The classic episode in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms "Guan Yu Flooded Seventh Army" has long been a household name. This battle not only demonstrated Guan Yu's military talents, but also became an important turning point in the changes in the situation during the Three Kingdoms period. However, when we delve into the details of this battle, one question remains open: how many men and horses did Yu Ban's Seventh Army have?
Accounts of the size of armies in ancient texts are often vague and sometimes contradictory. During the Zhou Dynasty, there were more than 10,000 people in an army. But by the time of the Three Kingdoms, how had the military formation changed? Is Guan Yu flooded with a large army, or an elite but limited force?
To solve this puzzle, we need to delve into the military system and population conditions of the Three Kingdoms period, as well as the war environment at that time. By comparing different historical materials and analyzing the background of the war, we may be able to restore the scale of the "Seventh Army" that is closer to the historical truth. So, let's follow in the footsteps of history and unravel this long-sealed mystery together. What factors influenced the size of the army during the Three Kingdoms period? What kind of force will Yu Ban's Seventh Army be?
The military establishment of the Three Kingdoms period
Before discussing the specific number of Guan Yu's flooded Seventh Army, we first need to understand the military establishment of the Three Kingdoms period. The military establishment of this period underwent great changes compared to the Zhou dynasty, and these changes reflected not only the progress of military technology, but also the transformation of the social structure.
First, let's review the military establishment of the Zhou dynasty. According to the records of the Zhou Li, Xia Guan, and Preface Officials, the size of an army during the Zhou Dynasty was 12,500 men. The Son of Heaven had six armies, which meant that Zhou Tianzi had an army of nearly 80,000 men. The large vassal states have three armies, the medium vassal states have two armies, and the small states have only one. This method of preparation was reasonable under the social structure of the time, because the Zhou Dynasty practiced a feudal system, and each vassal state needed to maintain a relatively independent military force.
However, by the time of the Three Kingdoms period, the formation of the army had undergone a radical change. During this period, the size of the army was generally reduced, and the number of troops in the first army was greatly reduced. The main reasons for this change are as follows:
First, the prolonged war has led to a sharp decline in the population. The Yellow Turban Rebellion in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and the warlord melee that followed caused a large number of population losses. According to historical records, the population of the late Eastern Han Dynasty may have been only about one-third of that of the Western Han Dynasty. Under these circumstances, it was no longer possible to maintain the large size of the army during the Zhou dynasty.
Second, changes in the form of warfare require more flexible military formations. During the Three Kingdoms period, most of the wars were small-scale rapid mobile operations, and large-scale field battles were rare. This requires more flexibility in the establishment of the armed forces and the ability to move and deploy quickly. Small-sized army units are better suited to this style of warfare.
Thirdly, advances in military technology have greatly increased the combat effectiveness of small-scale elite units. During the Three Kingdoms period, the widespread use of cavalry and crossbowmen greatly increased the mobility and lethality of the army. A well-trained elite squad is often able to exert combat effectiveness beyond its numbers.
Based on these factors, the military establishment of the Three Kingdoms period underwent significant changes. According to the records of "Shuowen Jie Zi", the size of the first army at that time was reduced to about 4,000 people. Although this figure is much smaller than that of the Zhou Dynasty, it is more in line with the social reality and military needs of the time.
Under this new establishment, the basic units of the army have also changed. Five people are a team, and there is a captain; Two armies are one fire, and the fire is long; Five fires are a team with a captain. This organization makes the command of the army more flexible and more conducive to small-scale operations.
It is worth noting that although the standard number of an army is four thousand, in real combat the size of the army is often adjusted as needed. Some important military operations may involve the strength of multiple "armies", while some small-scale operations may involve only part of the forces of a "corps".
Overall, the military establishment of the Three Kingdoms period changed significantly from the previous dynasties. This change is not only the result of social changes, but also reflects the progress of military thinking. Understanding this is crucial for us to correctly understand the actual scale of Guan Yu's flooded Seventh Army. In the next section, we will further explore the historical background of the Battle of Xiangfan in order to understand more fully the issue of army size in this famous battle.
