The Strategic Context of Qin’s Unification Wars
By 225 BCE, the Qin state under King Zheng (later First Emperor) had systematically conquered five of the six major warring states – Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu – leaving only Qi and the remnants of Yan and Dai resisting Qin’s unification campaign. The strategic situation presented both opportunity and challenge for Qin’s military leadership.
Wang Ben, son of the legendary general Wang Jian, found himself commanding the northern theater based in Ji City (modern Beijing area). His mission: eliminate the last vestiges of Yan and Dai resistance that had fled to the Liaodong peninsula and Dai territory respectively. These exiled regimes, though weakened, represented potential rallying points for anti-Qin resistance and could destabilize the newly conquered northern territories.
The military challenge was substantial. Yan’s King Xi had established a government-in-exile at Xiangping (modern Liaoyang), while Zhao’s royal survivor Zhao Jia ruled as “King of Dai” from the old Zhao borderlands. Both regimes maintained military forces and entertained hopes of restoring their kingdoms, possibly with support from nomadic Xiongnu confederations to the north.
Wang Ben’s Revolutionary Military Reforms
Facing the unique challenges of expeditionary warfare across vast distances, Wang Ben implemented bold reforms to the traditionally heavy Qin army:
Light Cavalry Transformation:
– Reduced armor to leather only
– Standardized weapons to swords and bows/crossbows
– Eliminated heavy siege equipment
– Each cavalryman allotted two horses
– Carried only three days’ rations
Logistical Innovation:
– Equal division of forces: 50,000 combat troops and 50,000 support personnel
– Established six waystations at 300-li intervals along the route
– Each station garrisoned by 3,000 troops with supply trains
– Implemented relay transport system to prevent supply line overextension
This revolutionary structure allowed unprecedented mobility while solving the ancient military adage that “grain cannot be transported a thousand li.” Wang Ben’s adaptations actually revived early Qin military traditions before their evolution into the heavy infantry force that had conquered central China.
The Lightning Campaign Against Yan
Upon receiving King Zheng’s authorization in autumn 225 BCE, Wang Ben launched his campaign with characteristic speed and precision:
Reconnaissance and Deception:
– Deployed 4,000 scout cavalry to clear paths and intercept messengers
– Maintained operational secrecy to achieve surprise
– Advanced along coastal routes to mask movement
The Fall of Xiangping:
The Yan court under King Xi had deteriorated into dysfunction:
– Food shortages reduced troops to one meal daily
– Morale collapsed after successive defeats
– Court divided between fleeing to Korea or joining Xiongnu
– King Xi attempted last-minute mobilization by giving palace women to troops
Wang Ben’s forces surrounded Xiangping before resistance could organize. The demoralized Yan army surrendered almost immediately, with King Xi captured without battle. The campaign concluded in just three days – an astonishing feat given the distances involved.
The Dai Campaign: A Different Kind of War
The Dai resistance under King Zhao Jia presented a stark contrast to Yan’s collapse:
Dai’s Desperate Preparations:
– Six years of exile government had exhausted resources
– Population dwindled as refugees returned to Qin-administered areas
– Court factionalism between pro-Xiongnu and nationalist factions
– Zhao Jia’s dramatic personal transformation from vigorous prince to aged ruler
The Final Battle:
Wang Ben offered remarkably generous terms – equal numbers (60,000 Qin vs 60,000 Dai troops), no ambushes, no crossbows. The Dai response was apocalyptic:
– Population-wide mobilization including women and children
– Blood-written names on city walls as testament
– Ritual destruction of Dai city before battle
– Zhao Jia led personally in mourning white
The day-long battle proved exceptionally bloody:
– Wang Ben first separated non-combatants
– Qin suffered 30,000 casualties to Dai’s 70,000
– Zhao Jia captured after heroic resistance
– Surviving civilians largely committed suicide
Cultural and Strategic Implications
Military Evolution:
Wang Ben’s campaign demonstrated Qin’s adaptability:
– Revival of mobile warfare traditions
– Sophisticated logistics management
– Balanced force composition
Political Aftermath:
– King Xi of Yan sent to Ji City for detention
– Zhao Jia granted relatively honorable terms
– Northern frontier secured before Qi campaign
– Demonstrated Qin’s capacity for measured treatment of defeated foes
Historical Legacy:
– Final elimination of Zhao/Yan resistance
– Secured northeastern frontier
– Enabled focus on last independent state Qi
– Established model for expeditionary warfare
– Demonstrated Qin’s combination of military might and political pragmatism
Wang Ben’s northern campaigns, though less celebrated than his father’s conquests, were masterpieces of operational art that completed Qin’s control of northern China. The simultaneous demonstration of overwhelming force and political restraint would characterize the Qin approach as it turned toward the final conquest of Qi and the completion of China’s first imperial unification.
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