Battle of Pingjiang
1367 · Pingjiang (modern Suzhou, Jiangsu) · China · Early modern
Xu Da and Chang Yuchun besieged Pingjiang for ten months, building a long encircling wall and gun platforms to bombard the city, and finally broke in; Zhang Shicheng was captured and later hanged himself
Belligerents
Zhu Yuanzhang
- Commanders
- Xu Da, Chang Yuchun
- Strength
- Wu army, 200,000
Zhang Shicheng
- Commanders
- Zhang Shicheng
- Strength
- Zhang Shicheng's garrison
Background
After destroying Chen Youliang, Zhu Yuanzhang turned on Zhang Shicheng, first taking Huaidong, Huzhou and Hangzhou, and in the winter of 1366 surrounded Pingjiang.
Course of the battle
- Long siege seals the cityThe Wu army built a long encircling wall outside Pingjiang with camps on all four sides, each with wooden towers and gun platforms, bombarding the city day and night
- Holding out for ten monthsZhang Shicheng tried to break out many times without success, and the city ran out of food
- City falls; capturedIn the ninth month of 1367 the Wu army broke through the city gates; Zhang Shicheng was captured, taken to Yingtian, and hanged himself
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1367 |
|---|---|
| Place | Pingjiang (modern Suzhou, Jiangsu) |
| Result | Xu Da and Chang Yuchun besieged Pingjiang for ten months, building a long encircling wall and gun platforms to bombard the city, and finally broke in; Zhang Shicheng was captured and later hanged himself |
| Winner | Zhu Yuanzhang |
| Casualties | Fall of Zhang Shicheng's regime |
| Territorial change | Zhu Yuanzhang unified Jiangnan and then launched a Northern Expedition against the Yuan dynasty |
Impact
After the Battle of Pingjiang, Zhu Yuanzhang unified Jiangnan and that same year sent Xu Da on the Northern Expedition.
See the world in 1367 on the map →