Battle of Fancheng

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Battle of Fancheng
Part of the wars at the end of the Han dynasty
Woodblock print guan yu xiangyang.png
A scene from the Battle of Fancheng, 17th-century woodblock print
Datec. August – December 219 [1]
Location
Result Cao Cao victory
Belligerents
Cao Cao Liu Bei
Commanders and leaders
Cao Cao (overall strategist, reinforcement)
Cao Ren
Yu Jin   White flag icon.svg
Pang De   Skull and Crossbones.svg
Xu Huang
Man Chong
Wen Ping
Guan Yu
Guan Ping
Liao Hua
Zhao Lei
Strength
≈100,000 men 70,000+ men (30,000 from surrendered troops + several thousand rebels)
Casualties and losses
40,000+ men 40,000+
Battle of Fancheng
Traditional Chinese 樊城之戰
Simplified Chinese 樊城之战
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Fánchéng Zhī Zhàn

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Guan Yu captures Pang De, as depicted in a Ming dynasty painting by Shang Xi, c. 1430. Shang Xi, Guan Yu Captures General Pang De.JPG
Guan Yu captures Pang De, as depicted in a Ming dynasty painting by Shang Xi, c. 1430.

In the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms , the flooding of the Han River was not a natural occurrence, but instead, was planned by Guan Yu. Guan had the rivers dammed and the dam opened when it was full, thus drowning Cao Cao's armies in the lower plains. This event was known as the Drowning of the Seven Armies (水淹七軍). Pang De put up firm resistance and attempted to escape by swimming, but was captured by Guan Yu's subordinate Zhou Cang. In contrast, Yu Jin was depicted pleading for his life and surrendering to Guan Yu.

Several weeks later, Sun Quan, who had secretly allied with Cao Cao, attacked Guan Yu's army at Jiangling. Sun Quan surprised and defeated Guan Yu's forces there, forcing Guan to lift the siege on Fancheng and retreat. Guan Yu and his son, Guan Ping, while fleeing to Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing), were caught and executed by Sun Quan's soldiers.

Notes

  1. Cao Cao was referring to the military exploits of Tian Dan, a general of the Qi state in the Spring and Autumn period. In 284 BCE, Tian Dan successfully defended the city of Ju (莒; formerly the Ju state, which was annexed by Qi) from an attack by the Yan state. He defeated Yan forces again later in 279 BCE at the siege of Jimo (即墨) by using the "Fire Cattle Columns" strategy.
  2. "Rangju" refers to Tian Rangju, a general of the Qi state in the Spring and Autumn period who was famous for his military discipline.

References

  1. Sima (1084), vol. 68.
  2. 二十三年春正月,汉太医令吉本与少府耿纪、司直韦晃等反,攻许,烧丞相长史王必营Sanguozhi vol. 1.
  3. (冬十月,宛守將侯音等反,執南陽太守,劫略吏民,保宛。) Sanguozhi vol. 1.
  4. (曹瞞傳曰:是時南陽間苦繇役,音於是執太守東里襃,與吏民共反,與關羽連和。南陽功曹宗子卿往說音曰:「足下順民心,舉大事,遠近莫不望風;然執郡將,逆而無益,何不遣之。吾與子共戮力,比曹公軍來,關羽兵亦至矣。」音從之,即釋遣太守。子卿因夜踰城亡出,遂與太守收餘民圍音,會曹仁軍至,共滅之。)Cao Man Zhuan annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 1.
  5. (二十四年春正月,仁屠宛,斬音。) Sanguozhi vol. 1.
  6. (建安二十三年,陆浑长张固被书调丁夫,当给汉中。百姓恶惮远役,并怀扰扰。民孙狼等因兴兵杀县主簿,作为叛乱,县邑残破。固率将十馀吏卒,依昭住止,招集遗民,安复社稷。狼等遂南附关羽。羽授印给兵,还为寇贼,到陆浑南长乐亭,自相约誓,言:“胡居士贤者也,一不得犯其部落。) Sanguozhi vol.11
  7. 資治通鑑·卷六十八》:陸渾民孫狼等作亂,殺縣主簿,南附關羽。羽授狼印,給兵,還為寇賊,自許以南,往往遙應羽,羽威震華夏。Zizhi Tongjian vol.68
  8. (恢谓兖州刺史裴潜曰:“此间虽有贼,不足忧,而畏征南方有变。今水生而子孝县军,无有远备。关羽骁锐,乘利而进,必将为患。)Sanguozhi vol. 15.
  9. de Crespigny, Rafe (1996) Later Han Military Organisation. Canberra: Australian National University. Internet Edition.
  10. 晉書·宣帝紀》:帝又言荊州刺史胡脩粗暴,南鄉太守傅方驕奢,並不可居邊。魏武不之察。及蜀將關羽圍曹仁於樊,于禁等七軍皆沒,脩、方果降羽。 Book of Jin vol.1
  11. (二十四年,先主為漢中王,拜羽為前將軍,假節鉞。是歲,羽率衆攻曹仁於樊。曹公遣于禁助仁。秋,大霖雨,漢水汎溢,禁所督七軍皆沒。禁降羽,羽又斬將軍龐德。梁郟、陸渾羣盜或遙受羽印號,為之支黨,羽威震華夏。曹公议徙许都以避其锐) Sanguozhi vol. 36.
  12. 資治通鑑·卷六十八》:陸渾民孫狼等作亂,殺縣主簿,南附關羽。羽授狼印,給兵,還為寇賊,自許以南,往往遙應羽,羽威震華夏。Zizhi Tongjian vol.68
  13. (魏使于禁救樊,羽尽禽禁等,人马数万,托以粮乏,擅取湘关米。) Sanguozhi vol.9
  14. (或謂仁曰:「今日之危,非力所支。可及羽圍未合,乘輕船夜走,雖失城,尚可全身。」) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
  15. (寵曰:「山水速疾,兾其不久。聞羽遣別將已在郟下,自許以南,百姓擾擾,羽所以不敢遂進者,恐吾軍掎其後耳。今若遁去,洪河以南,非復國家有也;君宜待之。」仁曰:「善。」寵乃沈白馬,與軍人盟誓。) Sanguozhi vol. 26.
  16. Sanguozhi vol. 17.
  17. (及关羽围曹仁于樊,孙权遣使辞以“遣兵西上,欲掩取羽。江陵、公安累重,羽失二城,必自奔走,樊军之围,不救自解。乞密不漏,令羽有备。”太祖诘群臣,群臣咸言宜当密之。昭曰:“军事尚权,期于合宜。宜应权以密,而内露之。羽闻权上,若还自护,围则速解,便获其利。可使两贼相对衔持,坐待其弊。秘而不露,使权得志,非计之上。又,围中将吏不知有救,计粮怖惧,傥有他意,为难不小。露之为便。且羽为人强梁,自恃二城守固,必不速退。”太祖曰:“善。”即敕救将徐晃以权书射著围里及羽屯中,围里闻之,志气百倍。羽果犹豫。权军至,得其二城,羽乃破败。)Sanguozhi vol. 26.
  18. (太祖令曰:「賊圍塹鹿角十重,將軍致戰全勝,遂陷賊圍,多斬首虜。吾用兵三十餘年,及所聞古之善用兵者,未有長驅徑入敵圍者也。且樊、襄陽之在圍,過於莒、即墨,將軍之功,踰孫武、穰苴。」) Sanguozhi vol. 17.

Bibliography

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