Battle of Dafei River

Battle of Dafei River
Date 670 Location nearby Qinghai Lake Result Tibetan victory
Belligerents
Tibetan Empire	Tang dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Gar Trinring Tsendro	Xue Rengui Ashina Daozi Guo Daifeng
Strength
200 thousand	100 thousand

The Battle of Dafei River was fought in mid-670 between the forces of the Chinese Tang dynasty and the Tibetan Empire, for control over the Tarim Basin (the "Western Regions" in Chinese parlance). The Chinese general, Xue Rengui, commanded a huge army of allegedly 100,000 men. 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 Chinese baggage train, and proceeded to destroy Xue's own army at the Dafei River (大非川). In the aftermath of the battle, Chinese control over the Tarim Basin collapsed.

See also

• Sino-Tibetan relations during the Tang dynasty

Sources

• 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. 295. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 43. ISBN 1-85532-599-3.