Yue Jin
Encyclopedia
Yue 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. Yue Jin participated most of Cao Cao's early to middle wars, and gained multiple successes in campaigns against Lü Bu
, Liu Bei
and remnants of the Yellow Turbans
and Yuan clan of northern China. He was particularly praised as a capable vanguard, but his most famed accomplishment came with his supporting role in the defense of Hefei
against the advances of Sun Quan
's massive army in 208.
Chen Shou
, author of the Records of Three Kingdoms, considered Yue Jin among the Five Elite Generals, along with Zhang Liao
, Yu Jin
, Zhang He
and Xu Huang
, and referred to him as the most ferocious of all Cao Cao's generals.
), and little was known about him before he joined Cao Cao's army. Being a small-framed young man, he was initially made a clerk who handled paperworks in a camp. When Cao raised troops to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo, he was tasked to recruit soldiers for Cao's camp, in which he brought back 1,000 men from his hometown. For his effort, Yue was put into test as an acting Marshal and Formation Breaking Commandant. Thereafter, Yue assumed military positions and followed Cao in his futile war with Dong Zhuo. Although being defeated, Yue's physical strength and bravery earned him much trust from Cao, who would use him as the vanguard from time to time.
, stormed Cao Cao's base, Yan Province, when the latter was on his expedition against Tao Qian
. Yue was assigned as the vanguard with Cao Hong for the returning army. The two forces fought several bitter battles around Poyang (濮陽), resulting in largely Cao's defeat, but Yue's merit in those battles was still recognized by Cao. Lu led his elite troops away for food when a large-scaled famine broke out around the area, and Yue took the opportunity to attack Lu's ally and subordinates, Zhang Chao (張超) at Yong Slope (雍丘) and Qiao Long (橋曨) at Ku (苦). He acted as the vanguard and was the first to break the enemy's defense in both battles; he was thus granted a title of Marquis, and highly valued in Cao's camp (Yue was the first among the five top generals of Wei to receive a Marquis title).
In AD 198, Yue followed Cao to subdue Zhang Xiu
, who feigned surrender and casted calamity over Cao Cao when the latter was sleeping
with Zhang's aunt. Much hardships were experienced during the campaign, but Yue, along Yu Jin
, was recorded to earn merit during the battles. Due to the fact that Zhang was backed by Liu Biao
of Jing Province, Cao realized Zhang could not be taken care of within a short period of time. Under the rationale that Liu Bei
was asking for help in Xiaopei
to fight Lu Bu, Cao finally relinquished his war against Zhang, but sent envoys to ask the latter to form an alliance, which Zhang agreed upon the term that a marriage be arranged between the two families. During the siege of Xiapi
, Yue led a separate command and defeated Lu's deputy general outside the city before he joined the encirclement.
After Lu's demise, Cao focused on preparation to the upcoming war with Yuan Shao
(who was still Cao's ally), and Yue was assigned to the border. When the warlord of Bing Province, Zhang Yang
, hesitated on the predicament upon choosing Cao or Yuan as ally, his subordinate, Yang Chou
murdered him and took his head to Cao, but another general, Sui Gu
(眭固), vindicated his lord when Yang was on his way to Xuchang. In order to merge Zhang Yang's remnants, Yue intercepted Sui when the latter attempted to go back north, and successfully hunted down his prey and took control of the Bingzhou troops. He then brought his troops to join Cao's eastern campaign against the traitor, Liu Bei, who just usurped and killed the Governor of Xu Province. Within a very short time, Liu was defeated, and his aide, Guan Yu
, was captured alive.
, in which Cao Cao pitched his forces against those of rival warlord, Yuan Shao. Before Cao led the main army to the frontline, Yue was assigned several thousand soldiers to reinforce Yu Jin at Yan Ford (延津; north of modern-day Yanjin
, Henan). After joining up with Yu, they selected 5,000 elite soldiers composed of infantry and cavalry, and raided Yuan Shao's detached encampments along the Yellow River southwest from Yan fortress. They snaked up as far as Ji (汲; 25 li
southwest of modern Weihui
, Henan
), and crossed the river to raid Huojia (獲嘉; southeast of modern Huojia, Henan) to the north. In all, they had set fire to some thirty enemy camps, decapitated several thousand heads, captured several thousand men alive, and forced the surrender of some 20 generals including He Mao (何茂) and Wang Mo (王摩).
