When it comes to famous generals in ancient China, you may think of Yue Fei and Zhuge Liang, but do you know who left the legend of the "Great Wall of Human Flesh" in the history of warfare? That is Bai Qi, the god of war, a general of the Qin State who terrified the enemy. In the Battle of Changping in 260 BC, he won more with less, not only trapped the enemy's 400,000 troops, but also skillfully used military tactics to create an impressive record. However, one of his peculiar military orders puzzled countless soldiers: Why were soldiers strictly forbidden to eat mutton, but nothing else? What is the meaning of this? Follow me into the long river of history to find out.
Bai Qi, the famous general of the Qin State who shocked the past and the present, his deeds are legendary and full of controversy. Many may only know about his ruthlessness, but not how his military prowess influenced the course of the war. The Battle of Changping is one of his masterpieces, and it is also a major battle that changed the direction of Chinese history.
The Battle of Changping took place in 260 BC in the present-day city of Gaoping, Shanxi Province. The war was caused by Qin's desire to annex Sangdang County in Korea. When Korea gave Shangdang County to Zhao, Qin was furious and decided to settle the dispute by force. The king of Qin sent the general Wang Di to lead the army to attack, and the state of Zhao sent the famous general Lian Po to meet the battle.
Although Lian Po was brave, in the face of the onslaught of the Qin army, he was defeated many times, so he had to adopt conservative tactics and stubbornly defend himself. The Qin army had a tight supply of food and grass and urgently needed a quick victory, but was plagued by Lian Po's persistence. At this time, Fan Sui, the minister of Qin, played a trick, he deliberately released the news that Zhao Kuo of Zhao was the opponent that Qin Jun was most afraid of, but Zhao Wang believed it and transferred Lian Po out of the line of fire and replaced him with a young Zhao Kuo.
After Zhao Kuo took office, he was young and vigorous, changed his conservative strategy, and led the army to take the initiative. Seeing this, the Qin State immediately replaced Wang Qi with the more shrewd and powerful Bai Qi. After Bai Qi took office, he immediately changed his tactics and adopted the strategy of luring the enemy into depth. He first deliberately showed weakness to lure the Zhao army deeper, and then suddenly launched a counterattack, dividing the Zhao army in one fell swoop and cutting off its grain route.
The ensuing battle was extremely brutal, the Zhao army was besieged, and the food and grass were cut off. When King Qin Zhao learned of this, he ordered to go all out and mobilized all the young and middle-aged people in the country to rush to the front line to ensure the complete encirclement and annihilation of the Zhao army. In this case, Bai Qi issued a strict order - soldiers were strictly forbidden to cook mutton, and only beef was allowed to be eaten.
This order puzzled many soldiers, but Bai Qi had its own deep meaning. Mutton gives off a strong aroma when cooked, which is extremely unfavorable on the battlefield, and it is easy for the enemy to perceive the position of our troops. And the beef was relatively easy to conceal, which gave the Qin army enough concealment both psychologically and tactically. This seemingly small move is actually part of Bai Qi's meticulous tactical calculations.
The war lasted for several months, and the situation of the Zhao army became worse and worse, and finally under Bai Qi's careful planning and continuous battles, the main force of the Zhao army was annihilated, and the Battle of Changping ended in the victory of the Qin state. This battle was not only a military victory, but also a contest of tactics and strategy, in which Bai Qi's military talent and strict battlefield discipline played a decisive role.
The victory in the war did not bring glory to Bai Qi, on the contrary, he was given the title of "God of Killing" because of this battle. After the war, Bai Qi was exhausted and no longer willing to go into battle. He was well aware of the cruelty and ruthlessness of war, and his respect for life led him to choose to retire for the rest of his life.
Bai Qi's story not only reflects his military talents, but also touches people's deep thinking about war, humanity and morality. Although his tactics are clever, he also has to face moral choices. This inner contradiction and struggle makes Bai Qi's image more three-dimensional and more humane.
In fact, Bai Qi's military career is full of legends, and his tactical innovations and deep understanding of warfare have amazed future generations. As you can see from his undefeated record, he is not only a ruthless warrior, but also a far-sighted strategist. His story is still widely studied in military academies and has become a topic of conversation among all military fans.
After the Battle of Changping, Qin's military power increased greatly, which laid a solid foundation for the later unification of the Six Kingdoms. Bai Qi's military prowess not only influenced the battlefield, but also profoundly affected the course of Chinese history. Although he exists as a harsh image, his fine use of tactics, his profound grasp of the psychology of war, and his respect for life are all worthy of in-depth discussion and understanding.