The Battle of Yiling (夷陵之战), also known as the Battle of Xiaoting, was fought in 222 CE. Liu Bei, having declared himself emperor of Shu Han the previous year, led a large army east to avenge Guan Yu’s death and recover Jing Province from Sun Quan. Lu Xun commanded the Wu defence.
The campaign
Liu Bei pushed deep into Wu territory and set up a long, fortified camp along the Yangtze. Lu Xun avoided direct battle and waited. When Liu Bei’s forces were overstretched and weary, Lu Xun launched a fire attack that burned the camp and broke the Shu army. Liu Bei fled to Baidi (near modern Fengjie) and did not again take the field; he died at Baidi in 223.
Aftermath
The defeat ended Shu’s hope of retaking Jing and confronting Wu on equal terms. Zhuge Liang later restored the Shu–Wu alliance against Cao Wei, but Shu’s main military efforts were directed north in the Northern Expeditions. Yiling confirmed Wu’s hold on the middle Yangtze and the eastern borders of the Three Kingdoms.