The historical background of Guan Yu's flooding of the Seventh Army
To understand the significance of Guan Yu's flooding of the Seventh Army, we must first explore its historical background—the Battle of Xiangfan. This battle was not only an important turning point in the Three Kingdoms period, but also a key battle that affected the entire pattern of the era.
The Battle of Xiangfan took place in 219 AD, when the situation of the Three Kingdoms had already taken shape. Cao Cao controlled most of the north, Liu Bei occupied Yizhou in the southwest, and Sun Quan took control of Jiangdong. In this situation, Jingzhou has become the focus of the tripartite power competition. Jingzhou is not only geographically important, but also has abundant human and material resources, and whoever can control Jingzhou will have an advantage in the struggle for hegemony in the Three Kingdoms.
At this time, Jingzhou was controlled by Liu Bei's forces, and Guan Yu was entrusted with the important task of guarding Jingzhou. Guan Yu was well aware of the strategic importance of Jingzhou, and he decided to adopt a proactive strategy in order to consolidate Liu Bei's rule in Jingzhou. His targets were Xiangyang and Fancheng, two important strongholds of Cao Cao in the south. If these two cities can be captured, it will not only weaken Cao Cao's power, but also create favorable conditions for Liu Bei's further northern expedition.
Cao Cao's attack on Guan Yu had long been expected. As an experienced commander, Cao Cao was well aware of the importance of Jingzhou. He sent his right-hand man to lead his army south to block Guan Yu's attack. Yu Ban was a trusted general in Cao Cao's army, and he made many feats on the battlefield. This time he went south, and Cao Cao gave him the strength of the Seventh Army, which shows how much Cao Cao attached importance to this campaign.
However, even Cao Cao could not have predicted that the forces of nature would affect the tide of battle so dramatically. It was autumn, and the water level of the Han River rose sharply due to heavy rains for several days. Guan Yu keenly seized this opportunity, and he used the flood to flood Yu Ban's camp, leaving Cao Jun in a dilemma.
This battle of flooding the Seventh Army not only demonstrated Guan Yu's military talent, but also demonstrated his superb ability to make good use of the terrain and time. In the era of the Three Kingdoms, it is not enough to rely on bravery, but also to have extraordinary wisdom and insight. Guan Yu showed exactly these qualities in this campaign.
It is worth noting that although the phrase "flooded the Seventh Army" is widely circulated, in fact it may be an exaggeration of the scale of the campaign by later generations. As we discussed in the previous section, the size of the "One Army" during the Three Kingdoms period was already much smaller than that during the Zhou Dynasty. Therefore, the actual number of the "Seventh Army" may be much lower than we think.
However, regardless of the actual scale, the strategic significance of this campaign is unquestionable. It not only greatly weakened Cao Cao's military power in the south, but also greatly increased Guan Yu's prestige. Guan Yu's outstanding performance in this battle made his reputation spread far and wide, and he was even deified by later generations.
For Cao Cao, the Battle of Xiangfan was a serious setback. Although his overall strength was still strong, the loss of two important strongholds, Xiangyang and Fancheng, put him at a disadvantage in the battle for hegemony with Liu Bei. The defeat also exposed the inadequacies of Cao Cao's army in dealing with difficult terrain and bad weather.
However, the development of history is often full of dramatic turns. Just when Guan Yu won this major victory and seemed to be about to go north in one fell swoop, an unexpected change occurred. Sun Quan, an ally who had always maintained an alliance with Liu Bei, suddenly launched an attack on Jingzhou.
This change not only changed the outcome of the Battle of Xiangfan, but also completely changed the pattern of the Three Kingdoms. Guan Yu had to give up his hard-won victory and hurriedly returned south. However, it was too late, and he not only lost Jingzhou, but also ended up taking his own life.
