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Notable ancient Chinese naval battles 485 BC-1367 AD (WIP)
🕑 Added 2024-12-31 08:48:28 +0000 UTCThis list is meant to be a companion reading for my Classical oared warships of pre-modern Chinese navies article for my supporter-tier patrons, with the hope that notable ancient Chinese naval battles can shed some lights on why Chinese warships developed the way they did and differently from warships elsewhere.
The list will be continuously updated as I find more interesting battles, with a planned cut-off date of 1368 AD (downfall of Yuan Dynasty).
BATTLE OF JIUZI (鳩茲之戰)
Date: 570 BC
Era: Spring and Autumn period
Location: Jiuzi (鳩茲, present-day Wuhu)
Type: Amphibious assault (Wuhu)
Belligerents: Chu State (attacking), Wu State (defending)
Strength: 300 armoured soldiers, 3,000 infantry (Chu State) / Unknown (Wu State)
Outcome: Decisive Wu victory
Short summary: In 570 BC, Chu army led by Zi Chong (子重) invaded Wu State and quickly captured Jiuzi, reaching as far as Hengshan (衡山, present-day Tianzhu Mountain). After the victory, Zi Chong returned to Chu State to hold a celebration feast while allowing Chu army to continue the invasion. Unexpectedly, Wu State counterattacked and inflicted heavily casualties on Chu army, not only recapturing Jiuzi but also counter-invading Chu State. The disastrous defeat was blamed on Zi Chong, and he died from the resulting psychological stress.
Battle of Jiuzi was not immediately obvious to be a naval battle until the location of ancient Jiuzi was later found out to correspond to Wuhu. This makes it arguably the earliest recorded naval battle in Chinese history.
CHU'S SUMMER CAMPAIGN AGAINST WU STATE
Date: Summer of 549 BC
Era: Spring and Autumn period
Location: Middle and lower Yangtze River, Huai River
Type: Probably amphibious assault (Yangtze River and Huai River)
Belligerents: Chu State (attacking), Wu State (defending)
Strength: Unknown
Outcome: Wu victory
Short summary: In the summer of 549 BC, Chu navy launched a naval invasion against Wu State, which failed due to disorganised command structure.
The military campaign itself wasn't particularly remarkable or significant except for the fact that this was the first time an independent naval branch, separate from the army, was recorded in Chinese history, showing an increased sophistication and specialisation of military and warfare early in the history of China.
BATTLE OF CHANG'AN (長岸之戰)
Date: 525 BC
Era: Spring and Autumn period
Location: Chang'an (長岸, present-day Tianmenshan, Dangtu County, Anhui)
Type: Riverine battle (lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Wu State (attacking), Chu State (defending)
Strength: Unknown
Outcome: Wu victory
Short summary: Wu navy led by Gong Zi Guang (公子光) launched an attack against Chu State in 525 BC but was defeated, leading to the capture of Wu navy's flagship, a great tower ship called Yu Huang (餘皇). Fearing that he would be executed for losing the flagship, Gong Zi Guang immediately organised a daring night raid and successfully recaptured Yu Huang.
BATTLE OF LANGYA (瑯琊海戰)
Date: 485 BC
Era: Late Spring and Autumn period
Location: Langyatai (瑯琊台), Shangdong Province
Type: Sea battle (coastal region of Yellow Sea)
Belligerents: Wu State (attacking), Qi State (defending)
Strength: Unknown
Outcome: Qi victory
Short summary: In 485 BC, Wu State, then ruled by the famous King Fuchai of Wu (夫差), launched an invasion by both land and water to conquer Qi State, and met the Qi navy at the sea of Langya. However, he suffered an unexpected defeat due to the introduction of a novel naval weapon, Gou Ju (鉤拒).
This battle marks the first recorded time in Chinese history that a naval battle was fought in the sea, rather than river.
