Chen Tang

For the Chinese footballer, seeChen Tang (footballer).For the actor, seeChen Tang (actor).For the actress surnamed Tang, seeTang Chen.

In thisChinese name,thefamily nameisChen.

Chen Tang(Chinese:Trần thang), born inJining,Shandong,was a Chinese military general of the Western Han dynasty. He was famous for his battle againstZhizhiin 36 BC during theHan–Xiongnu War.

Battle of Zhizhi

Main article:Battle of Zhizhi

At approximately 36 BC, the governor of theWestern Regionswas Gan Yanshou. His deputy commander, Chen Tang claimed that Zhizhi was planning to build up a great empire and proposed a pre-emptive attack. Gan Yanshou objected; but he soon fell ill, and while he was incapacitated Chen Tang forged an edict in Yanshou's name and mobilized the army. Gan Yanshou was forced to yield. All this was done without theEmperor'spermission. An army of 40,000 Han and Hu troops (''Hu"here is a loose term for non-Chinese) assembled. It marched west on both sides of theTarim Basin,reunited nearKashgarand moved across Kangju territory reaching the western shore ofLake Balkhash.At this point a party of several thousand Kangju cavalrymen, returning from a raid onWusun,stumbled onto the rear of the Chinese army, attacked it, and made off with a large quantity of food and weapons. Chen Tang sent his Hu troops back and defeated the Kangju, killing 460 of them and freeing 470 Wusun captives.

1,518 Xiongnu died, including Zhizhi and Zhizhi's wives. 145 were captured and well over 1,000 surrendered. The soldiers were allowed to keep their booty and the surrendered Xiongnu were distributed to the fifteen kingdoms that participated in the battle. The following spring Gan Yanshou and Chen Tang arrived atChang'anand presentedEmperor Yuan of Hanwith Zhizhi's severed head. It was displayed on the city wall for ten days and then buried. Zhizhi was the only Xiongnu Chanyu killed by the Chinese.

Quotes

He is famous for the quotes:

"Phu hồ binh ngũ nhi đương hán binh nhất". A single soldier of Han is equivalent to fiveNorthern barbariansoldiers.

"Nghi huyện đầu cảo nhai man di để gian, dĩ kỳ vạn lí. Minh phạm cường hán giả, tuy viễn tất tru". We have decapitated the king of the barbarians in the battle. His head should be hung up high in between the buildings where the barbarians live in order to display Han Empire’s power, to show them that no matter how far away, whoever dares to violate the mighty Han will be put to death.

Children

• Chen Fen Pohu hou