Wang Jian (Qin)
Encyclopedia
Wang Jian (year of birth and death unknown), a military leader of Qin (state)
in the Warring States Period
. He was born in Guanzhong county, city of Pinyang, Dongxiang village (now as the northeast of Fuping in Shǎnxī
Province).
, the capital city of the State of Zhao; Defeated Yan (state)
, Zhao (state)
and Chu (state)
. He along with Bai Qi
, Lian Po
and Li Mu
were called the most prestigious 4 generals in the Warring States Period
.
The King of Qin, Ying Zheng, decided to finally defeat the remnants of the Chu state located in Huaiyang. According to Shiji's chapter on the great generals of the Warring States, Ying Zheng had first requested his great general Wang Jian to lead the invasion, but Wang Jian did not believe the time was right to attack and refused. The first invasion was a disaster when 200,000 Qin troops were defeated by 500,000 Chu troops in the unfamiliar territory of Huaiyang, modern-day northern Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. The Qin general was Li Xing. Wang Jian was recalled and finally accepted to lead the second invasion force, requesting and receiving a force of 600,000 men.
In 224 BC, the famed conqueror of the state of Zhao, Wang Jian, was recalled to lead a second invasion with 600,000 men. Chu's morale greatly increased after their success in defeating a powerful Qin army the previous year. The Chu forces were content to defend and awaited a siege. However, Wang Jian tricked the Chu army by appearing inactive in his fortifications but secretly training his troops to fight in Chu territory. After a year, Chu decided to disband due to inaction. Wang Jian then invaded and overran Huaiyang and the remaining Chu forces. Xiang Yan, the Chu general, managed to resist and inflict bloody losses to Wang Jian until the King Fuchu of Chu was killed by Wang Jian's second in command, Meng Wu, father of Meng Tian
. Xiang Yan later committed suicide. Chu was finally conquered in 223 BC. During their peak sizes, both armies of Chu and Qin combined numbered over 1,000,000 troops, more than the massive campaign at Changping between Qin and Zhao 35 years before. The excavated personal letters of two Qin regular soldiers, Hei Fu {黑夫} and Jin {惊}, records a protracted campaign in Huaiyang under general Wang Jian. Both soldiers wrote letters requesting supplies (clothing) and money from home to sustain the long waiting campaign.
Qin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
in the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
. He was born in Guanzhong county, city of Pinyang, Dongxiang village (now as the northeast of Fuping in Shǎnxī
Shanxi
' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....
Province).
Major Achievement
He led the Qin army in seizing HandanHandan
Handan is a prefecture-level city located in the southwestern part of Hebei Province of China.- History :Handan was the capital of the State of Zhao during the Warring States period , after the capital moved from Zhongmu. The city was conquered by the State of Qin after the virtual annexation of...
, the capital city of the State of Zhao; Defeated Yan (state)
Yan (state)
Yān was a state during the Western Zhou, Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history. Its capital was Ji...
, Zhao (state)
Zhao (state)
Zhao was a significant Chinese state during the Warring States Period, along with six others...
and Chu (state)
Chu (state)
The State of Chu was a Zhou Dynasty vassal state in present-day central and southern China during the Spring and Autumn period and Warring States Period . Its ruling house had the surname Nai , and clan name Yan , later evolved to surname Mi , and clan name Xiong...
. He along with Bai Qi
Bai Qi
Bái Qǐ was an outstanding military leader of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born in Mei , as commander of the Qin army for more than 30 years, Bai Qi was responsible for the deaths of a total over 890,000 enemy soldiers, earning him the nickname Ren Tu...
, Lian Po
Lian Po
Lian Po was a prominent military General of Zhao during the Warring States period of China. Bai Qi, Wang Jian, Li Mu and he were commonly known as the Four Greatest Generals in Warring States....
and Li Mu
Li Mu
Li Mu was a prominent military General of Zhao during the Warring States period of China. He, together with Bai Qi, Wang Jian, and Lian Po were known as the Four Greatest Generals in Warring States era.-Career:...
were called the most prestigious 4 generals in the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
.
Conquest of Chu, 225-223 BCE
In 225 BC, only three kingdoms (states) remained independent: Chu, Yan and Qi. Chu had recovered significantly enough to mount serious resistance after their disastrous defeats to Qin in 278 BC and losing their centuries-old capital of Ying (Jingzhou). Despite its territorial size, resources and manpower, Chu's fatal flaw was its largely corrupt government that mostly overturned the legalistic-style reforms of Wu Qi 150 years ago, when Wu Qi transformed Chu into the most powerful state with an area of almost half of all the states combined. Ironically, Wu Qi was from the same state (Wei) as Shang Yang, whose legalistic reforms turned Qin into an invincible war machine at this stage.The King of Qin, Ying Zheng, decided to finally defeat the remnants of the Chu state located in Huaiyang. According to Shiji's chapter on the great generals of the Warring States, Ying Zheng had first requested his great general Wang Jian to lead the invasion, but Wang Jian did not believe the time was right to attack and refused. The first invasion was a disaster when 200,000 Qin troops were defeated by 500,000 Chu troops in the unfamiliar territory of Huaiyang, modern-day northern Jiangsu and Anhui provinces. The Qin general was Li Xing. Wang Jian was recalled and finally accepted to lead the second invasion force, requesting and receiving a force of 600,000 men.
In 224 BC, the famed conqueror of the state of Zhao, Wang Jian, was recalled to lead a second invasion with 600,000 men. Chu's morale greatly increased after their success in defeating a powerful Qin army the previous year. The Chu forces were content to defend and awaited a siege. However, Wang Jian tricked the Chu army by appearing inactive in his fortifications but secretly training his troops to fight in Chu territory. After a year, Chu decided to disband due to inaction. Wang Jian then invaded and overran Huaiyang and the remaining Chu forces. Xiang Yan, the Chu general, managed to resist and inflict bloody losses to Wang Jian until the King Fuchu of Chu was killed by Wang Jian's second in command, Meng Wu, father of Meng Tian
Meng Tian
Meng Tian was a general of the Qin Dynasty who distinguished himself in campaigns against the Xiongnu and in the construction of the Great Wall of China. He was the elder brother of Meng Yi. He descended from a great line of military generals and architects...
. Xiang Yan later committed suicide. Chu was finally conquered in 223 BC. During their peak sizes, both armies of Chu and Qin combined numbered over 1,000,000 troops, more than the massive campaign at Changping between Qin and Zhao 35 years before. The excavated personal letters of two Qin regular soldiers, Hei Fu {黑夫} and Jin {惊}, records a protracted campaign in Huaiyang under general Wang Jian. Both soldiers wrote letters requesting supplies (clothing) and money from home to sustain the long waiting campaign.