The Battle of Xiling (西陵之战) took place in 272 when the Wu general Bu Chan (步闡) defected and surrendered Xiling (西陵, in modern Yichang area) to Jin (which had replaced Cao Wei in 266). Eastern Wu sent Lu Kang to recover the city. Lu Kang led a relief force, coordinated with other Wu commanders, and broke the siege; Bu Chan was captured and executed. The victory preserved Wu’s control of the Xiling region and the western stretch of the Yangtze. Lu Kang is remembered as the defender who held the frontier against Jin in the last years of Wu; the Battle of Xiling was one of his most celebrated operations.
Context
By 272, Sima Yan had founded the Jin dynasty and controlled the north. Wu under Sun Hao was under pressure. Xiling was a key fortress; its loss would have exposed Wu’s heartland. Lu Kang’s relief and the recapture of the city showed that Wu could still fight effectively when well led.