Jin's victory over Chu at Yanling in 575 BC shifted the balance of power during the Spring and Autumn period, checking Chu's northward expansion.
Key Facts
- Year of battle
- 575 BC
- Period
- Spring and Autumn period of ancient China
- Jin right-wing commander
- Xi Qi
- Jin center commander
- Luan Shu
- Chu co-commanders
- Zifan and Zichong
- Chu King's fate
- Wounded by arrow; allowed to escape by Jin officers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Tensions between the states of Chu and Jin during the Spring and Autumn period led to direct military confrontation. The Chu army held a numerical advantage but suffered from poor discipline, internal rivalry between its commanders Zifan and Zichong, and the weakness of its allied 'wild tribes of the south' on the flanks.
At Yanling in 575 BC, Jin forces deployed defensively behind a marsh and ditch, negating Chu's numerical superiority. Jin chariots charged and scattered Chu's weaker flanks before turning on the center, where the Chu King commanded his troops personally. The king was wounded by an arrow and his army driven back, though Jin officers permitted him to escape as a gesture of respect.
Chu's army was defeated and forced to retreat, ending its military pressure in the engagement. The outcome reinforced Jin's strategic position in the Central Plains and demonstrated that disciplined defensive tactics could overcome numerical disadvantage, consolidating Jin's influence during the Spring and Autumn period.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Luan Shu, Xi Qi, Han Jue.
Side B
1 belligerent
Zifan, Zichong, King of Chu.