Liu Bei also known as
Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of
Shu HanShu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
during the
Three KingdomsThe Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
era of
Chinese historyChinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. Despite having a later start than his rivals and lacking both the material resources and social status they commanded, Liu Bei overcame his many defeats to carve out his own realm, which at its peak spanned modern day
Sichuan' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
,
Guizhou' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. Its provincial capital city is Guiyang.- History :...
,
Hunan' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
, part of
Hubei' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
and part of
Gansu' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
.
Culturally, due to the popularity of the novel
Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
by
Luo GuanzhongLuo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
, Liu Bei is widely known as the ideal benevolent, humane ruler who cared for his people and selected good advisors for his government. His fictional character was a salutary example of a ruler who adhered to the
ConfucianConfucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
set of moral values, such as loyalty and compassion. Historically, Liu Bei was a brilliant politician and leader whose skill was a remarkable demonstration of a
LegalistIn Chinese history, Legalism was one of the main philosophic currents during the Warring States Period, although the term itself was invented in the Han Dynasty and thus does not refer to an organized 'school' of thought....
. His political philosophy can best be described by the Chinese idiom "Confucian in appearance but Legalist in substance ," a style of governing which had become the norm after the founding of the Han Dynasty.
Descendant of Liu Zhen
According to the
Records of Three KingdomsRecords of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
, Liu Bei was born in Zhuo County, Zhuo Commandery (present day
ZhuozhouZhuozhou is a county-level city with 628,000 inhabitants in Hebei province of China. It is administered by Baoding prefecture. Zhuozhou has 3 subdistricts, 6 towns, 5 townships, and 1 development zone.-Administrative Divisions:Subdistricts:...
,
Baoding-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...
,
Hebei' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
). He was a descendant of Liu Zhen, the son of
Liu ShengLiu Sheng , Prince Jing of Zhongshan , was a Chinese prince of the Western Han dynasty. His father was Emperor Jing, and he was the elder brother of Emperor Wu of Han...
, a son of
Emperor JingEmperor Jing of Han was an emperor of China in the Han Dynasty from 156 BC to 141 BC. His reign saw the limit and curtailment of power of feudal princes which resulted in the Rebellion of the Seven States in 154 BC. Emperor Jing managed to crush the revolt and princes were thereafter denied rights...
. However,
Pei SongzhiPei Songzhi was commissioned by Emperor Wen of Liu Song to write a commentary on Chen Shou's Records of Three Kingdoms, providing additional detail omitted from the original work. His commentary, completed in 429, became integral to later editions of the Records, making the joint work three times...
's commentary, based on the
Dianlue (典略), said that Liu Bei was a descendant of the Marquess of Linyi (臨邑侯）, also descended from Emperor Jing. His grandfather Liu Xiong and father Liu Hong were both employed as local clerks.
Liu Bei grew up in a poor family, having lost his father when he was still a child. To support themselves, Liu Bei and his mother sold shoes and straw-woven mats. Even so, Liu Bei was full of ambition since childhood: he once said to his peers, while under a tree that resembled the royal chariot, that he desired to become an emperor. At the age of 14, Liu Bei, sponsored by a more affluent relative who recognised his potential in leadership, went to study under the tutelage of Lu Zhi (a prominent scholar and, at the time, former Administrator of
JiujiangJiujiang , formerly transliterated Kiukiang, is a prefecture-level city located on the southern shores of the Yangtze River in northwest Jiangxi Province, China. It is the second-largest prefecture-level city in Jiangxi province, the largest one being Nanchang...
). There he met and befriended
Gongsun ZanGongsun Zan , style name Bogui , a native of Liaoxi , was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
, a prominent northern warlord to be. The adolescent Liu Bei was said to be unenthusiastic in studying and displayed interest in hunting, music and dressing. Concise in speech, 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.
Yellow Turban Rebellion
In 184, at the outbreak of the
Yellow Turban RebellionThe Yellow Turban Rebellion, also translated as Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a peasant revolt that broke out in 184 AD in China during the reign of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty...
, Liu Bei called for the assembly of a
volunteer armyThe term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
to help government forces suppress the rebellion. Liu Bei received financial contributions from two wealthy horse merchants and rallied a group of loyal followers, among whom include
Guan YuGuan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty 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 state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
and Zhang Fei.
Liu Bei led his army to join the provincial army. Together, they scored several victories against the rebels. In recognition of his contributions, Liu Bei was appointed Prefect of Anxi (安喜令) in Zhongshan Commandery (中山郡). He resigned after refusing to submit to a corrupt inspector who attempted to ask him for bribes. He then traveled south with his followers to join another volunteer army to suppress the Yellow Turbans remnants in Xu Province (present day northern
Jiangsu' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
). For that achievement, he was appointed Prefect and Commandant of
GaotangGaotang County is a county of northwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It is administered by Liaocheng City.The population was in 1999.- External links :*...
(高唐令、高唐尉).
Succeeding Tao Qian
In 192, after the splitting of the
coalition against Dong ZhuoThe Campaign against Dong Zhuo was a punitive expedition initiated by a coalition of regional officials and warlords against Dong Zhuo, Chancellor of State, in 190 during the late Han Dynasty of Chinese history...
, China sank into civil war and chaos. Overran by rebels, Liu Bei moved north to join
Gongsun ZanGongsun Zan , style name Bogui , a native of Liaoxi , was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
, who was at war with
Yuan ShaoYuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
for control of Ji Province (
Hebei' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
) and Qing Province (
Shandong' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
). Gongsun Zan appointed Liu Bei as the Prefect of
Pingyuan CountyPingyuan County is a county of northwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It is administered by Dezhou City. It has an area of .- History :...
under
Tian KaiTian Kai was an official serving as the Inspector of Qing province under the warlord Gongsun Zan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history....
to fight Yuan Shao in Shandong, but was held off by Yuan Shao's oldest son,
Yuan TanYuan Tan was the oldest son of the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. After Yuan Shao's death, Yuan Tan split with his youngest brother Yuan Shang over the successorship to their father's realm. Yuan Tan sought help from the warlord Cao Cao and defeated Yuan...
, and later lost Gongsun Zan's interest in the area to Yuan Tan. In 194, Yuan Shao's ally,
Cao CaoCao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
, launched a campaign against Tao Qian in Xu Province. At the time, there were two opposing alliances —
Yuan ShuYuan Shu was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the imperial court in 189. He was said to be a younger cousin of the warlord Yuan Shao, but was actually Yuan Shao's younger half-brother...
, Tao Qian, and Gongsun Zan on one side, Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Liu Biao the other. In face of strong pressure from Cao Cao's invading force, Tao Qian appealed to Tian Kai for help. Tian Kai and Liu Bei led their armies to support Tao Qian.
Despite initial success on the invasion, Cao Cao's subordinate
Zhang MiaoZhang Miao , style name Mengzhuo , was a minister of the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as prefect of Chenliu Commandery. Zhang Miao led an army during the coalition against Dong Zhuo. In the coalition Zhang expressed displeasure at their leader, Yuan Shao, and Yuan sent Cao...
rebelled and allowed
Lü BuLü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
to take over Cao's base in Yan Province (present day western Shandong), forcing Cao to retreat from Xu Province. Tao Qian asked Liu Bei to station his army in nearby
XiaopeiXiaopei is an ancient Chinese town located in present-day Pei County, Jiangsu. During the late Han Dynasty period, it was under the jurisdiction of Xu Province, governed by Tao Qian. Before Tao died, he handed his governorship over to Liu Bei. Liu Bei took refuge in Xiaopei when Lü Bu seized Xu...
(present day
Pei CountyPei County is a county of Jiangsu, China. It is under the administration of Xuzhou city. It has an area of 1,576 square kilometers and a population of 1,217,400.-External links:**...
, Jiangsu) and gave him 4,000 more troops, in addition to 1,000 or so troops and some
WuhuanThe Wuhuan were a proto-Mongolic nomadic people who inhabited northern China, in what is now the provinces of Hebei, Liaoning, Shanxi, the municipality of Beijing and the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia....
cavalry already under his command. Thus, Liu Bei deserted his supervisor Tian Kai for Tao Qian. Meantime, Liu Bei raised troops around the area, and actively built up connections with influential clans and people of the region. In a rather short period of time, he had gained the support of the two most powerful families in Xu Province: the Mi clan led by
Mi ZhuMi Zhu was an advisor to the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also Liu's brother-in-law, as his sister, Lady Mi, married Liu. He was the older brother of Mi Fang, who served Liu Bei as well until his defection to Sun Quan's side in 219...
and
Mi FangMi Fang was an official serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was also the younger brother of Mi Zhu, who also served Liu Bei. In 219, Mi Fang surrendered to Sun Quan, directly resulting in the loss of Jing Province and the...
