In August 263 AD, Sima Zhao, who was in control of the Wei state, decided to launch a war against Shu Han, sending Zhong Hui, Deng Ai, and Zhuge Xu to attack Shu. Shu generals Jiang Wei and Liao Hua led their troops to use the Jiange (now Sichuan Jiange) dangerous road as a barrier to block the main force of the Wei army. In this battle, the Wei army’s specific marching route was: West Road Deng Ai attacked Jiang Wei in Tazhong Tuntian, Zhong Lu Zhuge Xu was responsible for cutting off Jiang Wei’s rear road, and East Road Zhong Huijun attacked Hanzhong Zhucheng. After Jiang Wei fought with Deng Ai in Tazhong, he flew to Zhuge Xu and went straight to the East Road to resist the main force of the Wei army. After occupying most of the strongholds in Hanzhong, the Zhonghui army marched outside Jianmen Pass, but was blocked by the returning Shu army and was in a stalemate.
In this regard, Deng Ai adopted a roundabout strategy. When the main forces of the Wei and Shu armies were confronting Jiange, they led their elite troops to bypass Yinping (now northwest of Wenxian County, Gansu), and crossed more than 700 miles of uninhabited areas to dig mountains. Open the road, surprise Jiangyou (now Jiangyou North, Sichuan). In the hinterland of the Shuhan, Mianzhu broke Zhugezhan, captured Fucheng (now Mianyang, Sichuan), and advanced to Chengdu. The latter master Liu Chan surrendered to the Wei army because of Deng Aibing approaching the city. In November 263, the Shuhan officially perished, beginning the prelude to the end of the Three Kingdoms era. From this, it is very obvious that looking back at the battle between Wei and Shu, Deng Ai smuggled into Yinping, which can be called an important step in breaking the deadlock. So, the question is, where is the Yinping that Deng Ai smuggled into today? How dangerous is the terrain?
One
First of all, the Yinping in the Three Kingdoms period was mainly in Wenxian County, Longnan City, Gansu Province. Wenxian County, belonging to Longnan City, Gansu Province, is named after the ancient Wenzhou language. It is located at the southernmost tip of Gansu Province, at the junction of Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces. It is located in the Qinba Mountains and is the southern gate of Gansu. Wenxian County is located in the West Qinling Mountains and the South Qinling Mountains. It is an area with strong neotectonic movement. The geological structure is complex, the surface is undulating, the rock is bare, and the gullies are developed. The whole area is the landform types of middle and high mountains and river valleys.
As a result, to this day, Wenxian County also has an important geographical location because it is located at the junction of the three provinces of Gansu, Sichuan, and Shaanxi. In the period of the Three Kingdoms at the end of Han Dynasty, Wenxian County was located at the junction of Shuhan and Cao Wei, which can also be said to be a battleground for military strategists.
Yinping is also known as the Yinping Ancient Road. As early as the sixth year of Emperor Han Gaozu (201 BC), the Western Han Dynasty established Yinping Road in the area, which belonged to Guanghan County. In the second year of Emperor Yongchu of Han’an (108), he changed the captain of the northern Guanghan to the captain of the Guanghan vassal state and ruled Yinpingdao. In the 20th year of Jian’an (215 years), after Cao Cao captured the land of Hanzhong, Guanghan was changed to Yinping County. Therefore, for Yinping County, it was once the territory of Cao Wei.
In the spring of the seventh year of Jianxing (229 years), Zhuge Liang sent Chen’s style to attack Wudu (now Chengxian County, Gansu Province) and Yinping (now Wenxian County, Gansu Province) two counties. Guo Huai, the governor of Yongzhou, led troops to rescue him. Liang Zi went to Jianwei (now west of Xihe County, Gansu Province), and Guo Huai retired, and he was given the second county. Thus, starting in 229 AD, Yinping County became the territory of the Shuhan. For Yinping County, it naturally includes the Yinping Ancient Road.
two
The office of Yinping County is located in the northwest of Wenxian County, Gansu Province (Guyiba). The Yinping Ancient Road passes through Wenxian County, then passes through Motianling in Qingshan County, and then passes through Tangjiahe, Yinpingshan, Mazhuanguan, Jingjunshan in turn, and finally reaches Jiangyouguan (Nanba Township) in Pingwu County. Among them, as far as Jiangyouguan is concerned, the Shuhan is guarded by someone, and this person is Ma Miao. According to the “Three Kingdoms” and other historical records, Ma Miao (birth and death year unknown), Shuhan Jiangyouguan guard.
In the sixth year of Jingyao (263 years), Sima Zhao sent a large-scale attack on Shuhan, Deng Ai led his army to smuggle to Yinping, and dispatched Tian Zhang to attack Jiangyou (now southeast of Pingwu, Sichuan). Ma Miao led his army to ambush Tian Zhang, but he was defeated by Tian Zhang and then surrendered. In this regard, in my opinion, if Ma Miao can hold Jiangyou Pass, the army led by Deng Ai will undoubtedly be trapped on the Yinping Ancient Road. However, it is probably because Ma Miao has not fought for a long time. Facing the sudden Deng Ai, he could not resist at all, and finally surrendered to Cao Wei.
