Conquest of Cheng Han by Jin
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| Conquest of Cheng Han by Jin | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Eastern Jin and Sixteen Kingdoms period | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Eastern Jin | Cheng Han | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Huan Wen |
Li Shi  | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Conquest of Cheng Han by Jin | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 晉滅成漢之戰 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 晋灭成汉之战 | ||||||
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The conquest of Cheng Han by Jin was a military campaign launched by the Eastern Jin dynasty against the Cheng Han dynasty from 10 December 346 to April 347 during the Sixteen Kingdoms period (304–439). The conquest ended with the fall of Cheng Han and the reclamation of Yizhou and Liangzhou (梁州, modern southern Shaanxi) by Jin.
Background[edit]
Between 296 and 299, the rebellion of Qi Wannian in Guanzhong caused a mass influx of refugees into the Hanzhong and Sichuan regions. These refugees made their presence in Yizhou in 300, after the Ba-Di refugee leader, Li Te, ousted the rebelling Inspector of the province, Zhao Xin. Li Te and the refugees made peace with the new Jin administration of Yizhou, but conflicting interests and oppression led to the refugees rebelling under Li Te. In 304, Li Te's son, Li Xiong, drove out the Jin forces from Ba and Shu and established his state of Cheng (later renamed Han in 338). The creation of Cheng ushered China into a period known as the Sixteen Kingdoms period.
Around the same time, Jin was beginning to lose territory elsewhere due to the Upheaval of the Five Barbarians. By 316, Jin had lost both Luoyang and Chang'an, and in 318, they formally moved the capital south of the Yangtze River to Jiankang. In 329, the Later Zhao established itself as the dominant power in the north, and China was effectively split into three, with Cheng Han in the southwest and Eastern Jin in the southeast. Cheng Han gradually took most of Yizhou and Liangzhou from Jin. In 333, Cheng captured Jin's Ningzhou (寧州, modern Yunnan and Guizhou), reaching the state's fullest extent, but Jin would retake the province by 339.
During the 330s and 340s, a Jin general named Huan Wen rose through the ranks. He was a brother-in-law of Emperor Cheng of Jin and close friends with Emperor Cheng's uncle and the Inspector of Jingzhou Yu Yi. Yu Yi's family was politically influential during his time and he would often recommend Huan Wen to the emperor. Huan Wen, in turn, was one of the few vocal supporters of Yu Yi's military aspirations, and during Yu Yi's northern expedition between 343 and 344, he served as Yu Yi's Subcommander. Yu Yi had ambitions to reclaim the north and west for Jin, but before realising it, he died of an ulcer in 345.
Following his death, Yu Yi's eldest son, Yu Yuanzhi (庾爰之), was expected to succeed in his father's positions. However, the Jin minister and long-time political rival to the Yu clan, He Chong, objected. He asserted that because Jingzhou bordered Later Zhao and Cheng Han, the province was vital to Jin's security and needed a capable general to guard it. Instead, he recommended Huan Wen to be the next Inspector of Jingzhou. He Chong succeeded in convincing the court, so Huan Wen inherited Yu Yi's position.
Prelude[edit]
In 343, Li Shi succeeded his father, Li Shou, on the Han throne. In 345, because Li Shi had no children, Li Shi's brother Li Guang (李廣) suggested that he be next in line for the throne. Li Shi refused at first, but when his ministers Ma Dang (馬當) and Xie Siming (解思明) expressed support for Li Guang, Li Shi believed there was a conspiracy against him. He had the two ministers executed and forced his brother to commit suicide. Ma Dang and Xie Siming were both highly respected officials, so the people mourned their deaths.[1] In 346, Li Shi's general, Li Yi (李奕), rebelled. Li Yi went as far as reaching the capital, Chengdu, but the rebellion abruptly ended when an arrow killed Li Yi.