, and the Chen clan led by
Chen GuiChen Gui, style name Hanyu , was a minister serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. The loyalty of Chen Gui then caused him to plot with Cao Cao and betray Lü Bu. He and his son Chen Deng then manipulated Lü Bu, contributing to Liu Bei and Cao Cao's...
and
Chen DengChen Deng, style name Yuanlong , was a strategist during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He was the son of Chen Gui.-Biography:...
. Liu Bei also married Mi Zhu's younger sister to draw support from the Mi clan.
Upon Tao Qian's death shortly after Liu Bei secured his position around the area by building up connections and an army, the Mi clan strongly advocated the governorship be passed on to Liu Bei instead of Tao Qian's sons. Liu Bei was hesitant and apprehensive towards taking the post when
Chen QunChen Qun was a minister of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.Chen Qun initiated the Nine-rank system for civil service nomination in Cao Wei. Following the death of the ruler Cao Pi, Chen Qun became the Guardian of Cao Wei's military forces...
told him that
Yuan ShuYuan Shu was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the imperial court in 189. He was said to be a younger cousin of the warlord Yuan Shao, but was actually Yuan Shao's younger half-brother...
would contest the control of the province with him. Liu Bei then consulted
Kong RongKong Rong was a politician, scholar, and minor warlord of the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also a 20th generation descendant of Kong Qiu . As he was once the chancellor of Beihai Commandery , he was also known as Kong Beihai. He was defeated by Yuan Tan in 196 and escaped to...
and Chen Deng, who advised him to switch ally and seek confirmation from the leading warlord,
Yuan ShaoYuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
. Liu Bei finally took over Xu Province after Yuan Shao recognized his "succession".
Conflict with Lü Bu
In 195, Lü Bu was defeated by Cao Cao and sought shelter under Liu Bei. In the next year,
Yuan ShuYuan Shu was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the imperial court in 189. He was said to be a younger cousin of the warlord Yuan Shao, but was actually Yuan Shao's younger half-brother...
sent his general
Ji LingJi Ling was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. Under the orders of his lord, he led a force of 30,000 men against Liu Bei in 196, but the battle was halted when Lü Bu called both sides to a banquet and performed an act of...
with a large army to invade Xu Province. Liu Bei led his army to
XuyiXūyì County is a county which falls under the jurisdiction of Huai'an, Jiangsu Province. The most renowned specialty in Xuyi County is the special flavoured crayfish（盱眙十三香手抓龙虾）. In every summer the international crayfish festival of China（中国国际龙虾节） is held, in which many pop stars perform the open...
and Huaiyin (in
GuanglingGuangling District is a district of Jiangsu, China. It is under the administration of Yangzhou city. Most of the historic city of Yangzhou is in this district.-References:*...
, south of Xu Province) to counter. They faced each other for a month without any decisive result.
Zhang Fei, who was left behind by Liu to guard
XiapiPizhou City is a county-level city in northern Jiangsu province, China. As of 2006 it had a population of 163,000. Administratively, Pizhou is under the jurisdiction of the larger city of Xuzhou.-History:...
(capital of Xu Province), killed Cao Bao (chancellor of Xiapi when Tao Qian was still in charge of Xu Province) after an intense quarrel. Cao Bao's death caused unrest in the city, providing Lü Bu with an opportunity to seize control of the city, capturing the families of Liu Bei and his men during the surprise attack.
Liu Bei returned to Xiapi on receiving the news but his army disintegrated by the time he reached there. Liu Bei rallied his remaining men and moved to Guangling, where he was defeated by Yuan Shu. Liu Bei then retreated to Haixi (海西), Donghai Commandery (東海). Faced with enemies on both sides and a lack of supplies (Mi Zhu used his personal wealth to support the army), Liu Bei's army resorted to cannibalism, and finally surrendered to Lü Bu, who recognized Liu's pledge of allegiance, and returned his family as an act of good faith, and ordered Liu to help him resist Yuan Shu. Lü Bu, fearing isolation, obstructed further attempts by Yuan Shu to eliminate Liu Bei. Liu Bei moved his camp to Xiaopei where he rebuilt his army, gathering over ten thousand men. Lü Bu became concerned and attacked Xiaopei. Liu Bei fled to
XuchangXuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, where Cao Cao received him well, gave him some troops, provisions, and official appointment of Governor of Yu Province (豫州牧). Liu Bei then reassumed his post in Xiaopei to keep an eye on Lü Bu.
In 198, Lü Bu renewed his alliance with Yuan Shu to stem Cao Cao's growing influence and sent
Gao ShunGao Shun was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Although he only had 700 men under his command, he was nicknamed as the "camp crusher " for his destructive charges, and came to be known as Lü's most able commander...
and
Zhang LiaoZhang Liao was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He participated in many campaigns, including those against Yuan Shao's clan and the Wuhuan tribes...
to attack Liu Bei. Cao Cao sent
Xiahou DunXiahou Dun was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father Cao Song was the adopted son of the eunuch Cao Teng, so Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao share blood relations...
to support Liu Bei but they were defeated by Gao Shun. Liu Bei had to flee to Cao Cao again. Cao Cao personally led an army to eliminate Lü Bu and achieved victory at the
Battle of XiapiThe Battle of Xiapi was a battle fought by the forces of Lü Bu against the allied armies of Cao Cao and Liu Bei in 198 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
.
Role in the Cao-Yuan conflict
By 199, Cao Cao had
Emperor XianEmperor Xian of Han , personal name Liu Xie, style name Bohe, was the last emperor of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
in his control and enjoyed a political advantage. Liu Bei joined a conspiracy headed by
Dong ChengDong Cheng was originally a subordinate general of Niu Fu during the late Han Dynasty, and later joined forces with the White Wave Bandits to protect the emperor from the hands of Li Jue and Guo Si. He was also Emperor Xian's father-in-law...
, an imperial relative, and some others to remove Cao Cao from power. Moreover, he was anxious to leave Cao Cao's stronghold,
XuchangXuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
. Hence, on hearing that
Yuan ShuYuan Shu was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the imperial court in 189. He was said to be a younger cousin of the warlord Yuan Shao, but was actually Yuan Shao's younger half-brother...
had surrendered to, and was on his way, via Xiapi, to join
Yuan ShaoYuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
in the north, Liu Bei asked to lead an army to
interceptThe campaign against Yuan Shu was a punitive expedition that took place in 199 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The campaign was initiated by the Han Dynasty government against the Zhong Dynasty of Yuan Shu, after Yuan declared himself "Son of Heaven", an act...
Yuan Shu. Before his advisers were able to change his mind, Cao Cao consented, commissioned Liu Bei and
Zhu LingZhu Ling was a vassal and military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.Zhu was born in Qinghe . He started to serve in the private army of the warlord Yuan Shao, and was later sent to aid Cao Cao's army when Cao was attacking Tao Qian. He was impressed with Cao...
with an army to move south. Having his path blocked, Yuan Shu turned back to
ShouchunShou County is a county in Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, under the jurisdiction of Lu'an City. It has population is 1,280,000 and its area is 2986 square kilometers...
and died there later.
Zhu Ling returned to Xuchang, but Liu stayed behind with the army. Liu Bei seized the opportunity to kill Che Zhou, the Governor of Xu Province who was appointed by the imperial court after Lü Bu's defeat. Liu Bei took over Xu Province and left
Guan YuGuan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty 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 state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
behind to guard Xiapi while he stationed himself in Xiaopei.
Yuan Shao, who earlier recognized Liu Bei's control on Xu Province, had defeated
Gongsun ZanGongsun Zan , style name Bogui , a native of Liaoxi , was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
, and started moving against Cao Cao on the northern bank of the
Yellow RiverThe Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
. Knowing that he still had a plenty of spies and cohort inside the imperial capital, Liu Bei sent his messenger,
Sun QianSun Qian , style name Gongyou , was an advisor and emissary to the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty of China. He originally served Tao Qian, the Governor of Xu Province, together with Mi Zhu, Mi Fang and Cao Bao. After the death of Tao Qian and Xu Province's governorship was passed to...
, to Yuan Shao to request an immediate attack be launched against Cao Cao. However, Yuan Shao turned down Liu Bei's plea, even his own strategists advised him to do Liu a favor. In 200, Dong Cheng's plot was discovered. All conspirators and their families were summarily executed. However, Liu Bei, as well as a few others who were outside Cao Cao's domain, survived the purge.
