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Battle of Xiangyang
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Date 191
219
241
Location Xiangyang, Jing Province (present-day Xiangyang, Hubei)
Result Liu Biao's forces victorious; Huang Zu is captured and Sun Jian is killed (191)
Guan Yu takes Xiangyang; Cao Ren withdraws to Fan Castle (219)
Wei forces victorious (241)
Forces
Sun Jian's Forces
Shu
Wu
Liu Biao's Forces
Wei
Commanders
Sun Jian (191)
Guan Yu (219)
Zhu Ran (241)
Huang Zu (191)
Lu Chang (219)
Cao Ren (219)
Hu Zhi (241)

The Battle of Xiangyang (襄陽の戦い, Jōyō no Tatakai) was a conflict between Sun Jian's forces and Liu Biao's forces. Sun Jian, enraged by Liu Biao's attack after the dissolution of the alliance against Dong Zhuo, and acting on orders from Yuan Shu, attacked Jing Province as an act of revenge. However, he was lured into an ambush and killed, and his body was exchanged for Huang Zu.

During the Battle of Fan Castle, Guan Yu sent an army to attack Xiangyang in order take the city along with Fan Castle, assuming the city would fall easily. This decision to split his army, however, meant he couldn't concentrate in a single front, and neither city fell to him.

In the novel, however, Guan Yu attacks Xiangyang before pushing on to take Fancheng. Luring and ambushing Cao Ren, Guan Yu easily takes the city.

Years after the death of Cao Rui, Sun Quan sensed an opportunity and sent Zhu Ran to attack the city, however Hu Zhi's forces are able to hold the line long enough for the Wu forces to withdraw.

Depending on the installments, the second battle is occasionally merged with the Battle of Fan Castle.

Role in games[]

Dynasty Warriors[]

In the third installment of the Dynasty Warriors series, players can play as either Sun Jian's forces or Liu Biao's forces in the Surprise Attack on Liu Biao stage. The stage involves a cutscene with a nearby Wu flag snapping off, and Sun Jian is provoked by a retreating Lu Gong and chased down into a trap set by Kuai Liang. The trap is known for being a rockslide that causes Sun Jian's death, and a cutscene involves Sun Ce grieving his death and cursing Liu Biao.

In the fourth installment, the location name is introduced as the standard stage set for several other stages. Two versions of the Battle of Fan Castle are playable, with the Liu Biao stage being known as Assault on Liu Biao. The stage involves Sun Jian chasing down Lu Gong, Cai Mao arriving to offer aid, and Zhang Hu appearing in the southeast.

In the Xtreme Legends expansion, the Assault on Liu Biao version and variations are used for various modes, such as Lu Meng's Legend Mode for the Battle of Mai Castle and Sun Jian's Legend Mode as Changsha. In the Xtreme Legends expansion, the map is reused for Struggle for the Book, where players compete to earn the Way of Peace from Master Lao.

Xiangyang is a key city in the game Dynasty Warriors 7, where it serves as a garrison south of Fan Castle. In Shu's story, Xiangyang is taken by Guan Yu, who uses a flood attack to capture the city. In Wu's story, Sun Jian receives Yuan Shu's aid in exchange for an attack on Liu Biao. Sun Jian's forces attack Xiangyang Castle, causing an ambush led by Huang Zhong. Sun Jian is killed by enemy archers.

In Dynasty Warriors 8, Xiangyang acts as Wu's opening stage, with Sun Jian attacking Liu Biao and destroying the gate guards. The stage ends when Lu Gong retreats, and Sun Jian survives the ambush.

During Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends expansion, Lu Su orders the central area to be taken, but the castle's gate is impregnable. Yu Jin and Cao Ren attack the Wu forces, but Xu Huang's reinforcements block them. Defeating Cao Cao ends the stage.

In Dynasty Warriors 9, Xiangyang is a full-fledged city in Jing Province, providing various shops and hosting several major battles.

Warriors Orochi[]

In Warriors Orochi, the samurai forces rescue Guan Ping and Huang Zhong from siege by Orochi forces led by Cao Pi. Guan Ping runs into an ambush, while Huang Zhong defends the castle. Nobunaga's forces split into two, with western forces defending the main camp and center forces attacking Guan Ping or the castle's southern entrance. Cao Ren impedes either side, and an impatient Cao Pi attacks the ally army, causing the Shu remnants to join Nobunaga. The battlefield serves as a dream stage for Cao Ren, Sun Jian, and Katsuie in Warriors Orochi 2, where they rescue Oichi from danger.

Historical Information[]

Romance of the Three Kingdoms[]

During the dissolution of the anti-Dong Zhuo coalition, Sun Jian had obtained the Imperial Seal, but deliberately hid it. As a result, Yuan Shao ordered Liu Biao to bar Sun's way as he left the alliance.

Feeling spiteful ever since, Sun Jian was finally given the opportunity to attack his rival, when Yuan Shu requested him to do so. Huang Gai warned his lord of attacking in vengeance as well as acting under Yuan Shu's orders, but Sun responded in a flurry that he would've attacked Liu Biao anyway, without Yuan Shu's letter.

In the opening battle, Sun Jian sailed his navy forward against Huang Zu. Huang Zu initially ordered his archers to fire at the Sun forces, however, Sun Jian safely hid his men inside, and subsequently plucked out the arrows stuck on the boats. The arrows were then used against Huang's forces, forcing him to retreat. During this skirmish, the mast of Sun Jian's ship broke, an inauspicious sign to come. Ignoring his men's warnings, Sun Jian moved on to besiege Huang Zu in Xiangyang itself.

At this time, Kuai Liang consulted Lü Gong with a plan. During the battle, Lü's forces would attract Sun Jian's forces away from the rest of his men into an ambush. The plan went accordingly, and Sun Jian led a small group of cavalry to pursue Lü. Sun later lost his prey until Liu Biao's forces successfully lured him to the bottom of cliff, where they flung countless arrows and boulders at him. Sun Jian's entire unit was annihilated by the ambush.

On the other side of the battle, Sun Ce had managed to capture Huang Zu after briefly dueling him. By daybreak, however, he had learned of what had happened to his father. Opening a ceasefire, Sun Ce successfully exchanged Huang Zu for his father's body. Shortly after, he returned back to Yuan Shu. Dong Zhuo was overjoyed at Sun Jian's demise, deeming him the greatest threat in the coalition assembled. Laughing at Sun Ce's young age, Dong proceeded to abuse his power even more.

Gallery[]

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