Wang Jun (206โ286) served under the Sima clan during the transition from Wei to Jin. He was appointed as the Governor of Yizhou (modern Sichuan) with the critical mission of building a massive navy to invade Eastern Wu from the upstream Yangtze.
He spent seven years oversawing the construction of gigantic tower-ships (Louchuan) that were over 120 paces long. When the Jin launched the final invasion in 280 AD, Wang Jun's massive fleet sailed down the river. The Wu forces tried to stop him with huge iron chains stretched across the river, but Wang Jun used massive fire-rafts and oil-soaked torches to melt the chains, clearing the path for his 'floating fortresses'.
Legend says that when his flag appeared at the gates of Jianye (the Wu capital), the sight of his mountainous ships caused the Wu defenders to lose all will to fight. Today, he is remembered as a visionary of naval logistics and the man who literally 'melted the chains' to unify China.