Han Xin was one of the greatest military strategists in Chinese history. After Liu Bang (later Emperor Gaozu of Han) suffered a major defeat by his rival Xiang Yu, Han Xin proposed a bold plan: launch a northern campaign to conquer the states allied with Xiang Yu, thereby surrounding and isolating him. Liu Bang agreed and gave Han Xin command of a separate army.
The campaign unfolded in five brilliant stages, each against a different state:
1. Wei (205 BCE)
The King of Wei, Wei Bao, had defected from Liu Bang to Xiang Yu. He fortified the crossing points on the Yellow River. Han Xin feigned an attack at the main ferry, sending a decoy force with many boats. Meanwhile, he secretly crossed the river upstream using makeshift wooden barrels and planks. He then fell upon the Wei capital and captured Wei Bao in a swift surprise attack. The Wei state was annexed.
2. Dai (205–204 BCE)
After conquering Wei, Han Xin moved against Dai, a satellite state of the powerful Zhao kingdom. The campaign was swift. Han Xin’s deputy, Cao Shen, crushed the Dai army, killing its prime minister and capturing the king of Dai. The territory of Dai was pacified in a matter of weeks.
3. Zhao (204 BCE) – The Battle of Jingxing
This was Han Xin’s most famous victory. The Zhao army, led by Chen Yu, had a strong defensive position at the Jingxing Pass (a narrow mountain gorge). Zhao boasted 200,000 troops, while Han Xin had only a few tens of thousands.
Instead of a cautious approach, Han Xin camped right outside the pass. He sent 2,000 light cavalry with red banners to hide on the nearby hills. Then, at dawn, he led his main force across the river and into the pass, deliberately placing his troops with their backs to the river (a position normally considered suicidal). The Zhao army, seeing this “mistake,” left their fortifications to attack.
Han Xin’s troops, knowing there was no retreat, fought desperately and held the line. Meanwhile, the 2,000 cavalry slipped into the empty Zhao camp and raised Han’s red banners. When the Zhao soldiers saw their own camp overrun with enemy flags, they panicked and fled. Han Xin’s army counterattacked and annihilated them. At the Battle of JingXing, even the king of Zhao was captured, the general Chen Yu was killed.
4. Yan (204 BCE)
After destroying Zhao, Han Xin faced the state of Yan to the northeast. Instead of a costly assault, he used psychological warfare. Following the advice of his strategist Li Zuoju, Han Xin sent a messenger to the King of Yan, boasting of his recent victories (Wei, Dai, Zhao) and threatening invasion. He also demonstrated his military discipline and strength. Intimidated and realizing resistance was futile, the King of Yan surrendered without a fight. Yan submitted peacefully.
5. Qi (203 BCE)
The final target was Qi, a large and wealthy state. At that time, Liu Bang had already sent the diplomat Li Yiji to negotiate Qi’s surrender. Li Yiji successfully convinced the King of Qi to ally with Liu Bang. However, Han Xin’s advisor Kuai Tong argued that Han Xin should still attack, because Liu Bang had given no explicit order to stop. Han Xin, wanting full credit, launched a surprise invasion.
The Qi king, believing Li Yiji had betrayed him, boiled him alive (according to records) and fled to seek help from Xiang Yu. Xiang Yu sent his best general, Long Ju, with 200,000 troops. Han Xin met them at the Wei River. At night, he ordered his men to fill thousands of sandbags and dam the river upstream. He then attacked Long Ju and deliberately retreated, luring the Chu–Qi army into the dry riverbed. Han Xin released the dam, flooding the channel and cutting the enemy army in two. Long Ju was killed, and the Qi forces were shattered. Han Xin completed the conquest of Qi and was later made King of Qi by Liu Bang.
Outcome
By the end of 203 BCE, Han Xin had conquered Wei, Dai, Zhao, Yan, and Qi – five states north of the Yellow River. This brilliant campaign eliminated Xiang Yu’s allies, gave Liu Bang vast territory, resources, and troops, and turned the tide of the civil war.
After this series of campaigns, the Han army gained an overwhelming advantage over the Chu army, directly laying the foundation for the subsequent Battle of Gaixia, where Xiang Yu was defeated, and for the establishment of the Western Han dynasty.
Two years later, Liu Bang united China and founded the Han dynasty. Han Xin is remembered as the “God of War” for his unmatched tactics, especially the Battle of Jingxing and the Wei River.
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