Longzhong Plan
Encyclopedia
The Longzhong Plan is the name given to a strategic plan given by the third century Chinese
tactician and administrator Zhuge Liang
. It formed the basis for the grand plan of the warlord Liu Bei
and later the Three Kingdoms
state of Shu. In essence it envisaged the securing of a viable regional base in southern China, and then a two-pronged attack to conquer the north. Though the plan was directed at the powerful Wei state, the ultimate aim of reunifying the empire of the fallen Han Dynasty
necessitated the eventual destruction of Sun Quan
's regime of Wu in the east.
Zhuge Liang joined Liu Bei as moushi (謀士), an advisor on strategic matters, in 207. According to Sanguo Zhi, it was at this time that he outlined the Longzhong Plan. The plan envisaged that Liu Bei would take over Jing and Yi province
s, both of which were ruled by relative incompetents. The Longzhong Plan noted that Cao Cao
controlled the North China Plain
, which was key to mastery of China, and that Sun Quan
held the lower Yangtze River
region, known as "Jiangdong". In view of this, a move to occupy Jing and Yi was vital for success. The essential outlines of the plan held remarkable foresight in envisaging the tripartite division of China. The other crucial aspect of the plan was the proposal for forming an alliance with Sun Quan in order to deter and resist the more powerful and intimidating Cao Cao. Other minor aspects included the institution of economic, legal and administrative reforms as well as developing cordial relations with the non-Han people located in the west and south. Such a policy would reduce resistance and increase much-needed manpower and economic resources. The culminating clause was a two-pronged northern campaign which would end in the seizure of the North China Plain and the reestablishment of the Han court.
One advance would be from Yi in the west, north through the Qin Mountains, which debouches into the Wei River
valley and achieving a strategic position in the west from which to dominate the great bend of the Yellow River and the Guanzhong
region. The second advance would be from Jing north toward the political centre of Luoyang and the surrounding plains. Such a campaign would presumably occur at an opportune moment of destabilisation of Wei but that moment was not specified. Nor was the role of Sun Quan in the offensives identified; though it would be assumed that he would tie down at least some of Cao Cao's forces.
From 215 Liu Bei controlled both Jing and Yi provinces. In 219, he won a decisive victory over Cao Cao and occupied Hanzhong
. That autumn, his commander in Jing, Guan Yu
, struck north against Cao Cao's positions on the Han River
. This offensive may have been part of the planned two-pronged attack. For the first few months, Guan Yu's attack was remarkably successful and Cao Cao even considered evacuating the capital Xuchang
. At this point, however, Sun Quan took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack and rapidly seized Jing province. Liu Bei tried unsuccessfully to recapture Jing in 223 (see Battle of Yiling), and died shortly thereafter. Even with the loss of Jing province, Zhuge Liang may have attempted to carry out a modified version of the Longzhong Plan in the form of the Northern Expeditions, although it is arguable that those campaigns had different tactical and strategic goals.
scholar Wang Fuzhi
was critical of the strategic goal of the Longzhong Plan because the two-pronged offensive that was intrinsic to the plan did not make a distinction as to which prong was the decoy and which was the main force. He alludes to the plan as being without any subtlety: such as using the stratagem "make a sound in the east but strike in the west" (聲東擊西 shēng dōng jī xī). Nor did it incorporate any hint of the interplay between zheng (正)and qi (奇) - the orthodox, apparent and overt military operation, and its opposite, a surprise, covert, or unexpected military action which brings about victory for a weaker force. Wang Fuzhi notes that one who seeks to seize the empire from a comparatively weak position must be flexible in strategic planning in order to grasp the opportunity to use qi to obtain victory.
Others charge that the political goal of the Longzhong Plan was flawed because the restoration of the Han Dynasty was unrealistic. The Wei government, considered by Zhuge Liang to be illegal, had effectively dealt with economic and political issues and had gained the support of the people. The military historians at the Military Science Academy in Beijing
view Zhuge Liang's political goal as inappropriate and unrealistic even in 207 when the plan was formulated and totally irrelevant by the time of the Northern Expeditions. The idea of seizing Jing province in the Longzhong Plan was a flawed concept because Sun Quan would never accept Liu Bei in control of this critical area, crucial for the security of his base in Jiangdong. In essence, Zhuge Liang is charged with failing to make an objective analysis of the political situation in 207.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
tactician and administrator 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....
. It formed the basis for the grand plan of the warlord Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
and later 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...
state of Shu. In essence it envisaged the securing of a viable regional base in southern China, and then a two-pronged attack to conquer the north. Though the plan was directed at the powerful Wei state, the ultimate aim of reunifying the empire of the fallen 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...
necessitated the eventual destruction of Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
's regime of Wu in the east.
