Battle of Dafei River

Battle of Dafei River
Battle of Dafei River
Date 670 CE Location near Qinghai Lake Result Tang strategic victory
Belligerents
Tibetan Empire	Tang dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Gar Trinring Tsendro	Xue Rengui Ashina Daozi Guo Daifeng
Strength
400,000	50,000
Casualties and losses
100,000	20,000

The Battle of Dafei River (Chinese: 大非川之戰) was fought in mid-670 between the forces of the Tang dynasty and the Tibetan Empire, for control over the Tarim Basin (the "Anxi Protectorate" in Chinese parlance). In 669, the Tibetan Empire invaded and conquered the Tuyuhun kingdom of Qinghai, which was a tributary state and important ally to the Tang dynasty. To help Tuyuhun restore the regime, Emperor Gaozong of Tang launched the campaign against Tibet. The Tang general, Xue Rengui, commanded an army of 50,000 men against 400,000 men of the Tibetan Empire. He left his slower-moving baggage train and 20,000 soldiers under Guo Daifeng behind and advanced with the rest to the Qinghai Lake. The Tibetans attacked and captured the Tang baggage train, and fought Xue's own army at the Dafei River (Dafeichuan, 大非川). In the aftermath of the battle, Xue retreated from Tuyuhun. However, the Tibetan Empire lost 100,000 men and the weakened Tibetan Empire went into decline in the following decades.

See also

• Sino-Tibetan relations during the Tang dynasty

References

• Graff, David A. (2002). Medieval Chinese Warfare, 300–900. London and New York: Routledge. p. 206. ISBN 0-415-23955-9.
• Peers, C.J. (1996). Imperial Chinese Armies (2): 590–1260 AD. Men-at-Arms. Vol. 295. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 1-85532-599-3.