The battle of Ji Mo was one of the most remarkable battles in the history of China. The battle of Ji Mo took place in the Warring States period. This battle was a decisive battle for the State of Qi. Losing this battle, the State of Qi would disappear from history.

In 284 BCE, the State of Yan launched a military campaign to destroy the State of Qi.

General Le Yi commanded the army of Yan. Within six months, General Le Yi conquered seventy cities. The State of Qi had only two cities left.

General Le Yi led the Yan army to attack the city of Ji Mo belonging to the State of Qi in 283 BCE. Ji Mo was a bigger city with rich resources. The people of Ji Mo loved their city and fought hard. The commanding officer of Ji Mo died in the battle.

The citizens of Ji Mo nominated General Tian Dan[2] to take over the commanding post.

General Tian Dan was a capable and humble person. He gathered the soldiers of Ji Mo city, a total of seven thousands soldiers, to defend the city. He labored with the soldiers. He joined them in the repairing work of the city wall. He commanded his family to join in the labor.

All the men, women and children in the city of Ji Mo, including his family, worked together to mend the armor, repaired the city wall, and all other defense related work. The morale of the people was high.

General Le Yi launched several attacks. He could not succeed despite having more than ten times the number of soldiers. The defending General, General Tian Dan, was not just a good man. He was well versed in the military tactics.

General Le Yi decided to change attack mode. Instead of attacking the city and attempted to win the battle by physical means, he tried to win the battle by the soft approach. He wanted to win the heart of the people. As much as General Tian Dan gained the support of the people in Ji Mo city, General Le Yi determined to do better.

General Le Yi knew that whoever won the heart of the people won the battle. He wanted the people of Ji Mo to surrender without a fight.

General Le Yi led his army to retreat a few miles. His army still besieged the city of Ji Mo. He ordered the Yan army to provided food and water to the people of Ji Mo. He ordered them to let the people of Ji Mo tilled the land outside the city wall. He even ordered them to help watering the plants.

A long siege began. For the next three years, a seemingly harmonious co-existence resulted.

The King of Yan died. His son succeeded the throne as the new King of Yan. The new King of Yan did not like or trust General Le Yi. He was jealous of General Le Yi, which appeared to gain the complete trust of his Father. The new King of Yan was also not happy that General Le Yi could not destroy the State of Qi.

General Tian Dan knew all this. He sent spies to the capital of Yan to spread rumors that General Le Yi intended to become the king of Qi.

That was why he wanted to win the heart of people in the city of Ji Mo.

The new King of Yan was furious. The rumors confirmed his suspicion. He replaced General Le Yi, and appointed a foolish general to lead the army of Yan. General Le Yi sought refuge in the State of Zhao. He knew that the new King of Yan would kill him.

This new general of Yan army launched several attacks on the city of Ji Mo. The people of Ji Mo fought valiantly to protect the city.

General Tian Dan was cunning. He wanted the people of Ji Mo to burn with hatred in their hearts. He sent his spies to spread rumors in the camp of Yan soldiers, saying that: cutting off the noses of Qi soldiers will make them tremble with fear. Digging out the dead ancestors from the grave will make them surrender.

As the Chinese believed that the dead ancestors had the power to bless the future generations. They took great care to ensure a good burial for the ancestors. Digging up the dead ancestors, and destroyed the burial site, went against the Feng Shui concept. This act ensured that the future generations would be cursed with bad luck.

The stupid general of Yan army believed all this nonsense. He ordered his soldiers to do just so. The people of Ji Mo filled with hatred, and burned with the desire of revenge.

General Tian Dan believed the time is right for them to attack the army of Yan. He could not engage in one-to-one fight. He would lose the battle, since he had about five thousands soldiers, and the enemy had more than ten times the number of soldiers.

General Tian Dan gathered a thousand oxen. He ordered his men to dress up the oxen to make them look like dragons. He ordered his men to tie sharp daggers to the horns of the oxen, tied the dried wood to the back of the oxen.

In the middle of the night, the army of Qi opened the city wall of Ji Mo city. They released the oxen in the direction of the Yan army camp. They set fire to the dried wood tied on the back of the oxen. The angry oxen charged into the Yan camp, aroused the sleeping soldiers, and set the camp on fire.

In the darkness of the night, the burning oxen looked like dragons descending from heaven.

General Tian Dan led his five thousands soldiers to attack the Yan army. Numerous Yan soldiers perished in the battle.

General Tian Dan won the battle of Ji Mo. He went on to lead the Qi army to restore all the seventy cities that the State of Yan had captured.

The battle of Ji Mo was remarkable. It was a long battle, with both hard and soft approach. It was impossible for a small army of five thousands soldiers to win the battle. General Tian Dan was able to make use of limited resources to win the battle. The 1,000 oxen killed more Yan soldiers than the combined effort of five thousands soldiers.

Both General Le Yi and General Tian Dan knew that the outcome of the battle depended on the heart of the people. Whoever won the heart of the people won the war. General Tian Dan knew that without the support of the King and the people, the battle was lost. That was why he could make use of the bad relationship between the new King of Yan and General Le Yi to his advantage.