Cao Cao's cousin, Cao Ren was known throughout the three kingdoms as the fiercest of warriors.Born in the county of Qiao (谯 , present day Bozhou, Anhui) , Cao Ren was a younger cousin of Cao Cao. His grandfather and father had both held significant civil and military posts. Cao Ren was fond of hunting on horseback in his youth. During the years of the Yellow Turban Rebellion , he gathered more than a thousand young men under his flag and wandered the area between Huai River and Si River (泗水).
In 190, Cao Cao started raising an army to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo , the tyrannical warlord who was holding the emperor hostage in the imperial court. Cao Ren and his followers then joined Cao Cao. Throughout the early 190s he accompanied Cao Cao on various campaigns around northern China, against Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shu, Tao Qian (陶谦) and Lü Bu. Cao Ren performed very well during these early campaigns , often pitching himself in the forefront of battles.
In 196, after Cao Cao was entrusted with the custody of Emperor Xian in Xuchang , he gave Cao Ren the position of Grand Administrator of Guangyang (广阳太守). However, Cao Cao kept Cao Ren in Xuchang as he had greater use of the brave yet crafty man.
In 197 , Cao Cao's camp was attacked by Zhang Xiu outside Wan. Caught unprepared , Cao Cao lost many troops and several trusted subjects, including his bodyguard Dian Wei and his own son Cao Ang. Zhang Xiu then pursued Cao Cao as the latter retreated north. Under such adverse circumstance, Cao Ren inspired the soldiers through his own bravery in battle and eventually defeated Zhang Xiu in a counterattack.
During the Battle of Guandu in 200 , Yuan Shao incited Liu Bei to harass the rear of Cao Cao's territory. Leading a cavalry force, Cao Ren defeated Liu Bei. Later, Yuan Shao attempted to attack Cao Cao's rear again, which was once more thwarted by Cao Ren. Cao Ren also undertook the task of harassing Yuan Shao's line of supply.
In 208, after he lost the Battle of Red Cliffs , Cao Cao retreated north, leaving Cao Ren to defend the strategic city of Jiangling against the advance of Wu troops. The enemy commander Zhou Yu dispatched a several thousand-strong vanguard force to attack the city. Cao Ren sent his aide Niu Jin (牛金) with 300 men into battle, which soon turned against the defenders. Cao Ren then rode out with dozens of horsemen and successfully rescued Niu Jin. Upon his return, Cao Ren's subjects exclaimed , "Genera , you are truly a man from Heaven!"
Throughout most of the 210s Cao Ren held the position of General who Conquers the South (征南将军) and garrisoned at Fan (樊) , a strategic city on the shores of the Han River that is vital to the defense of Jingzhou (荆州).
In 219 , Liu Bei's most trusted general Guan Yu came in force to take Fan. He cut off communications and supply lines to the city and diverted the Han River to flood its walls. The food stock was depleting fast but Cao Ren roused his men and held out until a relief force under Xu Huang arrived. By this time the flood had subsided. Combined with Xu Huang's strength , Cao Ren forced Guan Yu to retreat.
After Cao Pi succeeded Cao Cao , he made Cao Ren General of Chariots and Cavalry (车骑将军), to be in charge of all military affairs of Jingzhou, Yangzhou (扬州) and Yizhou (益州). Cao Ren was later promoted to General-in-Chief (大将军) and subsequently Minister of Defense (大司马). In his last years , Cao Ren defended Hefei against a number of Sun Quan's offensives.
Cao Ren died in 223 and was posthumously enforced as Marquis Zhong, literally meaning the loyal marquis. Indeed this was largely how he was remembered – a steadfastly loyal commander who obeyed and enforced laws and commands strictly.
Cáo Cāo (Chinese : 曹操 ; pinyin : Cáo Cāo ; 155 – March 15 , 220) was a warlord and the penultimate Chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during its final years in ancient China. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period , he laid the foundations for what was to become Cao Wei and was posthumously titled Emperor Wu of Wei (魏武帝). Although often portrayed as a cruel and merciless tyrant , Cao Cao has also been praised as a brilliant ruler and military genius who treated his officers like his family. He was also skilled in poetry and the martial arts , and wrote many war journals.Cao Cao was born in the county of Qiao (譙 , present day Bozhou , Anhui) in 155. His father Cao Song was a foster son of Cao Teng, who in turn was one of the favorite eunuchs of Emperor Huan. Some historical records , including Biography of Cao Man , claim that Cao Song was originally surnamed Xiahou (thus making Cao Cao a cousin of Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan , two of his most prominent generals). In the fictionalized Romance of the Three Kingdoms , Cao Cao's father was originally a Xiahou and was adopted into the Cao family.
Cao Cao was known for his craftiness as a young man. According to the Biography of Cao Man , Cao Cao's uncle often complained to Cao Song regarding Cao Cao's childhood indulgence in hunting and music with Yuan Shao. To counter this, Cao Cao one day feigned a fit before his uncle , who hurriedly informed Cao Song. Cao Song rushed out to see his son, who then acted normally. When asked , Cao Cao replied, "I have never had such illness , but I lost the love of my uncle , and therefore he had deceived you." Henceforth , Cao Song ceased to believe the words of his brother regarding Cao Cao, and thus Cao Cao became even more blatant in his wayward pursuits.