WESTERN HAN CONQUEST OF GOJOSEON
Date: 109 BC -108 BC
Era: Western Han Dynasty
Location: Wanggeom-seong (왕검성or 王險城, likely around present-day Pyongyang, North Korea)
Type: Amphibious assault and naval blockade (Taedong River)
Belligerents: Western Han Dynasty (attacking), Wiman Joseon (defending)
Strength: 40,000 army, 10,000 navy, 100,000 reinforcement, (Western Han Dynasty) / Unknown (Wiman Joseon)
Outcome: Western Han victory; conquest of Wiman Joseon
Short summary: In 109 BC Emperor Wu of Han launched a massive military campaign into Gojoseon, sending nearly 200,000 troops to Korea over the course of one year. After some initial setbacks, he managed to destroy Wiman Joseon and founded the Four Commanderies of Han in Korea.
The Western Han navy was led by admiral Yang Pu (楊僕). Due to his overeagerness, he made landing with just 7,000 vanguards before the arrival of the rest of the Han army, and suffered a disastrous defeat. As a result, Yang Pu spent the majority of the campaign blockading Wanggeom-seong and attempting to persuade the Koreans to surrender (even after he received further reinforcement). However, he was suddenly usurped by a more hawkish commander Gongsun Sui (公孫遂) who ordered an immedate attack. Fearing a massacre should they be defeated in battle, the Koreans murdered their king and surrendered without a fight.
WESTERN HAN CONQUEST OF NANYUE
Date: 111 BC
Era: Western Han Dynasty
Location: Lingnan region
Type: Amphibious assault (tributaries of Xi River and Bei River)
Belligerents: Western Han Dynasty (attacking), Nanyue Kingdom (defending)
Strength: 100,000+ (Western Han Dynasty) / 8,000 (Nanyue Kingdom)
Outcome: Surrender and incorporation of Nanyue into Han Empire
Short summary: In 112 BC Emperor Wu of Han launched a massive military campaign into Nanyue Kingdom, sending 100,000 troops organised into five fleets down Huang River (湟水, present-day Lian River), Zhen River (湞水), Lingling (零陵), Li River (漓江) and Zang Ke Jiang (牂柯江, present-day Beipan River) towards Panyu (番禺), capital of Nanyue Kingdoms.
The second fleet was once again led by Yang Pu, who sailed ahead of the rest and arrived at Nanyue Kingdom around the winter of 112 BC. Yang Pu quickly crushed the vanguards of Nanyue Kingdom, then he rendezvoused with Lu Bo De (路博德), admiral of first fleet, before launching an attack against Panyu directly. They managed to capture Panyu and subdue the kingdom before the arrival of the other three fleets.
BATTLE OF JIANGXIA (江夏之戰)
Date: 208 AD
Era: Twilight years of Eastern Han Dynasty/Three Kingdoms period
Location: Jiangxia District
Type: Riverine battle (middle Yangtze)
Belligerents: Sun Quan (attacking), Liu Biao (defending)
Strength: 25,000 (Sun Quan) / 30,000 (Liu Biao)
Outcome: Sun Quan's victory
Short summary: In 208 AD warlord Sun Quan (孫權) launched a naval assault on Jiangxia, seeking to both overcome a strategic choke-point so that he could have a clear path to dominate Jing Province (荊州, present-day Hubei and Hunan), and avenge his father who was killed by Jiangxia's commander Huang Zu (黃祖), who served under Liu Biao (劉表).
While initial skirmish of the battle saw Huang Zu's scouts being defeated in a surprise attack, he quickly responded by deploying two gargantuan Meng Chong (蒙衝) warships, roped to each others as well as to nearby skerries to block off the entire width of the river. Such was the might of Huang Zu's Meng Chong that they easily repelled multiple attacks by Sun Quan's commander Zhou Yu (周瑜). In turn, Zhou Yu sent out Ling Tong (凌統) and Dong Xi (董襲), each leading a hundred heavily armoured saboteurs riding agile Zou Ke (走舸) boats, to quickly dash beneath the mighty Meng Chong under the cover of the night and cut the ropes. With the blockade broken, Sun Quan's main fleet quickly sailed pass the Meng Chong and massacred Huang Zu's troops. Huang Zu attempted to flee by land but was soon captured and executed.