, Henan), and summoned Yue back to his side. A series of battles were fought, and several famed generals of Yuan had been killed, but the latter still possessed a huge army, which applied much pressure to Cao. The battle had been dragging on for months, and Cao's supplies nearly depleted. When Cao thought about relinquishing resistance, he received a piece of intelligence concerning the whereabouts of his enemy's food storage, guarded by Yuan's most prominent general, Chunyu Qiong
. Determined to bet on the information, he picked Yue Jin as his van in this desperate mission, and sneaked their way to Wuchao (烏巢; in modern Yanjin, Henan) with a 5,000-strong mixed force composed of mainly horsemen. Under the cover of night, they were unopposed until they arrived the enemy encampment, where they set a fire upon. Chuyu attempted to fight back with his larger force, but was slain by Yue Jin in the chaos. The success of this raid in Wuchao enabled Cao to overcome his archrival when Yuan was out of stock.
After the ultimate defeat and subsequent death of Yuan Shao, Cao marched his troops northwards into Jizhou (冀州) and Youzhou (幽州) to stamp out Yuan Shao's heirs and supporters. Cao's progress was checked at Liyang (黎陽, northeast of present day Xunxian County, Henan
), where the war entered a stalemate when two forces fought on the open field. Yue then targeted the unit of Yuan's general, Yan Jing (嚴敬), and had it routed. The defeat of Yan frightened the Yuan brothers, who went back into the city and fled during the night. Yue was promoted to Guerilla General (游擊將軍). He then followed Cao to besiege Ye city, and had it breached. During the battle of Nanpi, Yuan Tan
personally led a counteroffensive, and inflicted considerable damage to the elite mounted force of Cao Cao – the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. Nevertheless, Yue climbed the city and opened the east gate, and the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry took its revenge by taking Yuan's head. For his efforts in the northern campaign, Yue Jin was promoted to General Who Breaks Conflicts (折冲将军).
reneged on his surrender and revolted, Yue was dispatched to cleanse the rebellion. He outflanked Gao by adopting a circuitous route to the north of Gao's position. However, Gao outmaneuvered his opponent by retreating to Hu Gate (壺關), where he relied on its strong defense. Several battles were fought on the field, resulting in defeats on Gao's side, but Hu Gate remained defiant, and Yue was unable to take it alone. When the reinforcement led by Cao arrived, they breached the fortress and had every defenders killed. Then, Yue, along Li Dian
was assigned as vanguards to strike the pirate, Guan Cheng (管承), who was broke by them, and was forced to surrender later.
, who formed an alliance with Liu Bei. The result of the Battle of Red Cliffs
would lead to the development of the Three Kingdoms.
. Yue was ordered to station inside the city of Xiangyang, in anticipation of Zhou Yu
's counterstrike. When Guan Yu
was attempting to cut the connection between Jiangling and Xiangyang, he was stymied by Yue, who led his army out and defeated him. During Guan's second attempt to block the waterway of Xiangyang, Yue again spiked Guan on the water at Xiukou.
The war dragged on and Cao Ren had suffered high casualties in Jiangling fortress. Knowing Cao's position in Nanjun became worse, Yue raised an army in Xiangyang and hurried down to Jiangling, where he attacked and won several skirmishes over the forces of Liu Bei. Yue forced the barbarians of southern Jing to surrender, and mimicked Guan's infiltration strategy to attack Liu's Prefect of Linju, Du Pu and Prefect of Xinyang, Liang Dai. Du and Liang were unable to repel Yue, and were totally routed. When Cao Ren was ordered to give up Jiangling due to continuous loss of materiel, Yue slithered back to Xiangyang.
in 208, Sun Quan attacked Hefei, prompting the former to personally led reinforcements to the scene. Yue Jin was specifically granted the staff of authority on the way to Hefei. Receiving intelligence Cao had come in person, Sun retreated, and Yue, alongside Zhang Liao and Li Dian
were left for the defense of Hefei fortress with 7,000 soldiers. However, Sun soon led 100,000 naval forces to advance to Hefei. The 300,000 strong army of Xiahou Dun was unble to hinder Sun's progress. Following a direct order from Cao Cao, Xue Ti led a sizable relief force into the city, and also served as a monitoring system to the 3 generals who were not in good terms with each other. Yue was ordered to stay behind to defend the city with the strategist, Xue Ti (who actually assumed a higher command than Zhang Liao, and was there to enforce the 3 to carry out Cao's orders), while Li and Zhang led a force of 800 men out to meet the enemy. The overconfident Sun Quan lost two generals on the first encounter, but his forces managed to force Zhang and Li back into the fortified citadel. Sun Quan's forces were unable to climb the high walls of the Hefei Castle, and were subsequently infected with a plague. Thus, Sun grudgingly withdrew; in order to avoid being infected, Sun only had 1,000 troops with him on the northern part of Xiaoyao Ford (逍遥津). This news was received by Zhang Liao, who immediately led several thousand elite cavalry to pursue the enemy commander. During the chaos, Sun Quan was nearly killed if not saved by his general, Ling Tong
, and the siege of Hefei Castle came to a complete victory for Cao Cao's side. Yue was then promoted to General of the Right (右将军) for his contributions in the miraculous defense of Hefei, along Zhang, they would later be labeled as two of the five top generals of the Kingdom of Wei
.