Zhuge Liang joined Liu Bei as moushi (謀士), an advisor on strategic matters, in 207. According to Sanguo Zhi, it was at this time that he outlined the Longzhong Plan. The plan envisaged that Liu Bei would take over Jing and Yi province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
s, both of which were ruled by relative incompetents. The Longzhong Plan noted that 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...
controlled the North China Plain
North China Plain
The North China Plain is based on the deposits of the Yellow River and is the largest alluvial plain of eastern Asia. The plain is bordered on the north by the Yanshan Mountains and on the west by the Taihang Mountains edge of the Shanxi plateau. To the south, it merges into the Yangtze Plain...
, which was key to mastery of China, and that Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
held the lower 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...
region, known as "Jiangdong". In view of this, a move to occupy Jing and Yi was vital for success. The essential outlines of the plan held remarkable foresight in envisaging the tripartite division of China. The other crucial aspect of the plan was the proposal for forming an alliance with Sun Quan in order to deter and resist the more powerful and intimidating Cao Cao. Other minor aspects included the institution of economic, legal and administrative reforms as well as developing cordial relations with the non-Han people located in the west and south. Such a policy would reduce resistance and increase much-needed manpower and economic resources. The culminating clause was a two-pronged northern campaign which would end in the seizure of the North China Plain and the reestablishment of the Han court.
One advance would be from Yi in the west, north through the Qin Mountains, which debouches into the Wei River
Wei River
The Wei River is a major river in west-central China's Gansu and Shaanxi provinces. It is the largest tributary of the Yellow River and very important in the early development of Chinese civilization....
valley and achieving a strategic position in the west from which to dominate the great bend of the Yellow River and the 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...
region. The second advance would be from Jing north toward the political centre of Luoyang and the surrounding plains. Such a campaign would presumably occur at an opportune moment of destabilisation of Wei but that moment was not specified. Nor was the role of Sun Quan in the offensives identified; though it would be assumed that he would tie down at least some of Cao Cao's forces.
From 215 Liu Bei controlled both Jing and Yi provinces. In 219, he won a decisive victory over Cao Cao and occupied 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...
. That autumn, his commander in Jing, Guan Yu
Guan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
, struck north against Cao Cao's positions on the Han River
Han River (Hanshui)
The Han River is a left tributary of the Yangtze River with a length of 1532 km. Historically it was referred to as Hànshuǐ and the name is still occasionally used today....
. This offensive may have been part of the planned two-pronged attack. For the first few months, Guan Yu's attack was remarkably successful and Cao Cao even considered evacuating the capital Xuchang
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....
. At this point, however, Sun Quan took the opportunity to launch a surprise attack and rapidly seized Jing province. Liu Bei tried unsuccessfully to recapture Jing in 223 (see Battle of Yiling), and died shortly thereafter. Even with the loss of Jing province, Zhuge Liang may have attempted to carry out a modified version of the Longzhong Plan in the form of the Northern Expeditions, although it is arguable that those campaigns had different tactical and strategic goals.
Criticism
The great Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
scholar Wang Fuzhi
Wang Fuzhi
Wang Fuzhi , 1619–1692) courtesy name Ernong , pseudonym Chuanshan , was a Chinese philosopher of the late Ming, early Qing dynasties.-Life:...
was critical of the strategic goal of the Longzhong Plan because the two-pronged offensive that was intrinsic to the plan did not make a distinction as to which prong was the decoy and which was the main force. He alludes to the plan as being without any subtlety: such as using the stratagem "make a sound in the east but strike in the west" (聲東擊西 shēng dōng jī xī). Nor did it incorporate any hint of the interplay between zheng (正)and qi (奇) - the orthodox, apparent and overt military operation, and its opposite, a surprise, covert, or unexpected military action which brings about victory for a weaker force. Wang Fuzhi notes that one who seeks to seize the empire from a comparatively weak position must be flexible in strategic planning in order to grasp the opportunity to use qi to obtain victory.
Others charge that the political goal of the Longzhong Plan was flawed because the restoration of the Han Dynasty was unrealistic. The Wei government, considered by Zhuge Liang to be illegal, had effectively dealt with economic and political issues and had gained the support of the people. The military historians at the Military Science Academy in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
view Zhuge Liang's political goal as inappropriate and unrealistic even in 207 when the plan was formulated and totally irrelevant by the time of the Northern Expeditions. The idea of seizing Jing province in the Longzhong Plan was a flawed concept because Sun Quan would never accept Liu Bei in control of this critical area, crucial for the security of his base in Jiangdong. In essence, Zhuge Liang is charged with failing to make an objective analysis of the political situation in 207.