The Battle of Xiangfan, especially the flooding of the Seventh Army, fully reflects the complexity of warfare during the Three Kingdoms period. In this era of division of powers, military strength, geographical location, favorable time and place, and even personal charm are all important factors that affect the war situation. To fully understand the campaign, we also need to further analyze the military, political, and social environment of the time.
Analyze the specific number of people in the "Seventh Army".
After discussing the military establishment of the Three Kingdoms period and the historical background of the Battle of Xiangfan, we finally come to the core question of this article: how many people did Guan Yu flood the "Seventh Army"? This may seem like a simple question, but in fact it involves a number of complex historical and military issues. To answer this question, we need to carefully analyze a variety of historical sources and make reasonable speculations based on the actual situation at the time.
First of all, let's look at the record in the "Huayang National Chronicles". This work was written in the Jin Dynasty, and although it is relatively recent to the Three Kingdoms period, the records in it still need to be treated with caution. "Huayang National Chronicles" mentions: "Yu Ban and other seven armies, about 30,000 people. This number seems to give a clear answer, but we need to further analyze its reliability.
Is the figure of "30,000" reasonable? Let's review the military establishment of the Three Kingdoms period mentioned earlier. The standard number of people in an "army" at that time was about four thousand people. If this standard is strictly followed, the Seventh Army should be 28,000 men, which is basically consistent with the record in the "Huayang National Chronicles". However, the reality can be more complex.
We need to take into account that in real combat, the size of the army tends to be adjusted as needed. Especially in an important battle like Xiangfan, Cao Cao is likely to send more troops. Thus, the actual number of the "Seventh Army" may exceed the standard establishment.
On the other hand, we cannot ignore the impact of a long war on the actual size of the army. The continuous wars of the Three Kingdoms period resulted in large population losses, and many armies may have been in a state of discontent. Therefore, the actual number of the "Seventh Army" may also be lower than the standard establishment.
In addition to "Huayang National Chronicles", we can also look for evidence from other historical materials. For example, the "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Shu Shu, and the Biography of Guan Yu" mentions that Guan Yu "was beheaded by the ban, and the birds were all there", but did not specifically mention the number of prisoners. This vague account may hint at the uncertainty of the size of the army at the time.
For another example, the "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Wei Shu, and Yu Ban Biography" records the process of Yu Ban's capture, but also does not provide specific figures. This was not uncommon in ancient historical sources, as accurate numerical statistics were not common at the time, especially in the chaotic environment of warfare.
Taking these factors into account, although the statement of "30,000 men in the Seventh Army" cannot be fully confirmed, it cannot be easily denied. This figure may have been a rough estimate of the size of the forbidden army at the time.
However, there is one important factor that we also need to consider: the extent of the flooding. Guan Yu used the Han River to flood the Cao army's camp, but the scope of the flood could not cover all the Cao army. Some troops stationed on high ground or far from water sources may have survived. Therefore, the actual number of flooded troops may be less than the total number of the "Seven Army".
In addition, the term "Seventh Army" itself may contain a certain element of exaggeration. In ancient China, "seven" was often used as an imaginary number for "many". For example, "seven captures and seven verticals", "seven up and eight down", etc. Thus, the term "Seventh Army" may be a description of the large number of armies, rather than an exact number.
Based on the above analysis, we can draw a relatively reasonable speculation: Guan Yu's flooded Cao army may be between 20,000 and 30,000 people. Although this figure is not as large as the army of a vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty, it is already a considerable force in the Three Kingdoms, an era of sharp population decline and frequent wars.
It should be emphasized that regardless of the specific number of people, the strategic significance of Guan Yu's flooding of the Seventh Army is enormous. This victory not only weakened Cao Cao's military power in the south, but also greatly enhanced the status of Guan Yu and Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms struggle for hegemony. However, as history has often shown, a major victory often sows the seeds of future defeats. Guan Yu's success in this battle may have led him to be overconfident in his follow-up actions, and he was eventually defeated by Lu Xun of Wu in the Battle of Yiling.