At that time , there was a man living in Runan named Xu Shao who was famed for his ability to evaluate one's potentials and talents. Cao Cao paid him a visit in hopes of receiving the evaluation that will earn him some reputation politically. Originally Xu Shao pondered and refused to make a statement ; however , under persistent questioning , he finally said, "You would be a capable minister in peaceful times and an unscrupulous hero in chaotic times." Cao Cao took this as a compliment and was very pleased as it was recorded that he "laughs and leaves" after receiving said comment. It is worth noting that there are two other versions of the comment in other unofficial historical records: "capable minister in peaceful times, righteous hero in chaotic times" and "sinister foe in peaceful times, great hero in chaotic times."
At twenty, Cao Cao was recommended to be a district captain of Luoyang. Upon taking up the post, Cao Cao placed rows of multicolored staffs outside his office and ordered his deputies to flog those who violated the law , regardless of their status. An uncle of Jian Shuo , one of the most powerful and influential eunuchs under Emperor Ling , was once caught walking in the city beyond the evening curfew hour by Cao Cao and given his fair share of flogging. This prompted Jian Shuo and other higher authorities to "promote" Cao Cao to another position outside the imperial capital (governor of Dunqiu County) to remove his management.
When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out in 184 Cao Cao was recalled to Luoyang and promoted to a captain of the cavalry (騎都尉) and sent to Yingchuan to put down the rebels there. He was successful in his military exploits and was further promoted to Governor of Dong Commandery (東郡).
Cao Cao's most celebrated poems
When Zhuge Jin proposed the marriage of Guan Yu's daughter and Sun Quan's heir, Guan Yu's arrogant refusal led to disaster.
Zhūgé Jǐn (AD 174 – 241) , courtesy name Ziyu (Wade-Giles: Tzŭ-yu) (子瑜) , was a minister for the Kingdom of Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He was the elder brother of the famous Shu strategist , Zhuge Liang. He was greatly trusted by Sun Quan. His most important accomplishment was in smoothing relations between Wu and Shu. His son Zhuge Ke succeeded him, and became a great Wu general , but later failed as a regent, leading to the destruction of the Zhuge clan.
Zhuge Jin also had another son named Zhuge Qiao , who was adopted by his brother Zhuge Liang and Liang's wife , Huang Yueying.
Zhou Yu was born in Lujiang District. Zhou Yu was born into a cultured family that produced many officials , and when Sun Jian was attacking Dong Zhuo, he moved his family to live together with Zhou Yu's family. Sun Jian's son Sun Ce and Zhou Yu studied together and became lifelong friends. Soon , Zhou Yu's uncle became the governor of Danyang, and the whole family relocated to Danyang , where they served Yuan Shu.
Sun Ce , under a commission from Yuan Shu , entered Yangzhou in order to aid his relatives , Wu Jing and Sun Ben , who were attacked by Liu Yao. Zhou Yu and his uncle , Zhou Shang, were among the first to join Sun Ce's army, superseded only by a fellow officer of Yuan Shu , Lü Fan , and the former retainers of Sun Jian. After Sun Ce defeated Liu Yao and his allies , Zhou Yu and his uncle were summoned to return to Yuan Shu while Sun Ce continued his conquests.
In 197 , confident that he had Sun Ce's support, Yuan Shu declared himself Emperor. Sun Ce , citing loyalty to Emperor Xian, declared independence and allied with Lü Bu , Cao Cao , and Liu Bei to oppose his former master. It was at this time that Zhou Yu returned to Sun Ce's army , this time bringing a wealthy merchant named Lu Su , who would go on to serve the Sun family as Zhou Yu's successor.
It was around this time that Zhou Yu and Sun Ce wed the Two Qiaos , daughters of Qiao Xuan, a famed scholar and critic. Very soon afterwards , Sun Ce and Zhou Yu pacified most of Yangzhou Province south of Yangtze and extended their power both south into the native Yue area and north into the Huai River region , defeating Liu Xun and the remnant forces of Yuan Shu in the north as well as Huang Zu and the forces of Liu Biao to the west.
Lu Xun (183 – 245) was an officer of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He was instrumental in causing Guan Yu's downfall , but is most famous for defeating Liu Bei in the celebrated Battle of Yiling.
Life
Lu Xun was born into one of the four most prestigious and richest families in the Wu district (Zhu , Lu , Gu , Zhang). Lu Xun began his career as a minor official under Sun Ce who was then still a general and provincial warlord. Lu Xun was soon given a minor post as commandant and civil officer , where he distinguished himself as both a skilled civil leader , and as a military commander. As a military commander , he pacified south eastern tribes of Yue and brought them within the Chinese influence. As a civil official, he was successful in integrating northern refugees and minorities into the social and economic structure of Wu.