Having to confront Yuan Shao at
GuanduThe Battle of Guandu was a military conflict between the warlords Cao Cao and Yuan Shao in 200 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle, which concluded with victory for Cao Cao, was a turning point in the war between the two warlords...
, Cao Cao sent his subordinates,
Liu DaiLiu Dai , style name Gongshan , was an official of the late Eastern Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. His ancestral home was in Mouping County , Donglai Commandery ....
and Wang Zhong, against Liu Bei, but they were defeated. Predicting that Yuan Shao would be hesitant to attack Xuchang, Cao Cao turned south, overran Liu Bei's position in an extremely short period of time, leaving Yuan Shao no chance to aid Liu on second thought. Liu Bei's forces were disintegrated, but his trusted aides all survived the war. Zhang Fei protected Liu Bei when the latter fled from the battlefield, while Guan Yu surrendered to Cao Cao on terms that he could return to Liu Bei's service if the latter was alive.
Liu Bei fled north to join Yuan Shao, where he was received with respect by Yuan Shao and his son
Yuan TanYuan Tan was the oldest son of the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. After Yuan Shao's death, Yuan Tan split with his youngest brother Yuan Shang over the successorship to their father's realm. Yuan Tan sought help from the warlord Cao Cao and defeated Yuan...
. Liu Bei participated in the unsuccessful battles along the
Yellow RiverThe Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
, in which Yuan Shao successively lost two of his best generals
Yan LiangYan Liang was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was slain by Guan Yu at the Battle of Boma.-Biography:...
and
Wen ChouWen Chou was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. His force was defeated by that of rival warlord Cao Cao in the Battle of Yan Ford and he was killed in the midst of battle....
, with the former being slain by Guan Yu.
As Liu Pi in Runan rebelled against Cao Cao, Liu Bei persuaded Yuan Shao to "lend" him an army to help Liu Pi. Liu Bei and Liu Pi attacked Xuchang but were defeated by
Cao RenCao Ren was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He played a significant part in assisting Cao Cao in the civil wars leading to the end of the Han Dynasty...
. Liu Bei returned to the north and urged Yuan Shao to ally with
Liu BiaoLiu Biao , style name Jingsheng , was a warlord and the governor of Jing Province during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a member of the extended family of the Han Dynasty emperors...
, governor of Jing Province (present day
Hubei' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
and
Hunan' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
). Yuan Shao again sent him with an army to Runan to aid the bandit leader,
Gong DuGong Du was a bandit operating against the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty of Chinese history. In 200, Cao Cao's rival Yuan Shao sent Liu Bei to Runan to support Gong Du in his operations. The combined forces of Liu Bei and Gong Du were able to kill Cao Cao's general Cai Yang , who was...
. They were able to kill Cao Cao's general Cai Yang there.
Taking refuge under Liu Biao
In 201, Cao Cao led his army to attack Liu Bei in Runan after defeating Yuan Shao at the
Battle of GuanduThe Battle of Guandu was a military conflict between the warlords Cao Cao and Yuan Shao in 200 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle, which concluded with victory for Cao Cao, was a turning point in the war between the two warlords...
. Liu Bei fled to Jing Province to seek refuge under
Liu BiaoLiu Biao , style name Jingsheng , was a warlord and the governor of Jing Province during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a member of the extended family of the Han Dynasty emperors...
. Liu Biao welcomed Liu Bei personally, treating him as an honored guest. He also gave Liu Bei some troops and asked him to station in
XinyeXinye is one of the counties of Nanyang that lies in the southwest of Henan province in central China. Its south is Xiangfan city of Hubei province . Itseast is Tanghe county of Nanyang. Its west is county-level city...
.
Liu Bei stayed in Jing Province for several years. During a meeting with Liu Biao, Liu Bei started weeping and the surprised Liu Biao asked why. Liu Bei answered "In earlier times, I've never left the saddle. My thighs were thin. Now I do not ride anymore, they are fat and flabby. The days and months pass like a stream, and old age will come, but I have achieved nothing. That's why I am sad In 202, Cao Cao sent
Yu JinYu Jin was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He joined Cao in the early years of the civil wars that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty...
and
Xiahou DunXiahou Dun was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Cao Cao's original family name was Xiahou, but his father Cao Song was the adopted son of the eunuch Cao Teng, so Xiahou Dun and Cao Cao share blood relations...
to attack Liu Bei. Liu Bei ambushed and defeated them at the
Battle of BowangThe Battle of Bowang, also known as the Battle of Bowang Slope, was a battle fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Liu Bei in 202 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.-Background:...
.
In 207, Cao Cao planned
a campaignThe Battle of White Wolf Mountain was a battle fought in 207 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle took place in northern China, beyond the frontiers of the ruling Later Han Dynasty. It was fought between the warlord Cao Cao and the nomadic Wuhuan tribes,...
to conquer the
WuhuanThe Wuhuan were a proto-Mongolic nomadic people who inhabited northern China, in what is now the provinces of Hebei, Liaoning, Shanxi, the municipality of Beijing and the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia....
in the north, but was apprehensive that Liu Biao might attack his base but he was assured by
Guo JiaGuo Jia was a strategist and advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. During his 11 years of service, Guo Jia's brilliance greatly aided Cao Cao in his victories over rival warlords Lü Bu and Yuan Shao, as well as chief of the Wuhuan tribe, Tadun...
that Liu Biao would not do so for fear of Liu Bei being more powerful than he was. Cao Cao agreed and Guo Jia's point was proven later, when Liu Biao refused to attack
XuchangXuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
when Liu Bei advised him to do so.
Away from the battlefields in the east and under Liu Biao's efficient rule, Jing Province was prosperous and a popular destination for literati fleeing from the destruction of war. Liu Bei asked
Sima HuiSima Hui, style names Decao and Shuijing , was a hermit who lived during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was from Yingchuan , and lived in northern Jing Province...
, a revered recluse, about scholars. Sima Hui named
Zhuge LiangZhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
and
Pang TongPang Tong was an advisor to Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was nicknamed "Young Phoenix" by his uncle Pang Degong due to his ugly appearance but great capabilities and talent...
as exceptional talents who could comprehend important events of their time well.
Xu ShuXu Shu was an advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He initially served Liu Bei before joining Cao Cao in 208.-Biography:...
also urged Liu Bei to call on Zhuge Liang.
Liu Bei went to see Zhuge Liang and finally had an audience with him after three visits. Zhuge Liang presented Liu Bei with his
Longzhong PlanThe Longzhong Plan is the name given to a strategic plan given by the third century Chinese tactician and administrator Zhuge Liang. It formed the basis for the grand plan of the warlord Liu Bei and later the Three Kingdoms state of Shu. In essence it envisaged the securing of a viable regional...
, a generalized long-term plan outlining the takeover of Jing Province and Yi Province to set up a two-pronged final strike at the imperial capital.
Liu Biao died in 208 and his younger son Liu Cong succeeded him and surrendered to Cao Cao without informing Liu Bei. By the time Liu Bei heard news of Liu Cong's surrender, Cao Cao's army had already reached Wancheng (present-day
Nanyang, HenanNanyang is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Henan province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest administrative area in Henan, Nanyang borders Xinyang to the southeast, Zhumadian to the east, Pingdingshan to the northeast, Luoyang to the north, Sanmenxia to the...
). Liu Bei led his troops away and abandoned Fancheng, leading civilians and his followers (including some of Liu Biao's former attendants) on an exodus to the south. By the time they reached Dangyang (当阳), his followers numbered more than one hundred thousand and they moved only 10
liThe li is a traditional Chinese unit of distance, which has varied considerably over time but now has a standardized length of 500 meters or half a kilometer...
a day. Liu Bei sent
Guan YuGuan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty 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 state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
ahead to wait for him in Jiangling, where abundant supplies and arsenal were stored, with Jing Province's fleet.
Afraid that Liu Bei might reach Jiangling before him, Cao Cao led his cavalry on pursuit. In a day and a night, Cao Cao caught up with Liu and captured most of his people and baggage at the
Battle of ChangbanThe Battle of Changban was a battle fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Liu Bei in 208 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
. Leaving his family behind, Liu Bei fled with only scores of followers. With Guan Yu's fleet, they crossed the Mian River to
JiangxiaYunmeng County is a county in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China administered by Xiaogan City.-History:...
and the
Yangtze RiverThe Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
to
XiakouHankou was one of the three cities whose merging formed modern-day Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers where the Han falls into the Yangtze...
with Liu Qi, Liu Biao's older son, and his men.
