The Battle of Tong Pass (潼關之戰) was a battle between Cao Cao and the forces of Guanxi (west of Hangu Pass) during the Three Kingdoms period in China. This battle was initiated by Cao Cao's western expansion, which triggered uprisings from Guanxi. Nonetheless, Cao Cao repelled the Guanxi armies led by men such as Ma Chao and Han Sui, and established a hold of Guanzhong. The Three Kingdoms period (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties. ... This article is about the year 211. ... Tongguan Tongguan (潼关), also called Tong Pass, is located in the east of the Central Plain, north of the Qinling Mountains, south of Wei and Luo River, east of the Mount Hua and in between the three provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan. ...   (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ShÇŽnxÄ«; Wade-Giles: Shan-hsi; Postal map spelling: Shensi) is a north-central province of the Peoples Republic of China, and includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River as well as the Qinling Mountains across the... Cáo Cāo (155 – March 15, 220, pronounced Tsau Tsau) was a regional warlord and the second last Chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during its final years in ancient China. ... Ma Chao (176 - 222) was the eldest son of Ma Teng and a general of the Three Kingdoms Period. ... Han Sui (??–215) was a warrior and military leader in the waning years of the Han Dynasty and in the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. ... Hou Xuan an officer serving under Han Sui. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Li Kan a notable officer serving under Han Sui. ... Zhang Heng (张横) was a military officer who served under the warlord Han Sui in the later Han Dynasty. ... Liang Xing one of the 8 knights serving under Han Sui. ... Cheng Yi (成宜; d. ... The Three Kingdoms period (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties. ... Combatants Yellow Turbans Han Dynasty Commanders Zhang Jiao Zhang Bao Zhang Liang He Jin Huangfu Song Lu Zhi Zhu Jun Dong Zhuo Cao Cao Strength 360,000 Various Casualties Unknown Unknown The Yellow Turban Rebellion, sometimes also translated as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) was a... Combatants Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition Dong Zhuo Commanders Yuan Shao Dong Zhuo The Campaign against Dong Zhuo (董卓討伐戰) in 190 was initiated by a coalition of regional officials hoping to end Chancellor Dong Zhuos influence in the ailing Han court in China. ... The Battle of Jie Bridge (Chinese: 界橋之戰, pinyin: Jièqiáo zhi zhàn) was a military engagement fought between Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan in 191, at the beginning of the civil wars in China leading up to the fall of the Han Dynasty. ... Combatants Zhang Xiu Cao Cao Commanders Zhang Xiu Cao Cao The Battle of Wancheng (宛城之戰) was a historical battle fought in the later years of the Han Dynasty between the warlords Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu in 197. ... Combatants Cao Cao, Liu Bei Lü Bu Commanders Cao Cao, Liu Bei Lü Bu The Battle of Xiapi (下邳之戰) occurred in the winter of 198 between the forces of Lü Bu against the forces of Liu Bei and Cao Cao in the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of China. ... Combatants Yuan Shao Gongsun Zan Heishan bandits Commanders Yuan Shao Gongsun Zan† Zhang Yan The Battle of Yijing (易京之戰) took part shortly before the fall of the Han Empire in China, which began the era known as the Three Kingdoms. ... The Battle of Guandu (官渡之戰) was a battle in Chinese history. ... Combatants Liu Bei Cao Cao Commanders Liu Bei Xiahou Dun The Battle of Bowang (博望之戰), more famously known as the Battle of Bowang Slope (博望坡之戰), was a battle fought near Fangcheng, Henan between the forces of Cao Cao and Liu Bei during the Three Kingdoms period in China. ... Combatants Sun Quan Huang Zu Commanders Sun Quan Huang Zu† Three Kingdoms Yellow Turbans – Dong Zhuo – Jieqiao – Wancheng – Xiapi – Yijing – Guandu – Bowang – Xiakou – Changban – Red Cliffs – Tong Pass – Chengdu – Hefei – Mount Dingjun – Fancheng – Xiaoting – Southern Campaign – Shiting – Northern Expeditions (Jieting – Wuzhang Plains) The Battle of Xiakou was fought between Sun... Combatants Cao Cao Liu Bei Commanders Cao Cao Liu Bei Strength 5,000 elite cavalry 100,000 mostly unarmed people Casualties Unknown, minimal Unknown The Battle of Changban (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) took place at Changban (near the modern-day city of Dangyang in Hubei Province), China in the year 208. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Liu Bei Liu Zhang Commanders Liu Bei Liu Zhang Three Kingdoms Yellow Turbans – Dong Zhuo – Jieqiao – Wancheng – Xiapi – Yijing – Guandu – Bowang – Xiakou – Changban – Red Cliffs – Tong Pass – Chengdu – Hefei – Mount Dingjun – Fancheng – Xiaoting – Southern Campaign – Shiting – Northern Expeditions (Jieting – Wuzhang Plains) The Battle of Chengdu was a campaign that... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Cao Wei Shu Han Commanders Xiahou Yuan† Liu Bei The Battle of Mount Dingjun (定軍山之戰) took place in year 219, during the Three Kingdoms period of China. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Combatants Shu Han Shu rebels Nanman Commanders Zhuge Liang Yong Kai Zhu Bao Gao Ding Meng Huo Zhuge Liangs Southern Campaign (Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also known as Battle of Nanzhong (Chinese: ; pinyin: ), refers to the military campaign led by the Zhuge Liang of the Shu Han against the southern rebels... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and to make a clear distinction between fact and fiction, this article may require cleanup. ... The Northern Expeditions (北伐) were a series of five military campaigns launched by the state of Shu against the northern state of Wei from A.D. 228 to 234. ... The Battle of Jieting was a battle fought during the First Northern Expedition led by Zhuge Liang. ... Combatants Shu Han Cao Wei Commanders Zhuge Liang† Yang Yi, Fei Yi Sima Yi Strength 100,000 200,000 The Battle of Wuzhang Plains (五丈原之戰) is a famous standoff between the kingdoms of Wei and Shu in 234 A.D. during the Three Kingdoms period of China. ... Cáo Cāo (155 – March 15, 220, pronounced Tsau Tsau) was a regional warlord and the second last Chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during its final years in ancient China. ... Hangu Pass was a strategic pass in ancient China just south of the great eastern bend of the Yellow River in todays Lingbao County, Henan Province. ... The Three Kingdoms period (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a period in the history of China, part of an era of disunity called the Six Dynasties. ... Ma Chao (176 - 222) was the eldest son of Ma Teng and a general of the Three Kingdoms Period. ... Han Sui (??–215) was a warrior and military leader in the waning years of the Han Dynasty and in the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. ... Location within China Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province in southern China. ...

