The Battle of Changshao, a battle between Qi and Lu during the Spring and Autumn Period of China, took place in Changshao in 684 BC. This battle was another important battle between Qi and Lu after the War of Qianshi. The victory of the State of Lu in this battle indirectly contributed to the peace of Qi and Lu's soldiers a few years later.
Since King Zhou Ping moved east to Luoyi in 770 BC, Chinese history has entered the Spring and Autumn Period of princes annexation and great powers contending for hegemony. Both Qi and Lu were important vassal states in the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and they were adjacent to each other. Under the turbulent situation at that time, various contradictions inevitably occurred, and the intensification of contradictions and conflicts would inevitably lead to the result of military encounters between the two countries. The Battle of Long Spoon is the product of this special historical condition.
In the early fourteenth year of King Zhouzhuang, Qi army attacked Lu. Cao Gui, a native of Lu, went to see Duke Lu Zhuang and asked him why he was fighting. Lord Luzhuang used the usual cost to share with his subordinates and did not set sacrificial offerings in abusive manner as his reasons, but
was not accepted by Cao Gui. Duke Lu Zhuang then claimed that he tried his best to be reasonable and fair in the judicial field. Cao Xu believed that Lu “can fight a battle” and was approved by Duke Lu Zhuang to supervise the battle.
In the same year, the Qi army relied on a strong army and a strong horse to invade the border of Shandong. Duke Lu Zhuang temporarily avoided Qi Jun's edge and retreated to a place conducive to the counterattack—Chang Shao. Due to the victory of the dry war, the soldiers under Bao Shuya despised the Lu army and considered it vulnerable to a blow, so they launched a raging attack. When Lord Luzhuang saw the Qi army attacking the Lu army's position, he must beat his drums to give orders to fight.
Cao Gui persuaded that: The forces are sharp, our army's attack is in line with the enemy's wishes, and victory is not certain. "We should wait quietly" and cannot attack.
Zhuang Gong then ordered the Lu Army to hold on to the position, and only ordered the crossbowmen to shoot to stabilize the position. The Qi army didn't fight to the opponent, and couldn't rush into the Lu army's position. Instead, it was slammed by the Lu army's bow and crossbow and could not move forward, so it had to retreat. After a short break, Bao Shuya ordered a second attack, and Cao Xu persuaded Lord Zhuang not to attack and continue to hold his ground. Although the Qi army's offensive was fierce, it was still unable to attack, and its morale was inevitably exhausted, and then retreated to the original position.
Qi army attacked twice, Lu army did not challenge, Bao Shuya and Qi army generals thought that Lu army was timid to challenge and decided to attack again. So the Qi army's massive third offensive immediately appeared in front of the Lu army. Cao Gui saw that the Qi army was coming on fiercely, but the momentum was not as big as two times. He believed that the time to attack had arrived and immediately proposed to Zhuang Gong to counterattack the Qi army. Zhuang Gong personally beat the drums and issued an attack order, and then the Lu army won a decisive victory
The battle of Long Shao was a rare setback in the history of Qi Huan Gong’s struggle for hegemony, and it was also a long-term struggle of Lu Qi. A rare victory for China Lu. It has a certain influence on the adjustment and improvement of its strategy for hegemony.