As the Wu chief commander, Lu Meng conquered Shu-held Jingzhou in 219 by disguising soldiers as merchants on boats filled with hiding troops.Lü Meng was born in Fupo (富坡) of Runan (Present-day Fuyang , Anhui) in 178. Lü Meng's family migrated south of the Yangtze River when Lü Meng was young, and he lived with his brother-in-law Deng Dang (鄧當) , who served under Sun Ce. When Lü Meng was 15 or 16 , he would often follow Deng Dang in his expeditions against the Shanyue secretly against Deng Dang's wishes. When Deng told Lü Meng's mother about this, she was furious, but Lü Meng said : "It is difficult to survive in poverty ; if we can prove ourselves through hard work , then wealth would come eventually. How can we get the tiger's cub if we don't enter the tiger's den?" Lü Meng's mother was so touched at his words that she forgave him and did not punish him.
At the time, an official despised Lü Meng for his age , and often insulted him with words like : "What can he do? His behaviour would only feed himself to the tigers. " Eventually , Lü Meng could not hold his anger and slew the official. Lü Meng soon turned himself in to Yuan Xiong (袁雄) , who pleaded with Sun Ce to spare his life. Sun Ce granted Lü Meng an audience with him , and he was very impressed with Lü Meng , so he acquitted Lü Meng of his crimes and made him an officer.
A few years later, Deng Dang died , and Zhang Zhao recommended Lü Meng to take his place. When Sun Quan succeeded Sun Ce, he planned to merge smaller troops into larger garrisons. When Lü Meng heard of this, he collected funds to decorate his troops with brilliant armour. When Sun Quan came to review his troops, he was very impressed by Lü Meng's troops and added more soldiers under Lü Meng's command, thus saving Lü Meng's men from being merged into another officer's command.
Sister to Sun Quan and wife to Liu Bei, Lady Sun often felt her loyalty to both tested.Lady Sun, or more famously Sun Shangxiang (traditional Chinese : 孫尚香 ; simplified Chinese : 孙尚香 ; pinyin : Sūn Shàngxiāng) as she is called in Chinese opera and in contemporary culture , lived during the Three Kingdoms era of China. She was the daughter of the warlord , Sun Jian. She had five brothers , the most notable being the two eldest , Sun Ce and Sun Quan , both of whom subsequently became warlords south of the Yangtze River. She is often depicted as a tomboy, as she received extensive martial arts training and her maidservants all wielded weapons , which was strange for her time.
She was wed to Liu Bei as his third wife , supposedly to secure the alliance between Sun Quan and Liu Bei. When Liu Bei turned west to attack the land of Sichuan , Sun Quan sent ships to bring her back.
Life
Sister of the founding Emperor of Eastern Wu (Sun Quan) , Lady Sun was the only recorded daughter of Sun Jian and Lady Wu. Sun Jian had two other daughters bore by consorts , older than Sun Shangxiang , who were recorded. One daughter was married to Hong Zi and highly respected the abilities of Zhuge Jin. The other was bore by a Lady Chen , who possibly was a concubine , and married Pan Mi.
Although history never recorded the given name of Lady Sun (or any of her sisters) , in legends , she is commonly referred by the name Sun Shangxiang. She was a woman of strong personality and this is shown in events throughout her life. The biography of Fa Zheng tells that she had the courage and energy of her brothers.
In 209 , she was given to Liu Bei to marry as a part of an alliance between Eastern Wu and Shu Han. At the time, Lady Sun was a little over twenty years of age but because of the marriage , she took general control over his household as well as guardianship over his son and heir Liu Shan. This is because both of Liu Bei’s former wives had already died of natural causes. Because Lady Sun was accompanied by more than a hundred female attendants, all of whom were capable of bearing arms , whenever Liu Bei visited her , he was scared. No children are recorded between them.
Two years later , however , in 211 , there was tension within the Wu-Shu Alliance over the affairs of Jingzhou. It was at this time when Sun Shangxiang returned to her brother’s court. According to Zhao Yun’s biography, Lady Sun attempted to take Liu Shan with her but was stopped by Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun himself. Through negotiations by the two generals , Lady Sun surrendered the young heir before she journeyed downriver to Jiangdong. It is through this event that the marriage and alliance effectively ended. She never met Liu Bei again , and presumedly never remarried.
Lu Su served as an intermediary between the Wu and Shu kingdoms until Zhou Yu's death in 210, when he became Wu's supreme commander.Lu Su (172 - 217) , styled Zijing(子敬) , was an advisor for the Kingdom of Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. He took control of the military after the death of Zhou Yu. During the Battle of Red Cliffs , Lu Su served as a close advisor to Zhou Yu and a liaison with Liu Bei's forces.
Upon Zhou Yu's death , Lu Su was put in charge of Sun Quan's army and was head advisor until his own death. He was succeeded by Lü Meng. Lu Su felt that it would be beneficial for Wu to maintain diplomatic relations with the neighboring Kingdom of Shu.
