The Jin-Song Conflict and the Road to Shunchang
The early 12th century witnessed one of East Asia’s most consequential conflicts: the wars between the Jin Dynasty and the Southern Song. The Jin, a powerful Jurchen-led empire, had already toppled the Northern Song in 1127, forcing the Song court to retreat south and establish a new capital in Lin’an (modern Hangzhou). By 1140, a fragile peace existed under the Treaty of Shaoxing, but tensions simmered. The Jin, emboldened by their earlier victories, saw an opportunity to crush the Southern Song once and for all.
In May 1140, the Jin broke the treaty, launching a four-pronged invasion. Their most formidable force, led by the fearsome general Wanyan Zongbi (better known as Wuzhu), marched toward the Southern Song’s eastern capital with over 100,000 troops. Many former officials of the defunct puppet state of Qi, now serving under the Song, quickly surrendered their cities. Amid this chaos, one man stood ready to defy the odds: Liu Qi, the newly appointed deputy military commissioner of the eastern capital.
Liu Qi’s Stand at Shunchang
Liu Qi, commanding the veteran “Eight Character Army” (a force originally organized by the Song general Wang Yan), was en route to his post when news arrived of the Jin betrayal. Realizing the urgency, he diverted to Shunchang, a strategic city along the Jin advance. With the support of the local prefect Chen Gui, Liu Qi made a fateful decision: he would defend Shunchang to the last.
To demonstrate his resolve, Liu Qi ordered his troops to scuttle their boats, cutting off any possibility of retreat. This act galvanized his soldiers and the local populace. Even women joined the effort, sharpening weapons and preparing for battle. By late May, the Jin vanguard of 30,000 troops arrived, encircling the city.
Liu Qi employed psychological warfare. He commanded the city gates to be thrown open, unnerving the Jin commanders, who suspected a trap. Song archers then unleashed volleys of arrows, followed by infantry charges that forced the Jin to retreat. That night, under cover of a storm, Liu Qi sent a daring raid of 500 elite troops led by the warrior Yan Chong. The surprise attack drove the Jin back another 15 li (about 7.5 kilometers).
The Decisive Clash: Breaking the “Iron Pagodas”
By June, Wuzhu arrived with the main Jin army, numbering over 100,000. Confident in his elite cavalry—the dreaded “Iron Pagodas,” 4,000 heavily armored shock troops—he launched a furious assault on Shunchang’s eastern and western gates.
Liu Qi’s strategy was masterful. His troops, well-rested and prepared, rotated shifts to maintain fresh defenses. The Jin, exhausted from forced marches, suffered under the summer heat. Unbeknownst to them, Liu Qi had poisoned the upstream waters of the Ying River and scattered tainted fodder in the grasslands. As Jin soldiers and horses consumed the contaminated supplies, they grew weak and disoriented.
Seizing the moment, Liu Qi ordered a full counterattack. His forces smashed into the Jin center, routing Wuzhu’s army. The Iron Pagodas, once unstoppable, were decimated. The Jin retreat turned into a full-scale collapse, marking one of the most stunning upsets of the Jin-Song wars.
Cultural and Social Impact of the Victory
The Battle of Shunchang was more than a military triumph; it became a symbol of resilience. Liu Qi’s leadership—embodied by his destruction of the boats—entered Chinese folklore as an example of unwavering determination. The participation of civilians, including women, highlighted the collective defiance against Jin aggression.
Politically, the victory bolstered the Southern Song’s legitimacy. It proved that the Jin were not invincible, strengthening the court’s resolve to resist further concessions. The battle also showcased the effectiveness of adaptive tactics against traditional nomadic cavalry dominance, influencing later military thought.
Legacy and Modern Reflections
Shunchang remains a celebrated episode in Chinese military history. Modern historians often compare Liu Qi’s tactics to those of other legendary defenders, such as the Spartan stand at Thermopylae. The battle’s lessons—preparation, psychological warfare, and leveraging terrain—are still studied in military academies.
Culturally, Liu Qi’s story resonates as a testament to courage against overwhelming odds. In contemporary China, Shunchang is invoked in discussions of national resilience, particularly in contexts of external pressure or conflict.
The Jin-Song wars would continue for decades, but Shunchang marked a turning point. It delayed the Jin advance, allowing the Southern Song to consolidate its defenses and negotiate from a position of strength. For a brief moment in 1140, a determined general and his outnumbered forces changed the course of history.