About the Battle of Red Cliffs
The Battle of Red Cliffs was fought in 208 (Winter, 13th year of Jian'an (Later Han)) at Red Cliffs on the Yangtze, Jing Province. A south-east wind blows across the winter Yangtze, and Huang Gai's fire ships burn the chained armada. The night of fire that decided the division of China into three kingdoms.
- Year
- 208 (Winter, 13th year of Jian'an (Later Han))
- Place
- Red Cliffs on the Yangtze, Jing Province
- Era
- Late Han (Three Kingdoms)
How the battle unfolded
- Host A Host Said to Be a Million
Winter, the 13th year of Jian'an under the Later Han. Having subdued Jing Province, Cao Cao's great army fills Wulin on the north bank of the Yangtze. It is proclaimed a million strong; in truth some 200,000. Against it the allied army of Sun Quan and Liu Bei numbers a mere 50,000.
- Chains The Chained Ships
The northern soldiers suffer from seasickness. Cao Cao chains his warships together and lays planks between them to kill the rolling: the stratagem of the linked chain. The fleet becomes as stable as dry land. But chained ships cannot scatter.
- Ruse The Ruse of Self-Injury
A secret letter arrives from the old Wu general Huang Gai: "Wu cannot win; I wish to surrender." The Romance tells of Huang Gai's feigned defection after being beaten with a staff on Zhou Yu's order. On the appointed night twenty ships head for the north bank, loaded with oil and dry straw.
- Wind The South-East Wind
A south-east wind, impossible on the winter Yangtze, begins to blow. The Romance credits Zhuge Liang's sorcery at the Seven-Star Altar; history calls it a fickle winter wind. Either way, the wind pushed the fire ships onward.
- Fire Fire Devours the Chain
"Now! Light the fires!" Huang Gai's ships burst into flame all at once and drive into Cao Cao's fleet on the wind. The chained ships have nowhere to flee, and the fire runs from vessel to vessel. The winter Yangtze becomes as bright as day.
- Blaze Wulin in Flames
The fire spreads to the camps on the shore, and the allied army goes over to the pursuit all together. Zhou Yu's main force pushes across the Yangtze, and Cao Cao's army flees through the smoke.
- Huarong The Huarong Road
Cao Cao leads the survivors north along the muddy Huarong Road. The dream of unifying the empire dies this night, and the age of the Three Kingdoms, Wei, Wu and Shu, begins.
Generals and units
- Cao Cao's army Cao Cao Commander-in-chief
- Cao Cao's army Cao Cao's Navy (Chained Fleet)
- Cao Cao's army Wen Ping (navy)
- Cao Cao's army Zhang Liao
- Cao Cao's army Chained Fleet (east wing)
- Cao Cao's army Chained Fleet
- Cao Cao's army Chained Fleet (west wing)
- Cao Cao's army Chained Fleet
- Cao Cao's army Yu Jin
- Cao Cao's army Xu Huang
- Sun–Liu allied army Zhou Yu Commander-in-chief
- Sun–Liu allied army Huang Gai (fire ships)
- Sun–Liu allied army Gan Ning
- Sun–Liu allied army Liu Bei
- Sun–Liu allied army Zhuge Liang
- Sun–Liu allied army Cheng Pu
- Sun–Liu allied army Han Dang
- Sun–Liu allied army Guan Yu
FAQ
- What was the Battle of Red Cliffs?
- A south-east wind blows across the winter Yangtze, and Huang Gai's fire ships burn the chained armada. The night of fire that decided the division of China into three kingdoms.
- When and where did the Battle of Red Cliffs take place?
- It took place in 208 at Red Cliffs on the Yangtze, Jing Province (Winter, 13th year of Jian'an (Later Han)).
- Who fought in the Battle of Red Cliffs?
- Cao Cao of the Cao Cao's army, Zhou Yu of the Sun–Liu allied army were among the commanders.
- Can I watch the Battle of Red Cliffs in 3D?
- Yes. This page plays a free three-minute 3D animated overview showing the deployments, the movements of each army and how the battle was decided.