Lu Su
Encyclopedia
Lu Su style name
Zijing (子敬), was a politician, militarist and diplomat serving under the warlord Sun Quan
during the late Han Dynasty
period of Chinese history
. As one of Sun Quan's most important subjects, Lu Su was most noted for having drafted a plan for Sun Quan to compete with rival warlords for supremacy, and succeeding Zhou Yu
as the frontline commander of Sun Quan's military after Zhou's death. Lu Su also played an important role in establishing an alliance between Sun Quan and Liu Bei
, as well as being a strong proponent of maintaining friendly relations between the two warlords.
, Anhui
). He was born in an affluent and influential clan but no member of his family had ever served in the government before. Lu Su's father died not long after his birth, and Lu Su was raised by his grandmother. When Dong Zhuo
usurped state power and caused the government to sink into corruption, Lu Su sold his land and used the money to help his relatives and townsfolk, while spending his time befriending and acquainting himself with people.
and he met and befriended Zhou Yu
in the same year. When Zhou Yu had financial difficulties, Lu Su gave him half of the grain he had stockpiled. Zhou Yu later successfully persuaded Lu Su to leave Yuan Shu and serve Sun Ce
instead. Lu Su spent a long time in Sun Ce's service but did not receive any important responsibilities.
After Sun Ce's death, Zhou Yu introduced Lu Su to Sun Ce's younger brother and successor, Sun Quan
. During their first meeting, Sun Quan was very impressed with Lu Su and held him in high regard, so he dismissed all the other guests also present at the meeting, leaving behind only Lu Su. Sun Quan then invited Lu Su to sit together with him and they had a discussion on politics over drinks.
Lu Su proposed a strategy for Sun Quan to compete with other warlords for supremacy over China - establish a foothold in Jiangdong
, attack Liu Biao
and seize control of Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei
and Hunan
), then establish an independent regime south of the Yangtze River
. Sun Quan will then declare himself emperor and proceed to attack and conquer the rest of northern China, which was under the control of the warlord Cao Cao
. Lu Su's plan was similar to Zhuge Liang
's Longzhong Plan
in a sense that both plans predicted the rise of three major power blocs in China - Sun Quan, Cao Cao, and Liu Biao in Lu Su's plan; Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Sun Quan in Zhuge Liang's - and also in both plans Cao Cao was seen as the more powerful rival.
died and Jing Province was divided between his two sons, Liu Qi and Liu Cong. At the same time, Cao Cao started a campaign to conquer Jing Province, and Lu Su was worried that the province would fall to Cao Cao, thus he urged Sun Quan to form an alliance with Liu Biao's sons to resist Cao Cao. However, when Lu Su arrived in Jing Province, he learnt that Liu Cong (who controlled the northern part of the province) had surrendered his territories to Cao Cao. In Jiangxia, Lu Su met the warlord Liu Bei
, who had joined Liu Qi after his defeat by Cao Cao at the Battle of Changban
. Lu Su also met Liu Bei's advisor Zhuge Liang
, who shared a similar idea of forming an alliance between Liu Bei and Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao. As a result, Zhuge Liang followed Lu Su back to Chaisang (present-day Jiujiang
, Jiangxi
) to meet Sun Quan and discuss the formation of the alliance.
Sun Quan originally intended to remain neutral and observe the conflict between Liu Bei and Cao Cao while waiting for an opportunity to strike. Besides, he also lacked confidence that his military was capable of defeating Cao Cao's formidable army. After persuasion from Lu Su, Zhou Yu
and others, Sun Quan eventually hardened his decision to go to war with Cao Cao. This led to the Battle of Red Cliffs
, in which the allied armies of Sun Quan and Liu Bei triumphed over Cao Cao's much larger force.
while Liu Bei advanced to conquer four commanderies in southern Jing Province from their respective warlords. Not long later, Liu Bei married Sun Quan's younger sister Lady Sun
to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two warlords. Liu Bei requested to use Nan commandery (under Sun Quan's control) in central Jing Province. Lu Su convinced Sun Quan to agree to the request because Liu Bei would help to divert Cao Cao's attention away from Sun Quan to himself.
