Battle of Tao River
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The Battle of Tao River (洮水之戰) is more often known as the Battle at Jingjing Pass (井徑口之戰) and was was fought in 205 BC between the army of Han (漢), commanded by Han Xin (韓信) and a Zhao (趙) army. The Zhao were led by the Princes Zhao Xie (趙歇) of Zhao and Chen Yu (陳餘) of Dai, who is also known as the Lord of Cheng An (成安君) and serving as Zhao Xie's prime minister.
Having conquered the land of Wei (魏), the general Han Xin (韓信) was ordered by Liu Bang (劉邦), the King of Han (漢王) to attack the lands of Zhao and Dai (代), assisted by Zhang Er, Prince of Chang Shan (常山王張耳, essentially the former Prince of Zhao). Han Xin quickly annihilated the forces commanded by Xia Yue (夏說, Prime Minister of Dai) and marched across the Taihang Mountains (太行山) into Zhao.
Before the battle, Chen Yu was counseled by Li Zuoju, the Lord of Guangwu (廣武君李左車) to block off the important routes across the Tai Hang Mountains, especially Jingjing Pass (井徑口). He analyzed to Chen Yu that he could win easily by blocking routes and exploiting Han Xin's inevitable logistics problems. However, Chen Yu, who is a confucian scholar and prides himself as being the commander of an army with righteousness, responded that he has 200,000 men and need not fear Han Xin's small army. We should point out that not many people held Han Xin in high esteem at this time, which costed his opponents dearly in this battle and in the Battle of Wei River (濰水之戰).
This sets the scene for one of the most famous battles of Chinese history, ably recounted by Sima Qian (司馬遷) and other historians.
The forces of Han Xin as they emerged out of Jingjing pass faced the forces of Zhao across the Tao river. Han Xin had his troops eat a simple breakfast before the battle, stating that they will feast upon destroying thr Zhao army. Not even his officers believed him, although they did at least follow his orders.
In preparation for the battle the previous evening, Han Xin dispatched a small force of 2,000 mounted men near the Zhao camp, each carrying a red battle flag of the Han army, and told them that they are to overrun the Zhao camp as soon as the entire Zhao army moved out to press the attack. He also has 10,000 men cross the Tao River (at the time also known as the Ye River 冶河) and dug ditches, and generally fortified the defenses of his bridgehead. Operating out of the small bridgehead with his back to the river (背水陣) would however means that he would easily be fight in a position of no retreat (絕地) in case of defeat. Chen Yu and the other Zhao commanders laughed at the foolhardy move.
Early in the morning, Han Xin marched the bulk of his forces out of Jingjing pass and across the Tao River to meet the Zhao forces, displaying his banner and other insignia prominently (this is a calculated move, intended to entice the Zhao army). He feinted defeat in the early skirmish and withdrew into his prepared position, with the entire Zhao army in hot pursuit. Since the Han forces had no place to go, they fought ferociously and with the help of their fortifications, they were able to hold out.
Since the Zhao attack on the bridgehead was indecisive, naturally the Zhao commanders tried to regroup for further action. However, as the Zhao army was being ordered to withdraw temporarily, everyone saw that their camp was bristling with the red battle flag of Han, which created the impression that they had been ambushed from the rear. many Zhao soldiers panicked and their officers was unable to restore order. At this point Han Xin attacked with everything he had, and the Zhao army disintegrated. As the remnants of the Zhao army fled and was chased, Prince Chen Yu was eventually caught on the Zhi River (泜水) and was killed in action; and Prince Zhao Xie was captured.
At the feast after the battle, Han Xin's officers, still somewhat incredulous at their own good fortune, inquired into the rationale for the astounding deployments. Han Xin explained that as he was commanding a ragtag army and he was not a general of high renown, he had to resort to such drastic measures to force everyone to fight hard. This led to the saying "You achieve survival by fighting from a position of certain death (置之死地而後生)".
The battle at Jingjing Pass was one of several that established Han Xin as the greatest military commander in Chinese history and eventually decided the Chu-Han contention in favor of Liu Bang.
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