# Fall of Chang'an
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{{for|the sack of Chang'an during the end of the Han dynasty|Battle of Chang'an}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| image = Sixteen Kingdoms 317 AD (2).jpg
| caption = Map of China shortly after the fall of Chang'an in December 316.
| conflict = Fall of Chang'an
| partof = [Upheaval of the Five Barbarians](/source/Upheaval_of_the_Five_Barbarians)
| date = August or September–11 December 316 AD
| place = [Xi'an](/source/Xi'an), [Shaanxi](/source/Shaanxi)
| result = Han victory; Emperor Huai surrenders
| combatant1 = [Han-Zhao](/source/Han-Zhao)
| combatant2 = [Western Jin](/source/Western_Jin)
| commander1 = [Liu Yao](/source/Liu_Yao)
| commander2 = [Emperor Huai of Jin](/source/Emperor_Huai_of_Jin){{Surrendered}}
[Qu Yun](/source/Qu_Yun_(Jin_dynasty)){{Surrendered}}
[Suo Chen](/source/Suo_Chen){{Executed}}
| strength1 = Unknown
| strength2 = Unknown
}}
{{Short description|Fall of Western Jin capital to Han-Zhao (316)}}
{{Chinese
| t = 長安之戰
| s = 长安之战
| p = Cháng'ān zhī zhàn
}}The '''Fall of Chang'an''', also known as the '''Battle of Chang'an''', was fought between the states of [Han-Zhao](/source/Han-Zhao) and [Western Jin](/source/Western_Jin) from August to 11 December 316 during the [Sixteen Kingdoms](/source/Sixteen_Kingdoms) period of China. The battle, as part of the Han general [Liu Yao's](/source/Liu_Yao) third and final invasion of Chang'an, concluded in a Han victory with the surrender of [Emperor Huai of Jin](/source/Emperor_Huai_of_Jin), signalling the end of the Western Jin and paving the way for the establishment of the Eastern Jin in the south at [Jiankang](/source/Jiankang).
== Background ==
Shortly after the fall of Luoyang during the [Disaster of Yongjia](/source/Disaster_of_Yongjia), Han forces marched west to capture [Chang'an](/source/Chang'an) in August or September 311 and captured the city from the Prince of Nanyang, [Sima Mo](/source/Sima_Mo). Chang'an remained under Han control for only a few months, as Jin loyalists in the [Guanzhong](/source/Guanzhong) region, led by the general [Jia Ya](/source/Jia_Ya) soon rose up and placed Chang'an under siege with the help of the local [Qiang](/source/Qiang_(historical_people)) and [Di](/source/Di_(Five_Barbarians)) tribes. In May or June 312, the Han prince [Liu Yao](/source/Liu_Yao) was defeated and evacuated the city with more than 80,000 people east to the Han capital, [Pingyang](/source/Linfen).{{Sfn|Lü|1948|pp=70–72}}{{Sfn|de Crespigny|1991|p=160}}
On 19 October, Jia Ya and his allies acclaimed Sima Chi, the nephew of the captured [Emperor Huai of Jin](/source/Emperor_Huai_of_Jin), as the new emperor. Chi, posthumously known as [Emperor Min](/source/Emperor_Min_of_Jin), was only 12 years old at the time. Real power was held by his generals, in particular Jia Ya, [Yan Ding](/source/Yan_Ding), [Qu Yun](/source/Qu_Yun_(Jin_dynasty)) and [Suo Chen](/source/Suo_Chen). In the following months, Jia Ya was killed during a battle with the [Lushuihu](/source/Lushuihu) tribes, while Yan Ding was killed as part of a plot between Qu Yun and Suo Chen, thus leaving the emperor in the hands of the two men.[{{Cite web |last=Theobald |first=Ulrich |title=Jin Mindi 晉愍帝 Sima Ye 司馬鄴 (www.chinaknowledge.de) |url=http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Division/personsjinmindi.html |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=www.chinaknowledge.de |language=en}}]
== First invasion of Chang'an (313) ==
In June 313, Liu Yao was ordered to attack Chang'an with [Qiao Zhiming](/source/Qiao_Zhiming) and [Zhao Ran](/source/Zhao_Ran). In response, Qu Yun went out to set camp at Huangbai (黃白; northeast of [Sanyuan County](/source/Sanyuan_County), [Shaanxi](/source/Shaanxi)) while Liu Yao camped at Puban (蒲阪; present-day [Yongji, Shanxi](/source/Yongji%2C_Shanxi)). Liu Yao battled Qu Yun several times at Huangbai and defeated him each time, prompting the Jin court to dispatch Suo Chen to reinforce him in September or October.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', fascicle 88.]