When Zhou Yu
died of illness in 210, Lu Su succeeded him as commander of Sun Quan's military forces and moved his headquarters to Lukou (陸口), yielding to Liu Bei all commanderies in Jing Province (except Jiangxia). In diplomatic terms, Sun Quan's side felt that they were "loaning" Jing Province to Liu Bei as a temporary base that should be returned to them after Liu had found another stronghold.
In 215, Liu Bei took over
Yi Province (covering the Sichuan Basin
) from the warlord Liu Zhang
and refused to "return" Jing Province (defended by Liu Bei's general Guan Yu
) to Sun Quan. Sun Quan was angered and he ordered his general Lü Meng
to invade three commanderies in Jing Province - Changsha (長沙), Lingling (零陵) and Guiyang (桂陽) - while sending Lu Su to fortify his position at Baqiu (present-day Yueyang
, Hunan
) to block any reinforcements from Guan Yu. After Lü Meng had conquered the three commanderies, Guan Yu indeed advanced south to retake the territories and met with opposition from Lu Su. Lu Su considered the gravity of the situation and decided that it would be best for both Sun Quan and Liu Bei to maintain friendly relations, so he invited Guan Yu to have negotations. During the talks, soldiers from both sides were stationed at least a hundred steps away from the meeting area, and those present at the meeting each carried only a sword.
Subsequently, Liu Bei received news that Cao Cao was planning to attack Hanzhong
, which was seen as the northern gateway into Yi Province, so he quickly requested for a border treaty with Sun Quan. He asked Sun Quan to give him back Lingling and create a diversion for Cao Cao by attacking Cao's stronghold at Hefei
; in return, Liu Bei ceded Changsha and Guiyang to Sun Quan, setting the new border along the Xiang River
. Sun Quan agreed to the treaty terms.
Lu Su's tomb is located on Mount Gui (魯山) in present-day Hanyang District, Wuhan
, Hubei
. The hill was originally named Mount Dabie (大別山) and later renamed to Mount Lu (魯山) to commemorate Lu Su. It was renamed to Mount Gui during the Ming Dynasty
and this name has been used until now. Lu Su's tomb was originally located on the southern end of the hill and was moved in 1955 to a park in the middle of the hill due to construction works.
In this statement, Sun Quan commented that he was very pleased with two things that Lu Su had done for him - drafting the plan for him to emerge as one of the three major powers in China, and helping him arrive at his resolution to ally with Liu Bei to resist Cao Cao just before the Battle of Red Cliffs. However, Sun Quan also thought that Lu Su was inferior in making decisions in diplomacy as compared to Zhang Yi and Su Qin
, two famous strategists and diplomats of the Warring States Period
. Despite so, Sun Quan still felt that Lu Su's two major contributions outshone this weakness.
wanted to form a militia to help Sun Ce
in his conquests, he lacked food supplies and weapons, so Lu Su pointed at one of his granaries and presented it to Zhou Yu, while he sold the other and used the money to hire blacksmiths to forge 5,000 swords for Zhou Yu's militia. Zhou Yu ordered his men to bring 200 sacks and fill them up with grain, each sack weighing 50 jin, and bring back to his camp. To attract more people to join him, Zhou Yu borrowed ink and a brush from Lu Su, and wrote "Revive the Han Dynasty" (興複漢室) on a piece of paper and pasted it on a wall outside the granary. This gave rise to the saying "pointing at a granary and presenting it" (指囷相贈).
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
, was a dramatization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms
era. In the novel, Lu Su was used as a foil
between Zhuge Liang
and Zhou Yu
to highlight their intelligence, especially for Zhuge Liang. He was also used to add minor comic relief
to the rivalry between Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu, particularly in the events leading to the Battle of Red Cliffs
. In addition, he was also portrayed as a honest and sententious man who was often taken advantage of, leading to his maladroit handling of the diplomatic dispute over Jing Province between Liu Bei and Sun Quan.
