Misplaced Pages

#144855

85-495: (Redirected from North Expedition ) Northern Expedition or Northern Expeditions can refer to: In history [ edit ] In Chinese history (北伐) [ edit ] Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions (228-234), a military campaign led by Zhuge Liang in the Three Kingdoms period Jiang Wei's Northern Expeditions (247-262), a military campaign led by Jiang Wei in

170-885: A Xianbei tribal leader, to support Shu in the war against Wei. Kebineng went to Beidi Commandery and rallied the locals to support Shu. At the time, as Cao Zhen , the Wei grand marshal, was ill, the Wei emperor Cao Rui ordered the general Sima Yi to move to Chang'an to supervise the Wei defences in the Guanzhong region against the Shu invasion. After making preparations for battle, Sima Yi, with Zhang He , Fei Yao , Dai Ling (戴陵) and Guo Huai serving as his subordinates, led Wei forces to Yumi County (隃麋縣; east of present-day Qianyang County , Shaanxi) and stationed there. He then left Fei Yao and Dai Ling with 4,000 troops to guard Shanggui County (上邽縣; in present-day Tianshui, Gansu), while he led

255-509: A massive full-scale rebellion , the Wu forces suffered a great defeat as they lent a great quantity of manpower to Zhuge Dan's cause. Shouchun was quickly regained by Wei under Sima Zhao 's command. During the conquest of Shu by Wei in 263, Wu could not fully lend support to their allies due to a revolt in Vietnam. The decline of Wu was long in existence since the death of Lu Xun in 245 and

340-507: A barbaric "jungle", developed into one of the commercial, cultural, and political centres of China. The achievements of Wu in the south marked the coming of Chinese civilization to the farthest southern reaches of the empire. In 230, the island of Yizhou was reached by the Chinese during the Three Kingdoms period under the reign of Sun Quan. Contact with the native population and the dispatch of officials to an island named "Yizhou" ( 夷州 ) by

425-704: A campaign to seize control of Hanzhong Commandery , the "northern gateway" into Yi Province, and succeeded in capturing it from Cao Cao's forces. In 219, Liu Bei's general Guan Yu , whom Liu Bei had left in charge of Jing Province, started the Battle of Fancheng against Cao Cao's forces. However, the Sun Quan–Liu Bei alliance ("Sun–Liu alliance"), which Zhuge Liang played an instrumental role in creating, broke down when Sun Quan sent his forces to attack and seize Liu Bei's territories in Jing Province while Guan Yu

510-495: A day and that he micromanaged almost everything, except trivial issues like punishments for minor offences. After hearing that, Sima Yi remarked, "How can Zhuge Kongming expect to last long? He's going to die soon." The stalemate at the Wuzhang Plains lasted for over 100 days. Sometime between 11 September and 10 October 234, Zhuge Liang became critically ill and died in camp. He was 54 (by East Asian age reckoning ) at

595-508: A ferry operating in northern British Columbia Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Northern Expeditions . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Northern_Expeditions&oldid=1086946526 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

680-841: A military campaign led by the Kuomintang In Russian history [ edit ] Great Northern Expedition , the Russian Empire's exploration of its arctic territories In Thai history [ edit ] Burmese–Siamese War (1849–1855) , a military campaign led by the Siamese against the Konbaung dynasty Burma campaign , a military campaign led by the Thailand against the British empire In transportation [ edit ] MV Northern Expedition ,

765-557: A narrow defile . Zhang He died after a stray arrow hit him in the right knee. Unlike book of Jin records, Wei's army suffered a great deal of damage from pursuing Shu's retreating army. In the spring of 234, Zhuge Liang led more than 100,000 Shu troops out of Xie Valley (斜谷) and camped at the Wuzhang Plains on the south bank of the Wei River near Mei County. Aside from using the flowing horse to transport food supplies to

850-706: A quarrel with his colleague Shen Yi (申儀), he sent spies to stir up greater suspicions between them and spread news that Meng Da was plotting a rebellion against Wei. Meng Da became fearful and decided to rebel. However, he was stuck in a dilemma after receiving a letter from the Wei general Sima Yi , who was stationed at Wancheng . In the meantime, Sima Yi quickly assembled an army, headed towards Xincheng, and reached there within eight days. Wei's rival states, Shu and Wu, sent forces to support Meng Da, but were defeated and driven back by Wei forces led by Sima Yi's subordinates. Sima Yi ordered his troops to surround Shangyong (上庸), Meng Da's base, and attack from eight directions. At