Background

Before the end of the Han Dynasty, Ma Teng controlled a sizable army in the northwestern frontiers of China which threatened the North China Plains controlled by Cao Cao. When Cao Cao finished his unification of northern China in 207, he wished to turn south to invade Liu Bei and Sun Quan; so to avoid being attacked from behind, Cao Cao made Ma Teng an imperial officer and summoned him to Ye, which Cao controlled. Ma Teng's household was effectively a hostage to prevent Ma Teng's son, Ma Chao, from attacking. The End of Han Dynasty (漢朝末年 or 東漢末年, the End of Eastern Han Dynasty) refers to a period roughly coinciding with the reign of Han Dynastys final emperor Emperor Xian (r. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The North China Plain (Chinese: 华北平原; Pinyin: Huáběi Píngyuán), also called the Central Plain (Chinese: 中原; Pinyin: Zhōngyuán), is based on the deposits of the Huang He (Yellow River) and is the largest alluvial plain of eastern Asia. ... Cao Caos unification of northern China was an important transitionary period in Chinese history. ... Events Sun Quan battles Huang Zu at Xiakou Births Liu Shan, last emperor of the Kingdom of Shu Deaths Guo Jia, brilliant military advisor to Cao Cao Ling Cao, a general under Sun Quan Categories: 207 ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is 劉 (Liu) Liú Bèi (Chinese: ; Pinyin: ) (161 – 223), courtesy name Xuándé (玄徳), was a powerful warlord and the founding emperor of the Kingdom of Shu during the Three Kingdoms era in ancient China. ... Sun Quan (孫權 pinyin: Sūn Quán) (182 - 252), son of Sun Jian, was the third ruler of the State of Wu and the founder of Kingdom of Wu, during the Three Kingdoms period, in China. ... Ye was a city in ancient China. ...