In the actual recorded history of the Three Kingdoms era , and in contrast to his unremarkable depiction in the fictionalised novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lu Su played a prominent role as advisor and strategist during the Battle of Red Cliffs against the invading armies of the northern warlord Cao Cao in 208. In fact , before Zhuge Liang's famous view of the formation of the Three Kingdoms era, Lu Su foresaw the formation of Three Kingdoms (Cao Family , Sun Family and Liu Biao of Jing Zhou) and a possible Northern and Southern Han (Wei and Wu , divided by the Chang Jiang River).
Ma Chao was from Fufeng Prefecture's Maoling County ; he was born of mixed blood — half Han Chinese and half Qiang. In the latter years of Emperor Ling's reign , his father, Ma Teng together with Han Sui , Bian Zhang and others built an army in Liangzhou. Later on, Ma Teng and Han Sui led their troops to Chang'an. The Han imperial court gave a title of "General who Controls the West" (鎮西將軍) to Han Sui and ordered him to return to Jincheng while giving the title of "General who Conquers the West" (征西將軍) to Ma Teng and stationed him at Mei County (in the province of Shaanxi). Later, Ma Teng attacked Chang'an but was defeated and retreated to Liangzhou. Meanwhile , Zhong Yao, who protected the pass of Guanzhong, wrote a letter to Ma Teng and Han Sui informing them of an interest in forming an alliance. Subsequently, Ma Teng and Han Sui had some disagreements and Ma Teng asked to return to the vicinity of the capital. So the Han imperial court summoned Ma Teng back and made him a Commandant of the Palace Guards.
Cao Cao recommended Ma Teng’s firstborn son , Ma Chao , to serve in office , but Ma Chao declined. Later on , however , Ma Chao became Sili Xiaowei Dujun Congshi (roughly meaning a subordinate military officer of Sili Xiaowei) , and accompanied Zhong Yao to Pingyang and suppress Guo Yuan and Gao Gan. In the ensuing battle , Ma Chao was hit by an arrow on the foot , but he took a pouch , wrapped his foot in it , and continued fighting and beheaded Guo Yuan. The court made him Inspector of the Xu province , and then transferred him to be an Imperial Consultant. When Ma Teng went into the Capital, Ma Chao was made Lieutenant-General, and ordered to take over Ma Teng’s command. He also received the title of Marquis of Duting. The court also made Ma Chao’s younger brother Ma Xiu Chief Commandant of the Charioteers, and Ma Xiu’s younger brother Ma Tie Colonel of the Cavalry. All their families were sent to Ye city , but Ma Chao stayed behind.
"One score and four he reigned, the Southland king: A dragon coiled, a tiger poised below the mighty Yangtze."Sun Quan (traditional Chinese: 孫權 ; simplified Chinese : 孙权 ; pinyin : Sūn Quán ; Wade-Giles : Sun Chuan) (182 - 252) , son of Sun Jian , courtesy name Zhòngmóu (仲謀) , formally Emperor Da (the Great) of (Eastern) Wu was the founder of Eastern Wu , during the Three Kingdoms period , in China. He ruled from 222 to 229 as Wu Wang (King/Prince of Wu) and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of the Wu Dynasty.
In his youth Sun Quan spent time in his home county of Fuchun , and after his father's death in the early 190s , at various cities on the Lower Yangtze River. His elder brother Sun Ce carved out a warlord state in the region , based on his own followers and a number of local clan allegiances. When Sun Ce was assassinated by the retainers of Xu Gong , whom Sun Ce had killed in battle several years prior , in 200, the eighteen-year-old Sun Quan inherited the lands southeast of the Yangtze River from his brother. His administration proved to be relatively stable in those early years. Sun Jian and Sun Ce's most senior officers , such as Zhou Yu , Zhang Zhao , Zhang Hong , and Cheng Pu remained loyal ; in fact it was mentioned in Romance of the Three Kingdoms that Sun Ce had at his deathbed reminded Sun Quan that "in internal matters , consult Zhang Zhao , in external matters , consult Zhou Yu." Thus throughout the 200s Sun Quan under the tutelage of his able advisors continued to build up his strength along the Yangtze River. In early 207 , his forces finally won complete victory over Huang Zu , a military leader under Liu Biao , who dominated the Middle Yangtze.
In winter of that year , the northern warlord Cao Cao led an army of some 200,000 to conquer south to complete the reunification of China. Two distinct factions emerged at his court on how to handle the situation. One , led by Zhang Zhao , urged surrender whilst the other , led by Zhou Yu and the young diplomat Lu Su , opposed capitulation. In the finality, Sun Quan decided to oppose Cao Cao in the Middle Yangtze with his superior riverine forces. Allied with the warlord Liu Bei and employing the combined strategies of Zhou Yu and Huang Ga i, they defeated Cao Cao decisively at the Battle of Red Cliffs.
In 220 , Cao Pi , son of Cao Cao , seized the throne and proclaimed himself to be the Emperor of China, ending the nominal rule of the Han Dynasty. At first Sun Quan nominally served as a Cao Wei vassal with the Cao Wei-created title of Prince of Wu, but after Cao Pi demanded that he send his son Sun Deng as a hostage to the Cao Wei capital Luoyang and he refused , in 222 , he declared himself independent by changing era name. It was not until the year 229 that he formally declared himself to be emperor.
