Battle of Bi
597 BCE · Bi in Zheng (north of present-day Xingyang, Henan) · China · Ancient
Its commanders at odds and unable to decide whether to advance or retreat, the Jin army was routed by a Chu surprise attack on the south bank of the Yellow River
Belligerents
Chu
- Commanders
- King Zhuang of Chu, Sunshu Ao
- Strength
- Chu main force, over 100,000
Jin
- Commanders
- Xun Linfu, Xian Hu
- Strength
- Three armies, about 100,000
Background
Chu besieged Zheng and forced its surrender, and Jin sent troops to rescue Zheng. The Jin commander Xun Linfu and his deputy Xian Hu disagreed, wavering between fighting and making peace.
Course of the battle
- Jin army crosses southJin army hesitantly crosses the river to Bi
- Chu surprise attackKing Zhuang of Chu launched a charge along the whole front while the Jin army was unprepared
- Jin army routedThe Jin army fled in panic north across the Yellow River, in chaos as men fought over the boats
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 597 BCE |
|---|---|
| Place | Bi in Zheng (north of present-day Xingyang, Henan) |
| Result | Its commanders at odds and unable to decide whether to advance or retreat, the Jin army was routed by a Chu surprise attack on the south bank of the Yellow River |
| Winner | Chu |
| Casualties | Scrambling for boats to cross the river, the Jin soldiers trampled one another, and the dead and wounded lay in heaps |
| Territorial change | King Zhuang of Chu watered his horses at the Yellow River and became hegemon of the Central Plains after Qi and Jin |
Impact
With a single battle King Zhuang of Chu secured his hegemony, and "inquiring about the cauldrons of the Central Plains" became the emblem of Chu at its zenith.
See the world in 597 BCE on the map →