Cao Cao's southern expedition did not go well, however, as he was defeated by the combined forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei at the Battle of Red Cliffs in 208. He soon turned his attention west instead, with the intention to invade Guanzhong. In March 211, Cao Cao sent Zhong Yao to attack Hanzhong, controlled by warlord Zhang Lu, while sending Xiahou Yuan to rendezvous with Zhong Yao's forces. Gao Rou cautioned Cao Cao against such a move, saying that sending massive armies west could draw suspicion from the forces of Guanxi and cause them to revolt. However, Cao Cao paid no heed to his cautions. This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... hello my name is marco u ... Location within China Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong Province in southern China. ... Zhong Yao (Chinese:鍾繇, sometimes translated to Zhong You, 151-230) was a certain minister of Wei. ... Hanzhong (Simplified Chinese: 汉中; Traditional Chinese: 漢中; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hanchung) is a city in Shaanxi province, in central China. ... Zhang Lu (? - ?) was a warlord during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. ... Xiahou Yuan (? – 219) was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. ... This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers, and should be edited to rectify this. ...

As predicted, the forces of Guanxi began suspecting an assault from Cao Cao, and soon Ma Chao, Han Sui, Hou Xuan, Cheng Yin, Yang Qiu, Li Kan, Zhang Heng, Liang Xing, Cheng Yi, and Ma Wan (馬玩) collected their strengths and marched into Tong Pass. Their army consisted of a mixture of Han Chinese, Qiang, and Hu soldiers. Many counties of the area joined the uprising, and the civilians had to escape into Hanzhong by the way of the Ziwu Valley (子午谷). Hou Xuan an officer serving under Han Sui. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Li Kan a notable officer serving under Han Sui. ... Zhang Heng (张横) was a military officer who served under the warlord Han Sui in the later Han Dynasty. ... Liang Xing one of the 8 knights serving under Han Sui. ... Cheng Yi (成宜; d. ... Tongguan Tongguan (潼关), also called Tong Pass, is located in the east of the Central Plain, north of the Qinling Mountains, south of Wei and Luo River, east of the Mount Hua and in between the three provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan. ... Languages Chinese languages Religions Predominantly Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, traditional Chinese religions, and atheism. ... The Qiang people (羌族; Pinyin: qiāng zú) are an ethnic group. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

In response, Cao Cao had Cao Ren defend against the invading forces and issued orders that they must refrain from engaging the enemy. Cao Ren (168 – 223) was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ...

The battle

In July, Cao Cao himself left the capital to lead his troops against Ma Chao, while leaving his son Cao Pi to defend his headquarters in Ye. In August, his troops arrived at Tong Pass where the standoff between his forces and the Guanxi forces was taking place. As the standoff dragged on, more and more Guanxi reinforcements came to Tong Pass, but Cao Cao seemed gleeful at every instance of enemy reinforcements. When asked by his officers why he was so happy when the enemy was gaining numbers, he replied "The road to Guanzhong is long, and if the barbarians defended themselves along the treacherous terrain, we cannot conquer them in one or two years. But now that they all assembled here in this uneasy alliance, it will be much easier to extinguish them. That is why I am happy." Cáo Pī (曹丕, 187 - 226), formally Emperor Wen of (Cao) Wei (曹魏文帝), courtesy name Zihuan (子桓), was born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery (modern Bozhou, Anhui). ... Ye was a city in ancient China. ...

Cao Cao gave the Guanxi forces an impression that a frontal assault was imminent, but on the other hand, he sent Xu Huang and Zhu Ling to travel north and cross the Yellow River via the Puban Crossing (浦阪津) to the west with four thousand men and pitch camp there, in order to circumvent Tong Pass. A month later, Cao Cao's main force followed, while Cao Cao and Xu Chu guarded the rear. When Ma Chao got word of Cao Cao's manoeuvrer, he led roughly ten thousand men to give chase. Arrows poured down on the rearguard, but Cao Cao was in no hurry. Seeing that the situation became dire, Xu Chu helped Cao Cao onto a boat, but the ferryman was shot dead. Xu Shu then used a saddle to shield arrows with his left hand, and paddled the boat with his right. Ma Chao's men kept on firing arrows on Cao Cao's boat even though it had sailed for miles. It was then Ding Fei (丁斐), a general under Cao Cao, gave the command to release the livestock. Seeing this, the pursuing army, being mostly herders, gave up on the chase and went for the horses and oxen instead. It was through these efforts that Cao Cao safely crossed the river. This is a Chinese name; the family name is Xu Xu Huang (169 – 227) was a prominent general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao and his successor Cao Pi during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. ... Zhu Ling (? – 228) was a vassal of the Wei Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period in China. ... Yellow River (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Hanyu Pinyin: Huáng Hé ; Wade-Giles: Hwang-ho, sometimes simply called the River in ancient Chinese) is the second longest river in China (after the Yangtze River) and the seventh longest in the world, at 3,395 miles long [1]. Originating in the... Xu Chu was a warrior living in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. ... A saddle is a seat for a rider fastened to an animals back. ... Sheep are commonly bred as livestock. ...