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
Zijing (子敬), was a politician, militarist and diplomat serving under the warlord Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun 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....
during the late Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese 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...
. As one of Sun Quan's most important subjects, Lu Su was most noted for having drafted a plan for Sun Quan to compete with rival warlords for supremacy, and succeeding Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu
Zhou 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...
as the frontline commander of Sun Quan's military after Zhou's death. Lu Su also played an important role in establishing an alliance between Sun Quan and Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
, as well as being a strong proponent of maintaining friendly relations between the two warlords.
Early life
Lu Su was a native of Dongcheng, Linhuai (臨淮東城; southeast of present-day Dingyuan CountyDingyuan County
Dingyuan County is a county of Anhui Province, China. It is under the administration of Chuzhou city....
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui 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...
). He was born in an affluent and influential clan but no member of his family had ever served in the government before. Lu Su's father died not long after his birth, and Lu Su was raised by his grandmother. When Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
usurped state power and caused the government to sink into corruption, Lu Su sold his land and used the money to help his relatives and townsfolk, while spending his time befriending and acquainting himself with people.
Political insight
In 198 Lu Su came to serve the warlord Yuan ShuYuan Shu
Yuan 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...
and he met and befriended Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu
Zhou 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...
in the same year. When Zhou Yu had financial difficulties, Lu Su gave him half of the grain he had stockpiled. Zhou Yu later successfully persuaded Lu Su to leave Yuan Shu and serve Sun Ce
Sun Ce
Sun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...
instead. Lu Su spent a long time in Sun Ce's service but did not receive any important responsibilities.
After Sun Ce's death, Zhou Yu introduced Lu Su to Sun Ce's younger brother and successor, Sun Quan
Sun Quan
Sun 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....
. During their first meeting, Sun Quan was very impressed with Lu Su and held him in high regard, so he dismissed all the other guests also present at the meeting, leaving behind only Lu Su. Sun Quan then invited Lu Su to sit together with him and they had a discussion on politics over drinks.
Lu Su proposed a strategy for Sun Quan to compete with other warlords for supremacy over China - establish a foothold in Jiangdong
Jiangnan
Jiangnan or Jiang Nan is a geographic area in China referring to lands immediately to the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, including the southern part of the Yangtze Delta...
, attack Liu Biao
Liu Biao
Liu 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...
and seize control of Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei
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
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...
), then establish an independent regime south of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The 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...
. Sun Quan will then declare himself emperor and proceed to attack and conquer the rest of northern China, which was under the control of the warlord Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao 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...
. Lu Su's plan was similar to Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge 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....
's Longzhong Plan
Longzhong Plan
The 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...
in a sense that both plans predicted the rise of three major power blocs in China - Sun Quan, Cao Cao, and Liu Biao in Lu Su's plan; Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Sun Quan in Zhuge Liang's - and also in both plans Cao Cao was seen as the more powerful rival.
Formation of the Sun-Liu alliance
In 208, Liu BiaoLiu Biao
Liu 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...
died and Jing Province was divided between his two sons, Liu Qi and Liu Cong. At the same time, Cao Cao started a campaign to conquer Jing Province, and Lu Su was worried that the province would fall to Cao Cao, thus he urged Sun Quan to form an alliance with Liu Biao's sons to resist Cao Cao. However, when Lu Su arrived in Jing Province, he learnt that Liu Cong (who controlled the northern part of the province) had surrendered his territories to Cao Cao. In Jiangxia, Lu Su met the warlord Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
, who had joined Liu Qi after his defeat by Cao Cao at the Battle of Changban
Battle of Changban
The 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...
. Lu Su also met Liu Bei's advisor Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge 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....
, who shared a similar idea of forming an alliance between Liu Bei and Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao. As a result, Zhuge Liang followed Lu Su back to Chaisang (present-day Jiujiang
Jiujiang
Jiujiang , 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...
, Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
) to meet Sun Quan and discuss the formation of the alliance.