BATTLE OF RED CLIFFS (赤壁之戰)
Date: 208 AD
Era: Twilight years of Eastern Han Dynasty/Three Kingdoms period
Location: Chibi (赤壁), Hubei Province
Type: Riverine battle (lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Cao Cao (attacking), Liu Bei-Sun Quan alliance (defending)
Strength: 80,000 (Cao Cao) / 50,000 (Liu Bei-Sun Quan alliance)
Outcome: Decisive Liu Bei-Sun Quan victory
Short summary: Battle of Red Cliffs was perhaps the single most famous naval battle of ancient China, and one of the premiere examples of the effectiveness of massed fire ship attack. Much of the accounts of Battle of Red Cliffs in public consciousness have been subsumed by a highly fictionalised version of the event, thanks to the popularity of Ming period historical novel Romances of the Three Kingdoms (in fact even Wikipedia got it wrong!).
In reality, renowed strategist Zhuge Liang (諸葛亮) only played a minor role in this battle as a diplomat representing Liu Bei (劉備) in the negotiation for the formation of Liu Bei-Sun Quan alliance. He obviously did not “borrow” arrows using straw boats, nor summon favourable winds for the arson attack. In addition, Cao Cao (曹操) also did not order his ships to be chained together, not to mention Zhou Yu never punished Huang Gai (黃蓋) to make his feigned surrender ruse more convincing (although Huang Gai did use the ruse to burn down Cao Cao's fleet).
BATTLES OF RUXUKOU (濡須口之戰)
Date: 213 AD, 217 AD, 222~223 AD, 239 AD
Era: Twilight years of Eastern Han Dynasty/Three Kingdoms period
Location: Ruxukou (濡須口, present-day Wuwei City, Anhui)
Type: Riverine and lake battle (Chao Lake, Yuxi River)
Belligerents: Cao Cao/Northern Wei State (attacking), Sun Quan/Eastern Wu State (defending)
Strength: Unknown
Outcome: Sun Quan/Eastern Wu won all four battles
Short summary: Battle of Ruxukou were four separate battles sparked by Cao Cao (Northern Wei during the third and fourth battle) attempts to invade the strategically important Dongguan (東關), which if conquered will allow Cao Cao to access Yangtze River and further threaten Jianye (建業, present-day Nanjing), Sun Quan's capital city. Thanks to the strategic brilliance of Sun Quan and Lu Meng (呂蒙) who advocated for building two powerful fortress-docks at Chao Lake despite many dissenting voices, all invasion attempts ended in disastrous defeats for Cao Cao and his successors.
Interestingly, the famous stratagem "borrowing arrows with straw boats" attributed to Zhuge Liang during Battle of Red Cliffs in Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel, was actually carried out by Sun Quan during the first Battle of Ruxukou.
WESTERN JIN CONQUEST OF EASTERN WU / TAIKANG CAMPAIGN (太康之役)
Date: 279 AD-280 AD
Era: Western Jin Dynasty
Location: Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, Jiangsu
Type: Amphibious assault (lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Western Jin Dynasty (attacking), Eastern Wu State (defending)
Strength: 200,000 (Western Jin Dynasty) / 230,000 (Eastern Wu State)
Outcome: Western Jin victory; conquest of Eastern Wu
Short summary: Taikang Campaign was the final battle that ended the Three Kingdoms period, making it the first ever reunification of China after a period of fragmentation and instability.
China at the time was in a state of tense standoff, with the two remaining powers, Western Jin Dynasty and Eastern Wu, each controlling roughly one-half of China (Shu Han was conquered by Cao Wei in 263 AD, whereas Cao Wei was usurped by Sima Clan and became Jin Dynasty in 266 AD). For roughly a decade, the newly established Western Jin Dynasty put its military focus on dealing with nomadic incursions from the north, and had to endure constant harassment and raiding from Eastern Wu. Thus when Eastern Wu showed signs of serious decline due to the incompetence of its ruler, the infamous tyrant Sun Hao (孙皓), Emperor Wu of Jin decided that the time was ripe to finish off Easten Wu once and for all and launched a massive military campaign in 279 AD.
