The Gathering Storm: Prelude to Conflict

The year 1592 found Ming China facing threats on multiple frontiers. Just as Li Rusong finished suppressing a rebellion in Ningxia, he received urgent orders from Song Yingchang to shift his command from Shaanxi to Liaodong. Before he could settle into his new post, another crisis demanded his attention—the Japanese invasion of Korea.

This was no ordinary military challenge. The so-called “Liaodong Iron Cavalry” under Li’s command wasn’t a single unified force but rather eight separate contingents led by different commanders. Only some had participated in the Ningxia campaign. Recognizing the gravity of the situation in Korea, Li deliberately delayed his departure to assemble all available forces. His warrior’s intuition told him they would face a formidable enemy.

The elite Liaodong cavalry numbered barely ten thousand men, divided among Li Chengliang’s former subordinates, family retainers, and sons. Li Rusong himself commanded three thousand, while his brothers Li Rumei, Li Ruzhen, and Li Ruwu, along with trusted aides like Zu Chengxun and Zha Dashou, led about a thousand each. As the saying goes, “The essence is in the concentration.”

Assembling the Ming Response

Beyond waiting for these core forces, Li needed to integrate various regional troops mobilized under Song Yingchang’s orders. Starting in August 1592, units from Jizhou, Baoding, Shandong, Zhejiang, Shanxi, and Southern Zhili began converging on Liaodong. By November, the relief army had formed—over forty thousand strong—with Song as strategic commander and Li as field general.

The force organized into three divisions: the center under Deputy Commander Yang Yuan, the left under Li Rubai (Li Rusong’s brother), and the right under Deputy Commander Zhang Shijue. This structure revealed careful political balancing—Li Rubai represented family loyalty, Yang Yuan answered to Song Yingchang, and Zhang Shijue, while nominally under Li, wasn’t part of his inner circle.

Li Rusong’s abrasive personality immediately caused friction. He flouted protocol by wearing casual clothes and sitting beside Song during their first meeting rather than formally greeting him. His arrogance extended to subordinates; even veteran commanders like Zha Dashou received curt treatment. However, one man commanded Li’s respect—Wu Weizhong.

The Arrival of Legendary Warriors

Wu Weizhong, a Zhejiang native and former subordinate of the legendary Qi Jiguang, brought four thousand special infantry—the second-generation “Qi Family Army.” Though Qi himself was gone, his training methods lived on. These troops had spent years honing their skills against Japanese pirates along China’s coast. Now they would face the source of those pirates in Korea.

Accompanying Wu was Luo Shangzhi, nicknamed “Luo the Thousand Catty” for his immense strength. These reinforcements wore distinctive red uniforms and carried an array of weapons, making them highly visible on the battlefield—a deliberate choice signaling their confidence.

Just as preparations finalized, swindler Shen Weijing arrived, claiming he could make the Japanese retreat through negotiation. Li Rusong nearly executed him on the spot before adviser Li Yingshi intervened, suggesting they use Shen as part of a deception plan.

The Road to Pyongyang

On December 26, 1592, Li crossed the Yalu River. Korean King Seonjo personally welcomed the Ming forces, desperate after months of Japanese advances. However, advisor Ryu Seong-ryong remained skeptical, noting the Ming’s numerical inferiority against Konishi Yukinaga’s twenty thousand troops.

Initial engagements revealed cultural misunderstandings. When Japanese envoys arrived under truce flags to discuss rewards, hotheaded officer Li Ning attacked without orders, killing fifteen. Though furious, Li Rusong spared Li Ning after his brother’s tearful plea but issued a stern warning about obedience.

Remarkably, Konishi dismissed the incident as a misunderstanding, sending another envoy, demonstrating his faith in negotiations. This blind trust would prove disastrous.

The Masterful Deception

On January 6, 1593, Li approached Pyongyang to find the gates open and Japanese troops in celebratory dress—a reception party expecting peaceful negotiations. Recognizing this golden opportunity, Li ordered an immediate assault, but most troops hesitated, bewildered by the bizarre scene. Only the Qi Family Army advanced promptly, but as infantry, they couldn’t exploit the chance alone.

This failed attempt yielded valuable intelligence. Li next feigned an attack on Pyongyang’s northern defenses, reinforcing Konishi’s belief that the main assault would come from the west. That night, when Konishi launched probing attacks against the Ming camp, Li Rusong was ready, repelling them easily.

At the final war council, Li revealed his true plan—a masterstroke of misdirection. While appearing to focus on the western gates, he would strike the southern walls with elite troops. He forbade headhunting (the usual practice for claiming rewards) and offered staggering incentives—5,000 taels of silver (equivalent to ~$300,000 today) for the first to scale the walls.

The Battle Unfolds

Konishi, having studied Romance of the Three Kingdoms, prepared for a western assault, stationing his best troops there. He left the eastern gates relatively undefended (following the “leave an escape route” principle) and assigned weaker Korean collaborator troops to the south.

At dawn on January 8, the Ming attack commenced. Wu Weizhong’s forces assaulted the northern heights as a diversion while the main thrust came from the south. Luo Shangzhi’s “thousand catty” strength proved decisive in breaching the defenses. The Japanese, caught completely by surprise, fought desperately but were overwhelmed.

Li’s strategic brilliance shone through—he had attacked where least expected while leaving an apparent escape route to prevent last-ditch resistance. The victory at Pyongyang marked a turning point in the war, demonstrating that Japanese forces could be defeated in open battle.

Legacy and Historical Significance

Beyond the immediate military victory, this campaign had far-reaching consequences. Among Li’s officers was Tong Yangzhen, an obscure deputy commander whose descendants would profoundly influence Chinese history—including marriages into the Qing imperial family that produced the Kangxi and Yongzheng emperors.

The battle also showcased the enduring effectiveness of Qi Jiguang’s military reforms. The Qi Family Army’s performance validated decades of tactical innovation against Japanese pirates. Li Rusong’s combination of psychological warfare, misdirection, and overwhelming force became a model for later commanders.

Perhaps most importantly, Pyongyang demonstrated that Japanese expansion could be checked. While the war would continue for years, this victory restored Korean morale and proved the Ming commitment to its tributary state. The tactical lessons—about cultural misunderstandings, the importance of intelligence, and the value of strategic deception—remain relevant centuries later.