Battle of Jieting
228 CE · Jieting (northeast of modern Qin'an, Gansu) · China · Ancient
Defying Zhuge Liang's dispositions, Ma Su left the water for the hilltop to make camp; Zhang He cut off his water supply and surrounded him, and the Shu army was utterly routed
Belligerents
Cao Wei
- Commanders
- Zhang He
- Strength
- Wei army of about 50,000
Shu Han
- Commanders
- Ma Su
- Strength
- Shu army of over 10,000 (vanguard)
Background
Zhuge Liang's first northern expedition went well, with the three commanderies of Tianshui, Nan'an and Anding going over to him; he ordered Ma Su to hold the vital chokepoint of Jieting to block Wei reinforcements.
Course of the battle
- Wei reinforcements arriveZhang He was ordered to lead the Wei army in a rapid advance to relieve Longyou, heading straight for Jieting
- Leaving the water for the hilltopIgnoring his deputy's objections, Ma Su abandoned the town and camped on the southern hill
- Surrounding the hill and cutting off waterZhang He cut off the water supply on the hill and set fires as he besieged it, and the Shu army fell into disorder and collapsed without a fight
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 228 CE |
|---|---|
| Place | Jieting (northeast of modern Qin'an, Gansu) |
| Result | Defying Zhuge Liang's dispositions, Ma Su left the water for the hilltop to make camp; Zhang He cut off his water supply and surrounded him, and the Shu army was utterly routed |
| Winner | Cao Wei |
| Casualties | Shu vanguard routed with heavy losses |
| Territorial change | Zhuge Liang's first northern expedition fell short with the loss of Jieting, and he was forced to fall back to Hanzhong |
Impact
Zhuge Liang's first northern expedition thus failed; "tearfully executing Ma Su" became a byword for strict military discipline.
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