At the forefront of Western Jin offensive were gargantuan fortress-ships known as Lian Fang (連舫, lit. 'Linked ship'), each an 120 bu by 120 bu (roughly 173 m × 173 m / 567 ft × 567 ft) multihull floating fortress complete with guard towers and gates, with the capacity of 2,000 troops. Constructed by commander Wang Jun (王濬) to counter the formidable Eastern Wu navy, the fortress-ships were so powerful and intimidating that Eastern Wu troops dared not to oppose them and surrendered en masse, allowing Western Jin to reunify China in as little as two month.
REBELLION OF SUN EN (孫恩) AND LU XUN (盧循)
Date: 399 AD-411 AD
Era: Twilight years of Eastern Jin Dynasty
Location: Southern China
Type: Amphibious assault (middle and lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Eastern Jin Dynasty, Sun En & Lu Xun's rebels
Strength: Up to 200,000 (rebels) / Unknown (Eastern Jin Dynasty)
Outcome: Pyrrhic Eastern Jin victory; suppression of the rebellion
Short summary: The rebellion of Sun En and Lu Xun was a massive peasant uprising against Eastern Jin Dynasty caused by its own political instability as well as increasing oppression of the corrupt nobility to the poor. Vowing vengeance for his uncle Sun Tai (孫泰), who was executed for trying to incite an uprising in 398 AD, rebel leader Sun En set up his base of operation at the relative safety of Zhoushan Islands and recruited several hundreds rebels before raiding and quickly capturing the defenseless Shangyu. The success of this raid inspired oppressed peasants from other provinces to flock under his banner, and the size of the uprising quickly snowballed to more than 200,000 people. With such a massive force, Sun En was able to terrorise Southeastern China for several years, at times even threatening the capital of Eastern Jin Dynasty, but fell short of actually overthrowing it. Sun En's uprising was eventually defeated by Eastern Jin commander Liu Yu (劉裕) in 402 AD and he committed suicide. He was succeeded by his in-law Lu Xun, who would continue the uprising for another nine years, although he too was eventually defeated by Liu Yu and committed suicide.
Though successful in suppressing the rebellion, Eastern Jin Dynasty suffered severe damage in the process, and was soon overthrown and replaced by Liu Song Dynasty——ironically, by the very same Liu Yu that helped to defeat the rebels.
The uprising was notable in Chinese naval history due to the use of a new type of tower ship called Ba Cao Jian (八槽艦, lit. 'Eight trough warship') by the rebels, believed to be the first Chinese warship to be equipped with watertight bulkheads.
EASTERN JIN CONQUEST OF SOUTHERN YAN
Date: 409-410 AD
Era: Twilight years of Eastern Jin Dynasty
Location: Linqu County, Guanggu (廣固, present-day Northwest Qingzhou)
Type: Amphibious assault (Yangtze River, Huai River, Si River)
Belligerents: Eastern Jin Dynasty (attacking), Southern Yan State (defending)
Strength: 100,000+ (Eastern Jin) / Unknown (Southern Yan)
Outcome: Complete Eastern Jin victory; demise of Southern Yan
Short summary: In 403 AD, a rebellious warlord Huan Xuan (桓玄) launched a coup d'état and force the Emperor An of Jin to abdicate, founding the short-lived Huan Chu (桓楚) regime in the process. However just one year later he was defeated by Eastern Jin commander Liu Yu, who quickly restored the emperor to the throne. Nevertheless, the hostile Southern Yan took advantage of this period of instability and weakness and launched repeated incursions into the territories of Eastern Jin.
To rid the problem of Southern Yan once and for all, as well as to establish his own reputation as a capable conqueror, Liu Yu launched a massive expedition in 409 AD. He sent out his army by water, sailing the Huai River and entering Si River, before landing in Xia Pi (下邳, inside present-day Suining County, Jiangsu) unopposed. Once landed, Eastern Jin army quickly marched to Linqu County and defeated Southern Yan army in an ambush, then besieged Guanggu, the capital of Southern Yan, destroying the regime in as little as five months.
