The Rise of the Cannibal Armies

The late Tang Dynasty (618–907) was a period of chaos, rebellion, and unthinkable brutality. Among the most infamous figures of this era were Huang Chao and his successors—Qin Zongquan and Sun Ru—who led roving armies that turned entire regions into wastelands. These forces, often called “cannibal armies” due to their horrific practices, thrived on terror, enslaving or consuming those they conquered.

Huang Chao’s rebellion (875–884) had already devastated much of northern and central China before his defeat at the hands of Li Keyong, a Shatuo Turk warlord. But Huang Chao’s legacy lived on through his lieutenants. Qin Zongquan, one of his successors, continued the campaign of destruction, turning Henan into a depopulated ruin. By 887, Qin set his sights on Bianzhou (modern Kaifeng), the stronghold of Zhu Wen, a former rebel turned warlord who would later found the Later Liang Dynasty.

Zhu Wen’s Desperate Gambit

Zhu Wen, then the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit, faced an existential threat. Qin Zongquan’s forces vastly outnumbered his own, and the surrounding regions had been stripped of resources. To survive, Zhu needed reinforcements—fast.

He turned to his most trusted general, Zhu Zhen, sending him on a near-impossible mission: recruit soldiers from the relatively untouched eastern regions, despite the hostility of local warlords. Zhu Zhen’s daring expedition—a mix of recruitment and outright plunder—succeeded beyond expectations. He returned with thousands of fresh troops and horses, just in time for the coming battle.

The Battle of Bianzhou: A Turning Point

In the spring of 887, Qin Zongquan’s forces surrounded Bianzhou, cutting off supply lines and preparing for a final assault. But Zhu Wen, emboldened by Zhu Zhen’s reinforcements, launched a surprise attack.

The battle was brutal. Zhu’s forces, hardened by years of fighting, exploited Qin’s overconfidence. They broke through enemy lines, annihilating key divisions and forcing Qin into retreat. By May, Zhu Wen’s coalition—bolstered by allies from Yanzhou and Yicheng—delivered a crushing blow at the Battle of Bianxiao Village. Qin’s army was shattered, and he fled south, marking the beginning of the end for his reign of terror.

The Aftermath: A Fractured Empire

Qin Zongquan’s defeat did not bring peace. His subordinate, Sun Ru, broke away, carving out his own domain in Huainan. Meanwhile, Zhu Wen’s ambitions grew. He betrayed former allies, including Zhu Xuan and Zhu Jin, sparking new conflicts.

By 888, Zhu Wen had secured key territories, including Luoyang, thanks to defections from Qin’s former officers. His consolidation of Henan laid the groundwork for his eventual usurpation of the Tang throne in 907, founding the Later Liang Dynasty—the first of the Five Dynasties.

Legacy of the Cannibal Armies

The cannibal armies left a scar on Chinese history. Their tactics—mass enslavement, forced marches, and systematic destruction—emptied entire regions. Yet, paradoxically, their downfall empowered the warlords who would reshape China.

Zhu Wen’s victory at Bianzhou was more than a military triumph; it was the moment when the last remnants of the Huang Chao rebellion were finally extinguished. The survivors—Sun Ru’s forces in the south and the scattered bands in Hunan—were absorbed by new powers, ending two decades of unparalleled devastation.

Modern Relevance: The Cost of Chaos

The late Tang collapse offers a grim lesson in the consequences of state failure. When central authority dissolves, warlords and marauders fill the void, leaving societies broken for generations. Zhu Wen’s rise—and the brutal methods that sustained it—reflects the desperate measures needed to restore order in such times.

Today, the battles of Bianzhou and the cannibal armies remain a dark chapter in China’s history, a reminder of how quickly civilization can unravel—and how hard it is to rebuild.