Tactical analysis of the flooded Seventh Army
The battle of Guan Yu's flooding of the Seventh Army was not only an important military event during the Three Kingdoms period, but also a classic case of using natural conditions to win in Chinese military history. To fully understand the tactical significance of this battle, we need to analyze it from multiple angles, including terrain utilization, timing and troop deployment.
First, let's focus on the terrain factor. The main battlefield of the Battle of Xiangfan was located in the Hanshui Basin, which is a typical Jianghuai Plain region. As an important tributary of the Yangtze River, the Han River has abundant water all year round, especially in the rainy autumn season, which is prone to flooding. Guan Yu obviously has a deep understanding of this geographical feature. He chose to confront Cao's army along the Han River in order to make full use of this geographical advantage.
Secondly, Guan Yu's grasp of the time is also the key to the success of this campaign. According to the "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms", at that time, "autumn, heavy rain, Han water overflowing". Guan Yu seized this rare opportunity and decisively decided to carry out a water attack. He ordered his subordinates to build a dam upstream, store the floodwater, and then burst the embankment at the right time to release the water, flooding the Cao army camp in one fell swoop. This way of using the forces of nature to fight not only reduced one's own casualties, but also greatly increased the scale of the results.
In terms of troop deployment, Guan Yu's strategy is also worthy of in-depth analysis. Although the specific deployment of Guan Yu's army is not recorded in detail in the history books, we can make reasonable speculations based on the results of the battle. It is likely that Guan Yu had already sent elite troops to occupy the high ground around the battlefield before the embankment burst to release the water. In this way, when the flood waters receded, these troops could quickly surround the trapped Cao army and maximize the gains of the battle.
It is worth noting that flooding the Seventh Army was not simply flooding the enemy. Guan Yu also needs to consider many complex factors when implementing this tactic. For example, how to control the amount of water in such a way that it is sufficient to flood the enemy camp without endangering one's own position; How to grasp the timing of the release, not only to surprise but also to ensure that you have enough time to prepare; How to quickly follow up after the water recedes to prevent the enemy from escaping or regrouping. All of these require a high degree of military literacy and the ability to make decisions on the spot.
Guan Yu's tactics also reflected his accurate judgment of the enemy's situation. Cao Cao sent Yu Ban to lead his army south, apparently to stabilize the defensive line rather than to launch an attack. This means that Cao's army may well have adopted a strategy of holding their positions. In this case, a large-scale water attack becomes an extremely effective option. Flooding can not only disintegrate the enemy's fortifications, but also cause a large amount of baggage losses, greatly weakening the enemy's combat effectiveness.
However, the tactic of flooding the Seventh Army also has certain risks and limitations. First of all, it is highly dependent on specific geographical conditions and weather conditions, making it difficult to replicate in other theaters. Second, a large-scale water attack may also have a serious impact on local people's livelihood and agricultural production, which may affect the supply of the army and the support of the people to a certain extent. Moreover, if the enemy knows the plan of the water attack in advance and has sufficient time to prepare, then the effectiveness of this tactic will be greatly reduced.
From a more macro point of view, the battle of flooding the Seventh Army reflects an important feature of military tactics during the Three Kingdoms period: flexibility and variability, and the ability to take advantage of various conditions to win. In this era of division and frequent wars, it is difficult to achieve a decisive victory by relying solely on the superiority of troops. How to make full use of various factors such as terrain and weather, and how to formulate and execute tactics unexpectedly, has become the key to determining victory or defeat.
The success of the flooded Seventh Army not only reflected Guan Yu's personal military talent, but also reflected the overall tactical level of the Shu Han army. The reason why this campaign was successfully implemented was that in addition to Guan Yu's command, it was also inseparable from the cooperation of the officers and men of the Shu army. From building dikes to breaking dikes to release water, from occupying favorable terrain to encircling and suppressing trapped enemy forces, every link requires a high degree of organization and discipline. This also reflects from the side that after Liu Bei's years of operation, the Shu Han army has developed into a well-trained and capable force.