Battle of Red Cliffs
When Liu Bei was still at Changban,
Sun QuanSun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
's envoy
Lu SuLu Su , style name Zijing , was a politician, militarist and diplomat serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
hinted to him that he should ally with Sun against Cao Cao. Zhuge Liang went to meet Sun Quan, as Liu Bei's envoy, together with Lu Su at Chaisang to discuss the formation of the alliance.
Liu Bei and Sun Quan formed their first coalition against the southward expansion of Cao Cao. The two sides clashed at the Red Cliffs (northwest of present day Puqi County,
Hubei' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
). Cao Cao boasted 830,000 men (
Zhou YuZhou Yu was a military general and strategist who served his close friend, the warlord Sun Ce, during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
claimed the realistic number be 230,000 to 270,000), while the alliance at best had 50,000 troops under the leadership of Zhou Yu.
Cao Cao's core troops were mostly northerners, so they were unable to adapt to the southern climate and
naval warfareNaval warfare is combat in and on seas, oceans, or any other major bodies of water such as large lakes and wide rivers.-History:Mankind has fought battles on the sea for more than 3,000 years. Land warfare would seem, initially, to be irrelevant and entirely removed from warfare on the open ocean,...
, and that posed a major disadvantage to Cao. Subsequently, a plague broke out that undermined the strength of Cao Cao's army. The fire attack masterminded by
Zhou YuZhou Yu was a military general and strategist who served his close friend, the warlord Sun Ce, during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
and
Huang GaiHuang Gai was a military general who served the warlord Sun family of Eastern Wu for three generations during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
succeeded against Cao Cao's chain-linked vessels and most of Cao's navy was destroyed in the battle. The majority of Cao Cao's troops were burnt to death or drowned in the river while the survivors who successfully retreated to the riverbank were ambushed and killed by skirmishers. Cao Cao barely escaped after his defeat. He retreated back to the north and left behind
Cao RenCao Ren was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He played a significant part in assisting Cao Cao in the civil wars leading to the end of the Han Dynasty...
and
Xu HuangXu Huang was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He served the state of Cao Wei, founded by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, during the Three Kingdoms period...
to guard Jiangling and
Yue JinYue Jin was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty of China. He was noted as much for his short stature as for his valor and ferocity on the battlefield...
to defend Xiangyang.
Taking Jing Province
Sun Quan's forces led by
Zhou YuZhou Yu was a military general and strategist who served his close friend, the warlord Sun Ce, during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
attacked Cao Ren after their resounding victory to wrestle for control of Jiangling. Liu Bei recommended Liu Qi to be the new Inspector of Jing Province (荊州刺史) and led his men to capture the four commanderies south of the
Yangtze RiverThe Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
-
Changsha, Lingling (present day
YongzhouYongzhou is a prefecture-level city in the Hunan province of China.YongZhou is located in the central and south of China, on the southern side of Xiang River, which is formed by the confluence of the Xiao and Xiang rivers. Yongzhou is one of the four ancient counties in Hunan; it is 2000 years old...
, Hunan),
GuiyangGuiyang County is a county of Hunan, China. It is under the administration of Chenzhou city.-References:*...
and Wuling (武陵). Liu Bei set up his base at
Gong'anGong'an County is a county in the municipal region of Jingzhou , Hubei Province.-Administration:The county oversees 14 towns and two townships as of 2005...
and continued to strengthen his army. When Liu Qi died shortly after Liu Bei secured his position in the area, the latter succeeded the former as the new governor of Jing Province, and went to Jianye to marry Sun Quan's younger sister
Lady SunLady Sun, known as Sun Shangxiang in Chinese opera and contemporary culture, was a noble lady in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was a daughter of Sun Jian and younger sister of the warlords Sun Ce and Sun Quan, who laid the foundation for the state of...
in order to legitimatize his succession. After the marriage, not only was Liu Bei's succession recognized by Sun Quan, but the land of Nan Commandery was also "lent" to him.
Subsequently, former subordinates of Liu Biao who were unwilling to serve Cao Cao came to join Liu Bei. After the death of Zhou Yu in 210 and Liu Bei's growing influence in southern Jing Province, Sun Quan's position in the north became more untenable.
Lu SuLu Su , style name Zijing , was a politician, militarist and diplomat serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
succeeded Zhou Yu as the Grand Viceroy of Sun Quan's armies and moved the headquarters to Lukou (陸口), yielding all commanderies of Jing Province (except Jiangxia commandery) and access to the Yi Province to Liu Bei. In diplomatic terms, Sun Quan's side thought that they were "lending" Jing Province to Liu Bei as a temporary base that should be returned to them after Liu found another stronghold. In
Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, Sun Quan sent envoys several times to ask Liu Bei to return Jing Province but Liu always dismissed those requests with excuses suggested by Zhuge Liang.
| Summary of major events |
| 161 |
Born in Zhuo County, Zhuo Commandery. |
| 184 |
Fought the Yellow Turban rebels The Yellow Turban Rebellion, also translated as Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a peasant revolt that broke out in 184 AD in China during the reign of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty...
in central China. |
| 194 |
Took over governorship of Xu Province. |
| 198 |
Defeated by Lü BuLü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
.
Allied with Cao CaoCao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
. |
| 200 |
Defeated by Cao Cao.
Escaped to Yuan ShaoYuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
.
Joined Liu BiaoLiu Biao , style name Jingsheng , was a warlord and the governor of Jing Province during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a member of the extended family of the Han Dynasty emperors...
. |
| 208 |
Allied with Sun QuanSun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
and won the Battle of Red CliffsThe Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...
.
Took over Jing Province. |
| 215 |
Defeated Liu Zhang Liu Zhang was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He became governor of Yi Province , succeeding his father Liu Yan and ruled the region until 214, when he surrendered to Liu Bei...
and took over Yi Province. |
| 219 |
|Conquered Hanzhong Hanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
.
Declared himself King of Hanzhong. |
| 221 |
Proclaimed himself Emperor The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
of Shu HanShu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
. |
| 222 |
Lost the Battle of Xiaoting The Battle of Xiaoting, also known as the Battle of Yiling and the Battle of Yiling and Xiaoting, was fought between the states of Eastern Wu and Shu Han in 222 during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
against Eastern WuEastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...
. |
| 223 |
Died in Baidicheng. |
Conquering Yi Province
In 211,
Liu ZhangLiu Zhang was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He became governor of Yi Province , succeeding his father Liu Yan and ruled the region until 214, when he surrendered to Liu Bei...
, governor of Yi Province (present-day
Sichuan' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
and
ChongqingChongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
), heard that Cao Cao planned to attack Zhang Lu in
HanzhongHanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
. As Hanzhong was a strategic location and the "gateway" for attacks into Yi Province, Liu Zhang sent
Fa ZhengFa Zheng , style name Xiaozhi , was an advisor to the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history....
to form an alliance with Liu Bei after persuasion from
Zhang SongZhang Song was an advisor to the warlord Liu Zhang during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He plotted to remove his lord from power and replace him with Liu Bei.-Biography:...
. Liu Zhang invited Liu Bei to join him in Yi Province to capture Hanzhong before Cao Cao did.
Liu Bei led an expedition force into Sichuan after leaving behind
Zhuge LiangZhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
,
Guan YuGuan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty 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 state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
, Zhang Fei and
Zhao YunZhao Yun was a military general who lived during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. For most of his career, Zhao served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of state of Shu Han...
to guard Jing Province. Liu Zhang received Liu Bei warmly and provided him with more troops under his command as well as provisions and equipment. Liu Bei headed to Jiameng Pass (southwest of present day
GuangyuanGuangyuan is a prefecture-level city in Sichuan Province, China. It has an area of 16313.78 square kilometers and a population of 2,484,123 in 2010...
, Sichuan) at the border between Liu Zhang and Zhang Lu's territories. Instead of engaging Zhang, Liu Bei halted his advance and focused on building up connections and gaining influence around the area.
In 212,
Pang TongPang Tong was an advisor to Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was nicknamed "Young Phoenix" by his uncle Pang Degong due to his ugly appearance but great capabilities and talent...
outlined three plans for Liu Bei to choose from. The first was to advance swiftly to seize
ChengduChengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
from Liu Zhang with a special task force. The second was to take command of Liu Zhang's armies in the north and then move to capture Chengdu. The third one was to return to Baidicheng to await further action. Liu chose the second option. Liu Bei lied to Liu Zhang that he needed more troops to divert Cao Cao's attention away from the east (where Sun Quan was under attack), and requested for another 10,000 soldiers and additional provisions to aid in the defense of Jing Province. Liu Zhang gave him only 4000 troops and half of the other supplies he requested.