Meanwhile, tribal people known as the Lao were moving into Cheng Han's territory in the masses and living in the mountains. These people were said to have caused problems for the local inhabitants, but the administration of Han was unable to resolve the issue.[2] Furthermore, historical records also described Li Shi as arrogant and uninterested in running the state. He rarely attended his court, isolated himself from his father's ministers and appointed ministers who, although he trusted, often slandered their peers to further their careers. He also carried out harsh punishments against his people, causing him to lose their support.[3]
In 346, as all this was happening, Huan Wen was eager to launch a military expedition against Later Zhao or Cheng Han. His subordinates were sceptical of the idea, but the Minister of Jiangxia, Yuan Qiao, thought otherwise. Yuan Qiao informed the situation in Cheng Han to Huan Wen and insisted that a campaign against them was feasible. Yuan Qiao's proposal convinced Huan Wen, so Huan Wen made preparations to destroy Cheng Han. Like Yu Yi before him, Huan Wen had ambitions to conquer Jin's rival states. However, his actions later in life may also suggest he had intentions to use this campaign to further his goal of building political prestige and seizing power from Jin.[4]
The campaign[edit]
Early stages[edit]
Huan Wen led a navy into Cheng Han on 10 December 346 together with the Inspector of Yizhou, Zhou Fu, and the Administrator of Nan, Sima Wuji. Yuan Qiao commanded the vanguard with 2,000 soldiers, while Huan Wen's Chief Clerk, Fan Wang, was left to handle affairs and guard the four commanderies of Liangzhou. Huan Wen did not ask the court for approval and only sent a messenger to inform them of the campaign right before it began.[5] By the time the court knew about it, Huan Wen was already on his way. The court did not believe that Huan Wen would succeed due to Cheng Han's harsh terrain and Huan Wen's lack of soldiers.[6]
Huan Wen arrived at Qingyi County (青衣縣; north of present-day Ya'an, Sichuan) at the beginning of 347. Li Shi took notice of the Jin army and began conscripting many soldiers. He then sent out his uncle, Li Fu (李福), his cousin, Li Quan (李權), the General of the Front, Zan Jian (昝堅) and others to resist Huan Wen. The generals of Han moved from Shanyang (山陽; southwest of present-day Leshan, Sichuan) and gathered at Heshui (合水; at the confluence of the Min River and Dadu River). Words were that Huan Wen's army was travelling through the footpaths, so the Han generals wanted to ambush Huan Wen south of the Yangtze. However, Zan Jian rejected this plan, instead insisting on marching from north of the Yangtze at Yuanyang Bend (鴛鴦碕) to anticipate the Jin army at Qianwei Commandery (犍為郡; in present-day Leshan, Sichuan). Unbeknownst to Zan Jian, Huan Wen was marching south of the Yangtze and appeared in Shanyang, bypassing Qianwei.[7]
From Pengmo to Chengdu[edit]
In March, Huan Wen reached Pengmo (彭模; in present-day Pengshan District, Sichuan), where he and his generals discussed the next course of action. They thought of splitting the army into two to divert the enemy's attention, but Yuan Qiao disagreed. Yuan Qiao argued that the troops should attack as one and seek a decisive victory. Additionally, he suggested that they rush straight to Chengdu while abandoning their cooking pots and limiting their ration to three days to plant determination among the Jin soldiers. Once more, Huan Wen listened to Yuan Qiao.[8] Huan Wen left behind his Army Advisors, Sun Sheng and Zhou Chu, with the weaker soldiers to defend the baggage train while Huan Wen advanced.
Li Fu attacked Pengmo but was turned away by Sun Sheng and Zhou Chu. Along the way to Chengdu, Huan Wen fought with Li Quan and defeated him thrice. The defeats caused Li Quan's men to scatter and flee back to Chengdu.[9] The General Who Guards The East, Li Weidou (李位都), also surrendered to Huan Wen. Zan Jian had reached Jianwei when he realised Huan Wen had taken a different route. Zan Jian redirected his army to attack Huan Wen through Shadou Crossing (沙頭津; south of Xinjin District, Chengdu) at the Yangtze. However, upon finding out that the Jin soldiers were already in the vicinity of Chengdu, Zan Jian's army collapsed.[10]
Battle of Ze Bridge[edit]
With Huan Wen so close to the capital, Li Shi made a last-ditch effort to defeat him. Li Shi gathered all the soldiers he could find and marched out to face Huan Wen himself. The two sides met at Ze Bridge (笮橋; southwest of Chengdu), where a decisive battle ensued.