EASTERN JIN CONQUEST OF LATER QIN
Date: 416 AD
Era: Twilight years of Eastern Jin Dynasty
Location: Chang'an City
Type: Amphibious assault (Yellow River, Wei River)
Belligerents: Eastern Jin Dynasty (attacking), Later Qin State
Strength: 100,000 (Eastern Jin) / 100,000 (Later Qin)
Outcome: Complete Eastern Jin victory; demise of Later Qin
Short summary: Almost immediately after the suppression of Sun En and Lu Xun's rebellion, Eastern Jin commander Liu Yu launched a massive military expedition against Later Qin, which was already beset by internal chaos and external wars, not to mention recently losing its ally Southern Yan to Eastern Jin invasion. The massive invasion army, personally led by Liu Yu himself, set out from Pengcheng (彭城, present-day Xuzhou) and marched along Huai River, Si River and Yellow River, quickly capturing several cities and strategic positions of the Later Qin. Once Eastern Jin army captured Tong Pass and tied down most of Later Qin's defence, Wang Zhen E (王鎮惡), commander of the vanguard force of Liu Yu's army, split off from the main army and secretly sailed up Yellow River into Wei River with a fleet of Meng Chong (蒙衝) warships to attack Chang'an directly. The surprise attack was so successful that Chang'an surrendered to him after only giving minimal resistance.
Wang Zhen E's surprise attack marked the first time a new class of smaller, more agile, and fully enclosed Meng Chong warship was introduced.
BATTLE OF WUHU (蕪湖之戰)
Date: 559 AD
Era: Northern and Southern Dynasties period
Location: Wuhu
Type: Riverine battle (lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Wang Lin (attacking), Chen Dynasty (defending)
Strength: Unknown
Outcome: Chen Dynasty victory; Wang Lin escaped to and later joined Northern Qi Dynasty
Short summary: After the death of Emperor Wu of Chen in 559 AD, Chen Dynasty entered a brief period of instability. Sensing its weakness, Wang Lin (王琳), who was still loyal to the fallen Liang Dynasty, personally recruited a large fleet with nothing but his force of personality and launched an expedition against Chen Dynasty. However, a competent successor to Emperor Wu, Emperor Wen of Chen, soon inherited the throne, and immediately dispatched commander Hou Tian (侯瑱) to repel the invasion. A stand-off lasting more than three months ensued at Wuhu as water level of Yangtze River was too low to allow for large-scale naval actions during winter.
When the springtime finally came, Wang Lin launched a daring attack, taking advantage of the strong northeasterly winds to barge through Hou Tian's fleet and attack the capital city of Chen Dynasty directly. To his surprise, Hou Tian did not attempt to block his advance but simply let Wang Lin sail pass him, then ordered his warships to trail closely behind Wang Lin's fleet. Frustrated, Wang Lin ordered his troops to set fire to Hou Tian's ships with torches, only to had the fire blown back at his fleet by the same northeasterly winds. Hou Tian immediately took advantage of the chaos and launched his own arson attack, using Pai Gan (拍竿) to pulverise Wang Lin's warships and ordered his Meng Chong (蒙衝) to ram into Wang Lin's warships before pouring molten iron over, quickly decimating Wang Lin's fleet.
Battle of Wuhu is one of the rare examples of pre-Ming naval battle where naval ramming was explicitly used.
SUI CONQUEST OF CHEN DYNASTY
Date: 588 AD – 589 AD
Era: Final days of the Northern and Southern Dynasties period
Location: Yangtze River and Lingnan region
Type: Amphibious assault and riverine battle (upper, middle and lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Sui Dynasty (attacking), Chen Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 518,000 (Sui Dynasty) / 220,000 (Chen Dynasty)
Outcome: Complete Sui victory; conquest of Chen Dynasty and unification of China
Short summary: The conquest of Chen Dynasty was launched in 588 AD by Emperor Wen of Sui, founding emperor of Sui Dynasty, after seven years of preparation and military build-up. The conquest was a gargantuan undertaking with eight expeditionary forces, each taking a different route, to overwhelm its defense. Four of the expeditionary forces were war fleets, with one among them containing both land and naval elements. Two war fleets were tasked with tying down large swathe of Chen Dynasty army at upper and middle Yangtze and funnel them to Hankou (漢口) to be annihilated; one supported the ground force to cross Yangtze river, and another one took a detour into East China Sea to attack Wu County (吳縣) from its rear.
