page_title: Conquest of Shu by Wei
section_title: Shu defence of Jiange
hierarchical_section_title: Conquest of Shu by Wei / Western flank / Shu defence of Jiange
caption_attribution_description: Jianmenguan, Jiange, Sichuan, China. Historical site of ancient fortress dates back to over 2000 years in Three Kingdom era. This is a recent construction.
context_page_description: The Conquest of Shu by Wei was a military campaign launched by the state of Cao Wei against its rival Shu Han in late 263 during the Three Kingdoms period of China. The campaign culminated in the fall of Shu and the tripartite equilibrium maintained in China for over 40 years since the end of the Eastern Han dynasty in 220. The conquest signified the beginning of a reunified China under the Jin dynasty.
context_section_description: By the time the Shu reinforcements led by Zhang Yi and Dong Jue reached Hanshou County, Jiang Wei and Liao Hua had decided to abandon their position at Yinping and rendezvous with Zhang Yi and Dong Jue at Jiange.
  
  During this time, Zhong Hui launched several assaults on Jiange but failed to breach the mountain pass's defences. He then wrote a letter to Jiang Wei to persuade him to surrender: 
  "Sir, you are skilled in both civil and military affairs. You are exceptionally brilliant in strategy and your achievements are well-known throughout the Bashu region and the rest of the Empire. People from near and afar admire you. Every time I reflect on history, I hope that we can serve the same dynasty. Our relationship is like the friendship between Jizha and Zichan."
   Jiang Wei did not reply to Zhong Hui's letter, and ordered his troops to strengthen their defences at Jiange.
  Zhong Hui also wrote a long address to the Shu forces to urge them to surrender: 
  "In the past, when the Han dynasty declined, the Empire became fragmented and the people suffered extreme hardships. Emperor Wu used his divinely-bestowed military genius to bring order to chaos, save the people from their suffering, and restore peace and stability to the Empire. Emperor Wen followed the will of Heaven and the people, and took the throne. Emperor Ming expanded on their legacy and made glorious achievements during his reign. Outside our borders, there are many people living under different regimes and having different cultures from us, and they have yet to experience the grace and benevolence of our Empire. The three Previous Emperors thought it was a great pity. The current Emperor has a magnanimous heart and the will to expand his predecessors' legacy. His subjects serve with the utmost loyalty, do their best to serve the dynasty, maintain order and stability in government, and bring peace and prosperity to the people. That is why our Empire is so well-ruled. When we show benevolence towards ethnic minorities, they willingly submit to our rule. Are the people of Shu any different from other peoples? It is a shame that the people of Shu are bound to a lifetime of endless servitude. Our army has received a mission to act in accordance with Heaven's will and punish those who oppose the dynasty. The General Who Attacks the West, Inspector of Yong Province, and General Who Guards the West are leading five armies on this mission. The armies of ancient times went to war in the name of righteousness and benevolence. A ruler's army should seek to win the people's hearts instead of simply fighting. Yu Shun ruled with benevolence to win over the Miao; when King Wu of Zhou overthrew the Shang dynasty, he opened up the vaults and distributed the riches to the people, and honoured the virtuous officials who previously served under Shang. At the present, the General Who Guards the West goes to war not for the purposes of gaining greater glory for himself and the dynasty; what he truly desires is to save the people from suffering. He shall explain the perilous situation you are currently in, and he hopes that you will heed his honest advice.
  The Former Lord of Yi Province had grand ambitions when he built an army from scratch. When he suffered defeats in Ji and Xu provinces and got threatened by Yuan Shao and Lü Bu, our Emperor Wu came to his aid and developed a bond with him. However, he betrayed Emperor Wu later and they no longer shared similar beliefs. While Zhuge Kongming governed Shu well and secured its borders, Jiang Boyue kept waging war, harassing our borders and causing harm to the Qiang and Di peoples. At the time, as we were busy with other affairs, we had no time to deal with his intrusions. Now that our borders are peaceful and our Empire is stable, we decide to amass our forces and wait for an opportunity to launch an all-out retaliatory strike. Shu draws its military strength from only one province and its defences are scattered around; it stands no chance against our imperial army. The Shu forces has already suffered disastrous defeats at Duan Valley and 
caption: A reconstruction of Jiange (Jianmen Pass) in present-day Jiange County, Sichuan
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