Furthermore, considering that the Yinping Ancient Road is relatively long and the road is difficult and dangerous, Deng Ai was already exhausted after smuggling into Yinping, and even died nine years ago. According to the introduction, the Yinping Ancient Road is about 265 kilometers in length, which was already a relatively long old road in the Three Kingdoms period at the end of Han Dynasty.
three
According to historical records such as “Three Kingdoms”, the total length of the Yinping Ancient Road is 700 li, while the ancients took 360 steps as one li. The current one Huali is approximately equal to 1.33 li in the Three Kingdoms period, which coincides with the measurement of the ancients. The Yinping Ancient Road is rugged and long. Apart from walking by the locals, it is basically a war demand. For example, after Deng Ai, Fu Youde, a general of the Ming Dynasty, also led his army through this place.
Regarding the Yinping Ancient Road, Chen Shou recorded this in “Three Kingdoms”:
In winter in October, Ai Ziyin flat road travels seven hundred miles in no man’s land, chiseling mountain passages and building bridge pavilions. The mountains are high and the valleys are deep, the most difficult and dangerous, and the food transportation will be scarce, and they are endangered.
In October 263 AD, Deng Ai led an army of 30,000 yuan and set off from Yinping Road. From Yinping to Jiangyou, the mountains are dangerous and inaccessible, so the Shu Han did not fortify here. Deng Ai’s army climbed the trail all the way, digging through the mountains and creating the bridge pavilion. From this, it is very obvious that for Deng Ai’s 30,000 army, not only need to advance on the rugged mountain roads, but also undertake the work of excavating mountain roads and even building bridges. This also highlights the ruggedness of the Yinping Ancient Road from another angle. In other words, we often say that the road of Shu is difficult, and it is difficult to go to the sky. However, for Shu Road, after all, there is still a passable plank road. However, for the Yinping Ancient Road, there is no plank road that has been repaired beforehand, which requires Deng Ai to start from scratch.
At that time, for Deng Ai, “the mountains are high and the valleys are deep, which is extremely difficult and dangerous. Moreover, the food transportation will be scarce and frequent danger.” Facing the dangerous place where there is no way to clear the way, Deng Ai took the lead, “wrapped in felt, pushed down, and soldiers all climbed the wood edge cliff and filed forward.” After passing through more than 700 miles of desolate and uninhabited land and overcoming all kinds of unimaginable difficulties, the army of Wei finally passed the insidious and dangerous road to Jiangyou.
four
Finally, in the author’s opinion, this means that Deng Ai’s 30,000 army may have suffered heavy losses when passing the Yinping Ancient Road. As for the soldiers who did not lose their lives, they were probably scarred. Moreover, in order to meet the supply of food and grass for the army, Deng Ai’s 30,000 army also needs to carry ration ropes, leaving 3,000 people to camp for every one hundred miles. Because of the difficult and dangerous roads and the inadequate transportation of grain, the army of the State of Wei has been in trouble many times.
On this basis, there are relics left by Deng Ai along the Yinping Ancient Road, such as Deng Ai’s whetstone, the place where soldiers used soil for shaking their shoes when they rest-Xietu Mountain, Yinhe Mountain stamped by Deng Ai, and those who lost their clothes. Luoyigou and so on. To a certain extent, without Deng Ai’s smuggling of Yinping, the place name Yinping would not have such a high degree of attention and popularity. Since Deng Ai opened up the Yinping Road, this place has become a battleground for ancient military strategists. Above the Motianling is the Confucian Temple of Zhuge Liang, which has collapsed due to disrepair for a long time, leaving only broken walls.
Returning to the battle between Wei and Shu, after Jiangyou fell, Liu Chan sent Wei general Zhuge Zhan (the son of Zhuge Liang) to resist Deng Ai. Zhuge Zhan’s subordinate Huang Chong advised: “It is advisable to travel quickly and take risks, and no enemy can get into the flat ground.” Zhuge Zhan hesitated and was taken dangerously by Deng Ai. Governor Zhugezhan went to Fucheng and fought with Wei Jun. Deng Ai defeated Zhugezhan striker, and Zhugezhan was forced to retreat to Mianzhu. In the end, in the battle of Mianzhu, Zhuge Zhan and other Shu Han generals were killed, which led to Deng Ai’s army coming to Chengdu. In this regard, in the author’s opinion, Deng Ai’s army is undoubtedly a tired teacher after passing through the dangerous Yinping Ancient Road. However, Deng Ai was still able to continue to pass the battle and approach Chengdu. This is undoubtedly an important reason why Deng Ai was able to become a top-level general in the Three Kingdoms and even in ancient times.
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