The Strategic Collapse of Chu

In the final years of the Warring States period, the Qin dynasty’s ambition to unify China faced its greatest challenge: the formidable state of Chu. Under the command of the legendary general Wang Jian, Qin’s forces executed a meticulously planned campaign that would ultimately lead to Chu’s downfall.

The turning point came when Wang Jian dispatched his subordinate Meng Wu to attack Pengcheng, forcing the Chu general Xiang Yan into a desperate dilemma. Recognizing the threat of encirclement, Xiang Yan sought to move east to defend Pengcheng—a logical move, but one that fatally ignored the political fractures within Chu’s leadership.

Xiong Qi, a key Chu nobleman, refused to support the eastern retreat. His power base lay in the west, and abandoning it would leave his territory vulnerable to Qin’s advance. Despite Xiang Yan’s pleas for unity, Xiong Qi insisted on dividing their forces, a decision that played directly into Wang Jian’s hands. Watching from a vantage point, Wang Jian observed the disarray with satisfaction.

As Xiang Yan’s army began its retreat, Qin forces—long frustrated by Chu’s taunts—unleashed a ferocious assault. The disciplined Qin troops shattered Chu’s formations, and Xiang Yan, once a symbol of Chu’s resistance, fell in the chaos.

The Siege of Shouchun and Chu’s Last Stand

With Xiang Yan’s army destroyed, Wang Jian turned his attention to Shouchun, Chu’s capital. The city’s defense was led by King Fuchu of Chu, who rallied civilians in a desperate last stand. The battle was brutal, with untrained citizens fighting alongside soldiers. When the walls finally fell, Meng Wu, enraged by the heavy Qin casualties, ordered a massacre.

Even in defeat, Chu’s spirit endured. The famous cry—”Even if only three households remain in Chu, they will one day destroy Qin!”—echoed through the bloodied streets. Xiong Qi, declaring himself the new king, continued resistance from Guangling until his death.

Wang Jian later remarked to Qin Shi Huang: “This is why I needed 600,000 men to conquer Chu—their will to resist was unbreakable.”

The Political Aftermath: Wang Jian’s Retirement

Returning victorious, Wang Jian faced an unexpected crisis. During a celebratory banquet, he drunkenly offered to return the lands and wealth Qin Shi Huang had granted him—a gesture meant to display loyalty but one that instead exposed his political acumen. The emperor, valuing unpredictability, was displeased. Recognizing his misstep, Wang Jian promptly requested retirement, citing age and exhaustion.

Their final exchange revealed the delicate balance of power. When asked to recommend a general to conquer Qi, Wang Jian named his son Wang Ben without hesitation. Qin Shi Huang, amused by his candor, approved.

The Surrender of Qi: A Kingdom Without a Fight

Qi, once a dominant power, had grown complacent under King Jian. For decades, bribed by Qin, Qi ignored the fall of neighboring states. When Qin finally turned its gaze east, Qi’s defenses were nonexistent.

Wang Ben’s strategy was simple: feint an attack from the west while striking from the north. Qi’s armies, untested for generations, surrendered en masse. King Jian, captured without a battle, died in exile—a pitiful end for a ruler who had traded sovereignty for false peace.

Legacy of the Unification

The conquests of Chu and Qi completed Qin’s unification of China in 221 BCE. Yet the methods—brutal suppression and political manipulation—planted seeds of rebellion. Within decades, Chu’s vengeful heir, Xiang Yu, would help topple Qin, fulfilling the prophecy spoken in Shouchun’s ruins.

Wang Jian’s campaigns demonstrated the interplay of military strategy and political insight, while Qi’s collapse served as a cautionary tale of appeasement. Together, they shaped an empire whose centralized model would endure for millennia.