Zhang Su, Zhang Song's older brother, discovered his brother's secret communications with Liu Bei and reported the issue to Liu Zhang. Liu Zhang was furious and stunned when he heard that Zhang Song had been helping Liu Bei to take over Yi Province from him - he had Zhang Song executed, and ordered his generals guarding the passes to Chengdu not to let any word about his knowing reach Liu Bei. Still, Liu Bei was informed by his spies planted around Liu Zhang, and before Liu Zhang's men could reach
Yang HuaiYang Huai was a military general under the warlord Liu Zhang during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was in charge of guarding Baishui Gate during Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province. He plotted with Gao Pei to assassinate Liu Bei, but the plan was exposed and they were captured...
and Gao Pei, generals guarding Boshui Pass, Liu Bei summoned and killed them on charges of disrespect towards him. He then took over Yang Huai's and Gao Pei's troops and turned to attack Fucheng (涪城).
In the spring of 213, Liu Zhang sent Liu Gui, Ling Bao,
Zhang RenZhang Ren was a general serving under the warlord Liu Zhang during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-In fiction:In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Ren served under Liu Zhang...
, Deng Xian, Wu Yi and other generals to defend Mianzhu Pass. Despite being the most trusted vassal of Liu Zhang, Wu Yi soon changed allegiance, so Li Yan and Fei Guan were sent to replace him, but they surrendered to Liu Bei as well. Now the remnant force was under command of Liu Zhang's son Liu Xun, and he retreated to Luo (northwest of
ChengduChengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
). There, Pang Tong was killed by a stray arrow, and the siege became a prolonged one, forcing Liu Bei to call for reinforcements from Jing Province.
In 214, Luo finally fell, but Liu Zhang continued to hold on inside Chengdu.
Ma ChaoMa Chao was the oldest son of Ma Teng and a military general during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he received the nickname "Ma Chao the Splendid" due to his elaborate armour and grand skill...
, a former Liang Province warlord and a vassal of Zhang Lu, was persuaded by Liu Bei to kill his comrade, Yang Bai, and joined Liu. Upon seeing Ma Chao's army at the north of Chengdu, the citizens inside the city was terrified, but they still insisted on fighting a desperate war. However, Liu Zhang surrendered after stating that he did not wish to see further bloodshed. Liu Bei then succeeded Liu Zhang as governor of Yi Province and conferred on the latter the seal and tassel of "General Who Inspires Awe" before expatriating him to Gong'an.
Liu Bei married Wu Yi's sister and attempted to solidify his control on the newly conquered domain. Zhuge Liang was promoted to Grand Advisor in charge of the Office of the General of the Left, an office that granted him control over all affairs of state, though his role in Liu Bei's military campaigns is greatly exaggerated in the novel
Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
. Dong He was appointed "Household General of the Army" and acting deputy to Zhuge Liang. The rest of Liu Bei's followers, new and old, were entrusted with new responsibilities and promoted to new ranks.
First Sun-Liu conflict
After Liu Bei's conquest of Yi Province,
Sun QuanSun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
sent
Lu SuLu Su , style name Zijing , was a politician, militarist and diplomat serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
as an emissary to demand for the return of Jing Province, but Liu refused. Sun Quan then sent
Lü MengLü Meng was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as the commanding general in the invasion of Jing Province that led to the death of Guan Yu.-Early life:Lü Meng was born in Fupo, Runan Commandery in 178...
and
Ling TongLing Tong was a military general of the state of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He started his service to the Sun family since his childhood, and throughout his entire life, he had been contributing to the foundation and solidification of Eastern Wu...
to lead 20,000 men to attack southern Jing Province and they succeeded in capturing
Changsha,
GuiyangGuiyang is the capital of Guizhou province of Southwest China. It is located in the centre of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, and on the north bank of the Nanming River, a branch of the Wu River. The city has an elevation of about 1,100 meters...
, and
LinglingYongzhou is a prefecture-level city in the Hunan province of China.YongZhou is located in the central and south of China, on the southern side of Xiang River, which is formed by the confluence of the Xiao and Xiang rivers. Yongzhou is one of the four ancient counties in Hunan; it is 2000 years old...
commanderies. In the meantime, Lu Su and
Gan NingGan Ning was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was born in Linjiang, Ba Commandery .-Early life as a pirate:...
advanced to Yiyang (益陽) with 10,000 men (to block
Guan YuGuan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty 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 state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
) and took over command of the army at Lukou (陸口). Liu Bei personally went to Gong'an while Guan Yu led 30,000 men to Yiyang. When war was about to break out, Liu Bei received news that Cao Cao was planning to attack
HanzhongHanzhong is a municipality in southwest Shaanxi Province, China, occupying a historically significant valley in the mountains between the Xi'an area, home to many Chinese capitals, and the fertile but isolated Sichuan Basin...
, and he requested for a border treaty with Sun Quan as he became worried about Cao Cao seizing Hanzhong. Liu Bei asked Sun Quan to give him back Lingling Commandery and create a diversion for Cao Cao by
attacking HefeiThe Battle of Hefei was fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Sun Quan between late 208 and early 209, during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.-Background:...
; in return, Liu Bei ceded
Changsha and
GuiyangGuiyang is the capital of Guizhou province of Southwest China. It is located in the centre of the province, situated on the east of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, and on the north bank of the Nanming River, a branch of the Wu River. The city has an elevation of about 1,100 meters...
commanderies to Sun Quan, setting the new border along the
Xiang RiverThe Xiang River , in older transliterations as the Siang River or Hsiang River, is a river in southern China...
.
Hanzhong Campaign
In 215, Cao Cao defeated Zhang Lu at the
Battle of YangpingThe Battle of Yangping, also known as the Battle of Yangping Pass, was fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Zhang Lu in 215 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. The battle concluded with victory for Cao Cao....
and seized Hanzhong.
Sima YiSima Yi was a general and politician of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is perhaps best known for defending Wei from Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions...
and Liu Ye advised him to take advantage of the victory to attack Yi Province, since it was still unstable under Liu Bei's new government and Liu himself was away in Jing Province. Cao Cao refused and left
Xiahou YuanXiahou Yuan was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was killed in the Battle of Mount Dingjun against Liu Bei's general Huang Zhong in 219, and was given the posthumous title of Marquis Min , literally meaning "sympathetic...
,
Zhang HeZhang He was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He continued serving the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period until his death....
and
Xu HuangXu Huang was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He served the state of Cao Wei, founded by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, during the Three Kingdoms period...
to defend Hanzhong.
In anticipation of a prolonged war, Zhang He led his army to Dangqu (宕渠) in order to relocate the population of Ba (巴) to Hanzhong. Meanwhile Liu Bei appointed Zhang Fei as Administrator of Baxi (巴西) and ordered him to take over the region. Zhang Fei and Zhang He faced each other for 50 days, which concluded with a victory for the former following a surprise attack on the latter. Narrowly escaping, Zhang He retreated to
NanzhengNanzheng County is a county of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China....
on foot, and the Ba region became part of Liu Bei's territory.
In 217,
Fa ZhengFa Zheng , style name Xiaozhi , was an advisor to the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history....
pointed out the strategic necessities of seizing Hanzhong and advised Liu Bei to drive Cao Cao's force out of the area. Liu Bei sent Zhang Fei,
Ma ChaoMa Chao was the oldest son of Ma Teng and a military general during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, he received the nickname "Ma Chao the Splendid" due to his elaborate armour and grand skill...
, and several subordinate generals to Wudu (武都), while he assembled an army and advanced to Yangping Pass. Zhang Fei was forced to retreat after his aides Wu Lan and
Lei TongLei Tong was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Zhang during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.At one time Lei Tong and Wu Yi both defended against Liu Bei's invasion of Yi Province, but ended up being surrounded and defeated...
were defeated and killed by Cao Cao's forces. Liu Bei, engaging Xiahou Yuan at Yangping Pass, tried to cut the enemy's supply route by sending his general
Chen ShiChen Shi was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
to Mamingge (馬鳴閣), but was routed by Xiahou's subordinate, Xu Huang. Liu Bei then pressed on Zhang He at Guangshi (廣石) but failed to achieve any success; at the same time, Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He were not able to hinder Liu Bei from mobilizing forces around the area. The war turned into a stalemate, and Cao Cao decided to gather an army in
Chang'anChang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
to fight Liu Bei.
