎) would attack Jiang Wei at Tazhong from the east - Administrator of Longxi (隴西太守) Qian Hong would attack Jiang Wei at Tazhong from the north
- Administrator of Jincheng (金城太守) Yang Qu (楊趨) would attack Jiang Wei at Tazhong from the west
- Deng Ai's son, Deng Zhong, the Marquis of Huitang (惠唐亭侯), was assigned as Deng Ai's vanguard
- Registrar (主簿) Shi Cuan was assigned as a major (司馬) in Deng Ai's army.
- Administrator of Tianshui
Central flank
- The Inspector of Yong Province (雍州刺史) Zhuge Xu (諸葛緒) was given 30,000 troops, and would block Wujie Bridge (武街橋) in attempt to cut off Jiang Wei's retreating route.
Shu forces
Of the 40,000 officers of Shu, listed are some commanders who participated in the campaign.General-in-Chief (大將軍) Jiang Wei
Jiang Wei
Jiang Wei was a military general and regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He originally served Shu's rival state, Cao Wei, as a middle-level military officer, but defected to the Shu strategist Zhuge Liang, leaving his mother in Wei. After that, Jiang...
} General of Chariots and Cavalry on the Right (右車騎將軍) Liao Hua
Liao Hua
Liao Hua , originally named Liao Chun , style name Yuanjian , was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
} General of Chariots and Cavalry on the Left (左車騎將軍) Zhang Yi
Zhang Yi (Bogong)
Zhang Yi , style name Bogong, was a general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. Originally from Wuyang and a descendant of Zhang Liang, he became Liu Bei's commander after Liu Bei had captured Yizhou...
} Senior General Who Assists the Nation (輔國大將軍) Dong Jue
Dong Jue
Dong Jue, style name Gongxi , was an official and military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.Along with Fan Jian, Dong Jue served as a secretary under Shu's chancellor Zhuge Liang during the Southern Campaign and Northern Expeditions, and attained the titles of...
} Guanzhong
Guanzhong
Guanzhong , or Guanzhong Plain, is a historical region of China corresponding to the lower valley of the Wei River. It is called Guanzhong or 'within the passes' to distinguish it from 'Guandong' or 'east of the pass', that is, the North China Plain. The North China Plain is bordered on the west by...
Area Commander (關中都督) Fu Qian
Fu Qian
Fu Qian was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Fu Rong, also a Shu general.-Biography:...
} General Jiang Shu
Jiang Shu
Jiang Shu was a military general of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Following certain orders from Jiang Wei, Jiang Shu joined up with Fu Qian in the defense of Yangping Pass during the conquest of Shu by Wei. Following the attack by the Wei general Zhong...
, served as Fu Qian's deputy
} General Who Protects the Army (護軍將軍) Jiang Bin (蔣斌)
-
- Army Inspector (監軍) Wang Han (王含)
} Administrator of Jiangyou
Jiangyou
Jiangyou is a Chinese county-level city located in Mianyang, Sichuan. The city proper is subdivided into four urban districts and has jurisdiction over 21 towns, and 19 rural townships...
(江油太守) Ma Miao
Ma Miao
Ma Miao was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was from Hailing, Guangling, Yang Province .Ma was tasked with defending Jiangyou...
} General Who Protects the Army (護軍將軍) Zhuge Zhan
Zhuge Zhan
Zhuge Zhan , style name Siyuan , was a politician and military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
} Zhuge Shang
Zhuge Shang
Zhuge Shang was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Zhuge Zhan and grandson of Zhuge Liang.Zhuge Shang and his father defended Chengdu when the rival state of Cao Wei invaded Shu Han...
, Zhuge Zhan's son, served as commander of his father's vanguard
} Imperial Secretary (尚書) Huang Chong
Huang Chong
Huang Chong was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the son of Huang Quan....
} Imperial Secretary (尚書) Zhang Zun
Zhang Zun
Zhang Zun was a minister of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Zhang Zun was the son of Zhang Bao . Zhang Zun along with Zhuge Zhan were both to defend Mianzhu Pass after the Cao Wei general Deng Ai led a campaign to conquer Shu Han...
} Right Commander of the Feathered Forest Imperial Guards (羽林右部督) Li Qiu (李球)
Modern references
The Conquest of Shu by Wei was featured as the final stage of the Jin Dynasty's campaign in the seventh installmentDynasty Warriors 7
is a hack and slash video game and the seventh official installment of the Dynasty Warriors series. It is developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game has been confirmed to be PS3 exclusive in Japan. The story is based on Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms....
of Koei's Dynasty Warriors
Dynasty Warriors
is a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
video game series.