935-432: A relevant character to the state's original name: the state that called itself "Wu" (吳) is also known as "Eastern Wu" (東吳; Dōng Wú) or "Sun Wu" (孫吳). Sun Quan ruled for over 30 years and his long reign resulted in stability in southern China. During his reign, Wu engaged Wei in numerous wars, including the battles of Ruxu (222–223), Shiting (228), and Hefei (234). However, Wu never managed to gain any territory north of

SECTION 10

#1732773014145

1020-421: A vassal king, "King of Wu" ( 吳王 ), by Cao Pi. A year later, Liu Bei declared himself emperor and founded the state of Shu Han . In 222, Liu Bei launched a military campaign against Sun Quan to take back Jing Province and avenge Guan Yu, leading to the Battle of Xiaoting . However, Liu Bei suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Sun Quan's general Lu Xun and was forced to retreat to Baidicheng , where he died

1105-708: A year after Shu was conquered by Wei . At the time, Wu was experiencing internal turmoil because rebellions had broken out in Jiaozhi ( 交趾 ) in the south. The ministers Puyang Xing , Wan Yu and Zhang Bu decided to install Sun He's son, Sun Hao , on the throne. In the beginning of Sun Hao's reign, the emperor reduced taxes, gave relief to the poor, and granted freedom to a large number of palace maids. However, Sun Hao gradually became more cruel and superstitious and started indulging in wine and women instead of finding ways to revive his declining state. Sun Hao's tyranny caused widespread anger and hatred towards him in Wu, but it

1190-431: A year later. Liu Bei's successor, Liu Shan , and his regent, Zhuge Liang , made peace with Sun Quan later and reaffirmed their previous alliance. Sun Quan declared independence from Wei in 222, but continued to rule as "King of Wu" until 229, when he declared himself "Emperor of Wu". His legitimacy was recognised by Shu. To distinguish the state from other historical Chinese states of the same name, historians have added

1275-595: Is described in Shishuo Xinyu 世说新语 by Liu Yiqing (刘义庆, 403-444), which narrates that Wang Dao learned the idiom after fleeing in Jiankang, today's Nanjing . In the end, proto-Wu emerged as the unified proto-language from which every contemporary Wu language is spoken. Wu dialects have striking similarities to Early Middle Chinese as described in the Qieyun phonological system. A reconstruction of proto-Wu

1360-436: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Zhuge Liang%27s Northern Expeditions The expeditions are dramatised and romanticised in the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms , where they are referred to as the "six campaigns from Mount Qi" ( 六出祁山 ). This term is inaccurate, since Zhuge Liang only launched two of his expeditions (the first and

1445-970: Is not included in the 11th-century outstanding chronological historical text Zizhi Tongjian . In any case, according to Records of the Three Kingdoms and Zizhi Tongjian , Zhuge Liang retreated to the Shu, because of lack of supply, not defeat. and the Wei forces pursued him. The pursuit did not go completely smoothly for Wei. Sima Yi ordered Zhang He to further pursue the enemy in an attempt to capitalise on their momentum. The Weilüe mentioned that Zhang He refused to obey Sima Yi's order and argued that, according to classical military doctrine, one should refrain from pursuing an enemy force retreating to its home territory. However, Sima Yi refused to listen and forced Zhang He to carry out this order. Indeed, Zhang He fell into an ambush at Mumen Trail (木門道; near present-day Qinzhou District , Tianshui, Gansu), where Zhuge Liang had ordered crossbowmen to hide on high ground and fire at approaching enemy forces when they entered

1530-450: The Battle of Red Cliffs . Sun Quan and Liu Bei maintained their alliance against Cao Cao after the battle for the next ten years or so, despite having some territorial disputes over Jing Province . In 219, Sun Quan severed ties with Liu Bei when he sent his general Lü Meng to invade Liu's territories in Jing Province . Guan Yu , who was defending Liu Bei's assets in Jing Province, was captured and executed by Sun Quan's forces. After that,

1615-546: The Battle of Xiaoting and during the invasions of Wu by Wei in the 220s, Shu was able to reestablish their trade and relationships with Wu. Shu's cotton was a great influx for Wu, and the development of shipbuilding, salt, and metal industries was greatly increased. The fact of inflation and economic problems still were in existence since the Han dynasty. Sun Quan tried to start a currency of large coins manufactured by copper. He also tried to prohibit private minting. This policy

1700-402: The Guanzhong region. Three Wei-controlled commanderies – Nan'an (南安), Tianshui and Anding (安定) – defected to the Shu side. In response to the Shu invasion, Cao Rui moved from Luoyang to Chang'an to oversee the defences and provide backup. He ordered Zhang He to attack Zhuge Liang at Mount Qi, and Cao Zhen to attack Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi at Ji Valley. Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi lost

