Battle of Zuili
496 BCE · Zuili (modern Jiaxing, Zhejiang) · China · Ancient
King Goujian of Yue had convicts slit their own throats in front of the lines to unsettle the Wu army, then attacked and inflicted a crushing defeat on it; King Helu of Wu was wounded and died
Belligerents
Yue
- Commanders
- Goujian
- Strength
- Yue army
Wu
- Commanders
- King Helu of Wu
- Strength
- Wu army
Background
King Yunchang of Yue died and Goujian had just taken the throne, so King Helu of Wu seized the chance to attack Yue.
Course of the battle
- Armies face offThe Wu and Yue armies faced each other at Zuili; the Wu ranks were orderly, and two Yue charges failed to shake them
- Convicts cut their own throatsGoujian sent three ranks of convicts to the front of the Wu lines, where they declared they had broken military orders and all slit their own throats, leaving the Wu army staring in stupefaction
- Attacking amid the confusionWhile the Wu army was distracted, the Yue army launched an all-out assault, and the Wu army suffered a crushing defeat
- Helu dies of his woundThe Yue officer Ling Gufu struck Helu with a dagger-axe, wounding his toe; Helu died during the retreat, and on his deathbed he charged Fuchai never to forget the feud with Yue
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 496 BCE |
|---|---|
| Place | Zuili (modern Jiaxing, Zhejiang) |
| Result | King Goujian of Yue had convicts slit their own throats in front of the lines to unsettle the Wu army, then attacked and inflicted a crushing defeat on it; King Helu of Wu was wounded and died |
| Winner | Yue |
| Casualties | King Helu of Wu dies of a foot wound |
| Territorial change | Wu and Yue become sworn enemies |
Impact
The Battle of Zuili opened more than twenty years of enmity between Wu and Yue, which led to the Battle of Fujiao, Goujian tasting gall, and Yue's conquest of Wu.
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