However, Liu Yao became complacent after his string of victories and did not consider setting up his defenses. In November or December, Qu Yun carried out a surprise attack on Liu Yao, routing him and killing Qiao Zhiming. Consequently, Liu Yao retreated back to Pingyang.[''Zizhi Tongjian'', fascicle 89. ]{{Sfn|Lü|1948|p=72}}
== Prelude ==
=== Pingyi and Shang ===
On 16 September 315, while on his campaign against the Jin Inspector of [Bing province](/source/Bing_Province), [Liu Kun](/source/Liu_Kun_(Jin_dynasty)), Liu Yao received a message from the Han emperor, [Liu Cong](/source/Liu_Cong_(Han-Zhao)), ordering him to invade Chang'an again. Liu Yao complied and turned back to Puban. Liu Yao then invaded Beidi, but when he heard that Qu Yun had left Huangbai and camped at Lingwu to resist him, he bypassed the commandery to attack Pingyi and Shang. Qu Yun was reluctant to proceed, as he had very few troops under his command who were suffering from severe hunger. Thus, Pingyi and Shang eventually fell to Liu Yao as their administrators fled the commanderies.[''Jin Shu'', fascicle 102, Biography of Liu Cong.]
At the time, the [Guanzhong](/source/Guanzhong) region was suffering from extreme famine, and many of the Jin administrators west of Chang'an had stopped sending tribute and aid to the court. Qu Yun recommended Suo Chen that they flee west with Emperor Huai to join the Prince of Nanyang, [Sima Bao](/source/Sima_Bao) in [Qin province](/source/Qin_Prefecture_(Gansu)), but fearing that the prince would take advantage of the emperor for himself, Suo Chen rejected his idea.[''Book of Jin'', fascicle 60, Biography of Suo Jing.]{{Sfn|Lü|1948|p=73}}
=== Beidi ===
In July or August 316, Liu Yao besieged Administrator of Beidi, Qu Chang (麴昌), so Qu Yun brought with him 30,000 soldiers to relieve the commandery capital. Liu Yao set fire to parts of the city, causing smoke to blot out the sky and be seen from afar. He also sent his soldiers to feign surrender to Qu Yun and inform him that the city had fallen. Qu Yun believed them, and his soldiers scattered as the rumours spread within his camp. Liu Yao chased them and routed Qu Yun at Panshi Valley (磻石谷, in present-day [Tongchuan](/source/Tongchuan), Shaanxi), forcing him to retreat back to Lingwu. The Qiang chieftain, Dajunxu (大軍須), sent supplies to support Qu Chang, but he was defeated by the Han general, [Liu Ya](/source/Liu_Ya_(Han-Zhao)). A few days later, Qu Chang fled to Chang'an, and Liu Yao conquered Beidi. He then marched to [Jingyang](/source/Jingyang_County), and the Jin forces north of the [Wei River](/source/Wei_River) all dispersed.[''Jin Shu'', fascicle 89, Biography of Qu Yun.]
== The battle ==
In August or September, Liu Yao marched towards Chang'an. The Inspector of Liang province, [Zhang Shi](/source/Zhang_Shi_(Former_Liang)), sent 5,000 soldiers to reinforce Chang'an, as did Sima Bao, who sent his general, Hu Song (胡崧) with troops. Hu Song defeated Liu Yao at Lingtai (靈臺; east of [Huyi](/source/Huyi%2C_Xi'an), Shaanxi), but because of his distrust for Qu Yun and Suo Chen's power over the emperor, he camped north of the Wei River without moving any further before withdrawing to Huaili (槐里; in present-day [Xingping](/source/Xingping), Shaanxi). [Jiao Song](/source/Jiao_Song) from Anding, Zhu Hui (竺恢) from Xinping (新平; around present-day [Bin County, Shaanxi](/source/Binzhou%2C_Shaanxi)) and Song Zhe (宋哲) from [Huayin](/source/Huayin) also came to support the capital, while the official, Hua Ji (華輯), brought soldiers from the commanderies of [Jingzhao](/source/Jingzhao), Pingyi, [Hongnong](/source/Hongnong_Commandery) and [Shangluo](/source/Shangluo) to camp at Bashang (霸上, in modern [Xi'an](/source/Xi'an), Shaanxi). However, because they feared the strength of the Han army, they also refused to advance.[''Jin Shu'', fascicle 60, Biography of Suo Jing.]{{Sfn|Lü|1948|p=73}}
In November or December, with the food stores all depleted and no reinforcements in sight, Emperor Min decided to surrender to save his remaining soldiers and people in Chang'an, reportedly lamenting, "Lord Qu and Lord Su have misled me!"[''Jin Shu'', fascicle 89, Biography of Qu Yun.] He sent his Palace Attendant, Zong Chang (宗敞), with a letter of surrender to Liu Yao, but he was secretly stopped by Suo Chen, who sent his own son to deliver a different letter. Suo Chen falsely claimed in the letter that there was still food to hold out for a year in Chang'an, but if Liu Yao offered him a high-ranking office and a ducal title, he could convince the entire city to surrender. Liu Yao beheaded his son and sent his head back in rejection.{{Sfn|Lü|1948|p=75}} On 10 December, Zong Chang arrived at Liu Yao's camp with the real letter.