In the spring of 219, Liu Bei and Xiahou Yuan had faced each other for over a year. Liu Bei led the main army to the south of the Mian River (沔水) and ordered
Huang ZhongHuang Zhong was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. 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...
to set up camps on
Mount DingjunDingjun Mountain is a mountain in the Mian County of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China. It is situated across Tiandang Mountain, separated by the Han River, and is near the old Yangping Pass....
, where Xiahou Yuan's encampment in the valley below could be easily monitored. One night, Liu Bei sent 10,000 troops to attack Zhang He in Guangshi and set fire to Xiahou Yuan's barricades. Xiahou Yuan then led a small detachment to put out the fire and sent the main army to reinforce Zhang He. Fa Zheng saw an opportunity for attack and signaled to Liu Bei to launch an assault. Liu sent Huang Zhong to attack the weakened enemy from above. Huang Zhong targeted Xiahou Yuan's unit and completely routed it. Both Xiahou Yuan and Zhao Yong (趙顒), Cao Cao's appointed Inspector of Yi Province, were killed in the battle.
Zhang He, who had been informally elected to succeed Xiahou Yuan by
Du XiDu Xi, style name Zixu , was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a subordinate of Cao's general Xiahou Yuan...
and
Guo HuaiGuo Huai , style name Boji , was a military general of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He started his career during the late Han Dynasty under the warlord Cao Cao. During Cao Pi's reign, Guo rose up the ranks and became a grand marshal under Sima Yi...
, retreated to the northern bank of the Han River, and awaited Cao Cao's reinforcement. Meantime, Liu Bei secured all strategic points at the exit of the passes linking Chang'an and Hangzhong while Cao Cao was approaching via Yegu Pass. Liu Bei faced Cao Cao for several months but never engaged the latter in battle, effectively forcing Cao to retreat as his soldiers started to desert. Zhang He also retreated to Chencang to set up defenses for a potential invasion by Liu Bei. Liu Bei led his main army to Nanzheng and sent
Meng DaMeng Da was a military general who served under Liu Zhang, Liu Bei, Cao Pi, and Cao Rui during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history.-Takeover of Yi Province:...
and
Liu FengLiu Feng was an adopted son of the warlord Liu Bei, and served as a general in Liu Bei's army during the late Han Dynasty of China.-Early life:...
to capture Fangling (房陵) and Shangyong (上庸).
Becoming an emperor
After Liu Bei secured Hanzhong, he declared himself "King of Hanzhong" (漢中王) and set up his headquarters in
ChengduChengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
. He appointed
Liu ShanLiu Shan, , was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. As he ascended the throne at the young age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the Chancellor Zhuge Liang and Imperial Secretariat Li Yan...
as the heir-apparent.
Wei YanWei Yan was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He became a soldier of Liu Bei when the latter fled Jing Province and seek protection from the eastern warlord, Sun Quan, in 208. In 211, Wei had climbed up the ranks and become a general in Liu Bei's...
was promoted to the rank of "General Who Maintains Distant Lands in Peace" (鎮遠將軍) and Administrator of Hanzhong (漢中太守).
Xu JingXu Jing , style name Wenxiu , was a minister of Shu Han during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a brother of Xu Zijiang. After Liu Bei announced his submission to Liu Zhang, Xu Jing swore his allegiance to Liu Bei. Xu Jing was a very master judge of...
was appointed as "Grand Tutor" while Fa Zheng was made "Prefect of the Masters of Writing". Guan Yu was appointed as "General of the Vanguard", Zhang Fei as "General of the Right", Ma Chao as "General of the Left" and Huang Zhong as "General of the Rear". In
Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, those four generals, along with
Zhao YunZhao Yun was a military general who lived during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. For most of his career, Zhao served the warlord Liu Bei, playing a part in the establishment of state of Shu Han...
, were collectively known as the
Five Tiger GeneralsThe Five Tiger Generals is a popular appellation in Chinese culture for any five military generals serving under a ruler. This term is used in literature texts, plays and popular culture. In the historical context, "Five Tiger Generals" usually refers to the five best military generals serving...
. The rest of Liu's subjects were promoted as well.
In the same year, Sun Quan's forces led by
Lü MengLü Meng was a military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as the commanding general in the invasion of Jing Province that led to the death of Guan Yu.-Early life:Lü Meng was born in Fupo, Runan Commandery in 178...
captured Guan Yu, who was promptly executed, and conquered Jing Province. After hearing of Guan Yu's death, Liu Bei became furious, and ordered his troops to begin preparing for war with Sun Quan. A year later, Cao Cao died and his successor,
Cao PiCao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
, succeeded
Emperor XianEmperor Xian of Han , personal name Liu Xie, style name Bohe, was the last emperor of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
to the throne, and declared himself Emperor of
Cao WeiCao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
. When Meng Da learned that Liu Bei was going to launch a campaign against Sun Quan, he became concerned that he would be penalized for not sending reinforcements to Guan Yu earlier and defected to Wei. At the same time, Zhao Yun reminded Liu Bei that he should focus his attack on Wei instead of Sun Quan, but Liu rejected his plan. Seeing that Liu Bei did not make strong defenses against Wei, Meng Da suggested to Cao Pi to attack Fanling, Shangyong, and Xicheng commanderies. Liu Bei's adopted son, Liu Feng, fought a desperate battle against the invaders, but without the support from Chengdu, he was betrayed by his subordinates and defeated. Upon his return to Chengdu, Liu Bei was furious on Liu Feng's loss and his refusal to send reinforcement to Guan Yu in the previous year, so he had Liu Feng executed. In the same year, Liu Bei declared himself Emperor of
Shu HanShu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
and claimed his intent was to carry on the lineage of the Han Dynasty. In 221, Liu Bei appointed his son Liu Shan as
crown princeA crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
.
Defeat and death
In the autumn of 222, Liu Bei personally led an army to attack Sun Quan to avenge Guan Yu and retake Jing Province, and left Zhuge Liang in charge of state affairs back in Chengdu. Even though Zhang Fei was murdered by his subordinates during the onset of the battle, Liu Bei was still able to achieve initial victories until
Lu XunLu Xun was a military general and politician of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He is best known for defeating Liu Bei's forces at the Battle of Xiaoting in 222.-Early life:...
, commander-in-chief of the
Eastern WuEastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...
forces, ordered a retreat to
YilingYiling District is a district within the prefecture-level city of Yichang in China's Hubei Province. Created in July 2001, the district includes most of the former Yichang County, with the exception of Yichang center city and certain southern and western suburbs.The land area of Yiling District...
(present-day
YichangYichang is a prefecture-level city located in Hubei province of the People's Republic of China. It is the second largest city in Hubei province after the province capital, Wuhan. The Three Gorges Dam is located within its administrative area, in Yiling District.-History:In ancient times Yichang...
,
Hubei' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
). Lu Xun held his position there and refused to engage the invaders.
By summer, the Shu troops were camped along their invasion route and had grown weary due to the hot weather. Liu Bei then moved his camp into a forest for shade and ordered Huang Quan to lead a portion of his navy to camp just outside the forest. Knowing that his enemy was not expecting a sudden strike, Lu Xun ordered a counterattack and set fire to the Shu camps linked to each other by wooden fences. Forty camps of Liu Bei's expedition force were destroyed in the fire attack and the remaining troops were defeated and forced to flee west to Ma'an Hills (northwest of Yiling, not to be confused with
Ma'anshanMa'anshan , also written as Maanshan, is a prefecture-level city in the east of Anhui province in Eastern China. An industrial city stretching across the Yangtze River, Ma'anshan borders Hefei to the west, Wuhu to the southwest, and Nanjing to the east...
,
AnhuiAnhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
), where they set up a defense. Liu Bei was caught up and besieged by Lu on the Ma'an Hills and was attacked before his men could recuperate. Liu Bei managed to escape overnight to Baidicheng, by ordering his men to discard their armour and set them aflame to form a fire blockade to stop Lu Xun's pursuing troops.
Liu Bei died in Baidicheng in the summer of 223. On his deathbed, he named Zhuge Liang and Li Yan as
regentA regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
s to support his son, and his body was brought back to Chengdu and entombed at Huiling (southern suburb of present day Chengdu) four months later. Liu Bei was given the
posthumous nameA posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
of
Zhaolie (昭烈; literally: "clear uprightness"). His son, Liu Shan, succeeded him as Emperor of Shu, and Zhuge Liang revived the alliance with Sun Quan.
