Battle of Zhizhi

Battle of Zhizhi
Part of the Han–Xiongnu War
DateOctober–December, 36 BC
Location
Taraz, Kazakhstan
Result Han victory
Belligerents
Xiongnu
Kangju allies		 Han dynasty
Wusun
Tarim Basin city-states
Commanders and leaders
Zhizhi Chanyu †[1]

Chen Tang[2]

Gan Yanshou
Strength
3,000 Xiongnu cavalry and infantry with 10,000 cavalry reinforcement from Kangju 40,000
Casualties and losses
Heavy losses, with 1,518 killed, over 1,000 surrendered and 145 captured Minimal or not reported

The Battle of Zhizhi (郅支之戰) was fought in 36 BC[3][4] between the Han dynasty and the Xiongnu chieftain Zhizhi Chanyu. Zhizhi was defeated and killed.[5] The battle was probably fought near Talas on the Talas River on the borderline of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, which makes it one of the westernmost points reached by a Chinese army. The Battle of Talas in 751 AD was fought in the same area.

  1. ^ Anthony Jerome Barbieri-Low (2007). Artisans in early imperial China. University of Washington Press. p. 175. ISBN 9780295987132.
  2. ^ Rafe De Crespigny (1 January 1984). Northern Frontier: The Policies and Strategies of the Later Han Empire. Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-86784-410-8.
  3. ^ Peers, Chris (1995). Imperial Chinese Armies:200 Bc-589 Ad. Vol. 1. Osprey Publishing. p. 39. ISBN 978-1-85532-514-2. Retrieved 27 January 2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ Peers, Chris (2006). Soldiers of the Dragon: Chinese Armies 1500 BC-AD 1840. Osprey Publishing. p. 146. ISBN 978-18460-309-87. Retrieved 27 January 2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ Grousset, Rene (1970). The Empire of the Steppes. Rutgers University Press. pp. 38. ISBN 978-0-8135-1304-1.