1785-475: The Jiangdong and Wu regions between 194 and 199, seizing several territories previously occupied by warlords such as Liu Yao , Yan Baihu and Wang Lang . Sun Ce broke off relations with Yuan Shu around 196–197 after the latter declared himself emperor—an act deemed as treason against Emperor Xian , the figurehead ruler of the Han dynasty. The warlord Cao Cao , who was the de facto head of government in

SECTION 20

#1732773014145

1870-614: The Qiang people to join Shu Han against Wei. Wei Yan greatly defeated Wei forces led by Guo Huai and Fei Yao . Following those events, the conflict became a prolonged stalemate with few skirmishes. After more than a month of slow progress and by fear of significant losses and waste of resources, more and more Wei officials sent memorials to end the campaign. The situation wasn't helped by the difficult topography and constant heavy rainy weather lasting more than 30 days. Cao Rui decided to abort

1955-639: The Three Kingdoms period. It previously existed from 220 to 222 as a vassal kingdom nominally under Cao Wei , its rival state, but declared complete independence in November 222. It was elevated to an empire in May 229 after its founding ruler, Sun Quan (Emperor Da), declared himself emperor . The name "Wu" was derived from the place it was based in—the Jiangnan ( Yangtze River Delta ) region, which

2040-537: The central government . Outside of the court, families displayed their own independent authority. Wu, at times, was to a certain extent run for the protection of particular families. The Eastern Wu era was a formative period in Vietnamese history . The ruler of Jiaozhou (modern Vietnam and Guangzhou ), Shi Xie , is primarily remembered today in Vietnam as Sĩ Nhiếp . According to Stephen O'Harrow , Shi Xie

2125-499: The Battle of Ji Valley because their decoy force, composed of the weaker soldiers in the Shu army, were no match for Cao Zhen and his well-trained troops. (Zhuge Liang had reserved the better troops for the attack on Mount Qi.) In the meantime, Zhuge Liang sent Ma Su to lead the vanguard force to engage Zhang He at Jieting (街亭; located east of present-day Qin'an County , Gansu). Ma Su not only disobeyed Zhuge Liang's orders, but also made

2210-432: The Han imperial court, asked Emperor Xian to grant Sun Ce the title of "Marquis of Wu" ( 吳侯 ). Sun Ce was assassinated in the summer of 200 and was succeeded by his younger brother, Sun Quan . Sun Quan, like his elder brother, also paid nominal allegiance to Emperor Xian while maintaining autonomous rule over the Wu territories. In 208, Sun Quan allied with the warlord Liu Bei and they combined forces to defeat Cao Cao at

2295-482: The Jin invaders, but the Wu forces suffered several consecutive defeats and even the Wu chancellor, Zhang Ti , was killed in action. Seeing that Wu was doomed to fall, Sun Hao surrendered to the Jin dynasty on 31 May 280, marking the end of Wu and the end of the Three Kingdoms period. Despite Sun Quan proclaiming himself emperor in 229, its politics reflected its warlord origins. When Wu was initially founded its military

2380-407: The Shu camp in the south, guarded by Wang Ping , while he led the others to attack Lucheng head-on. In response, Zhuge Liang ordered Wei Yan , Wu Ban and Gao Xiang to resist the enemy outside Lucheng, where the Wei forces suffered an unexpected and tremendous defeat: 3,000 soldiers were killed, and 5,000 suits of armour and 3,100 sets of hornbeam crossbows were seized by Shu forces. Even though

2465-515: The Shu camp, Sima Yi received orders from the Wei emperor Cao Rui to hold his ground and refrain from engaging the Shu forces. The battle became a stalemate. During this time, Zhuge Liang made several attempts to lure Sima Yi to attack him. On one occasion, he sent women's ornaments to Sima Yi to taunt him. An apparently angry Sima Yi sought permission from Cao Rui to attack the enemy but was denied. Cao Rui even sent Xin Pi as his special representative to

2550-462: The Shu forces retreated to Lucheng (鹵城), took control of the hills in the north and south, and used the river as a natural barrier. Although his subordinates repeatedly urged him to attack the enemy, Sima Yi was hesitant to do so after seeing the layout of the Shu camps in the hills. However, he eventually relented when Jia Si and Wei Ping mocked him and said he would become a laughing stock if he refused to attack. Sima Yi then sent Zhang He to attack

