Battle of Caishi

Battle of Caishi
Part of the Jin–Song Wars
Song Dynasty river ship with a catapult on its top deck
Song dynasty river ship armed with a trebuchet catapult on its top deck, from the Wujing Zongyao
DateNovember 26–27, 1161
Location
Caishi, on the Yangtzi River
31°42′00″N 118°26′24″E / 31.70000°N 118.44000°E / 31.70000; 118.44000
Result Song victory
Belligerents
Jin dynasty Southern Song dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Wanyan Liang   Chen Kangbo (prime minister / navy)
Yu Yunwen (army commander)
Strength
40,000[1] 18,000[1]
Battle of Caishi is located in Northern China
Battle of Caishi
Location within Northern China

The Battle of Caishi (Chinese: 采石之戰) was a major naval engagement of the Jin–Song Wars of China that took place on November 26–27, 1161. It ended with a decisive Song victory, aided by their use of gunpowder weapons.

Soldiers under the command of Wanyan Liang, the emperor of the Jurchen-led Jin dynasty, tried to cross the Yangzi River to attack the Southern Song dynasty.

Chen Kangbo, prime minister of the Song dynasty, was chief military strategist and commanded the navy. Yu Yunwen, a civil official, commanded the defending Song army. The paddle-wheel warships of the Song fleet, equipped with trebuchets that launched incendiary bombs made of gunpowder and lime, decisively defeated the light ships of the Jin navy.

  1. ^ a b Lo 2012, p. 164.