Battle of Baxi

Battle of Baxi
Part of the wars of the Three Kingdoms
Date 215 CE
Location Baxi (near present-day Hanzhong, Shaanxi), China
Result Liu Bei victory
Belligerents
Liu Bei Cao Cao
Commanders and leaders
Zhang Fei Zhang He
Battle of Baxi
Traditional Chinese 巴西之戰
Simplified Chinese 巴西之战

The Battle of Baxi was fought between the warlords Liu Bei and Cao Cao in 215 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Liu Bei's forces, led by Zhang Fei, scored a victory over Cao Cao's army, which was led by Zhang He.

The battle

Cao Cao defeated Zhang Lu at the Battle of Yangping and conquered Hanzhong. He stationed Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He to defend the Han valley. Zhang He led several battalions from the main army separately south to Baxi, intending to evacuate and relocate civilians to Hanzhong. He advanced to Dangqu, Mengtou, Dangshi and opposed Zhang Fei's army for some 50 days. Zhang Fei directed more than 10,000 elite soldiers through an alternate route to intercept and ambush Zhang He from another direction. In the narrow and treacherous mountain paths, Zhang He's army was unable to assist each other at both ends, Zhang Fei subsequently defeated Zhang He. Zhang He was forced to abandon his horse and escape through the mountainous regions with only dozens of men through a minor path, leading the retreating troops back to Nanzheng. The people of Ba reclaimed their peace.[1]

Notes

  1. ^ Chen Shou. Records of Three Kingdoms, Volume 36, Biography of Zhang Fei.

References