While war fleets mostly played a supporting role to Sui Dynasty's ground forces, the deployment of formidable tower ships Wu Ya Jian (五牙艦, lit. 'Five fang warship') by commander Yang Su (楊素) allowed Sui Dynasty war fleet to devastate its Chen Dynasty counterpart, quickly wrestling middle Yangtze from Chen Dynasty control and link up with the ground force.
Sui conquest of Chen Dynasty also marked the first time in world history that smoke screen was used in naval warfare.
BATTLE OF BAIJIANGKOU/BATTLE OF BAEKGANG (白江口之戰)
(PART OF GOGURYEO-TANG WAR)
Date: 663 AD
Era: Tang Dynasty
Belligerents: Tang-Silla alliance (besiegeing), Yamato-Baekje alliance (relieving)
Location: Baekgang (river mouth of Geum River)
Type: Riverine and Sea battle (Geum River, Yellow Sea)
Strength: 13,000 soldiers and 170 ships (Tang Dynasty) + 5,000 soldiers (Silla) / 42,000 soldiers and 800 ships (Yamato) + 5,000 soldiers (Baekje)
Outcome: Decisive Tang-Silla alliance victory
Short summary: Battle of Baekgang was a naval battle that lasted for two days fought between Tang navy, which was attempting to sail up Geum River to join up with the Tang-Silla alliance army besieging Churyu, and Yamato navy which came to relief the siege.
Despite being numerically inferior, Tang navy enjoyed advantages in bigger and superior warships, better command and coordination, and utilised the narrow river mouth to protect its flanks. Thus it was able to easily gain upper hand in the initial engagement with the larger Yamato fleet. To overcome such a formidable foe, Yamato commanders decided to launch a much larger assault, hoping that their strength in numbers and shock from such a massive attack could demoralise and disrupt the Tang fleet. However by doing so Yamato fleet itself lost cohesion due to overcrowding. Seizing the opportunity, Tang fleet split in two and enveloped the Yamato fleet before decimating it.
BATTLE OF LANGSHANG JIANG (狼山江之戰)
Date: 919 AD
Era: Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period
Location: Yangtze River near Langshan
Type: Riverine battle (lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Wuyue State (attacking), Yang Wu (defending)
Strength: 500 ships (Wuyue State) / Unknown (Yang Wu)
Outcome: Decisive Wuyue victory
Short summary: Battle of Langshang Jiang was a riverine which occurred in 919 AD between the dynastic states of Wuyue and Yang Wu. It was one of the rarer examples where both sides of the battle were from Jiangdong (江東, lands south of the lower reaches of Yangtze River), and thus had considerable expertise in riverine warfare and naval strength.
