Battle of Huangtiandang

Battle of Huangtiandang
Part of the Jin–Song Wars
Date 1130 Location Huangtiandang, northeast of today's Nanjing Result Jin troops were trapped at Huangtiandang for 48 days, but eventually gained victory
Belligerents
Jurchen Jin dynasty	Southern Song dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Wanyan Wuzhu	Han Shizhong
Strength
100,000 (according to History of Song) 4,000 (according to History of Jin)	8,000

Battle of Huangtiandang (simplified Chinese: 黄天荡之战; traditional Chinese: 黃天蕩之戰) was an early battle in the Jin–Song wars. From 1129, the Jin forces led by Wanyan Wuzhu marched southward, successively conquered several important cities north of the Yangtze River. Wuzhu sent forces to chase after the Song court, but was ambuscaded by Song forces led by Han Shizhong and Liang Hongyu, at Huangtiandang, northeast of today's Nanjing city. The Jin army was trapped there for 48 days, but finally successfully retreated under the suggestion of a Song resident.

Backround

In July 1129, the Jin troops started to invade Song territory in four directions: Wanyan Chang from the east, Wanyan Wuzhu from the middle, Wanyan Loushi from the west, and other troops were lead by Wanyan Balisu. Emperor Gaozong ordered the chancellor Du Chong to abandon defending Kaifeng, withdrew his fellow soldiers to the south of the Yangtze River. Then Wanyan Chang successfully conquered Weizhou and Laizhou, Shandong. In September 26, the Song emperor called the generals together to discuss solutions. Zhang Jun and Xin Qizong suggested to withdraw the army to Changsha, but Han Shizhong opposed. He stated that the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas were rich and populous, they were very crucial to the empire and must not be surrendered. Lü Yihao also agreed with him.

Gaozong appointed Du Chong to defend Jiankang (the capital of Song, today's Nanjing), Han Shizhong to defend Zhenjiang, Liu Guangshi to defend Taipingzhou (today's Dangtu, Anhui) and Chizhou. The emperor went to Pingjiang, and then arrived at Yuezhou (today's Shaoxing, Zhejiang) at November 28. At that time, Wuzhu had captured Shanzhou (today's Shan County, Shandong) and Yingtianfu (today's Shangqiu, Henan). Balisu took Shouchun (today's Shouzhou, Anhui) and Huangzhou (today's Huanggang, Hubei), then occupied Jiangzhou (tosay's Jiujiang, Jiangxi) in November 9. In December 28, Wuzhu's forces stormed Zhenzhou (today's Yizheng, Jiangsu), several days later they crossed the Yangtze River at the ferry of Majiadu. In January 8, Du Chong capitulated to Jin's troops, Jiankang was lost.

Han Shizhong loaded all the material reserves in Zhenjiang to his seagoing vessels, and burned the military installations in the city. His fleet moved to Jiangyin and then modern Shanghai area. Yue Fei conflicted with the Jin troops, finally lost Guangde. Hangzhou and Yuezhou fell successively in January 22 and February 4. The Song court was forced to flee on ships near Wenzhou and Taizhou, Zhejiang. The Jin sent ships to chase after Gaozong, but was defeated by Song fleet led by Zhang Wenyu.

Battle

In the night of Lantern Festival of 1130, Han Shizhong led about 8000 soldiers to Zhenjiang, built their encampment near Jiaoshan Temple. They arranged their fleet in a circle, waited for the Jin fleet to come. When Wuzhu arrived at Hangzhou, he faced fierce resistance by the army and residents of Song. In March 14, he gave up the pursuit for Gaozong, 10 days later, his army retreated north. In March 29, Wuzhu's army seized Xiuzhou and Wujiang. 5 days later, the Jin troops arrived at Pingjiang (modern Suzhou), the highest official of the city Zhou Wang and the government army abandoned the city. The inhabitants had to choose the weaver Zhao Bingzhong and the monk Shang Yunyi to form a group of militias. After a day of fierce fighting, the Jin sacked and massacred the city. In April 8, the Jin captured Changzhou.

In April 24, the Song and Jin navies battled on the Yangtze River. At first the Song troops were pushed back, but after Liang Hongyu directed the soldiers with her drums, they took advantage. Wuzhu sued for peace to Han Shizhong, but was rejected. Then he lead four Jin generals to survey the battlefield at Jinshan Temple, the Song ambush rushed out, captured two Jin generals. Wuzhu requested a peace treaty a second time, Han refused him again. Wuzhu had to lead his fleet west. Han's navy chased after him, forced his navy into Huangtiandang, a water area about 70 li northeast to Jiankang, which join the Yangtze at one narrow gap. Han ordered his army to block the gap, trapped Wuzhu's troops in there.

Under the suggestion of a resident, the Jin soldiers dug a canal of more than 20 li, so they could retreated to Jiankang. Wuzhu got the message his reinforcements led by Taiyi would arrive at Zhenzhou (modern Yizheng), so he ordered the army back to Huangtiandang. Han Shizhong's fleet of seagoing vessels were big and stable, and his subordinates made many big iron hooks for dragging rails of the Jin ships. In may 20, the Jin navy started to attack, and within a short time many of the Jin ships were sunk. A Fujian merchant gave an advise, to fill earth in the ships to enhance their stationarity, and to wait until a breezeless day to attack so that the big vessels of Song can not move at a highest speed. In June 2, the two navies conflicted again. Wuzhu's troops used incendiary arrows to shoot at the sails of Han's ships, most Song soldiers were burned or drowned. Han Shizhong escaped to Zhenjiang, and the Jin forces were able to head north.