Treatise on Military Preparedness, Volume 14

Wubi Zhi Volume 122: Strategic Studies: Southern Qi

Page 6

Yuan Jia, the Prince of Sanyang, cut off the mouth of the Jun River A tributary of the Han River, intercepting the Qi army’s retreat. The Qi forces suffered a catastrophic defeat. Chen Xianda The Southern Qi commander was carried in a black cloth litter by several men through narrow side paths to the south to escape. The Wei forces captured military supplies in the millions, which were distributed as rewards to the officers and soldiers. The pursuit continued as far as the Han River before the troops returned; more than thirty thousand Qi soldiers perished.

During Chen Xianda’s northern expedition, when his army first entered the mouth of the Jun River, Feng Daogen A renowned Southern Qi general known for his tactical foresight had warned: "The Jun ○ River ○ flows ○ swiftly; ○ it ○ is ○ easy ○ to ○ advance ○ but ○ difficult ○ to ○ retreat. ○ If ○ the ○ Wei ○ hold ○ the ○ narrow ○ passes, ○ then ○ the ○ head ○ and ○ tail ○ of our army ○ will ○ both ○ be ○ in ○ distress. ○ It ○ would ○ be ○ better ○ to ○ abandon ○ all ○ our ○ ships ○ at ○ Zancheng, ○ take ○ the ○ land ○ route ○ on ○ foot, ○ and ○ advance ○ by ○ setting ○ up ○ camps ○ in ○ succession. ○ We ○ should ○ march ○ forward ○ with ○ drums ○ beating; ○ then ○ we ○ will ○ certainly ○ crush ○ them."

Chen Xianda did not follow Daogen’s advice, preferring to keep his personal retainers with the army. When Xianda fled by night, Daogen stopped his horse at every dangerous passage to point the way and guide the retreat; thanks to him, many of the troops were preserved.

The Qi general Chen Bozhi launched another attack on Shouyang, but Yuan Xie, the Prince of Pengcheng of the Wei, resisted him. At Ruyin...