World at War  /  Conflicts  /  Chinese Myth
Wars of the Yellow Emperor

Battle of Zhuolu

2693 BC Hebei Status: ended Casualties: Chiyou beheaded; the war-god of metal slain

Chiyou, the bronze-headed war-god of the Nine Li, raised fog so thick the Yellow Emperor's army was lost; Huangdi countered with the south-pointing chariot. The wind-master and rain-master fought on Chiyou's side; Nüba the drought spirit dried their storms. Chiyou was at last beheaded — and his blood, it is said, became the maple leaves that turn red each autumn. Shanhaijing.

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Belligerents

  • Yellow Emperor & dragon Yinglong, drought-spirit Nüba
  • Chiyou & 81 brothers, with wind & rain spirits

Casualties

Chiyou beheaded; the war-god of metal slain

From World at War, an interactive atlas by Jairus Pereira. Figures are approximate, drawn from Wikipedia, UCDP, ACLED and academic sources — a design artefact, not an authoritative register. Contact.