Sun Quan originally intended to remain neutral and observe the conflict between Liu Bei and Cao Cao while waiting for an opportunity to strike. Besides, he also lacked confidence that his military was capable of defeating Cao Cao's formidable army. After persuasion from Lu Su, Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu
Zhou 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 others, Sun Quan eventually hardened his decision to go to war with Cao Cao. This led to the Battle of Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs
The 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...
, in which the allied armies of Sun Quan and Liu Bei triumphed over Cao Cao's much larger force.
Role in the Sun-Liu alliance
After the Battle of Red Cliffs, Sun Quan defeated Cao Cao again at the Battle of JianglingBattle of Jiangling
The Battle of Jiangling was fought by the allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei against Cao Cao during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
while Liu Bei advanced to conquer four commanderies in southern Jing Province from their respective warlords. Not long later, Liu Bei married Sun Quan's younger sister Lady Sun
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...
to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two warlords. Liu Bei requested to use Nan commandery (under Sun Quan's control) in central Jing Province. Lu Su convinced Sun Quan to agree to the request because Liu Bei would help to divert Cao Cao's attention away from Sun Quan to himself.
When Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu
Zhou 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...
died of illness in 210, Lu Su succeeded him as commander of Sun Quan's military forces and moved his headquarters to Lukou (陸口), yielding to Liu Bei all commanderies in Jing Province (except Jiangxia). In diplomatic terms, Sun Quan's side felt that they were "loaning" Jing Province to Liu Bei as a temporary base that should be returned to them after Liu had found another stronghold.
In 215, Liu Bei took over
Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province
Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province was a military campaign by the warlord Liu Bei in taking control of Yi Province from its Governor, Liu Zhang. The campaign took place between 212 and 215 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
Yi Province (covering the Sichuan Basin
Sichuan basin
The Sichuan Basin is a lowland region in southwestern China. Despite its historical name, it is not only synonymous to Sichuan province, comprising its central and eastern portions as well as part of Chongqing Municipality...
) from the warlord Liu Zhang
Liu Zhang (warlord)
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 refused to "return" Jing Province (defended by Liu Bei's general Guan Yu
Guan Yu
Guan 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...
) to Sun Quan. Sun Quan was angered and he ordered his general Lü Meng
Lü Meng
Lü 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...
to invade three commanderies in Jing Province - Changsha (長沙), Lingling (零陵) and Guiyang (桂陽) - while sending Lu Su to fortify his position at Baqiu (present-day Yueyang
Yueyang
Yueyang is a prefecture-level city at the northeastern corner of Hunan province, South Central China, on the southern shores of Dongting Lake.The Yueyang metropolitan area occupies 14,896 km². and the city proper occupies 304 km²...
, Hunan
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...
) to block any reinforcements from Guan Yu. After Lü Meng had conquered the three commanderies, Guan Yu indeed advanced south to retake the territories and met with opposition from Lu Su. Lu Su considered the gravity of the situation and decided that it would be best for both Sun Quan and Liu Bei to maintain friendly relations, so he invited Guan Yu to have negotations. During the talks, soldiers from both sides were stationed at least a hundred steps away from the meeting area, and those present at the meeting each carried only a sword.
Subsequently, Liu Bei received news that Cao Cao was planning to attack Hanzhong
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...
, which was seen as the northern gateway into Yi Province, so he quickly requested for a border treaty with Sun Quan. He asked Sun Quan to give him back Lingling and create a diversion for Cao Cao by attacking Cao's stronghold at Hefei
Hefei
Hefei is the capital and largest city of Anhui Province in Eastern China. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, and cultural centre of Anhui...
; in return, Liu Bei ceded Changsha and Guiyang to Sun Quan, setting the new border along the Xiang River
Xiang River
The Xiang River , in older transliterations as the Siang River or Hsiang River, is a river in southern China...
. Sun Quan agreed to the treaty terms.
Death
Lu Su died of illness at the age of 45 in 217.Lu Su's tomb is located on Mount Gui (魯山) in present-day Hanyang District, Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
, Hubei
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...
