邯郸 / Handan

邯郸 / Handan appears in 《资治通鉴·周纪》16丨孙膑庞涓恩怨纠葛 桂陵之战 as the 赵国 city under 魏国 siege. The source uses the siege as the immediate reason Zhao seeks help from 齐国.

Handan’s source role is to define the obvious rescue target that 孙膑 refuses. A direct march to Handan would put Qi into the battlefield chosen by Wei; threatening 大梁 instead forces Wei to move, making 桂陵之战 possible.

《资治通鉴·周纪》17丨韩昭侯和申不害 adds the diplomatic afterlife of that siege. 魏惠王 returns Handan to Zhao as the credibility move that lets 魏国 and 赵国 form the 漳水之盟 under 秦国东进压力.

《资治通鉴·周纪》18丨中国历史上第一例人头税 adds Handan as a succession-struggle target. 赵范 tries to take it by surprise in 347 BCE, but fails and dies, giving the source its case for the “袭” category.

Connections

• 赵国 - state whose city is under siege.
• 魏国 - attacking state in the source.
• 齐国, 孙膑, and 田忌 - rescuing side.
• 大梁, Encircling Wei to Rescue Zhao / 围魏救赵, and 桂陵之战 - pressure target, strategy, and battle outcome.
• 魏惠王, 漳水之盟, and Qin Eastward Pressure / 秦国东进压力 - Zhouji 17 return-and-reconciliation branch.
• 赵范, 赵肃侯, and Military Action Terminology / 伐侵袭用语 - Zhouji 18 surprise-attack branch.