Battles & Campaigns · 207 BCE
Battle of Julu
Pingxiang County (ancient Julu), Hebei, China
What happened
Qin forces were besieging Julu. Xiang Yu crossed the Yellow River and ordered his men to carry only three days' food and destroy the rest of their gear, so there was no going back. Chu won nine fights in a row, Qin supply lines were cut, and Zhang Han surrendered.
Why it matters
It broke the military power of the Qin dynasty. Within months the last Qin ruler surrendered.
What came next
The last Qin emperor surrendered to Liu Bang, and Xiang Yu occupied the Qin capital in 206 BCE.
Did you know?
The Chinese saying 'Break the cauldrons and sink the boats', meaning to commit with no way back, comes from this battle.
Timeline
- 207 BCEBattle of Julu.
- 207 BCEThe last Qin emperor surrenders.
- 206 BCEXiang Yu occupies the Qin capital Xianyang.
- 205 BCEBattle of Pengcheng.