Jieting (街亭 jiē tíng) was a strategic location in present-day Gansu Province, controlling a vital supply route. In 228, it became famous as the site where Ma Su’s defeat by Zhang He forced Zhuge Liang’s first Northern Expedition to fail. The battle demonstrated the importance of following Zhuge Liang’s strategic instructions and became a cautionary tale in Chinese military history.
Strategic importance
Mountain passes and battle sites were crucial to Three Kingdoms military strategy. Control of key passes meant control of supply lines and invasion routes. Many famous battles were fought at these locations, and their names became synonymous with military triumph or disaster.
References
- Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志)
- Luo Guanzhong, Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三国演义)
- de Crespigny, Rafe. A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms