Qin conquers Chu
223 BCE · Chu lands (modern Anhui and Hubei) · China · Ancient
Wang Jian kept behind strong walls and refused battle, pitting rested troops against a weary foe; when the exhausted Chu army withdrew, he struck in a surprise attack and pursuit, crushing it
Belligerents
Qin
- Commanders
- Wang Jian
- Strength
- Qin army of 600,000 (the whole realm mobilized)
Chu
- Commanders
- Xiang Yan, Lord Changping
- Strength
- Chu army claimed several hundred thousand
Background
King Zheng of Qin first sent Li Xin with a light force of 200,000 against Chu and failed, then turned to Wang Jian with 600,000 troops, the whole strength of the state, who advanced steadily and surely.
Course of the battle
- Strong walls, no battleAfter advancing deep into Chu territory, Wang Jian built fortifications and held fast, refusing to move for over a year
- Chu army withdrawsUnable to force a battle and running out of supplies, the Chu army withdrew east, and gaps opened in its defenses
- Pursuit and annihilationAs the Chu army withdrew, Wang Jian sortied along the whole front, crushed the Chu army, and pursued it deep into Chu territory
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 223 BCE |
|---|---|
| Place | Chu lands (modern Anhui and Hubei) |
| Result | Wang Jian kept behind strong walls and refused battle, pitting rested troops against a weary foe; when the exhausted Chu army withdrew, he struck in a surprise attack and pursuit, crushing it |
| Winner | Qin |
| Casualties | The Chu main army was wiped out, and Xiang Yan took his own life after his defeat (another account says he was killed in battle) |
| Territorial change | Fall of the State of Chu; Qin organized the Chu lands into commanderies |
Impact
The largest battle of Qin's conquest of the six states; the downfall of Chu meant that unification was all but assured.
See the world in 223 BCE on the map →