2635-437: The Shu forces. During the 20-day-long siege of Chencang, Zhuge Liang used an array of tactics to attack the fortress – siege ladders , battering rams , siege towers and tunnels – but Hao Zhao successfully countered each of them in turn. Upon learning that Wei reinforcements were approaching Chencang, Zhuge Liang immediately pulled back all his troops and returned to Hanzhong. A Wei officer, Wang Shuang , led his men to attack

Northern Expeditions - Misplaced Pages Continue

2720-636: The Shu-Wu alliance, but Sun Quan commented that it was simply a sign of fatigue and exhaustion. Yi Zhongtian listed three reasons for Zhuge Liang's failures: Yi Zhongtian argued that Zhuge Liang knew full well of all of the difficulties, including his own weaknesses, but Liang still pressed on with the Northern Expeditions for three reasons: In other words, Shu Han's relentless attacks against stronger enemy were from Zhuge Liang's point of view actually necessary for its own survival. Zhuge Liang

2805-626: The Sun–Liu alliance (now the Wu–Shu alliance) against Wei, the regime established by Cao Cao's son and successor, Cao Pi . In 227, Zhuge Liang ordered troops from throughout Shu to mobilise and assemble in Hanzhong Commandery in preparation for a large-scale military campaign against Wei. Before leaving, he wrote a memorial , called Chu Shi Biao (literally "memorial on the case to go to war"), and submitted it to Liu Shan. Among other things,

2890-641: The Three Kingdoms period Huan Wen's Northern Expeditions (354-369), a military campaign led by Huan Wen in the Jin dynasty and Sixteen Kingdoms period Liu Yu's Northern Expeditions (409-416), a military campaign led by Liu Yu in the Jin dynasty and Sixteen Kingdoms period Northern Expedition (Taiping Rebellion) , a military campaign led by the Taiping against the Qing during the Taiping Rebellion Northern Expedition ,

2975-488: The Wei invasion which he reluctantly accepted after much persuasion. As Xiahou Ba led the vanguard of this expedition through the 330 km Ziwu Trail (子午道), he was identified by the local residents who reported his presence to the Shu forces. Xiahou Ba barely managed to retreat after reinforcements from the main army arrived. Zhuge Liang also allowed Wei Yan to lead troops behind the enemy lines towards Yangxi (陽谿; southwest of present-day Wushan County, Gansu ) to encourage

3060-481: The Wu navy might have been to Taiwan , but the location of Yizhou is open to dispute; some historians believe it was Taiwan, while others believe it was the Ryukyu Islands . Wu merchants also may have reached Southern Vietnam and Cambodia . Failed protection of Gongsun Yuan also was in existence when the latter rebelled against Wei . This was because of the waterway's difficulties. Such things cost Wu, and

3145-521: The Yangtze River while Wei also never succeeded in conquering the lands south of the Yangtze. A succession struggle broke out between Sun Quan's sons in the later part of his reign—Sun Quan installed Sun He as the crown prince in 242 after his former heir apparent, Sun Deng , died in 241, but Sun He soon became involved in a rivalry with his younger brother, Sun Ba . The conflict resulted in

3230-703: The Ziwu Valley (子午谷). At the same time, another Wei army led by Sima Yi , acting on Cao Rui's order, advanced towards Shu from Jing Province by sailing along the Han River . The rendezvous point for Cao Zhen and Sima Yi's armies was at Nanzheng County (南鄭縣; in present-day Hanzhong , Shaanxi ). Other Wei armies also prepared to attack Shu from the Xie Valley (斜谷) or Wuwei Commandery . When he heard of Wei recent movements, Zhuge Liang urged Li Yan to lead 20,000 troops to Hanzhong Commandery to defend against

3315-458: The achievements supposedly gained within Taiwan did not cover this problem and Sun Quan lost his vassal. Later on in the existence of Wu, the once great military was turned to an unimpressive one. It was most likely an easy task to take Hefei from Wei, but Wu could not do so. Since the 230s, this task was made harder due to the "New City", a heavily fortified castle built at Hefei by Wei. One of

3400-468: The boundaries of Sun Quan's domain extended from beyond the Jiangdong region to include the southern part of Jing Province, which covered roughly present-day Hunan and parts of Hubei . In 220, Cao Cao's son and successor, Cao Pi , ended the Han dynasty by forcing Emperor Xian to abdicate in his favour and established the state of Cao Wei . Sun Quan agreed to submit to Wei and was granted the title of

3485-451: The campaign and recalled the officers by October 230. In 231, Zhuge Liang launched the fourth Northern Expedition and attacked Mount Qi again. He used the wooden ox , a mechanical device he invented, to transport food supplies to the frontline. The Shu forces attacked Tianshui Commandery and surrounded Mount Qi, which was defended by the Wei officers Jia Si (賈嗣) and Wei Ping (魏平). At Mount Qi, Zhuge Liang managed to convince Kebineng ,

