In the first chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the Yellow Turban Army intended to attack Qingzhou City. Governor Gong Jing sought help from Liu Yan, the governor of Zhuojun. Liu Yan ordered Zou Jing to lead 5,000 troops, along with Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei’s forces, to break the siege of Qingzhou.
The disparity in strength was significant: Zou Jing’s 5,000 soldiers plus Liu Bei’s 500 militiamen, and the allied forces (Qingzhou defenders) were clearly insufficient in numbers—otherwise, they would not have chosen to hold the city and immediately request external aid. Meanwhile, the Yellow Turban Army numbered at least tens of thousands.
Instead of adopting traditional tactics for a head-on battle, Liu Bei opted for a surprise attack. First, he set up camp thirty miles away, threatening the enemy’s rear and forcing them to divide their forces. The reinforcements and defenders formed a pincer attack from the front and rear.
Later, Liu Bei feigned an attack on the Yellow Turban Army’s periphery, luring the enemy deep into his trap and splitting their forces, making it impossible for them to coordinate. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei each led a team to ambush from the left and right flanks. Taking advantage of the enemy’s chaotic mobilization, they launched a sudden attack on the pursuing forces. Together with Liu Bei, they formed a three-sided encirclement, pinning down the enemy and preventing them from concentrating their firepower. The enemy, overwhelmed and unable to respond effectively, eventually collapsed and retreated.
Governor Gong Jing, seeing the tide of battle turn, decisively led the Qingzhou defenders out of the city to join the attack, decisively defeating the Yellow Turban Army and lifting the siege of Qingzhou.
Below, we analyze the tactical thinking demonstrated by Liu Bei in this battle from three aspects: strategic background, tactical design and Survival strategy.
Strategic Background: A classic dilemma of winning against the odds
Disparity in Strength
- Yellow Turban Army: Tens of thousands of troops, adopting “human wave tactics” and excelling at siege warfare.
- Government and Defending Forces: Zou Jing’s 5,000 troops + Liu Bei’s 500 militiamen (totaling about 5,500); the Qingzhou defenders were undermanned and chose to “hold the city without engaging,” indicating their inability to take the initiative.
Geographical Situation
The Yellow Turban Army had besieged the city for a long time and still had high morale; the government forces had traveled from afar, faced supply difficulties, and were unsuitable for prolonged warfare.
Clear Strategic Objective
Liu Bei’s task was not to annihilate the Yellow Turban Army but to break the siege and rescue Qingzhou. Therefore, he had to avoid a head-on assault and seek to achieve a strategic turnaround at minimal cost.
Tactical Design: A four-step surprise attack, step by step
Liu Bei’s tactics can be broken down into four stages, embodying the classic military philosophy of “using wisdom to overcome strength and surprise to counter convention”:
Stage 1: Bluffing and Intimidating the Enemy’s Rear (Psychological Warfare)
Action: Liu Bei did not directly rush to the city but instead “set up camp thirty miles away.”
Purpose:
- Avoid being encircled and annihilated by the main Yellow Turban forces outside the city.
- Shake enemy morale with the signal that “reinforcements have arrived.”
- Force the Yellow Turban Army to divide their forces to guard their rear, weakening their siege strength.
Military Theory Reference: The Art of War by Sun Tzu: “The skillful combatant imposes his will on the enemy but does not allow the enemy’s will to be imposed on him.” This means seizing the initiative on the battlefield and manipulating the enemy rather than being manipulated.
Stage 2: Feigned Attack to Lure the Enemy and Split Their Forces (Maneuver Warfare)
Action: Liu Bei led his troops in a “feigned attack on the Yellow Turban Army’s periphery,” creating the illusion of an imminent decisive battle.
Purpose:
- Lure part of the Yellow Turban Army away from the main formation to pursue.
- Make the enemy unable to coordinate between front and rear, breaking the integrity of their siege formation.
Military Theory Reference: Thirty-Six Stratagems: “Lure the tiger out of the mountain”—using decoy actions to draw the enemy out of their stronghold and into a passive position.
Stage 3: Ambush and Sudden Attack, Three-Sided Encirclement (Ambush Warfare)
Action: Guan Yu and Zhang Fei each led ambush forces to suddenly attack the pursuing enemy from the left and right flanks, while Liu Bei engaged from the front, forming a “three-sided encirclement.”
Purpose:
- Utilize local numerical superiority (three-pronged attack against one route) to annihilate the enemy.
- Create chaos and collapse the enemy’s overall command system.
Military Theory Reference: Wuzi: “Use large numbers with cleverness, use small numbers with force.” Liu Bei, with fewer troops, used “cleverness” to achieve local numerical superiority through ambushes.
Stage 4: Internal and External Pincer Attack, Expanding Gains (Coordinated Warfare)
Action: The Qingzhou defenders, seeing the enemy in disarray, decisively charged out of the city to join the attack.
Purpose:
- Form a general offensive situation of “internal and external coordination.”
- Completely crush the morale of the Yellow Turban Army, forcing a full retreat.
Military Theory Reference: The Art of War: “In encircled terrain, use strategy; in desperate terrain, fight.” The defenders transformed from a “desperate position” to an “advantageous position” and had to act decisively to seize the opportunity.
Survival strategy: Strategic collaboration
After the Yellow Turban Army was defeated, Liu Bei promptly withdrew his troops without pursuing or engaging further. After the battle, Liu Bei did not boast about his achievements but instead immediately went to Guangzong to assist Lu Zhi.
This restraint of not being greedy for merit nor advancing recklessly reflects Liu Bei’s early strategy centered on accumulating prestige. Liu Bei knew deeply that he had no family background or military strength—his only capital was prestige.
In his early days, while Liu Bei was weak, he had to avoid fighting alone. As a result, he consistently sought allies and support bases, using “coordinated operations” to compensate for his “isolation and weakness”. For example, he collaborated with Zou Jing and Gong Jing to lift the siege of Qingzhou, later joined forces with Lu Zhi, Zhu Jun, and Sun Jian to break the Yellow Turban Army, allied with Yuan Shao to oppose Dong Zhuo, and relied on Gongsun Zan, Cao Cao, and Liu Biao… These strategic collaborations were made possible precisely because of his identity as a descendant of the imperial clan and, more importantly, his image of benevolence and righteousness.
This mindset of not relying on brute courage but skillfully borrowing the strength of others was key to his survival amidst the “warlord melee.” It also distinguished him from ultimately failed generals like the self-willed Lü Bu and the isolated Ma Chao.
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