Family
- Father: Liu Hong (劉弘), descendant of Liu Sheng
Liu Sheng , Prince Jing of Zhongshan , was a Chinese prince of the Western Han dynasty. His father was Emperor Jing, and he was the elder brother of Emperor Wu of Han...
- Uncles:
- Liu Yuanqi (劉元起), Liu Hong's younger brother
- Liu Zijing (劉子敬)
- Spouses:
- Lady Gan
Lady Gan was Liu Bei's first wife and mother of Liu Shan. Very little is mentioned about her. She was posthumously named as Empress Zhaolie and was buried alongside Liu Bei.-See also:*List of people of the Three Kingdoms...
, mother of Liu Shan, died before 210, posthumously honored as Empress Zhaolie
- Lady Mi
Lady Mi was the second wife of the warlord Liu Bei, who lived during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Lady Mi was the sister of Mi Zhu and Mi Fang, who previously served the warlord Tao Qian before joining Liu Bei's side...
, younger sister of Mi ZhuMi Zhu was an advisor to the warlord Liu Bei during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also Liu's brother-in-law, as his sister, Lady Mi, married Liu. He was the older brother of Mi Fang, who served Liu Bei as well until his defection to Sun Quan's side in 219...
- Lady Sun
Lady Sun, known as Sun Shangxiang in Chinese opera and contemporary culture, was a noble lady in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was a daughter of Sun Jian and younger sister of the warlords Sun Ce and Sun Quan, who laid the foundation for the state of...
, daughter of Sun JianSun Jian was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He allied himself with Yuan Shu in 190 when warlords from eastern China formed a coalition to oust Dong Zhuo, a tyrannical warlord who held the puppet Emperor Xian in his power...
, married in 209, separated in 211
- Empress Wu
Empress Wu , personal name unknown, formally known as Empress Mu , was an empress of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was the last wife and the only empress of Liu Bei, founding emperor of Shu Han, and the younger sister of Wu Yi...
, younger sister of Wu Yi, instated in 221, died in 245
- Children:
- Liu Shan
Liu Shan, , was the second and last emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. As he ascended the throne at the young age of 16, Liu Shan was entrusted to the care of the Chancellor Zhuge Liang and Imperial Secretariat Li Yan...
, born to Lady GanLady Gan was Liu Bei's first wife and mother of Liu Shan. Very little is mentioned about her. She was posthumously named as Empress Zhaolie and was buried alongside Liu Bei.-See also:*List of people of the Three Kingdoms...
, crown princeA crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
, later became second emperor of Shu
- Liu Yong (劉永), initially the Prince of Lu (instated in 221), later Prince of Ganling (instated in 230), moved to Luoyang with Liu Shan
- Liu Li (劉理), initially the Prince of Liang (instated in 221), later Prince Dao of Anping (instated in 230), died in 244
- Two daughters, captured by Cao Chun
Cao Chun was a cavalry general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He commanded the elite mounted force – the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry – in several campaigns against Yuan Tan, Tadun and Liu Bei.-Biography:Cao Chun was a younger...
in the Battle of ChangbanThe Battle of Changban was a battle fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Liu Bei in 208 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
, married Cao Chun's sons
- Adopted children
- Liu Feng
Liu Feng was an adopted son of the warlord Liu Bei, and served as a general in Liu Bei's army during the late Han Dynasty of China.-Early life:...
, originally surnamed "Kou" (寇), forced to commit suicide in 220
- Grandchildren:
- Liu Xuan
Liu Xuan , style name Wenheng , was a prince of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was the oldest son of Liu Shan, the second and last ruler of Shu. Liu Xuan became crown prince in 238. After the fall of Shu to the rival state of Wei, Liu Xuan was caught up...
, oldest son of Liu Shan, died during Zhong HuiZhong Hui was a military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He was the son of Zhong Yao, a calligrapher and politician of Wei....
's rebellion after the fall of Shu
- Liu Yao (劉瑤), second son of Liu Shan, died during the Yongjia Rebellion
- Liu Cong (劉琮), third son of Liu Shan, died during the Yongjia Rebellion
- Liu Zan (劉瓚), fourth son of Liu Shan, died during the Yongjia Rebellion
- Liu Chen
Liu Chen , Prince of Beidi , was the fifth son of Liu Shan, the second ruler of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Liu Chen opposed the plans of Qiao Zhou to surrender to the opposing force under general Deng Ai from the rival state of Cao Wei...
, fifth son of Liu Shan, Prince of Beidi, committed suicide when his father surrendered
- Liu Xun (劉恂), sixth son of Liu Shan, died during the Yongjia Rebellion
- Liu Qu (劉璩), seventh son of Liu Shan, died during the Yongjia Rebellion
- Liu Yin (劉胤), oldest son of Liu Li, Prince Ai, died at the age of 19
- Liu Ji (劉輯), second son of Liu Li, moved to Luoyang with Liu Shan
- Great grandchildren:
- Liu Cheng (劉丞), son of Liu Yin, Prince Shang, died at the age of 20
- Liu Xuan (劉玄), grandson of Liu Yong, survived the Yongjia Rebellion, moved to Chengdu
Appointments and titles held
- Commandant of Anxi (安喜尉)
- Senior Major (別部司馬) under Gongsun Zan
Gongsun Zan , style name Bogui , a native of Liaoxi , was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
- Commandant of Gaotang (高唐尉)
- Prefect of Gaotang (高唐令)
- Chancellor of Pingyuan (平原相)
- Inspector of Yu Province (豫州刺史)
- Governor of Xu Province (徐州牧)
- General Who Guards the East (鎮東將軍)
- Marquis of Yicheng (宜城亭侯)
- General of the Left (左將軍)
- Governor of Jing Province (荊州牧)
- Grand Marshal (大司馬)
- Director of Retainers (司隸校尉)
- King of Hanzhong (漢中王)
- Emperor Zhaolie of Shu Han (蜀漢昭烈皇帝) - Liu Bei's posthumous title
In fiction
Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a fourteenth century historical novel based on the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms era. Written by
Luo GuanzhongLuo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
more than a millennium after the said period, the novel incorporated many popular folklore and opera scripts into the character of Liu Bei, portraying him as a compassionate and righteous leader, endowed with charismatic potency (called
de in Chinese) who built his kingdom on the basis of Confucian values. This is in line with the historical background of the times during which the novel was written. Furthermore, the novel emphasizes that Liu Bei was related, however distantly, to the royal family of the Han Dynasty, thus favoring another argument for the legitimacy of Liu Bei's reign. Famous and notable stories involving Liu Bei from the novel include:
Oath of the Peach Garden
One of the most well known stories from the novel, found in the first chapter, speaks of Liu Bei,
Guan YuGuan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty 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 state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
and Zhang Fei who, having met by chance in Zhuo County in 184, found that all three shared the same desire to serve the country in the tumultuous times. They swore to be brothers the next day in Zhang Fei's backyard, which was a garden full of peach blossoms. Liu Bei was ranked the eldest, Guan Yu the second, and Zhang Fei the youngest. Having done this, they recruited more than 300 local men, acquired horses, forged weapons and joined the resistance against the Yellow Turban rebels.
There is no record of the three ever swearing brotherhood. The concept was passed down in popular folklore. The
Records of Three KingdomsRecords of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
says the three often shared a bed, and treated one another like brothers.
Battle of Hulao Pass
The highlight of the fictional
Battle of Hulao PassThe Battle of Hulao Pass is a fictional battle described in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The battle was fought between Dong Zhuo and a coalition of regional warlords and officials as part of the Campaign against Dong Zhuo in 190 during the prelude to the Three...
(also part of the
Campaign against Dong ZhuoThe Campaign against Dong Zhuo was a punitive expedition initiated by a coalition of regional officials and warlords against Dong Zhuo, Chancellor of State, in 190 during the late Han Dynasty of Chinese history...
) is the duel involving the three sworn brothers (Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei) fighting against Dong Zhuo's foster son, the mighty warrior
Lü BuLü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
. Lü Bu had previously defeated three generals (
Fang YueFang Yue is a fictional character in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He was a military general serving under the warlord Wang Kuang. Wang was one of the members of the coalition against Dong Zhuo. When the coalition faced Dong's forces at the Battle of Hulao Pass,...