Northern Expeditions - Misplaced Pages Continue

3570-473: The campaign, the Shu emperor Liu Shan issued an imperial decree to congratulate him on his successes in defeating Wang Shuang during the second Northern Expedition , forcing Guo Huai to flee, winning back the trust of the local tribes and capturing Wudu and Yinping commanderies during the third Northern Expedition. He also restored Zhuge Liang to the position of Imperial Chancellor (丞相). In August 230, Cao Zhen led an army from Chang'an to attack Shu via

3655-481: The east, notably the Ziwu Valley, which leads directly to the south of Chang'an. Meng Da , a former Shu general who defected to Wei in 220, served as the Administrator of Xincheng Commandery (新城郡; in present-day northwestern Hubei ) near Shu's northeastern border. Zhuge Liang hated Meng Da for his capricious behaviour and worried that he would become a threat to Shu. Around 227, when he heard that Meng Da had

3740-477: The emergence of two rivalling factions, each supporting either Sun He or Sun Ba, in Sun Quan's imperial court. Sun Quan eventually deposed Sun He and forced Sun Ba to commit suicide, while Lu Xun and many other ministers who took either Sun He's or Sun Ba's side in the struggle met with unhappy ends. Sun Quan appointed his youngest son, Sun Liang , as the crown prince after the incident. Sun Quan died in 252 and

3825-465: The emperor Liu Shan had ordered a withdrawal. The Book of Jin claimed that Sima Yi launched an attack on Shu garrisons at this juncture and succeeded in capturing the Shu "covering camps". Zhuge Liang abandoned Lucheng and retreated under the cover of night, but Sima Yi pursued him and inflicted roughly 10,000 casualties on the Shu army. This account from the Book of Jin is disputed by historians and

3910-410: The empire and the surrounding establishments with the duty of being an envoy. Following the death of Cao Pi in 226, Sun Quan strongly promoted his kingdom to focus on agriculture because the threat from Wei was lifted. However, Lu Xun suggested to Sun Quan that military commanders should become involved in the colonization of land. Sun Quan quickly accepted and he, along with his sons would execute

3995-411: The family name of its rulers was " Sun ". During its existence, Wu's capital was sometimes at Jianye (present-day Nanjing , Jiangsu ) and sometimes at Wuchang ( 武昌 ; present-day Ezhou , Hubei ). Towards the end of the Han dynasty , Sun Ce , the eldest son of the warlord Sun Jian , and his followers borrowed troops from the warlord Yuan Shu and embarked on a series of military conquests in

4080-431: The field." Under the reign of Sun Quan , he needed a strong role of advisors and secretaries in order to keep his link of power in a maintained level. Sun Quan's prestige in dealing with hostiles and friendly relations called for the establishment of a controlled form of an imperial government for the empire of Wu. Sun Quan also created the opportunity for people residing within Wu to gain prestige and influence throughout

4165-489: The first Northern Expedition and requesting to be punished by demotion. Liu Shan approved and symbolically demoted Zhuge Liang from Imperial Chancellor (丞相) to General of the Right (右將軍), but allowed him to remain as acting Imperial Chancellor. In the winter of 228–229, Zhuge Liang launched the second Northern Expedition and led Shu forces to attack the Wei fortress at Chencang via San Pass . When he showed up at Chencang, he

4250-426: The fourth) from Mount Qi. In 220, following the end of the Han dynasty , China was divided into three competing regimes – Cao Wei (or Wei) , Shu Han (or Shu) and Eastern Wu (or Wu) – with each of them trying to unify the country under its rule. In Shu, the strategic thinking behind the Northern Expeditions came from Zhuge Liang 's Longzhong Plan , which he presented to the warlord Liu Bei in 207. In essence,

4335-517: The frontline to ensure that Sima Yi followed orders and remained in camp. Zhuge Liang knew that Sima Yi was pretending to be angry because he wanted to show the Wei soldiers that he would not put up with Zhuge Liang's taunting and to ensure that his men were ready for battle. During the stalemate, when Zhuge Liang sent a messenger to meet Sima Yi, Sima Yi asked the messenger about Zhuge Liang's daily routine and living conditions. The messenger said that Zhuge Liang consumed three to four sheng of grain

SECTION 50

#1732773014145

4420-461: The frontline, he implemented a tuntian plan by ordering his troops to grow crops alongside civilians at the south bank of the Wei River. He also forbade his troops from taking the civilians' crops. In response to the Shu invasion, the Wei general Sima Yi led his forces and another 20,000 reinforcements to the Wuzhang Plains to engage the enemy. After an initial skirmish and a night raid on