Li Shi had the upper hand early in the battle as Huan Wen's vanguard faced heavy resistance. One of Huan Wen's Army Advisers, Gong Hu (龔護), was killed in action, while Huan Wen narrowly escaped death after his horse was shot in the face by an arrow. Morale among the Jin soldiers began to fall, and Huan Wen issued a retreat. However, a miscommunication occurred, and the drum boy who was supposed to signal the retreat instead signalled the Jin soldiers to advance. Yuan Qiao grabbed his sword and personally led his men into battle. Against expectations, the Jin soldiers overcame Li Shi's army and won a great victory.[11]
Li Shi surrenders[edit]
News of Jin's victory at Ze Bridge shook Chengdu. When Huan Wen arrived in Chengdu, he had the city gates burnt down. The capital's inhabitants were too afraid and no longer wanted to fight. Li Shi's ministers, Chang Qu and Wang Wei (王嘏) advised him to surrender, but Li Shi was hesitant, fearing he would be slaughtered the same way as the Chengjia emperor, Gongsun Shu's family.[12] However, Zan Jian and another general, Deng Song (鄧嵩), also persuaded Li Shi to submit, so Li Shi finally agreed. Li Shi fled Chengdu through the eastern gate with Zan Jian during the night. After reaching Jinshou (晉壽, in modern Guangyuan, Sichuan) on 13 April,[13] Li Shi sent his Cavalier In Regular Attendance, Wang You (王幼), to give Huan Wen his surrender. Li Shi presented himself to Huan Wen at the Jin camp while bound to a coffin with ropes. In response, Huan Wen cut off the ropes and burnt the coffin as a gesture of accepting the now-former emperor's submission.[14] Thus, the reign of Cheng and Han came to an end.
Aftermath[edit]
Huan Wen relocated Li Shi and his family to Jiankang. Despite Li Shi's surrender, several Han generals were still willing to oppose Huan Wen, namely Deng Ding (鄧定), Kui Wen (隗文), Wang Shi (王誓) and Wang Run (王潤). Huan Wen and Yuan Qiao attacked Deng Ding and Kui Wen, respectively, and the Jin generals were victorious in their encounters. Huan Wen also ordered Zhou Fu to guard Pengmo, where Zhou Fu had Wang Shi and Wang Run executed. After thirty days in Chengdu, Huan Wen decided to return to Jiangling.[15]
Cheng Han was the first of the Sixteen Kingdoms to be subjugated by Jin, and with Cheng Han gone, Jin became the sole power in the south. The campaign immensely elevated Huan Wen's fame and prestige, and in 348, the Jin court awarded him the position of Grand General Who Conquers The West and the title of Duke of Linhe. On the other hand, he also captured the suspicion of the court, who began to fear him due to his newfound influence. As a result, they propped up a general named Yin Hao to act as a counter to Huan Wen.[16] When the northern expeditions began in 349, the court initially chose Yin Hao to command the expeditions, preventing Huan Wen from the chance to expand his power. However, as Yin Hao's campaigns failed by 352, the court had no choice but to give in to Huan Wen's demands. The northern expeditions were Huan Wen's next step to taking the throne.
Although Cheng Han was no more, it would be a while before Jin fully pacified Yizhou. Deng Ding and Kui Wen survived their initial encounters with Jin. In May 347,[17] the two men recaptured Chengdu and revived their former state, installing Fan Bi (范賁) as their ruler. Fan Bi was the son of Fan Changsheng, a beloved founding father of Cheng Han, and the loyalists attracted many people to their state.[18] The revival was short-lived, as Fan Bi was defeated and killed by Zhou Fu in 349. There was also Xiao Jingwen (蕭敬文), a Jin general who, in 347, rebelled against Jin in Yizhou. He took Fucheng (涪城, in modern Mianyang, Sichuan) and declared himself the Governor of Yizhou before capturing Baxi Commandery (巴西郡; in present-day Nanchong, Sichuan) and threatening Hanzhong.[19] Jingwen was also defeated and killed by Zhou Fu in 352.[20] For most of Jin's remaining rule, Yizhou largely remained under Jin control, with notable exceptions from 373 to 385, when Former Qin conquered the province, and from 405 to 413, when Qiao Zong declared independence from Jin.
