The Siege of Suiyang: When Cannibalism Became Military Strategy

In 757 CE, during the devastating An Lushan Rebellion that nearly destroyed the Tang Dynasty, the city of Suiyang became the site of one of history's most horrific sieges. For ten months, General Zhang Xun and his 6,800 soldiers held out against a rebel army of 130,000, protecting the road to the Tang capital. When the city ran out of food, Zhang Xun made an unthinkable decision - he ordered his own concubines killed and cooked to feed his soldiers. When that wasn't enough, he began systematically butchering civilians to keep his army fighting. Historical records suggest 20,000 to 30,000 people were cannibalized before the city finally fell.

The siege began in early 757 when rebel forces surrounded Suiyang, cutting off all supplies. Zhang Xun's small garr ...