4505-463: The greatest failures to accomplish something later on in Wu's reign was during 255 and during the last few years of the 250s. When Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin rebelled against Wei, Wu promised to help the two in Shouchun (around present-day Shou County , Anhui ). However, the Wu forces never made it in time before the rebellion was quashed by Sima Shi and the Wei forces. When Zhuge Dan launched

4590-421: The losses were heavy, Sima Yi still retained a sizeable army, which he led back to his camp. Despite the victory, Zhuge Liang could not press his advantage with a major offensive due to a dwindling food supply. Adverse weather prevented Shu's logistics from delivering matériel on schedule. Li Yan , the Shu general responsible for overseeing the transportation of food supplies to the frontline, falsely claimed that

4675-433: The memorial contained Zhuge Liang's reasons for the campaign against Wei and his personal advice to Liu Shan on governance issues. After Liu Shan approved, Zhuge Liang ordered the Shu forces to garrison at Mianyang (沔陽; present-day Mian County , Shaanxi ). Zhuge Liang's plan called for a march north from Hanzhong Commandery (what is now southern Shaanxi province), the main population centre in northern Yi Province . In

4760-517: The memorial presented by Lu Xun. However, in 240, Sun Quan restrained Lu Xun's idea and refocused on agricultural works, because Wu came to suffer a severe famine. In 234, when Zhuge Ke was in control of affairs in the south, he strongly ignored the colonisation order and viciously ordered the agriculture factor, often starving enemies into submission. Under the rule of Wu, the Yangtze River Delta region, regarded in early history as

4845-584: The others to Mount Qi to help Jia Si and Wei Ping. When Zhuge Liang learnt of the Wei forces' approach, he split his forces into two groups – one group to remain at Mount Qi while he led the other group to attack Shanggui County. He defeated Guo Huai, Fei Yao and Dai Ling in battle and ordered his troops to collect the harvest in Shanggui County. In response, Sima Yi turned back from Mount Qi, headed to Shanggui County, and reached there within two days. By then, Zhuge Liang and his men had finished harvesting

4930-473: The plan envisaged a tripartite division of China between the domains of the warlords Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Sun Quan . According to the plan, Liu Bei would seize control of Jing Province and Yi Province from their respective governors, Liu Biao and Liu Zhang , and establish a solid foothold in southern and western China. Liu Bei would then form an alliance with Sun Quan, who ruled eastern China, and wage war against Cao Cao, who controlled northern China and

5015-493: The political centre of the Han dynasty in central China. Liu Bei would then lead one army from Yi Province to attack Chang'an via the Qin Mountains and Wei River valley; one of Liu Bei's top generals would lead another army from Jing Province to attack Luoyang . The first phase of the plan was completed in 214 when Liu Bei gained control of southern Jing Province and Yi Province. Between 217 and 219, Liu Bei launched

5100-429: The rebels in the first and second rebellions respectively in the hope of making some territorial gains in Wei, but both revolts were suppressed and the Wu forces retreated after suffering many losses. Sun Liang was deposed in 258 by Sun Chen, who installed Sun Xiu , another son of Sun Quan, on the throne. Sun Xiu killed Sun Chen later in a coup with the help of Zhang Bu and Ding Feng . Sun Xiu died of illness in 264,

5185-476: The rebels. He managed to pacify the rebels with a combination of threats and persuasion. However the rebels regrouped under the leadership of Lady Triệu in Jiuzhen and renewed the rebellion with a march on Jiaozhi. According to the Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư (Complete Annals of Đại Việt), Lady Triệu had long breasts that reached her shoulders and rode into battle on an elephant. After several months of warfare she

SECTION 60

#1732773014145

5270-453: The remains of the Shu camp, Sima Yi remarked, "What a genius he was!" Based on his observations that the Shu army made a hasty retreat, he concluded that Zhuge Liang had indeed died and so he led his troops in pursuit again. When Sima Yi reached Chi'an (赤岸), he asked the civilians living there about Zhuge Liang and heard that there was a recent popular saying: "A dead Zhuge (Liang) scares away a living Zhongda " He laughed and said, "I can predict

5355-568: The retreating Shu forces, but was killed in an ambush. In the spring of 229, Zhuge Liang launched the third Northern Expedition and ordered Chen Shi to lead Shu forces to attack the Wei-controlled Wudu (武都) and Yinping (陰平) commanderies. The Wei general Guo Huai led his troops to resist Chen Shi. He retreated after Zhuge Liang led a Shu army to Jianwei (建威; in present-day Longnan , Gansu). The Shu forces then conquered Wudu and Yinping commanderies. When Zhuge Liang returned from

