own forces into three, sending one group to attack the Taira from the rear; a second beneath the Pass, as an ambush party; and the third he accompanied and held centrally. In order to conceal these movements, Yoshinaka sought to distract his enemy with a highly formal battle, beginning with archery exchanges using whistling-bulb arrows. This was followed by individual duels amongst a hundred samurai, to which the Taira gladly indulged, in the hopes of earning their individual places in the chronicles and epic poetry which were sure to follow such a war. Meanwhile, Yoshinaka's armies moved into position, and as the sun set, the Taira turned to find behind them a Minamoto detachment, holding far more flags than a single detachment should merit, giving the illusion of greater numbers. Yoshinaka's central force, having gathered a herd of oxen, now released them down the pass directly into the Taira army, with lit torches tied to their horns, a strategy learned from the ancient Qi general Tian Dan. Many of the Taira warriors were simply knocked off the path. Yoshinaka's soldiers then charged down the north slope forcing the Taira down into the Kairaka Valley and Yoshinaka's ambush. Aftermath The surviving Taira, confused, demoralized, and having suffered heavy losses, fled. This was a major victory for the Minamoto, leading to the Taira abandoning Kyoto. References Further reading Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. London: Cassell & Co. 1180s in Japan 1183 in Asia Kurikara 1183 Kurikara