The Siege of Chencang was a siege of the Cao Wei

Cao Wei

Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...

 stronghold at Chencang by forces of the rival state of Shu Han

Shu Han

Shu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...

 from December 228 to early 229 during the Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...

 period of Chinese history

History of China

Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...

. The siege was part of second Northern Expedition led by Shu's chancellor Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang

Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....

 to attack Wei. The siege concluded with victory for Wei.

Background

In 228, after Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...

 defeated Cao Wei at the Battle of Shiting

Battle of Shiting

The Battle of Shiting was fought between the contending states of Cao Wei and Eastern Wu in 228 during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle concluded with victory of Wu over Wei.-The battle:...

, Wei reinforced the east by mobilizing its troops in the west. Zhuge Liang used the opportunity to launch a second Northern Expedition and attacked Chencang. Hao Zhao

Hao Zhao

Hao Zhao, style name Bodao , was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. His single most important victory over the much larger Shu Han army led by Zhuge Liang during the Siege of Chencang made him a celebrity overnight, but he soon died of...

, the Wei general defending Chencang, was told to make defensive preparations after Zhuge Liang started the first Northern Expedition earlier that year.

The siege

In the winter of 228, Zhuge Liang launched the second Northern Expedition against Wei and surrounded Chencang. Zhuge Liang's army brought an array of siege engines, including scaling ladders, battering rams and archery towers. However, Chencang could not be penetrated and the Wei defenders put up stubborn resistance with various incendiary devices. The Wei general Zhang He

Zhang He

Zhang He was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He continued serving the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period until his death....

 arrived at Chencang with reinforcements and food supplies after three weeks.

By then, Zhuge Liang's forces were running short of grain, so Zhuge ordered a retreat to Hanzhong

Hanzhong

Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...

. Wang Shuang

Wang Shuang

Wang Shuang , style name Ziquan , was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He initially participated in battles against the eastern warlord, Sun Quan, but was defeated and captured...

, a general under Zhang He, led his cavalry in pursuit of the enemy to the Qinling Mountains

Qinling Mountains

The Qin Mountains are a major east-west mountain range in southern Shaanxi province, China. The mountains provide a natural boundary between the North and South of the country, and support a huge variety of plant and wildlife, some of which is found nowhere else on Earth.To the north is the...

. Wang Shuang fell into an ambush planted by Zhuge Liang and was killed.

In 229, Zhuge Liang sent Chen Shi

Chen Shi

Chen Shi was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Biography:...

 to besiege Wudu and Yinping commanderies. The Wei general Guo Huai

Guo Huai

Guo Huai , style name Boji , was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He started his career during the late Han Dynasty under the warlord Cao Cao. During Cao Pi's reign, Guo rose up the ranks and became a grand marshal under Sima Yi...

 contemplated leading his men to attack Chen Shi but Zhuge Liang personally advanced on Jianwei. Guo Huai withdrew and the two commanderies were pacified.

Modern references

The Siege of Chencang is featured as a playable stage in the fifth installment

Dynasty Warriors 5

is a Hack and slash video game set in China and the fifth installment in the Dynasty Warriors series, developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game was released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is based on the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong.-Gameplay:The...

 of Koei's video game series Dynasty Warriors 5

Dynasty Warriors 5

is a Hack and slash video game set in China and the fifth installment in the Dynasty Warriors series, developed by Omega Force and published by Koei. The game was released on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is based on the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong.-Gameplay:The...

.