Atlas of Battles

siege, notable, early modern

Siege of Pyongyang

Siege of Pyongyang was a siege conducted on 6 February 1593 at Pyongyang Castle, in what is now North Korea; it lasted 2 days. It was part of Japanese invasions of Korea, which ran from 1592 to 1598. The recorded result: Ming China-Joseon victory; Japanese retreat from Pyeongyang. Recorded strength: 15,000–30,000 against Ming; 43,000; 200+ cannons; 34237; Joseon; 10,000; 4,200 monks.

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Chinese cavalry and infantry attacking the walls of Pyongyang in 1593, from a Chinese painted screen in the Hizen-Nagoya castle museum
Chinese cavalry and infantry attacking the walls of Pyongyang in 1593, from a Chinese painted screen in the Hizen-Nagoya castle museum. Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought6 February 1593lasted 2 days
WherePyongyang Castle, North Korea39.030N, 125.730E
OutcomeMing China-Joseon victory; Japanese retreat from Pyeongyang
BelligerentsJapanagainstMing dynasty; Joseon
Part ofJapanese invasions of KoreaFirst Japanese Invasion of Korea

Where it sits in Japanese invasions of Korea

Battle of Yonan, 1592Siege of Yeongwon, 1592Battle of Geumsan, 1592Siege of Dongnae, 1592Battle of Ch'ungju, 1592Battle of Okpo, 1592Siege of Busan, 1592Battle of Dadaejin, 1592Battle of Sangju, 1592Battle of Imjin River, 1592Battle of Sacheon, 1592Battle of Dangpo, 1592Battle of Danghangpo, 1592Battle of Yongin, 1592Siege of Pyongyang, 1592Battle of Gyeongju Castle, 1592Battle of Kumachi, 1592Battle of Hansan Island, 1592Battle of Pyongyang, 1592Battle of Cheongju, 1592Battle of Pyongyang, 1592Siege of Jinju, 1592Battle of Kumaura, 1593Battle of Bald Shiroyama Castle, 1593Siege of Pyongyang, 1593Siege of Haengju, 1593Siege of Jinju, 1593Battle of Hwangseoksanseong Fortress, 1597Second Japanese Invasion of Korea, 1597Battle of Chilcheollyang, 1597Siege of Namwon, 1597Battle of Jiksan, 1597Battle of Myeongnyang, 1597Siege of Ulsan, 1598First Siege of Ulsan, 1598Battle of Jeolido, 1598Second Siege of Ulsan, 1598Siege of Suncheon, 1598Battle of Sacheon, 1598Battle of Noryang, 159815921598Siege of Pyongyang, 1593
40 placed engagements of Japanese invasions of Korea in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date6 February 1593
to 8 February 1593
PlacePyongyang Castle, North Korea
39.030N, 125.730E
KindSiege, early modern
Strength15,000–30,000Ming; 43,000; 200+ cannons; 34237; Joseon; 10,000; 4,200 monks
Casualties and losses1,300–1,700 killed in combat; 5,000 died from fires; 6,000 drownedMing; 796 killed; 1,492 wounded; Joseon; 600+
Commanders
  • Li Rusong
  • Li Rubai
  • Song Yingchang
  • Zhang Shijue
  • Yang Yuan
  • Wu Weizhong
Siege of PyongyangSiege of PyongyangSiege of PyongyangBattle of Pyongyang (1950)Battle of PyongyangBattle of PyongyangBattle of SunchonSiege of PyongyangBattle of SunchonWonsanSinuijuNampoHamhungHaejuChongjuOngjinPyongsan100 km39.030N, 125.730E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 5 times between 1592 and 1950.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1593

Siege of Pyongyang is one of 1,470 engagements of the 16th century in the atlas and one of 53 in present-day North Korea.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q14475856, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Siege of Pyongyang (1593), revision 1370744614, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.