5440-463: The same time, he also successfully induced Meng Da's nephew Deng Xian (鄧賢) and subordinate Li Fu (李輔) to betray Meng Da. After 16 days of siege, Deng Xian and Li Fu opened Shangyong's gates and surrendered to Sima Yi. Meng Da was captured and executed. Sima Yi and his troops headed back to Wancheng after suppressing the rebellion. He then went to the Wei capital, Luoyang , to report to the Wei emperor Cao Rui and returned to Wancheng after that. In

5525-525: The south and the Wei River valley in the north. The area also afforded access to the dry northwest and the Gansu panhandle. Geographically, the rugged barrier of the Qin Mountains provided the greatest obstacle to Chang'an . The mountain range consists of a series of parallel ridges, all running slightly south of east, separated by a maze of ramifying valleys whose canyon walls often rise sheer above

5610-429: The spring of 228, Zhuge Liang launched the first Northern Expedition and led the Shu forces to Mount Qi (祁山; the mountainous regions around present-day Li County, Gansu ). At the same time, he ordered Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi to lead a decoy force to Ji Valley (箕谷) and pretend to be ready to attack Mei County, so as to divert the Wei forces' attention away from Mount Qi. News of the Shu invasion sent shock waves throughout

5695-487: The third century, Hanzhong Commandery was a sparsely populated area surrounded by wild virgin forest. Its importance lay in its strategic placement in a long and fertile plain along the Han River , between two massive mountain ranges, the Qin Mountains in the north and the Micang Mountains in the south. It was the major administrative centre of the mountainous frontier district between the rich Sichuan Basin in

5780-494: The thoughts of the living but I can't predict those of the dead." Zhuge Liang's expeditions managed to inflict damage to the Wei army, killed several notable Wei commanders, and captured two small commanderies, but he failed to fulfil his strategic goal. After Zhuge Liang's death, his successor, Jiang Wan, changed the policy and turned to a defensive stance. Some people in Eastern Wu suspected that Shu Han wanted to renege on

5865-399: The time of his death. When Sima Yi heard from civilians that Zhuge Liang had died from illness and that the Shu army had burnt down their camp and retreated, he led his troops in pursuit and caught up with them. The Shu forces, on Yang Yi and Jiang Wei 's command, turned around and readied themselves for battle. Sima Yi pulled back his troops and retreated. Some days later, while surveying

5950-485: The valley streams. As a result of local dislocations from earthquakes, the topographical features are extremely complicated. Access from the south was limited to a few mountain routes called " gallery roads ". These crossed major passes and were remarkable for their engineering skill and ingenuity. The oldest of these was to the northwest of Hanzhong Commandery and it crossed the San Pass . The Lianyun "Linked Cloud" Road

6035-417: The wheat and were preparing to leave. Zhuge Liang encountered Sima Yi at Hanyang (漢陽) to the east of Shanggui County, but they did not engage in battle: Zhuge Liang ordered his troops to make use of the terrain and get into defensive positions; Sima Yi ordered his troops to get into formation, while sending Niu Jin to lead a lightly armed cavalry detachment to Mount Qi. The stand off ended when Zhuge Liang and

6120-459: The wrong moves, resulting in the Shu vanguard suffering a disastrous defeat. After his victory at the Battle of Jieting, Zhang He seized the opportunity to attack and recapture the three commanderies. Upon learning of the Shu defeats at Ji Valley and Jieting, Zhuge Liang pulled back all his forces and retreated to Hanzhong . Although the first Northern Expedition was an overall failure, Zhuge Liang still made some small gains for Shu. The first gain

6205-656: Was also historically known as " Wu ". It was called "Dong Wu" ("Eastern Wu") or "Sun Wu" by historians to distinguish it from other Chinese historical states with similar names in that region, such as the Wu state in the Spring and Autumn period and the Wuyue kingdom in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period . It was called "Eastern Wu" because it occupied most of eastern China in the Three Kingdoms period, and "Sun Wu" because

6290-444: Was attempted by William Harvey Ballard in 1969. Personages with clerical or scholarly abilities had roles to play within the state, but the policies were more determined by those of military command. Nevertheless, every Wu army was in need of administrative support and, according to Rafe de Crespigny , certain scholars were "recognised as practical counsellors, regardless of their fighting prowess or their ability to command troops in

