Battle
Battle of Wancheng 皖城之戰
About this event
The Battle of Wancheng was the battle in the 19th year of Jian'an (214) in which Sun Quan attacked Wancheng, held by Cao Cao's Administrator of Lujiang Zhu Guang, and took it in a single morning. When Zhu Guang opened up extensive rice fields in Wan County and enticed the bandit chiefs of Poyang to act as insiders, Lü Meng proposed eliminating him early, saying that once a year's harvest ripened, the enemy's numbers would grow. Sun Quan set out in person in the 5th month, and with Gan Ning leading the way up the walls and Lü Meng beating the drum, the city was broken around breakfast time and Zhu Guang and several tens of thousands of men and women were captured. Zhang Liao, coming to the rescue, reached Jiashi, heard that the city had fallen and withdrew. Records, Wu 2 §19Records, Wu 9 §67–68Records, Wu 10 §61
Chen Shou recorded this battle in the Biography of the Lord of Wu in Records of Wu 2, the Biography of Lü Meng in Records of Wu 9 and the Biographies of Gan Ning and Ling Tong in Records of Wu 10. The Romance depicts it in Chapter 67 as the capture of Wancheng before the attack on Hefei. Records, Wu 2 §19Records, Wu 9 §67–68Records, Wu 10 §61 · 74Romance, Ch. 67 §36–43
Course of events in the Records
According to the Biography of Lü Meng, Lord Cao sent Zhu Guang as Administrator of Lujiang to be stationed in Wan County, and Zhu Guang opened up extensive rice fields while having spies entice the bandit chiefs of Poyang to act as insiders. Lü Meng laid out the situation in detail, saying that the fields of Wan County were fertile, that once a harvest ripened the enemy's numbers would surely grow, and that after a few years Cao Cao's designs would become plain, so Zhu Guang should be eliminated early. Records, Wu 9 §67
The Biography of the Lord of Wu records that Sun Quan set out to attack Wancheng in the 5th month of the 19th year of Jian'an (214) and won in the intercalary month. Attacking Wan County in person, Sun Quan called his generals together to ask for plans, and Lü Meng recommended Gan Ning as Commander of the Wall-Scaling Troops to direct the assault at the front while he himself followed with picked troops. When they advanced to attack at dawn, Lü Meng took up the drumstick and beat the drum himself, and the officers and men all leapt up and climbed the walls of their own accord, breaking the city around breakfast time. Records, Wu 2 §19Records, Wu 9 §67–68
The Biography of Gan Ning records that Gan Ning, Commander of the Wall-Scaling Troops, holding a silk cord in his hand, climbed the wall himself ahead of his officers and men, and finally broke the city and captured Zhu Guang. In the reckoning of merit, Lü Meng came first and Gan Ning next. Ling Tong also took part in breaking Wan County and was promoted to General of the Household Who Sweeps Away Bandits. Records, Wu 10 §61 · 74
The Biography of the Lord of Wu records that Sun Quan captured Zhu Guang, Administrator of Lujiang, his Army Adviser Dong He, and several tens of thousands of men and women. According to the Biography of Lü Meng, Zhang Liao soon reached Jiashi but withdrew on hearing that the city had already fallen, and Sun Quan made Lü Meng Administrator of Lujiang and gave him all the men and horses that had been taken. The Biography of the Lord of Wu goes on to record that in that year, when Liu Bei pacified Shu, Sun Quan sent Zhuge Jin to ask for the return of the commanderies of Jing Province. Records, Wu 2 §19Records, Wu 9 §68
In the Romance
In Chapter 67 of the Romance, while Cao Cao was in Hanzhong, Liu Bei sent Yi Ji to return three commanderies including Changsha and to ask for an attack on Hefei, and Sun Quan, following Zhang Zhao's advice, raised troops. Lü Meng proposed taking Wancheng first, since Cao Cao had Zhu Guang, Administrator of Lujiang, cultivating fields at Wancheng and sending the grain into Hefei, and Sun Quan made Lü Meng and Gan Ning the vanguard and Jiang Qin and Pan Zhang the rear army, and himself led Zhou Tai, Chen Wu, Dong Xi and Xu Sheng to Wancheng. Romance, Ch. 67 §33–37
When an arrow struck Sun Quan's parasol as he was surveying the city, Dong Xi proposed building an earthen mound and Xu Sheng scaling ladders, but Lü Meng said they must attack while their edge was still sharp, before relief troops came from Hefei. The next day Gan Ning, carrying an iron chain, climbed the wall through arrows and stones and struck Zhu Guang down with the chain, and when Lü Meng beat the drum himself, the soldiers swarmed up and cut Zhu Guang down. Wancheng fell in the hour of chen, and Zhang Liao, who had come halfway, went back to Hefei. Romance, Ch. 67 §38–40
Sun Quan held a banquet after entering Wancheng, and Lü Meng yielded the seat of honor to Gan Ning and praised his merit. Seeing Gan Ning, the enemy who had killed his father, being praised, Ling Tong performed a sword dance, whereupon Gan Ning stepped forward with two halberds; Lü Meng separated the two with a sword and shield, and Sun Quan hurried over to stop them. The next day Sun Quan's army advanced on Hefei. Romance, Ch. 67 §41–43
Where the Romance differs
Timing of the battle: In Chapter 67 of the Romance, the attack on Wancheng began with Liu Bei sending Yi Ji to ask for an attack on Hefei after Cao Cao had taken Hanzhong. In the Biography of the Lord of Wu in the Records, it happened in the 5th month of the 19th year of Jian'an (214), the same year that Liu Bei pacified Shu. Romance, Ch. 67 §33–37Records, Wu 2 §19
Zhu Guang's end: In Chapter 67 of the Romance, Gan Ning struck Zhu Guang down with an iron chain and the soldiers cut him down. In the Biography of Gan Ning and the Biography of the Lord of Wu in the Records, the city was broken and Zhu Guang was captured. Romance, Ch. 67 §39–40Records, Wu 10 §61Records, Wu 2 §19
How Gan Ning climbed the wall: In Chapter 67 of the Romance, Gan Ning climbed carrying an iron chain. In the Biography of Gan Ning in the Records, he climbed the wall himself holding a silk cord in his hand. Romance, Ch. 67 §39Records, Wu 10 §61
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Belligerents
| Item | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| Factions | Wu | Wei |
| Commanders | Gan Ning, Lü Meng, Sun Quan | Zhang Liao, Zhu Guang |
Factions, commanders, strength and casualties are checked against the source texts (3KDEX). Strength and casualties show only figures stated in the sources. Source: Wu 2 §19