Battle of Mayi

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Battle of Mayi

Part of The Sino-Xiongnu War

Date	June, 133 BC
Location	Shuozhou, Shanxi
Result	Draw

Combatants

Xiongnu

Han Dynasty

Commanders

Junchen Shanyu

Wang Hui
Han Anguo
Li Xi
Li Guang
Gongsun He

Strength

100,000 cavalry

270,000 ambush at Mayi, 30,000 at Dai

Casualties

None

Sino-Xiongnu War
Mayi – Mobei – Loulan – Jushi – Zhizhi – Yiwulu – Ikh Bayan

The Battle of Mayi (馬邑之戰) urged the long-term war between the Han Dynasty and Xiongnu, and henceforth marked a beginning of offensive policies adopted by the Han court. In 133 BC, at the suggestion of Wang Hui, the minister of vassal affairs, he had his generals set a trap for the Junchen Shanyu. Under the plan, a powerful local gentleman, Nie Wengyi from Mayi, deceptively claimed to offer the city to the Xiongnu after killing the county magistrate. Their plan was to entice Junchen Shanyu into advancing on Mayi so that Han forces hidden around the city could ambush them. The plan failed when a soldier captured by the Xiongnu disclosed the entire plan to Junchen Shanyu, who then withdrew quickly before the Han forces could act. This ended the peace between the Han and Xiongnu, and for years there were continued border skirmishes.

[edit] References

Ban Gu et al, Hanshu. Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju, 1962. ISBN 7-101-00305-2
Sima Guang, comp. Zizhi Tongjian. Beijing: Zhonghua Shuju, 1956. ISBN 7-101-00183-1