Sima Yi pacifies Liaodong
238 CE · Xiangping (modern Liaoyang, Liaoning) · China · Ancient
Sima Yi marched a thousand li, besieged Xiangping, took the city and beheaded Gongsun Yuan, and Liaodong was pacified
Belligerents
Cao Wei
- Commanders
- Sima Yi
- Strength
- Wei army, 40,000
Gongsun clan of Liaodong
- Commanders
- Gongsun Yuan
- Strength
- Liaodong army, tens of thousands
Background
Gongsun Yuan, who held Liaodong as his own domain, turned against Wei, declared independence and styled himself King of Yan.
Course of the battle
- A thousand-li marchSima Yi set out from Luoyang with 40,000 infantry and cavalry on a campaign planned to take a year there and back
- Feint east, strike westGongsun Yuan built a long encircling wall along the Liao River to hold his ground; Sima Yi feinted at the southern side while his main force made straight for Xiangping
- Siege in the rainHeavy rain fell for days and the Liao River flooded, but Sima Yi refused to lift the siege
- City falls; Gongsun Yuan beheadedWhen the rain stopped, the Wei army launched an all-out assault from all four sides; the city ran out of food, and Gongsun Yuan was beheaded while trying to break out
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 238 CE |
|---|---|
| Place | Xiangping (modern Liaoyang, Liaoning) |
| Result | Sima Yi marched a thousand li, besieged Xiangping, took the city and beheaded Gongsun Yuan, and Liaodong was pacified |
| Winner | Cao Wei |
| Casualties | Gongsun Yuan and his son were killed, and more than 7,000 officials and males over age 15 in the city were put to death |
| Territorial change | Cao Wei recaptures the four commanderies of Liaodong |
Impact
Pacifying Liaodong removed a threat on Cao Wei's northeastern frontier and greatly enhanced Sima Yi's prestige, laying the groundwork for his later seizure of power.
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