938 AD Battle of BẠCH ĐẰNG (白藤江之戰)
Date: 938 AD
Era: Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period
Location: Bạch Đằng River
Type: Riverine battle (Bạch Đằng River)
Belligerents: Southern Han (attacking), Jinghai circuit (defending)
Strength: 20,000 (Southern Han) / Unknown but around 5,000~10,000 (Jinghai circuit)
Outcome: Jinghai circuit victory; founding of Ngô Dynasty and genesis of a separate Vietnamese identity independent from China
Short summary:
981 AD BATTLE OF BẠCH ĐẰNG (白藤江之戰)
(PART OF SONG–ĐẠI CỒ VIỆT WAR)
Date: 981 AD
Era: Northern Song Dynasty
Location: Bạch Đằng River
Type: Riverine battle (Bạch Đằng River)
Belligerents: Northern Song Dynasty (attacking), Early Lê Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 30,000~40,000 (Northern Song) / Unknown (Early Lê Dynasty)
Outcome: Northern Song victory; although it lost the overall war
Short summary:
BATTLE OF NGƯ NGUYỆT RIVER (如月江之戰)
(PART OF SONG–ĐẠI VIỆT WAR)
Date: 1077 AD
Era: Northern Song Dynasty
Location: Như Nguyệt River
Type: Riverine battle (Như Nguyệt River)
Belligerents: Northern Song Dynasty (attacking) / Lý Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 100,000 soldiers, 200,000 camp followers (Northern Song Dynasty) / estimated 60,000 soldiers, 400 ships (Lý Dynasty)
Outcome: Lý victory
Short summary:
BATTLE OF SÔNG PHÚ LƯƠNG (富良江之戰)
(PART OF SONG–ĐẠI VIỆT WAR)
Date: 1077 AD
Era: Northern Song Dynasty
Location: Phú Lương River
Type: Riverine battle (Phú Lương River)
Belligerents: Northern Song Dynasty (attacking) / Lý Dynasty (defending)
Strength:
Outcome: Decisive Northern Song victory
Short summary:
BATTLE OF HUANGTIANDANG (黃天蕩之戰)
(PART OF JIN-SONG WAR)
Date: 1129 AD
Era: Southern Song Dynasty
Location: Huangtiandang (黃天蕩, between Jurong, Zhenjiang and northeast of today's Nanjing, Jiangsu)
Type: Riverine battle (lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Jin Dynasty (attacking), Southern Song Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 4,000 or 100,000 (Jin Dynasty) / 8,000 (Southern Song Dynasty)
Outcome: Both sides claimed victory
Short summary:
QUELLING OF YANG YAO'S REBELLION
Date: 1135 AD
Era: Southern Song Dynasty
Location: Dongting Lake
Type: Lake battle (Dongting Lake)
Belligerents: Southern Song Dynasty (attacking), Yang Yao's rebels (defending)
Strength: 50,000~60,000 (Southern Song army) + 24,000 (Yue Fei's army)/ 50,000~60,000 (Yang Yao)
Outcome: Southern Song victory; suppression of the rebels
Short summary:
BATTLE OF TANGDAO (唐島海戰)
Date: 1161 AD
Era: Southern Song Dynasty
Location: Tangdao Island
Type: Sea battle (Yellow Sea, near the coast of Huangdao, Qingdao)
Belligerents: Jin Dynasty (attacking), Southern Song Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 70,000 soldiers, 600 ships (Jin Dynasty) / 3,000 soldiers, 120 ships (Southern Song Dynasty)
Outcome: Decisive Southern Song victory
Short summary:
BATTLE OF CAISHI (采石之戰)
Date: 1161 AD
Era: Southern Song Dynasty (Jin-Song War)
Location: Caishi Rock
Type: Riverine battle (lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Jin Dynasty (attacking), Southern Song Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 40, 000 (Jin Dynasty) / 18,000 (Southern Song Dynasty)
Outcome: Decisive Southern Song victory
Short summary:
FIRST MONGOL INVASION OF JAPAN
Date: 1274 AD
Era: Song-Yuan transition period
Location: Hakata Bay, Japan
Type: Amphibious assault (Hataka Bay)
Belligerents: Yuan Dynasty (attacking), Kamakura Shogunate (defending)
Strength: 15,000~25,000 Mongol and Jurchen soldiers, 5,300~8,000 Korean soldiers, 6,700 Korean sailors, 726~900 ships (Yuan Dynasty) / up to 102,000 soldiers mobilised although not all made it to the battlefield, 300 ships (Kamakura Shogunate)