Because of his skill in gathering important , honourable men to his cause, Sun Quan was able to delegate authority to capable figures. This primary strength served him well in gaining the support of the common people and surrounding himself with capable generals.
Sun Quan died in 252 at the age of 70. He enjoyed the longest reign among all the founders of the Three Kingdoms. He was succeeded as Emperor of Eastern Wu by his son Sun Liang.
Sun Ce (175 – 200) was a military general and warlord during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era in ancient China. He was the eldest of five sons and one daughter of Sun Jian , who was killed in battle when Sun Ce was only sixteen. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's former overlord Yuan Shu and headed into Southeastern China to establish his own power base there. With the help of several capable men , including Zhang Zhao and Zhou Yu , Sun Ce managed to lay down the foundation of the later Eastern Wu , of which his younger brother Sun Quan eventually became the first emperor. After Sun Quan declared himself emperor , he posthumously honored Sun Ce with the title Prince Huan of Changsha (長沙桓王 , literally "the diligent prince").
In 200, when the rising warlord Cao Cao was away battling Yuan Shao in the decisive Battle of Guandu , Sun Ce was rumored to be plotting an attack against Cao Cao's capital of Xuchang. However, he was assassinated before he could carry out the plan.
The Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms describes Sun Ce as handsome and full of laughter. He was also a generous and receptive man who could employ people according to their abilities. Thus his subjects were willing to risk their lives for him. One detractor named Xu Gong, in a letter to Emperor Xian , likened Sun Ce to Xiang Yu , the general renowned for overthrowing Qin Dynasty . As Xiang Yu was often referred to as the Conqueror of Chu, Sun Ce henceforth became known as the Little Conqueror in popular culture.
"...It was Pang Tong's boat-connecting scheme That let Zhou Yu accomplish his great deed."Pang Tong started as a secretary in Nan Commandery (南郡) , and was promoted to the administrator of Nan Commandery after Zhou Yu annexed Jing Province. Following the death of Zhou Yu , Pang Tong went to the Sun court to offer condolences, where he met and made friends with famous Jiangdong When Liu Bei led an army to Yi Province to help Liu Zhang defend from Zhang Lu , Pang Tong suggested that Liu Bei take Liu Zhang captive when they meet in order to gain control of the province without bloodshed. Liu Bei, reasoning that it was too big of a risk to take at that stage , given his own unfamiliarity with the province, declined and let Liu Zhang return to Chengdu, the capital of Yi Province. Later, when relations soured between Liu Bei and Liu Zhang , Pang Tong offered him three strategies , the upper plan, the middle plan, and the lower plan:
Out of these three policies, Liu Bei approved the middle one and then requested reinforcements from Liu Zhang. When Liu Zhang only sent a paltry sum of troops and supplies , Liu Bei pretended to be enraged and rallied his troops to turn against Liu Zhang. Liu Bei summoned Gao Pei and Yang Huai of Boshui and had them arrested and murdered. He then combined their forces with his own and rushed forward to assault the city of Luo , which at that time was held by Liu Zhang. Liu Bei besieged the city for over a year.
At a party in Fucheng (涪城) , celebrating his victory over Liu Zhang so far, Liu Bei expressed joy at the banquet. Pang Tong , however , replied, "celebrating the invasion of other's territory is not what a person of ren (仁, see Confucianism) would do." The drunken Liu Bei retorted angrily , "King Wu of Zhou also danced and sang after he defeated King Zhou of Shang, is he not he a model of ren then ? You are wrong, so get out now!" After Pang Tong left his seat , Liu Bei felt regretful and invited him back. Pang Tong returned to his seat and started eating , without any apology to Liu Bei. Liu Bei asked, "When that happened, whose fault did you think it was ?" Pang Tong replied, "It's both yours and mine." Liu Bei then laughed and continued with the party.
When leading the siege of Luocheng (雒城) , Pang Tong was shot by arrows and died at the age of 36. Liu Bei wept whenever the grief was mentioned and Zhuge Liang came personally to his funeral. Pang Tong was conferred a posthumous title of Marquis of Guannei (關內侯) and the posthumous name Marquis Jing (靖侯).
Pang Tong’s son , Pang Hong , would later become the governor of Fu. Pang Tong’s brother, Pang Lin , however , would sometime later surrender to Wei.
"Such a lord as this-all virtues' height-Had never been, nor ever was again."Zhuge Liang (Chinese: 諸葛亮; pinyin: Zhūgě Liàng , 181–234) was Chancellor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era.
Often depicted wearing a robe and holding a fan made of crane feathers , Zhuge was not only an important military strategist and statesman ; he was also an accomplished scholar and inventor. His reputation as an intelligent and learned person grew even while he was living in relative seclusion, gaining him the nickname "Fúlóng" (伏龍, alternatively translated as "Hidden Dragon").
Zhuge is an uncommon two-character compound family name. His name – even his surname alone – has become synonymous with intelligence and tactics in Chinese culture.