Cao Cao's force then regrouped with Xu Huang's, and marched south along the river. The Guanxi armies then moved their defenses accordingly along the river. Cao Cao prepared decoy troops to distract the defenses while setting up a pontoon bridge that would allow his forces to complete the circumvention of Tong Pass. At night, a portion of Cao Cao's forces crosses the river and set camp there. It was shortly attacked by Ma Chao, but he was repelled by Cao Cao's ambushes. Pontoon bridge across the James River at Richmond, Virginia, 1865. ...

As the battle dragged on, Ma Chao attempted a ceasefire where he requested the lands west of Wei River, but Cao Cao rejected. Ma Chao would try to engage Cao Cao's men at his newly established camp, but Cao Cao defended well and would not bite the bait. In an attempt to negotiate, Cao Cao, Han Sui, and Ma Chao came together bringing no one but their close guards. Ma Chao had hoped that, with his strength, he could capture Cao Cao and force him to agree to their terms, but he had heard of the prowess of Cao Cao's bodyguard, so he asked, "is the Tiger Marquis with you today?" Cao Cao pointed at Xu Chu who glared at Ma Chao, and Ma Chao dared not make a move. The Wei River (渭河, pinyin: Wei He; Wade-Giles: Wei Ho) is a river in central China. ...

To avoid attrition, the generals of the Guanxi armies agreed to cede territories and send their sons to Cao Cao as hostages in exchange for peace. Cao Cao's strategist Jia Xu suggested that he could pretend to accept the terms, and then turn the allied forces against each other. Cao Cao agreed, and arranged for an armistice. Han Sui was sent by the Guanxi armies as the representative. He was once a friend of Cao Cao, and when they met, they did not talk about military affairs but instead recollected their youths in the capital, occasionally clapping their hands and laughing amiably. When the meeting was over, Ma Chao demanded to know what Cao Cao said, but Han Sui responded that it was nothing much. Ma Chao became suspicious of Han Sui from there on. A few days later, Cao Cao sent Han Sui a letter with certain words smudged out as if Han Sui did it himself. Ma Chao saw this letter and thought Han Sui was collaborating with Cao Cao, and did not trust Han Sui any more. Jia Xu (147 - 224 AD) was an advisor to the Wei Kingdom. ...

To capitalize on this suspicion, Cao Cao set the time for a final clash between the two forces. First, he challenged the allied forces with lightly armoured soldiers, then surrounding the allied forces with heavy cavalry in both flanks. The allies were routed and many of their commanders were killed in battle. Han Sui and Ma Chao fled to Liangzhou (涼州) and Yang Qiu to Anding (安定). Cao Cao emerged victorious.

Aftermath

The forces of Guanxi were unable to collect again in a coalition and their strengths were greatly weakened after this battle. Of the remnants of the coalition, Yang Qiu soon surrendered, Han Sui was defeated by Xu Huang and Zhang He, and only Ma Chao was actively causing trouble for Cao Cao. For the 15th Century fleet Admiral, see Zheng He Zhang He (張郃) (167 – 231) was a distinguished military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era in ancient China. ...