Jin treated Li Shi relatively well after his surrender. The court bestowed Li Shi the title Marquis of Guiyi and allowed him to live in peace in Jiankang. Li Shi died of natural causes in 361.[21]
Order of battle[edit]
Jin forces[edit]
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Cheng Han forces[edit]
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References[edit]
- ↑ (勢疑其與廣有謀，收當、思明斬之，夷其三族... 思明有智略，敢諫諍；馬當素得人心。及其死，士兵無不哀之。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 97
- ↑ (初，蜀土無獠，至此，始從山而出，北至犍為，梓潼，布在山谷，十餘萬落，不可禁制，大為百姓之患。勢既驕吝，而性愛財色，常殺人而取其妻，荒淫不恤國事。夷獠叛亂，軍守離缺，境宇日蹙。) Jin Shu, vol. 121
- ↑ (加之荒儉，性多忌害，誅殘大臣，刑獄濫加，人懷危懼。斥外父祖臣佐，親任左右小人，群小因行威福。又常居內，少見公卿。) Jin Shu, vol. 121
- ↑ (大司馬溫恃其材略位望，陰蓄不臣之志，嘗撫枕歎曰：「男子不能流芳百世，亦當遺臭萬年！」... 溫欲先立功河朔，以收時望，還受九錫。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 103
- ↑ (十一月，辛未，溫帥益州刺史周撫、南郡太守譙王無忌伐漢，拜表即行；委安西長史范汪以留事，加撫督梁州之四郡諸軍事；使袁喬帥二千人為前鋒。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 97
- ↑ (朝廷以蜀險遠，而溫兵寡少，深入敵場，甚以為憂。) Jin Shu, vol. 98
- ↑ (溫次青衣，勢大發軍距守，又遣李福與昝堅等數千人從山陽趣合水距溫。謂溫從步道而上，諸將皆欲設伏於江南以待王師，昝堅不從，率諸軍從江北鴛鴦碕渡向犍為...) Jin Shu, vol. 121
- ↑ (三月，溫至彭模。議者欲分為兩軍，異道俱進，以分漢兵之勢。袁喬曰：「今懸軍深入萬里之外，勝則大功可立，不勝則□類無遺，當合勢齊力，以取一戰之捷。若分兩軍，則眾心不一，萬一偏敗，大事去矣。不如全軍而進，棄去釜甑，繼三日糧，以示無還心，勝可必也。」溫從之...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 97
- ↑ (勢使其叔父福及從兄權等攻彭模，楚等禦之，福退走。溫又擊權等，三戰三捷，賊眾散，自間道歸成都。) Jin Shu, vol. 98
- ↑ (...而溫從山陽出江南，昝堅到犍為，方知與溫異道，乃回從沙頭津北渡。) Jin Shu, vol. 121
- ↑ (勢悉眾出戰於成都之笮橋，溫前鋒不利，參軍龔護戰死，矢及溫馬首。眾懼，欲退，而鼓吏誤鳴進鼓；袁喬拔劍督士卒力戰，遂大破之。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 97
- ↑ (勢眾惶懼，無復固志，其中書監王嘏、散騎常侍常璩等勸勢降。勢以問侍中馮孚，孚言：「昔吳漢征蜀，盡誅公孫氏。今晉下書，不赦諸李，雖降，恐無全理。」) Jin Shu, vol. 121
- ↑ (勢乃夜出東門，與昝堅走至晉壽，然後送降文于溫曰：「偽嘉寧二年三月十七日，略陽李勢叩頭死罪...」) Jin Shu, vol. 121
- ↑ (勢夜開東門走，至葭萌，使散騎常侍王幼送降文於溫，自稱「略陽李勢叩頭死罪」，尋輿櫬面縛詣軍門。溫解縛焚櫬...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 97
- ↑ (桓溫自擊定，使袁喬擊文，皆破之。溫命益州刺史周撫鎮彭模，斬王誓、王潤。溫留成都三十日，振旅還江陵。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 97
- ↑ (溫既滅蜀，威名大振，朝廷憚之。會稽王昱以揚州刺史殷浩有盛名，朝野推服，乃引爲心膂，與參綜朝權，欲以抗溫，由是與溫寢相疑貳。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 97
- ↑ (夏，四月，丁巳，鄧定、隗文等入據成都...) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 97
- ↑ (隗文、鄧定等立故國師範長生之子賁為帝而奉之，以妖異惑眾，蜀人多歸之。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 79
- ↑ (十二月，振威護軍蕭敬文殺征虜將軍楊謙，攻涪城，陷之，自稱益州牧，遂取巴西，通於漢中。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 97
- ↑ (桓溫使司馬勳助周撫討蕭敬文於涪城，斬之。) Zizhi Tongjian, vol. 99
- ↑ (升平五年，死于建康。) Jin Shu, vol. 121
- Fang, Xuanling (648). Book of Jin (Jin Shu).
- Sima, Guang (1084). Zizhi Tongjian.
- Kleeman, Terry F. (1998-12-31). Great Perfection. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-4033-4.
- Kleeman, Terry F. (2019). "Cheng-Han State". In Dien, Albert E.; Knapp, Keith N. (eds.). The Cambridge History of China: Volume II: Six Dynasties, 220–589. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 145–154. ISBN 978-1-107-02077-1.
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