6375-469: Was away at the Battle of Fancheng. Guan Yu was captured and executed by Sun Quan's forces. Between 221 and 222, Liu Bei started the Battle of Xiaoting/Yiling against Sun Quan in an attempt to retake Jing Province, but failed and suffered a disastrous defeat. After Liu Bei died in 223, his son Liu Shan succeeded him as emperor of Shu, with Zhuge Liang serving as regent. In the same year, Zhuge Liang made peace with Sun Quan's Eastern Wu regime and reestablished

6460-622: Was constructed there to take carriage traffic during the Qin dynasty in the third century BCE. Following the Jialing Valley, the route emerges in the north where the Wei River widens considerably near Chencang (in present-day Baoji , Shaanxi). Another important route was the Baoye route, which transverses the Yegu Pass and ends south of Mei County . A few more minor and difficult routes lay to

6545-508: Was defeated and committed suicide. The culture of Wu was most solidified under the reign of Sun Quan from 229 to 252. Migrations from the north and the needed settlement from the Shanyue barbarians made it possible for the increase in manpower, agriculture, and settling the lower most parts of Wu. Along with that, river transportation became a huge factor and flourished as the Jiangnan and Zhedong canals were finished with construction. After

6630-437: Was dominated by famed generals who had gained their positions through prowess and pluck. These generals were celebrated for their individualism . Politics within the court were often influenced by conflicts between powerful families and individuals. Positions within the court were inherited from one generation to the next unlike the Han dynasty's bureaucracy . However, over time, the influence ultimately would move away from

6715-496: Was due to the efforts of officials such as Lu Kai and Lu Kang that Wu was able to remain relatively stable and peaceful. In February 266, Sima Yan ended the state of Cao Wei by forcing its last ruler, Cao Huan , to abdicate in his favour, and then established the Jin dynasty . In 279, Jin forces led by Du Yu , Wang Jun and others attacked Wu from six directions. Sun Hao attempted to put up resistance by sending his armies to fight

6800-470: Was essentially "the first Vietnamese." Originally satisfied with Eastern Wu's rule, the Vietnamese opposed Shi Hui 's rebellion against Eastern Wu and attacked him for it. However, when the Wu general Lü Dai betrayed Shi Hui and executed the entire Shi family, the Vietnamese became greatly upset. In 248, the people of Jiaozhi and Jiuzhen commanderies rebelled. Eastern Wu sent Lu Yin to deal with

6885-463: Was praised for being far-sighted in recognising this issue. The Northern Expeditions in the novel " Romance of the Three Kingdoms " are heavily fictionalized and romanticized. Eastern Wu Wu ( Chinese : 吳; pinyin : Wú ; Middle Chinese * ŋuo < Eastern Han Chinese : *ŋuɑ ), known in historiography as Eastern Wu or Sun Wu , was a dynastic state of China and one of the three major states that competed for supremacy over China in

6970-451: Was succeeded by Sun Liang, with Zhuge Ke and Sun Jun serving as regents. In 253, Zhuge Ke was assassinated in a coup launched by Sun Jun, and the state power of Wu fell into Sun Jun's hands and was passed on to his cousin, Sun Chen , after his death. During Sun Liang's reign, two rebellions broke out in the Wei garrison at Shouchun (around present-day Shou County , Anhui ) in 255 and 257–258. Sun Jun and Sun Chen led Wu forces to support

7055-663: Was surprised to see that it was much more heavily fortified and well-defended than he expected. That was because after the first Northern Expedition, the Wei general Cao Zhen had predicted that Shu forces would attack Chencang the next time, so he put Hao Zhao in charge of defending Chencang and strengthening its defences. Zhuge Liang first ordered his troops to surround Chencang, then sent Jin Xiang (靳詳), an old friend of Hao Zhao, to persuade Hao Zhao to surrender. Hao Zhao refused twice. Although Hao Zhao had only 1,000 men with him to defend Chencang, he successfully held his ground against

7140-487: Was terminated in 246 due to ineffectiveness. Eastern Wu was able to make close overseas trade with countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia. Wu also traded with India and the Middle East. The language of Eastern Wu was identified with Old Jiangdong (古江東方言), the speech of the Jiangdong area ( Jiangxi , Zhejiang , Fujian , Southern Anhui , Jiangsu ); this dialect, which was already different from northern speech,

7225-461: Was the capture of some Wei civilian families, who were then registered as Shu citizens and resettled in Hanzhong. The second gain was the defection of Jiang Wei , a low-ranking Wei officer who later became a prominent Shu general. After returning to Hanzhong, Zhuge Liang executed Ma Su to appease public anger and then wrote a memorial to Liu Shan , taking full responsibility for the failure of

#144855