,
Mu ShunMu Shun is a fictional character in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He was a military general serving under the warlord Zhang Yang. Mu participated in the Battle of Hulao Pass during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, during which he engaged Dong's general Lü Bu in a duel...
and Wu Anguo) of the coalition army, as well as the warlord
Gongsun ZanGongsun Zan , style name Bogui , a native of Liaoxi , was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
, before being challenged by Zhang Fei. As Zhang Fei and Lü Bu were unable to overcome each other, Guan Yu and Liu Bei consecutively joined in the fray as well, turning it into a three-on-one duel. Neither side was able to achieve an edge against the other, and Lü Bu eventually retreated as he grew weary. In the novel the three sworn brothers were serving under Gongsun Zan then and participated in the Campaign against Dong Zhuo under Gongsun's banner. However according to
Records of Three Kingdoms Gongsun Zan was not involved in the campaign. Besides, the historical text also stated that Lü Bu was defeated in battle by Sun Jian and forced to retreat.
Three visits to the thatched cottage
Before leaving for Xuchang,
Xu ShuXu Shu was an advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He initially served Liu Bei before joining Cao Cao in 208.-Biography:...
recommended
Zhuge LiangZhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
to Liu Bei to be his strategist, telling Liu that he needed to recruit Zhuge Liang personally. Accompanied by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, Liu Bei travelled to
LongzhongLongzhong is a scenic area with 1700 years of history and a total area of located at the junction of three counties away from Hubei Xiangfan: Xiangyang, Nanzhang and Gucheng, which is approximately away from Xiangfan City. The famous statesman Zhuge Liang from the Three Kingdoms period of...
(in present-day
XiangyangXiangzhou District is a district of Xiangyang, Hubei, China. The district itself was formerly known as Xiangyang. It was a city famous for the Siege of Xiangyang by invading forces of the Mongol-founded Yuan Dynasty...
,
Hubei' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
) to find Zhuge Liang. They reached Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage but Zhuge's servant said that his master was not at home. Liu Bei then asked the servant to pass a message to Zhuge Liang, telling him that Liu Bei came to visit him. Several days later during winter, Liu Bei brought his brothers along with him again to visit Zhuge Liang. This time, the servant led Liu Bei to his master, whom he claimed was at home reading in the hall. Liu Bei saw that the man was actually Zhuge Liang's younger brother Zhuge Jun. Just as he was about to leave, Liu Bei saw someone approaching and thought it was Zhuge Liang, but the person was Zhuge's father-in-law
Huang ChengyanHuang Chengyan was a scholar from Longzhong commandery during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.Huang's wife was the sister of Lady Cai and Cai Mao...
. When winter was over and spring came, Liu Bei decided to visit Zhuge Liang again, much to the displeasure of his sworn brothers. This time, Zhuge Liang was at home but was asleep. Liu Bei waited patiently until Zhuge Liang woke up and they had a discussion. Zhuge Liang drafted a
Longzhong PlanThe Longzhong Plan is the name given to a strategic plan given by the third century Chinese tactician and administrator Zhuge Liang. It formed the basis for the grand plan of the warlord Liu Bei and later the Three Kingdoms state of Shu. In essence it envisaged the securing of a viable regional...
for Liu Bei and agreed to leave home and become Liu's strategist. In
Records of Three Kingdoms, not much details were provided on how Liu Bei recruited Zhuge Liang. It was briefly stated that Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang's house thrice and recruited Zhuge to serve him. It cannot be determined whether Liu Bei did meet Zhuge Liang during every visit or that he only met Zhuge on the third visit, as in the novel. Zhuge Liang later recalled in his
Chu Shi BiaoThere are two Chu Shi Biao , the former and the second were documents submitted by Shu Han Prime Minister Zhuge Liang to Emperor Liu Shan before his first and second Northern Expedition of Wei, in 225 and 226, respectively...
that "(Liu Bei) visited me thrice in the thatched cottage, (and) consulted me on the affairs of our time."
Liu Bei and Lady Sun's marriage
Sun Quan adopted Zhou Yu's "beauty scheme" (美人計) to seize control of Jing Province (荊州; covering present-day
Hubei' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
and
Hunan' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
) from Liu Bei. In the plan, Liu Bei was lured to Jiangdong under the pretext of marrying Sun Quan's younger sister
Lady SunLady Sun, known as Sun Shangxiang in Chinese opera and contemporary culture, was a noble lady in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. She was a daughter of Sun Jian and younger sister of the warlords Sun Ce and Sun Quan, who laid the foundation for the state of...
to affirm the Sun-Liu alliance. Sun Quan would then hold Liu Bei hostage in exchange for Jing Province. Zhuge Liang foiled Zhou Yu's scheme and the marriage became reality. Liu Bei also left Jiangdong and returned to Jing Province safely with his bride. The marriage is mentioned in
Records of Three Kingdoms but without the romance and drama. The marriage was simply meant to enhance political ties between Liu Bei and Sun Quan.
General worship of Liu Bei
Liu Bei is also worshipped as the patron of shoemakers in
ChengduChengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, which is also known as the "City of Shoes" as more than 80 million pairs of shoes totaling five billion
yuanThe Renminbi is the official currency of the People's Republic of China . Renminbi is legal tender in mainland China, but not in Hong Kong or Macau. It is issued by the People's Bank of China, the monetary authority of the PRC...
in sales are manufactured there annually. It is said that in 1845, during the reign of the
Daoguang EmperorThe Daoguang Emperor was the eighth emperor of the Manchurian Qing dynasty and the sixth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1820 to 1850.-Early years:...
, the shoemakers guild in Chengdu, who called themselves disciples of Liu Bei, sponsored the construction of the Sanyi Temple in Liu's honor. After being relocated many times, the temple can be found in
Wuhou DistrictWuhou District is a district of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, China. It contains the historic site, Wuhou Temple and Jinli Street....
today. Since
Mainland ChinaMainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
loosened its control on religious practices in recent years, the worship of Liu Bei among shoemakers has again gained popularity in Chengdu. In 2005, a large procession was carried out in front of the Sanyi Temple to commemorate Liu Bei—the first such event since the founding of the
People's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
A commentary carried by the
Yangtse Evening News criticized such practice as mere commercial gimmickry to exploit the fame of Liu. It argued that although Liu Bei sold straw-woven shoes and mats for a living when he was young, he was hardly the inventor of shoes. According to legend, it was Yu Ze who made the first pairs of shoes with softwood during the time of the
Yellow EmperorThe Yellow Emperor or Huangdi1 is a legendary Chinese sovereign and culture hero, included among the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. Tradition holds that he reigned from 2697–2597 or 2696–2598 BC...
. However, the criticism did not dampen the enthusiastic shoe industry owners in their decision to erect a statue of Liu Bei in the West China Shoe Center Industrial Zone, which was still under construction in Wuhou District as of August 2005.
Card games
- In the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
there is a card named "Liu Bei, Lord of Shu" in the Portal Three KingdomsPortal Three Kingdoms is the third Magic: The Gathering expansion of the Portal block, and the third starter level set. Like the other expansions in the Portal block, Portal: Three Kingdoms is designed for beginners to Magic. The setting is heavily based on the Chinese historical novel Romance of...
set.
- In the selection of personality cards in the Chinese card game Sanguo Sha (三国杀), there is also a Liu Bei personality that players can select at the beginning of the game.
Video games
- Liu Bei is featured as a playable character in all installments of Koei's video game series Dynasty Warriors
is a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
, as well as Warriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, a crossover between Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
.
- Liu Bei also appears in another of Koei's video game series, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
- Liu Bei is also the protagonist in Destiny of an Emperor
is a strategy role-playing game by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was originally released in Japan in , with an English language localization released for the North American market in ....
, a RPG on the Nintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
(NES). Released in the United States by Capcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
in 1989, the game also loosely follows the plot of the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
- Liu Bei's armour (based on the designs appearing in the Dynasty Warriors series) is available in the MMORPG MapleStory
MapleStory is a free-to-play, 2D, side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by the South Korean company Wizet. Several versions of the game are available for specific countries or regions, and each is published by various companies such as Nexon...
. Also featured are Cao Cao, Guan Yu, Zhuge Liang, Sun Quan, and DiaochanDiaochan was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have been born in 161 or 169 or 176, depending on the source. However, unlike the other three beauties, there is no known evidence that suggests her existence, therefore she is likely to be a fictional character.Diaochan...
's designs.
- Liu Bei is featured as one of the main protagonists in the real-time wargame Kessen II
is a strategy game loosely based on the Three Kingdoms period of China. It is the sequel to Kessen in name only; both Kessen and the later sequel Kessen III are based on events in Japan....
, also produced by Koei.
See also