Battle of Boju

Part of Wu-Chu War

Date	506 BC
Location	Boju, State of Chu (present-day Macheng, Hubei Province)
Result	Decisive Wu victory

Belligerents

Wu
Cai
Tang

Chu

Commanders and leaders

King Helü
Fugai
Wu Zixu
Sun Tzu

Nang Wa
Shen Yin Shu

Strength

Between 30.000 and 33.000

Between 200.000 and 300.000

Casualties and losses

Unknown (relatively minor)

Almost entire army killed or captured

The Battle of Boju (Chinese: 柏舉之戰) was the decisive battle of the war fought in 506 BC between Wu and Chu, two major kingdoms during the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China. The Wu forces were led by King Helü, his brother Fugai, and Chu exile Wu Zixu. According to Sima Qian's Shiji, Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War, was a main commander of the Wu army, but he was not mentioned in the Zuo Zhuan and other earlier historical texts. The Chu forces were led by Lingyin (prime minister) Nang Wa (also known as Zichang) and Sima (chief military commander) Shen Yin Shu. The Wu were victorious, and captured and destroyed the Chu capital Ying.

Wu was originally a minor state east of Chu, which was a major power of the Spring and Autumn Period and was frequently at war with the state of Jin, the other major power north of Chu. In order to check Chu's expansion, Jin made an alliance with Wu, trained the Wu army, and taught them to use chariots. Wu gradually grew stronger, and in 584 BCE defeated Chu for the first time and annexed the Chu city of Zhoulai. In the following 70 years Chu and Wu fought ten wars, with Wu winning most of them.

During the reign of King Ping of Chu, the corrupt official Fei Wuji induced the king to marry the bride of Crown Prince Jian. Fearing the revenge of the prince when he would become king, Fei persuaded King Ping to exile Prince Jian and kill his advisor Wu She along with his son Wu Shang. Wu She's second son Wu Zixu escaped to the state of Wu and vowed revenge. Fei Wuji was later executed by Nang Wa and Shen Yin Shu.

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