Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign

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Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign
Part of the wars of the Three Kingdoms
Date 225–230 Location Nanzhong (modern Yunnan), China Result Shu victory
Combatants
Shu Han	Shu rebels Nanman
Commanders
Zhuge Liang	Zhu Bao Gao Ding Yong Kai Meng Huo

Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Yellow Turban Rebellion – Campaign against Dong Zhuo – Jieqiao – Wancheng – Xiapi – Yijing – Guandu – Changban – Red Cliffs – Tong Pass – Hefei – Mount Dingjun – Fancheng – Xiaoting – Southern Campaign – Northern Expeditions (Jieting) – Shiting – (Wuzhang Plains)

Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign (Chinese: 南征; pinyin: nán zhēng) refers to the military campaign led by the Zhuge Liang of the Shu Han kingdom against the tribal Nanman between 225 and 230, during the Three Kingdoms period. The campaign was a response to the incidents of rebellion by local governors (Zhu Bao, Gao Ding and Yong Kai) and intrusions by the Nanman ("southern barbarians"). The Nanman leader was Meng Huo, one of the chieftains of the Nanman who took over leading the rebellion after Zhu Bao was killed.

According to contemporary sources, Zhuge Liang captured and released Meng Huo a total of seven times, intending to subdue the Nanman not only militarily but psychologically.

Contents 1 Course of the campaign 1.1 First capture 1.2 Second capture 1.3 Third capture 1.4 Fourth capture 1.5 Fifth capture 1.6 Sixth capture 1.7 Seventh capture 2 In fiction

[edit] Course of the campaign

[edit] First capture

In the first encounter between Zhuge Liang and Meng Huo, Zhao Yun led a charge and tore through his forces like a gale, after which Meng Huo himself was captured by Wei Yan. Meng Huo refused to yield to Zhuge Liang, whereupon the strategist released him, giving him another chance to attack.

[edit] Second capture

Meng Huo warily created fortifications along a river for the second battle, daring the Shu forces to cross. Ma Dai cut off the supply routes and killed Jinhuan Sanjie, a Nanman officer protecting the river fortifications. Seeing that Shu-Han was much stronger than the Meng Huo's forces, Nanman officers Ahui Nan and Dong Tu Na betrayed Meng Huo and handed him over to the Shu army. But still, he did not yield.

As part of a ploy, Zhuge Liang gave Meng Huo a tour of the Shu encampment before releasing him a second time.

[edit] Third capture

Meng Huo, now overconfident in his newfound knowledge of the enemy camp, sent his brother, Meng You, on a false defection ploy, but it was easily discovered and both brothers were captured.

[edit] Fourth capture

Released yet again and eager for revenge, Meng Huo gathered a force of 100,000 and attacked the Shu camp, whereupon Zhuge Liang evacuated his entire force. Of course, this was all part of Zhuge Liang's plan, and Meng Huo's army fell into numerous pit traps that had been dug within the camp. Meng Huo was captured once again.

[edit] Fifth capture

With caution, and learning from his previous failures, Meng Huo now opted to wait for an attack by the enemy. The plan was to lure the Shu forces into poisonous marshes around the caves of King Duosi, but Zhuge Liang was forewarned of the dangers by Meng Huo's older brother, Meng Jie, and managed to avoid the marshes all together. Once again, Meng Huo was defeated and captured, and King Dousi was killed. In folklore, Zhuge Liang became ill from the marshes but then recovered.

[edit] Sixth capture

After Meng Huo's fifth defeat, his wife, Zhu Rong, now took to the battlefield, complaining that her husband was incompetent. She captured two low ranking Shu officers, and Zhuge Liang sent Zhao Yun, Wei Yan, and Ma Dai after her. Eventually Ma Dai unhorsed her and captured her. Zhuge Liang returned her to Meng Huo in exchange for the captured Shu officers. Meng Huo now attempted to gather wild animals such as elephants and tigers from King Mulu to combat the enemy, but they were chased away by Zhuge Liang's fire-breathing contraptions, also known as Juggernauts. King Mulu was killed, and Meng was captured again.

However, in all contemporary sources, no woman was said to have fought during the Three Kingdoms period.

[edit] Seventh capture

Finally, Meng Huo enlisted the aid of King Wutugu, whose troops wore armor made of rattan that was said to deflect swords and arrows alike. However, Zhuge Liang conjured a trap in which Wei Yan lured Wutugu into a valley with mines set beneath the ground. King Wutugu's troops took the bait and chased Wei Yan into the valley. When inside the valley, Zhao Yun blocked the escape routes off and the mines were detonated, lightning the inflammable armour and destroying Wutugu and his troops. Although a great victory, Zhuge Liang is said to have wept at the destruction when he viewed the valley. Meng Huo was now captured for the seventh and final time.

Meng Huo had to admit defeat at this point and he vowed to surrender and serve Shu from the bottom of his heart. The southern threat was neutralised and the Shu army returned home victorious.

[edit] In fiction

• Common folklore says Zhuge Liang invented the baozi during this campaign.
• In the game series Dynasty Warriors Meng Huo was portrayed as a giant barbarian who used gigantic steel claws. The Nanman campaign was fought by both Wu and Shu.