Outcome: Kamakura Shogunate victory
Short summary:
BATTLE OF DINGJIAZHOU (丁家洲之戰)
Date: 1275 AD
BATTLE OF JIAOSHAN (焦山之戰)
Date: 1275 AD
BATTLE OF YAMEN (崖門海戰)
Date: 1279 AD
Era: Southern Song Dynasty
Location: Yamen
Type: Riverine and Sea battle (Tanjiang River and coastal region of South China Sea)
Belligerents: Great Mongol Empire (attacking), Southern Song Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 50,000 naval troops, 20,000 cavalry, 420 warships (Great Mongol Empire) / 200,000 soldiers and civilians combined, 10,00 mostly civilian vessels (Southern Song Dynasty)
Outcome: Complete Yuan victory, conquest of Southern Song Dynasty and unification of China
Short summary:
SECOND MONGOL INVASION OF JAPAN
Date: 1281 AD
Era: Yuan Dynasty
Location: Hakata Bay, Japan
Type: Amphibious assault (Hataka Bay)
Belligerents: Yuan Dynasty (attacking), Kamakura Shogunate (defending)
Strength: 30,000 Mongol and Chinese soldiers, 9,960 Korean soldiers, 17,000 sailors and logistics, 4,400 ships / 40,000 (Kamakura Shogunate)
Outcome: Decisive Kamakura Shogunate victory
Short summary:
BATTLE OF THỊ NẠI BAY (占城港之戰)
(PART OF MONGOL INVASION OF CHAMPA)
Date: 1283 AD
Era: Yuan Dynasty
Location: Thị Nại Bay
Type: Sea battle (Thị Nại Bay)
Belligerents: Yuan Dynasty (attacking), Champa (defending)
Strength: 5,000 (Yuan Dynasty) / 10,000 (Champa)
Outcome: Yuan victory
Short summary:
1288 AD BATTLE OF BẠCH ĐẰNG (白藤江之戰)
(PART OF THIRD MONGOL INVASION OF VIETNAM)
Date: 1288 AD
Era: Yuan Dynasty
Location: Bạch Đằng River
Type: Riverine battle (Bạch Đằng River)
Belligerents: Yuan Dynasty (attacking), Trần Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 70,000 Yuan soldiers, 21,000 auxiliaries, 1,000 vanguards, 500 ships (Yuan Dynasty) / 50,000 (Trần Dynasty)
Outcome: Trần victory
Short summary:
MONGOL INVASION OF JAVA
Date: 1293 AD
Era: Yuan Dynasty
Location: Brantas River and Mas River, Java
Type: Riverine battle (Brantas River and Mas River)
Belligerents: Yuan-Majapahit alliance (attacking), Kediri Kingdom (defending)
Strength: 20,000~30,000 soldiers, 500~1,000 ships (Yuan Dynasty) / 10,000~100,000 (Kendiri Kingdom)
Outcome: Majapahit victory after it backstabbed Yuan Dynasty; founding of Majapahit Empire
Short summary:
RIVER CROSSING OF CAISHI (采石渡江之戰)
Date: 1355 AD
Era: Yuan-Ming transition period
Location: Caishi Rock
Type: Riverine battle (lower Yangtze)
Belligerents: Zhu Yuanzhan's rebels (attacking), Yuan Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 10,000 soldiers, 1,000 ships (Zhu Yuanzhang's rebels) / 50,000 soldiers directly participating in the battle, 200,000 soldiers guarding various strategic points along Yangtze River (Yuan Dynasty)
Outcome: Zhu Yuanzhang victory
Short summary:
BATTLE OF LAKE POYANG (鄱陽湖之戰)
Date: 1363 AD
Era: Yuan-Ming transition period
Location: Poyang Lake
Type: Lake battle (Poyang Lake)
Belligerents: Western Wu State (attacking), Chen Han Dynasty (defending)
Strength: 200,000 (Western Wu State) / 600,000 (Chen Han Dynasty)
Outcome: Decisive Western Wu victory
Short summary:
WESTERN WU EXPEDITION AGAINST FANG GUOZHEN'S REBEL
Date: 1367 AD
Era: Yuan-Ming transition period
Location: Cao'e River
Type: Riverine battle and amphibious assault (Cao'e River)
Belligerents: Western Wu State (attacking), Fang Guozhen's rebels (defending)
Strength: Tens of thousands (Western Wu) / Unknown (Fang Guozhen's rebels)
Outcome: Western Wu victory; surrender of Fang Guozhen and founding of Ming Dynasty in the following year
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