After Cao Cao's main army retreated due to an uprising back home, Ma Chao attacked the prefectures of Longxi with the forces of the western tribes and the prefectures took their lead from him, except for the city of Jicheng (冀城). When he conquered Jicheng, Ma Chao killed the Inspector of Liangzhou, Wei Kang (韋康), occupied the city and controlled Wei Kang’s forces. He called himself the General Who Conquers the West and took over the governance of Bingzhou and the military matters of Liangzhou. The deputies who served under Wei Kang, Yang Fu, Jiang Xu (姜叙), Liang Kuan (梁寬), Zhao Qu (趙衢) and others plotted against Ma Chao. Yang Fu and Jiang Xu revolted in Licheng and Ma Chao left Jicheng to quell the uprising, but he was not successful. Meanwhile, Liang Kuan and Zhao Qu closed the gates to Jicheng and Ma Chao could not return to the city. He had little choice but to seek refuge with Zhang Lu in Hanzhong. Yang Fu a notable tactician of Liang, that at one time revolted against Ma Chao, which ultimately drove him off along with the help of Xiahou Yuan. ... Zhang Lu (? - ?) was a warlord during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. ... Hanzhong (Simplified Chinese: 汉中; Traditional Chinese: 漢中; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Hanchung) is a city in Shaanxi province, in central China. ...

Later, Cao Cao had Ma Teng's household executed for Ma Chao's uprising. Only Ma Chao and his cousin Ma Dai remained in his once great family. Ma Dai was a general of the kingdom of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period and former officer under Ma Teng, and later Ma Chao. ...

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chapters 58 and 59 are dedicated to this battle. An illustration of the book Romance of the Three Kingdoms (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; pinyin: ), written by Luó Guànzhōng in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based upon events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty, and the Three Kingdoms period (220...

Cao had lured Ma Teng into the capital and had him killed because Ma Teng had plotted to assassinate Cao. To avenge for his father's death, Ma Chao led a coalition of dissidents against Cao Cao. Together with Han Sui, Ma Chao set off for Chang'an and conquered it easily. Having conquered Chang'an they advanced towards Tong Pass. Cao Cao then immediately dispatched Cao Hong and Xu Huang with 10,000 troops to Tong Pass to defend the pass with specific orders not to engage the enemy for ten days. Han Sui (??–215) was a warrior and military leader in the waning years of the Han Dynasty and in the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. ... For an automobile manufacturer in the Peoples Republic of China, see Changan Motors. ... Cao Hong (169 - 233) was a warrior of the Kingdom of Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. ... This is a Chinese name; the family name is Xu Xu Huang (169 – 227) was a prominent general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao and his successor Cao Pi during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. ...

On the ninth day Cao Hong could no longer put up with the insults and taunts shouted by Ma Chao and his army and therefore led a contingent of troops out of the pass to fight Ma Chao's forces without permission. Xu Huang came out to help Cao Hong but the two of them were no match for Ma Chao who successfully took the pass. Cao Cao led troops personally to recapture Tong Pass but failed when Ma Chao defeated many of Cao Cao's top generals such as Yu Jin and Zhang He. Ma Chao then directly attacked Cao Cao. Cao Cao, in a bid to escape, cut off his beard and threw away his robe to avoid being identified by Ma Chao's troops before being rescued by Cao Hong and Xiahou Yuan. Yu Jin (? – 220) was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period in ancient China. ... For the 15th Century fleet Admiral, see Zheng He Zhang He (張郃) (167 – 231) was a distinguished military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era in ancient China. ... Xiahou Yuan (? – 219) was a military general under the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. ...

In order to cut off Ma Chao's supplies lines, Cao Cao led troops to cross the river but Ma Chao was prepared and ambushed him instead. Xu Chu, Cao Cao's bodyguard, protected Cao, who would have otherwise perished there. Later Ma Chao was challenged to a duel by Xu Chu. The duel was a draw but the subsequent battle forced Cao Cao to retreat. In the days ahead, Ma Chao harassed Cao Cao's troops and gave them no chance of setting up camps. Cao Cao established a camp anyway, in a short amount of time, using the cold weather and the river water to construct an ice fortress. Knowing that it would be very difficult to defeat a valiant general like Ma Chao, Cao Cao accepted his adviser Jia Xu's proposal to pretend to make peace with Ma Chao and at the same time attempt to turn Ma Chao and Han Sui against each other. Slowly the two men were driven apart. Ma Chao thought that Han Sui had collaborated with Cao Cao against him and tried to kill Han Sui, but only managed to chop off Han Sui's hand. In the ensuing confusion, Cao Cao launched an attack on his confused enemies and overcame them. Xu Chu was a warrior living in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. ... Jia Xu (147 - 224 AD) was an advisor to the Wei Kingdom. ...

References

• Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
• This article was initially translated from this Wikipedia article « zh:潼關之戰 » . Its references include:
  • Chen Shou, Sanguo Zhi.
  • Sima Guang, Zizhi Tongjian.