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Conflict222

Battle of Yiling

Also called: Battle of Xiaoting

Liu Bei attacked Wu to avenge Guan Yu and was routed at Yiling by Wu’s Lu Xun. He died the next year at Baidicheng, entrusting his son Liu Shan to Zhuge Liang.

In 221 Liu Bei led a large army down the Yangtze to retake Jing Province and avenge Guan Yu. Wu’s Lu Xun refused battle until the summer of 222, then set fire to the long line of Shu camps and routed them (also called the Battle of Xiaoting). Liu Bei fell back to Baidicheng and died in 223, entrusting his son Liu Shan to Zhuge Liang, who then renewed the alliance with Wu.

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The map in AD 222

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States at the time
Eastern Wu · victor
Shu Han · defeated
Places
Yiling (Yichang)

People

  • Liu BeiAD 161 – AD 223

    commander · Founding emperor of Shu Han (Emperor Zhaolie), who claimed descent from the Han house and became emperor at Chengdu in 221

  • Lu Xun (Wu general)AD 183 – AD 245

    commander · Wu general and chancellor, who destroyed Liu Bei’s army with fire at Yiling in 222

  • Sun QuanAD 182 – AD 252

    monarch · Founding emperor of Wu (Emperor Da), who allied with Liu Bei to stop Cao Cao at Red Cliffs and became emperor in 229

Before and after

Earlier
AD 221 Founding of Shu Han
Later
AD 225 Zhuge Liang’s Southern Campaign

Themes that include this event

  • The Three KingdomsAD 184 – AD 280

    From the Yellow Turban Rebellion to the Jin reunification — a century of Wei, Shu and Wu, the age of Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Quan