Early lifeZhuge Liang was born in Yangdu County (陽都) in Langya Commandery (琅琊) , at present-day Yinan County (沂南) , Shandong Province. He was the second of three brothers and was orphaned early on ; his mother died when he was nine , and his father when he was twelve. His uncle raised him and his siblings. When Cao Cao invaded Shandong in 195 , his family was forced to flee south , and his uncle soon died of illness.
Although both his sisters married into important families with numerous connections in the area , for ten years he resided in Longzhong Commandery (隆中 ; in present-day Hubei province) with his brothers Zhuge Jin and Zhuge Jun (諸葛均) in a simple peasant life – farming by day and studying by night.
He developed friendships among the local intelligentsia. His reputation soon grew , and he was named the Crouching (or Sleeping) Dragon , an indication that he was viewed as wise among his peers in many areas. Meanwhile , he married the daughter of another renowned scholar Huang Chengyan , whose wife was the sister of Lady Cai , wife of the warlord Liu Biao, and sister of Cai Mao, one of Liu Biao's most powerful generals. Zhuge Liang's wife's name is rumored to be Huang Yueying. The Huang family was also connected to several other well established clans in the region.
Zhao Zilong was a brave and noble warrior. Twice he rescued Liu Bei's son , Liu Shan.Zhao Yun (? - 229) was a major military general during the civil wars of the late Han Dynasty and during the Three Kingdoms era of China. For most of his career , Zhao Yun served the warlord Liu Bei , playing a part in the establishment of Shu Han. In literature and folklore he is lauded as the third member of the Five Tiger Generals.
Due to the limited historical records , many facts about Zhao Yun's life remain unclear or unknown. The original records in Chen Shou's Records of Three Kingdoms are only a couple of hundred words long. Pei Songzhi's annotations provide a relatively clear, though still incomplete picture of Zhao Yun's life.
Life
Zhao Yun was born in the Zhending (真定) county of Changshan (常山) province (now Zhengding , Hebei) around the year 168 AD. He joined the warlord Gongsun Zan around the end of 191 or the beginning of 192 as commander of a small group of county volunteers. In 192 he was placed under the authority of Liu Bei, who at the time held only the rank of a major under Gongsun Zan , as a commander of Liu Bei’s cavalry forces. Liu Bei had a contingent of several thousand Wuhuan cavalry and Zhao Yun was put in charge of this force. Zhao Yun left Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei to attend his elder brother’s funeral soon after.
He rejoined Liu Bei in 200 , when Liu Bei was defeated by Cao Cao and fled to Yuan Shao. Evidently Zhao Yun had an extremely close friendship with Liu Bei. Records of Three Kingdoms says that they slept in the same bed during the time the two were together in the city of Ye. Around the same time , Liu Bei sent Zhao Yun to secretly recruit more men to reinforce Liu Bei’s then small army under Yuan Shao. From then on, Zhao Yun followed Liu Bei in his sojourns throughout northern China.
In 202, Zhao Yun participated in the Battle of Bowang against Xiahou Dun , a general serving under Cao Cao. During the battle, Zhao captured Xiahou Lan (夏侯蘭). Zhao Yun and Xiahou Lan were from the same hometown, and they had known each other since childhood. Zhao Yun went to Liu Bei and pleaded for Xiahou Lan’s life. He suggested to Liu Bei since Xiahou Lan was an expert in law, he could be appointed as an army judge. Liu Bei gave him the consent. However, Zhao Yun never kept Xiahou Lan close to him, so as to separate personal relations from official matters.
In 208 , Zhao Yun distinguished himself at the Battle of Changban. When Liu Bei was fleeing in the chaos , he left his family behind. Then Zhao Yun disappeared to the north, prompting suspicion that Zhao Yun had surrendered to Cao Cao. When someone reported that to Liu Bei , Liu Bei angrily threw a handaxe and said "Zilong would never desert me". Sure enough, Zhao Yun came back with Liu Bei's infant son Liu Shan in his arms , also bringing back his wife Lady Gan. With this , Zhao Yun was promoted to General of the Standard (牙門將軍).
After the Battle of Red Cliffs , Zhao Yun played a major role in conquering territories of Jiangnan for Liu Bei. He was named a major-general (偏將軍) and was appointed the Grand Administrator of Guiyang (桂陽太守) , replacing Zhao Fan. Zhao Fan had a widowed sister in-law , Lady Fan (樊氏) , whose tremendous beauty supposedly could ruin countries and cities. He proposed her to Zhao Yun. However , Zhao Yun politely turned Zhao Fan down, “I share the same surname as you. Therefore I consider your brother my brother.” Many people thought it would be a great match and suggested to Zhao Yun that he should take Lady Fan as his wife. Zhao Yun explained to them , “Zhao Fan surrendered only recently. His intentions are not yet clear. Besides , there are plenty of women in this world.” In the end , he did not marry Lady Fan. His worries turned out to be true ; Zhao Fan later fled from Guiyang.
