马陵之战 / Battle of Maling
马陵之战 / Battle of Maling appears in 《资治通鉴·周纪》18丨中国历史上第一例人头税 as the event previewed for the year after Zhou recognition of Qin hegemon status. The host frames it as a major 齐国-魏国 confrontation and the final duel between 孙膑 and 庞涓.
《资治通鉴·周纪》19丨马陵之战 begins the actual campaign setup. 魏国 attacks 韩国, Han asks 齐国 for help, and 孙膑 persuades 齐威王 to practice delayed rescue: reassure Han privately, wait until Han is desperate and Wei is tired, then intervene.
The battle branch repeats but changes the 围魏救赵 logic from 桂陵之战. Qi again moves toward 大梁 rather than the ally’s battlefield, forcing Wei to react. Wei recalls 庞涓 from the Han front and appoints 太子申 to command another army, which the source uses to explain 太子挂帅风险.
《资治通鉴·周纪》20丨庞涓死此树下 completes the battle outcome. 孙膑 turns camp logistics into 减灶诱敌, reducing the visible stove count from ten wan to five wan to two wan so 庞涓 reads Qi’s movement as desertion. Pang Juan leaves the slower main force, pursues at doubled pace, reaches Maling at night, lights a torch to read the “庞涓死此树下” inscription, and triggers the prepared volley.
The same source makes Maling a turning point rather than only a famous trick. Pang Juan kills himself, Wei’s army collapses, Qi attacks through the disorder, and 太子申 is captured. The host also gives a present-day traditional location near Beimaling in Dazhangjia Town, Shen County, Liaocheng, Shandong, but keeps the dramatic story and location note source-scoped.
《资治通鉴·周纪》21丨邹忌下阴招 田忌国外避难 gives Maling a court-political afterlife. The same victory that damages Wei raises 田忌’s prestige enough for 成侯邹忌 to treat him as a rival, culminating in the staged divination and treason accusation that sends Tian Ji and 孙膑 out of Qi.
《资治通鉴·周纪》23丨魏惠王 悔不用公叔之言 gives Maling a methodological afterlife. The episode compares Sun Bin’s reduced-stove deception with Shang Yang’s capture of Gongzi Ang, arguing that Maling’s tactic is more reusable and less personally trust-destroying even though Shang Yang’s immediate payoff is larger.
《资治通鉴·周纪》27丨围观魏惠王和齐威王是咋商业互捧 gives Maling a diplomatic afterlife. Qi’s victory prestige makes 田婴 push for a Qi-centered order, while Wei’s defeat makes 惠施 advise 魏惠王 / 梁惠王 to accept low-posture diplomacy. The result is 徐州相王, where the battle’s power shift becomes title recognition rather than another immediate campaign.
Connections
- 齐国, 魏国, and 韩国 - states in the campaign.
- 孙膑, 庞涓, 田忌, 齐威王, 成侯邹忌, 田婴, and 太子申 - personnel and command branch.
- 大梁, 桂陵之战, and Encircling Wei to Rescue Zhao / 围魏救赵 - strategic-continuity branch from rescue Zhao to rescue Han.
- Delayed Rescue Statecraft / 晚救权谋, Crown-Prince Command Risk / 太子挂帅风险, Forced-March Operational Risk / 急行军作战风险, Lure Enemy Out of Position / 诱敌离位, Decreasing Stoves Deception / 减灶诱敌, 战术信用成本, and 《孙子兵法》 - concepts added by the Zhouji 19 setup, Zhouji 20 outcome, and Zhouji 23 comparison.
- Treason Accusation Trap / 谋反指控陷阱 and 楚国 - Zhouji 21 aftermath in which victory becomes court danger and exile.
- 徐州相王, 惠施, and 低姿态权宜 - Zhouji 27 diplomatic afterlife.
- Early Warring States Interstate War / 战国早期诸侯混战 and 战国时期 - broader conflict setting.