The Historical Impact of the Flooded Seventh Army
The battle of Guan Yu's flooding of the Seventh Army was not only an important military event during the Three Kingdoms period, but also had a far-reaching impact on the entire Chinese history. The impact of this battle can be analyzed from multiple levels, such as military, political, cultural, etc.
From a military point of view, the success of the Flooded Seventh Army provided a model for future generations to use natural conditions to win. After this battle, water attack as an important military tactic was valued and studied by more military strategists. In the subsequent history of China, we can see many similar examples. For example, during the Northern Song Dynasty, when Yang Ye fought against the Khitan army at Yanmen Pass, he used flash floods to impact the enemy army and achieved a major victory. During the Ming Dynasty, Qi Jiguang also used tidal changes many times to annihilate the Japanese in the War of Resistance against the Japanese. These examples can be seen as the continuation and development of the tactical thinking of flooding the Seventh Army.
At the political level, the victory of the Flooded Seventh Army greatly enhanced the status of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms struggle for hegemony. This victory not only weakened Cao Wei's military power in Jingzhou, but also created favorable conditions for Liu Bei's group to control Jingzhou. However, the development of history is often full of drama. It was this brilliant victory that may have led Guan Yu to make a rash advance in the follow-up. As he continued to attack Fancheng north, he ignored the possible threat of Eastern Wu, which eventually led to the fall of Jingzhou and his own destruction. This series of events had a profound impact on the political landscape of Shu Han, and it can even be said to have accelerated an important turning point in Shu Han's decline.
At the cultural level, the story of the flooded Seventh Army greatly enriched Guan Yu's image and became an important material for later literary creation. In "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Luo Guanzhong gave a vivid description of this battle and shaped Guan Yu into a heroic image of wisdom and bravery. This description was further developed in later folk art forms such as opera and storytelling, which greatly enhanced Guan Yu's influence among the people. It can even be said that the story of the flooded Seventh Army has, to a certain extent, promoted Guan Yu's transformation from a historical figure to a deified idol.
It is worth noting that the impact of the flooded Seventh Army is not limited to China. As Chinese culture spread to the outside world, the story also had an impact on other countries in East Asia. For example, in Japanese military writings, there are studies and commentaries on this campaign. The flooded Seventh Army is regarded as a unique Eastern military wisdom and has become a typical case in contrast to Western military theory.
However, the historical impact of flooding the Seventh Army also has its negative side. To a certain extent, the success of this campaign strengthened the military thinking of "winning by skill", and may have influenced the development of the frontal combat capability of the Chinese army in later generations to a certain extent. Some military strategists may be overly conspiracy and neglect basic military training and equipment updates. This tendency may have adversely affected the overall improvement of China's military power in some historical periods.
In addition, the story of the flooding of the Seventh Army also had a certain impact on the development of water conservancy projects in China. This battle fully demonstrated the military importance of water conservancy projects, and prompted later rulers to pay more attention to water conservancy construction. For example, in the Tang Dynasty, in order to defend against the invasion of Tibet, the imperial court built a large number of water conservancy projects in the northwest region, both for agricultural irrigation and for defense in wartime. This kind of thinking of "resisting the enemy with water" can be said to be a continuation and development of the example of flooding the Seventh Army.
At the legal level, the story of the flooded Seventh Army has also sparked some interesting discussions. For example, in some legal works of the Ming and Qing dynasties, some scholars discussed whether water attacks violated the ancient war ethics of "not attacking cities with fire and water". Although these discussions did not reach a unanimous conclusion, they reflected the ancient Chinese thinking on the ethics of war, and also reflected the far-reaching impact of the flooding of the Seventh Army in the history of Chinese thought.
In general, the flooding of the Seventh Army as a historical event has had an impact far beyond the military field and penetrated into all aspects of Chinese history and culture. It is not only a successful military operation, but also a microcosm of China's military ideology, political development, and cultural inheritance. By studying this battle and its effects, we can gain a deeper understanding of the history of the Three Kingdoms period, as well as a better grasp of some of the developments in Chinese history.