When Liu Bei entered the Yi province (益州) , he appointed Zhao Yun as the main officer to oversee his base (Liuying Sima , 留營司馬) in Gong'an (公安). Liu Bei’s wife then was Lady Sun , Sun Quan’s sister. Emboldened by her brother’s power and influence, she and her militia often ran wild, breaking many laws. Liu Bei considered since Zhao Yun was serious , firm and unwavering, he must be able to bring everything under control and maintain order. Therefore, Liu Bei gave Zhao Yun the special authority to oversee the internal affairs of Gongan (to keep an eye on Lady Sun and her followers at the same time). Soon after Liu Bei left the Jing province, Sun Quan secretly summoned his sister back. Lady Sun decided to bring Liu Shan along with her, but Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei managed to stop her in time on the Yangtze River and rescued the young lord.
Later in 214 , Zhao Yun accompanied Zhang Fei and Zhuge Liang into Shu. He held separate command , marching from Jiangzhou (江州; modern-day Chongqing) via Jiangyang (江陽 ; modern-day Luzhou) and Jianwei (犍為) to Chengdu. Zhao Yun was named General Yijun (翊軍將軍) after Liu Bei claimed Chengdu. Around that time some people made suggestions to Liu Bei that all the generals should be awarded estates/plantations around Chengdu so they could settle in. Zhao Yun argued that it was more suitable to return these properties to the local people. Liu Bei accepted his advice.
Virile in war, he kept the north in fear; His prodigies subdued the western sphere.Huang Zhong (died 220) was a leading military general of the Kingdom of Shu during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He was most noted for his victory in the Battle of Mount Dingjun , in which his force routed that of Xiahou Yuan, who was slain during battle. For his merits, Huang Zhong was ranked among the five leading generals of Shu , later popularized as the Five Tiger Generals.
Huang Zhong had always been portrayed in popular literature and arts as an elderly general with youthful vigor and constitution. Even now , the spirit to strive for excellence despite old age is often attributed to him. However, little was documented about him in historical records and it is impossible to tell how old he was when he was named one of the Five Tiger Generals.
Life
Born in Nanyang Commandery (present day Nanyang , Henan) , Huang Zhong initially served a military post under Liu Biao , governor of Jing Province (荆州). After Liu Biao's death in 208 , the powerful warlord Cao Cao conquered Jing Province and Huang Zhong continued his service under this new lord of the land, specifically in Changsha under the Administrator , Han Xuan.
Following Cao Cao's defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs in the same year , Liu Bei was gradually taking over the various commanderies in southern Jing Province , including Changsha. Huang Zhong strongly recommended to his lord Han Xuan to surrender to Liu Bei , which they did , sparing many innocent civilian lives that would be lost if there were a battle. Huan Xuan and Huang Zhong then began their service under Liu Bei. He performed extremely well in Liu Bei's campaign to gain Yi Province (益州) from 212 to 214 , his bravery in battles unmatched by any. After Yi Province was taken , Huang Zhong was promoted to General who Campaigns against Rebels (討虜將軍).
In 217 , Liu Bei led a force upon Hanzhong , which was under the control of Cao Cao. His force met with resistance led by Xiahou Yuan at Yangping Pass (陽平關). The confrontation dragged on for more than a year until one night , Liu Bei set fire to the barbed fence around Xiahou Yuan's camp at the foot of Mount Dingjun. Alarmed by the attack, Xiahou Yuan sent Zhang He to defend the eastern corner of the camp , while he guarded the south. Liu Bei's main force pressed against Zhang He, outmatching the latter. Xiahou Yuan had to dispatch a fraction of his own troops to Zhang He's rescue.
Accompanied by thundering drums, the division led by Huang Zhong then descended upon Xiahou Yuan's dwindling force. The battle became a rout and Xiahou Yuan himself was killed in battle. The victory at Mount Dingjun was a major stepping stone to the later conquest of Hanzhong.
In 219 , Liu Bei proclaimed himself King of Hanzhong , a symbolic measure comparing himself to the Emperor Gaozu of Han. He then promoted Huang Zhong to General of the Rear (後將軍) , placing the latter on the same level as four other major generals: Guan Yu , Zhang Fei , Zhao Yun and Ma Chao. However, Huang Zhong died in the next year, to an unspecified cause. He was given the posthumous title of Marquis Gang, literally meaning The Unyielding Marquis.
Zhang Fei's uncharacteristic alliance with a defeated Riverlands general, Yan Yan, allowed Shu forces to advance through forty-five Riverlands strongpoints with no casualties.Zhang Fei (?-221 AD) was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China.
Zhang Fei was shown to have been a masterful general rather than simply a warrior. He treated his superiors with respect , but had little respect for his underlings. He was often warned by Liu Bei that his habit of over-punishing his own soldiers by lashing and killing would eventually bring himself disaster.
Zhang Fei married Xiahou Yuan's daughter, who was captured by Zhang Fei's troops as she was out gathering firewood. They had a total of two daughters, and the older daughter became the empress of Shu Han after marrying Liu Shan , with Zhuge Liang as the matchmaker. After Zhang Fei's eldest daughter had died due to natural causes , Zhuge Liang once again played the role of matchmaker , and Liu Shan married Zhang Fei's younger daughter , who thus succeeded her older sister to become the empress of Shu Han.
