The Desperate Defense of a Dying Kingdom

In the waning years of the Warring States period, the once-mighty state of Qi faced annihilation. The Yan general Yue Yi had led a devastating coalition army that shattered Qi’s defenses, leaving only a few isolated strongholds resisting the invaders. Among these, the city of Jimo stood as the last bastion of Qi’s hope, defended by the merchant-turned-general Tian Dan.

By the time Tian Dan assumed command, Jimo had already endured five brutal battles—one open-field engagement and four sieges. The city’s population, once over 200,000, had been halved. Makeshift tent cities that once crowded its streets were gone, replaced by eerie silence as survivors huddled in bloodstained houses. The garrison, originally tens of thousands strong, had been reduced to 6,000 wounded soldiers. Every able-bodied man under sixty had been conscripted, yet they numbered only 50,000. The remaining civilians—mostly elderly, women, and children—could do little but wait in dread.

The Corpse Problem: A City on the Brink of Collapse

The immediate crisis facing Tian Dan was not another assault, but the aftermath of battle. Tens of thousands of corpses, both defenders and attackers, littered the streets and battlements. Rotting under the autumn sun, they threatened to unleash a plague that could wipe out Jimo’s remaining population.

Tian Dan stood atop the walls, staring at the setting sun, wrestling with impossible choices. Burial was impractical—digging graves for so many would take weeks. Burning the bodies required more firewood than the besieged city could spare. Using their precious reserves of incendiary oil risked catastrophic fires.

Then came unexpected relief. A Yan messenger arrived with an arrow-bound letter from Yue Yi himself:

> “The piled corpses bring pestilence. We withdraw for three days. Bury your dead.”

Seizing this brief truce, Tian Dan mobilized every living soul in Jimo. Soldiers lowered bodies from the walls with pulleys; others dug mass graves beyond the city. For two days and nights, the fields echoed with grief as Qi’s people buried their kin without ceremony—nobles and commoners alike thrown into communal pits.

The Merchant General’s Dilemma

With the crisis averted, Tian Dan finally opened Yue Yi’s accompanying letter—a masterstroke of psychological warfare. The Yan commander praised Tian Dan’s resilience but argued that resistance was futile:

> “The King of Qi brought ruin upon himself. Why sacrifice more lives for a doomed cause? Surrender, and I offer you lordship over Qi’s lands and wealth enough to become the greatest merchant in the world.”

The letter included copies of Yan’s surprisingly lenient occupation policies—evidence that Yue Yi sought reconciliation, not vengeance. For a pragmatic merchant like Tian Dan, the offer was tempting. His loyalty to Qi had never been blind patriotism. He knew the kingdom’s corruption firsthand. Yet months of desperate defense had transformed him. Where he once saw a lost cause, he now glimpsed a path to revival—if only he could hold out long enough.

The Miracle of Chu: Reinforcements from the Sea

Just as Tian Dan contemplated surrender, salvation arrived through an ancient trade route. His old ally Lu Zhonglian appeared mysteriously from a hidden tunnel, accompanied by the Chu statesman Zhuang Xin. They brought astonishing news: three massive Chu supply ships waited offshore at Zhifu Island.

That night, Tian Dan emptied Jimo of every able-bodied man. In absolute silence, 30,000 troops marched northeast. By dawn, they reached the coast and began unloading grain, weapons, and winter clothing from the Chu vessels. When the convoy returned before sunrise, Jimo’s warehouses overflowed with supplies.

The psychological impact was immediate. Soldiers donned new armor; civilians wrapped themselves in warm clothes. For the first time in months, hope flickered in Jimo.

The Unbroken Spirit of Jimo

Tian Dan’s story transcends military history. It encapsulates the Warring States era’s brutal calculus—where merchants became generals, where survival hinged on both swords and supply lines, and where loyalty was constantly weighed against pragmatism.

Modern parallels abound. Tian Dan’s leadership—improvisational, resilient, and deeply connected to his people—mirrors principles taught in business schools and military academies alike. His ability to sustain morale amid despair, to turn traders into warriors, and to leverage every fleeting advantage offers timeless lessons in crisis management.

Most remarkably, Jimo held out for years after this episode, becoming legend. Though Qi would eventually fall, Tian Dan’s defiance ensured its cultural survival—proof that even in defeat, unyielding spirit can shape history’s memory.

[1] Ancient measurement unit, approximately 60-100 liters depending on period.
[2] Senior minister in Chu’s government.
[3] Modern Yantai area in Shandong.
[4] Ancient coastal fortress near present-day Fushan.
[5] Laoshan Mountain area, another historic Qi coastal region.