Battles & Campaigns · 204 BCE
Battle of Wei River
Weifang, Shandong, China
What happened
The two armies faced each other across the Wei River. Upstream, Han Xin secretly built a dam of sandbags to lower the water. His army crossed, attacked, then pretended to retreat; when part of the enemy army followed into the riverbed, the dam was released and the flood cut it off.
Why it matters
Han conquered Qi, the richest northern kingdom. It completed Han Xin's plan to win northern China for Liu Bang.
What came next
Han Xin became King of Qi and later led the campaign that ended at Gaixia.
Did you know?
Han Xin refused an offer to stay neutral and split China three ways, and stayed loyal to Liu Bang.
Timeline
- Oct 205 BCEBattle of Jingxing.
- Nov 204 BCEBattle of Wei River.
- Feb 203 BCEHan Xin is made King of Qi.
- 202 BCEBattle of Gaixia.