Zhang Fei is best portrayed through his description and actions depicted in Records of Three Kingdoms biography by Chen Shou. Some claim that Zhang Fei was also an excellent painter.
Zhang Fei was killed by his own men Zhang Da and Fan Jiang , while preparing his troops to attack the rival Eastern Wu to avenge the death of Guan Yu. Zhang Da and Fan Jiang went on to defect to Wu.
To the end of Eastern Han , Zhang Fei , alongside Guan Yu , joined Liu Bei's militia against the Yellow Turbans Rebellion. He then became Liu Bei's bodyguard and such a friend as close as brothers with Liu Bei and Guan Yu that they even often slept on the same bed.
When Liu Bei was chased by Cao Cao's army at the Battle of Changban , Zhang Fei, with twenty cavalries , demolished a bridge to slow Cao Cao's pursuit. Zhang Fei stood beside the broken bridge and shouted in challenge at Cao Cao's army , but no one dared make a move against him. He then destroyed the bridge , giving Liu Bei time to escape.
After the Battle of Red Cliffs , Liu Bei took over the southern part of Jing province and made Zhang Fei the Administrator of Yidu (宜都). When Liu Bei attacked Yi province Zhang Fei was commanded to attack Jiangzhou , where he captured an enemy general , Yan Yan. Facing Zhang's insults , Yan Yan condemned him for invading Yi province. Yan Yan was originally ordered to be executed by the angry Zhang Fei , but Yan Yan's fearlessness of death impressed Zhang Fei and his life was pardoned. Yan Yan then surrendered to Liu Bei.
Zhang Fei's victory during the western expedition resulted in the capture of the whole Yizhou. After resisting the force led by Zhang He of Cao army , Zhang Fei led a force upon Hanzhong , which was under Cao's control then, but failed. After Liu Bei finally annexed the important Hanzhong , Zhang Fei was regarded by many as a proper choice for the Administrator , but Wei Yan was appointed instead , to Zhang Fei's disappointment.
After Liu Bei declared himself the Emperor of Shu-Han , he led an army to retake Jing province , which had been taken by Sun Quan. Zhang Fei was preparing to lead ten thousand men to join the campaign. However , two men in Zhang's camp, Fan Jiang and Zhang Da , assassinated him and carried his head to Eastern Wu. When Liu Bei saw Zhang Fei's assistant who was going to report Zhang's death , he sighed, "Oh! Zhang Fei is dead."
Zhang Fei had two sons, Zhang Bao (張苞) and Zhang Shao (張紹) and also two unnamed daughters. Zhang Bao died young and Zhang Shao worked as an officer of Shu Han. Zhang Bao's son, Zhang Zun (張遵) , died resisting the Wei army that eventually ended the southwestern reign of Shu Han. His two daughters both married Liu Shan , the son of Liu Bei and the second and last ruler of Shu.
Guan Yu (simplified Chinese: 关羽; traditional Chinese: 關羽; pinyin: Guān Yǔ) was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the Kingdom of Shu , of which Liu Bei was the first emperor.
As one of the best known Chinese historical figures throughout East Asia , Guan Yu's true life stories have largely given way to fictionalized ones, mostly found in the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms or passed down the generations , in which his deeds and moral qualities have been lionized.
Guan Yu was deified as early as the Sui Dynasty and is still being worshipped by Chinese people today , especially in southern China. He is respected as the epitome of loyalty and righteousnesGuan Yu is traditionally portrayed as a red-faced warrior with a long lush beard. While his beard was indeed mentioned in the Records of Three Kingdoms, the idea of his red face may have derived from a later description of him in Chapter One of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms , where the following passage appears:
Alternatively , the idea of his red face could have been borrowed from opera representation, where red faces depict loyalty and righteousness. Supposedly , Guan Yu's weapon was a guandao named Green Dragon Crescent Blade, which resembled a halberd and was said to weigh 82 catties (about 18 kg). A wooden replica can be found today in the Emperor Guan Temple in Xiezhou County , China. He traditionally dons a green robe over his body armour , as depicted in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Reference
"Only wisdom and virtue can truly win men's devotion." -Liu BeiBorn in Zhuo Commandery (涿 , present day Zhuozhou , Baoding , Hebei), Liu Bei was a descendant of Liu Zhen , the son of Liu Sheng , a son of Emperor Jing. His grandfather Liu Xiong (劉雄) and father Liu Hong (劉弘) were both employed as local clerks.
Liu Bei grew up poor, having lost his father when he was still a child. To support themselves, he and his mother sold shoes and straw-woven mats. At age fourteen , Liu Bei , sponsored by a more well-off relative who saw his potential , went to study under Lu Zhi (a prominent scholar and, at the time , former Administrator of Jiujiang). There he met and befriended Gongsun Zan.
The adolescent Liu Bei was said to be unenthusiastic in studying but rather fond of hunting, music, and nice clothing. Few of words, calm in demeanor, and kind to his friends , Liu Bei was well-liked by his contemporaries. He was said to have long arms and large earlobes.