. The hill was originally named Mount Dabie (大別山) and later renamed to Mount Lu (魯山) to commemorate Lu Su. It was renamed to Mount Gui during the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and this name has been used until now. Lu Su's tomb was originally located on the southern end of the hill and was moved in 1955 to a park in the middle of the hill due to construction works.
Family
- Son: Lu Shu (魯淑), served in Wu as General of Illustrious Martial Might, Area Commander of Wuchang and Xiakou, received a marquis title
- Grandson: Lu Mu (魯睦), Lu Shu's son, inherited Lu Shu's marquis title, served as a military commander in Wu
Appointments and titles held
- Colonel Who Inspires Martial Might (奮武校尉)
- Administrator of Hanchang (漢昌太守)
- General of Hengjiang (橫江將軍)
Appraisal
- "I had a discussion (with Lu Su) during a banquet and obtained a plan on establishing a dynasty of kings and emperors - this was a great pleasure. Later when Mengde took control of Liu Cong's territories, he proclaimed that he would lead thousands of land and marine troops south (to attack me). I gathered all my subjects and asked for their opinion, none of their responses matched my thoughts, Zibu and Wenbiao suggested that I should surrender, but Zijing argued that I should not and urged me to recall back Gongjin, put him in command (of the army) and engage the enemy - this was another great pleasure. However, in making decisions, he was far from Zhang and Su; later when he advised me to loan land to Xuande - that was one of his shortcomings, but yet this was not enough to overshadow his two strengths." – Sun Quan
In this statement, Sun Quan commented that he was very pleased with two things that Lu Su had done for him - drafting the plan for him to emerge as one of the three major powers in China, and helping him arrive at his resolution to ally with Liu Bei to resist Cao Cao just before the Battle of Red Cliffs. However, Sun Quan also thought that Lu Su was inferior in making decisions in diplomacy as compared to Zhang Yi and Su Qin
Su Qin
Su Qin , was an influential political strategist during the Warring States Period of Chinese history . He was born in Chengxuan Village, Luoyang in present day Henan Province. According to legend Su Qin was a disciple of Gui Guzi, the founder of the School of Diplomacy...
, two famous strategists and diplomats of the Warring States Period
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
. Despite so, Sun Quan still felt that Lu Su's two major contributions outshone this weakness.
Anecdote relating to Lu Su
Lu Su came from a wealthy family and he owned two large granaries. When Zhou YuZhou Yu
Zhou 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...
wanted to form a militia to help Sun Ce
Sun Ce
Sun Ce was a military general and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was the oldest of the children of Sun Jian who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang when Sun Ce was only 16. Sun Ce then broke away from his father's overlord, Yuan Shu, and headed to...
in his conquests, he lacked food supplies and weapons, so Lu Su pointed at one of his granaries and presented it to Zhou Yu, while he sold the other and used the money to hire blacksmiths to forge 5,000 swords for Zhou Yu's militia. Zhou Yu ordered his men to bring 200 sacks and fill them up with grain, each sack weighing 50 jin, and bring back to his camp. To attract more people to join him, Zhou Yu borrowed ink and a brush from Lu Su, and wrote "Revive the Han Dynasty" (興複漢室) on a piece of paper and pasted it on a wall outside the granary. This gave rise to the saying "pointing at a granary and presenting it" (指囷相贈).
In fiction
Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance 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...
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong
Luo 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...
, was a dramatization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The 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. In the novel, Lu Su was used as a foil
Foil (literature)
In fiction, a foil is a character who contrasts with another character in order to highlight particular qualities of another character....
between Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge 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 Zhou Yu
Zhou Yu
Zhou 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...
to highlight their intelligence, especially for Zhuge Liang. He was also used to add minor comic relief
Comic relief
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension.-Definition:...
to the rivalry between Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu, particularly in the events leading to the Battle of Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs
The 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...
. In addition, he was also portrayed as a honest and sententious man who was often taken advantage of, leading to his maladroit handling of the diplomatic dispute over Jing Province between Liu Bei and Sun Quan.