Battle of Changping
260 BCE · Changping, China
The Battle of Changping was fought in 260 BCE in Changping, China between State of Qin vs the State of Zhao; decisive Qin victory; tradition says the surrendered Zhao army was executed almost to a man.
Battle of Changping: quick facts
- Date
- 260 BCE
- Location
- Changping, China
- Belligerents
- State of Qin vs the State of Zhao
- Commanders
- Bai Qi vs Zhao Kuo
- Result
- decisive Qin victory; tradition says the surrendered Zhao army was executed almost to a man.
- Era
- ⛩️ East Asia
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Changping?
The Battle of Changping was one of the bloodiest engagements in ancient history, fought between the states of Qin and Zhao during China's Warring States period. The Qin general Bai Qi lured the Zhao army into a trap, surrounded them, and starved them into surrender. According to historical records, approximately 400,000 Zhao prisoners were executed after the battle, crippling Zhao and paving the way for Qin's eventual unification of China.
Did you know?
Ancient sources claim that after Changping, the victorious Qin general Bai Qi executed roughly 400,000 prisoners by burying them alive, making it one of the largest mass killings in ancient history if the figures are accurate.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Changping on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.