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
, was a romanticization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms
era. Yue Jin made his first appearance in Chapter 5, where he joined Cao Cao's camp when the latter was raising an army to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo
, the tyrannical warlord who held the emperor hostage in the imperial court.
Unlike historical records, however, Luo Guanzhong had Yue Jin killed in the midst of battle in Chapter 68, shortly after the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford
. This was probably because little about the last ten years of Yue Jin's life was documented in the first place.
According to the novel, during a confrontation with Wu troops along the shore of Ruxu River (濡须河), Yue Jin rode out to engage Ling Tong
(凌统) in a duel. An arrow fired by Cao Xiu
struck Ling Tong's horse, which in pain threw its rider off. Yue Jin was dashing forward to finish off his opponent when he was hit full in the face by an arrow fired by Wu general, Gan Ning
.
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...
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...
of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He was noted as much for his short stature as for his valor and ferocity on the battlefield. Yue Jin participated most of Cao Cao's early to middle wars, and gained multiple successes in campaigns against Lü Bu
Lü Bu
Lü 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"...
, 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...
and remnants of the Yellow Turbans
Yellow Turban Rebellion
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...
and Yuan clan of northern China. He was particularly praised as a capable vanguard, but his most famed accomplishment came with his supporting role in the defense of 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...
against the advances of 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....
's massive army in 208.
Chen Shou
Chen Shou
Chen Shou was a historian during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history. He is best known as the author of Records of Three Kingdoms, a historical account of the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period.-Biography:...
, author of the Records of Three Kingdoms, considered Yue Jin among the Five Elite Generals, along with Zhang Liao
Zhang Liao
Zhang 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...
, Yu Jin
Yu Jin
Yu 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...
, Zhang He
Zhang He
Zhang 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 Huang
Xu Huang
Xu 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...
, and referred to him as the most ferocious of all Cao Cao's generals.
Early life
Yue Jin was originally a local of the Yangping Commandery (阳平卫国, present day county of Qingfeng, HenanHenan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), and little was known about him before he joined Cao Cao's army. Being a small-framed young man, he was initially made a clerk who handled paperworks in a camp. When Cao raised troops to join the coalition against Dong Zhuo, he was tasked to recruit soldiers for Cao's camp, in which he brought back 1,000 men from his hometown. For his effort, Yue was put into test as an acting Marshal and Formation Breaking Commandant. Thereafter, Yue assumed military positions and followed Cao in his futile war with Dong Zhuo. Although being defeated, Yue's physical strength and bravery earned him much trust from Cao, who would use him as the vanguard from time to time.
Solidifying Cao Cao's position
The famed warrior, Lu BuLü Bu
Lü 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"...
, stormed Cao Cao's base, Yan Province, when the latter was on his expedition against Tao Qian
Tao Qian
Tao Qian , better known as Tao Yuanming , was a Chinese poet. Born in modern Jiujiang, Jiangxi, he was one of the most influential pre-Tang Dynasty Chinese poets....
. Yue was assigned as the vanguard with Cao Hong for the returning army. The two forces fought several bitter battles around Poyang (濮陽), resulting in largely Cao's defeat, but Yue's merit in those battles was still recognized by Cao. Lu led his elite troops away for food when a large-scaled famine broke out around the area, and Yue took the opportunity to attack Lu's ally and subordinates, Zhang Chao (張超) at Yong Slope (雍丘) and Qiao Long (橋曨) at Ku (苦). He acted as the vanguard and was the first to break the enemy's defense in both battles; he was thus granted a title of Marquis, and highly valued in Cao's camp (Yue was the first among the five top generals of Wei to receive a Marquis title).
In AD 198, Yue followed Cao to subdue Zhang Xiu
Zhang Xiu
Zhang Xiu was a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He eventually surrendered to Cao Cao in 200. Having contributed greatly to the decisive Battle of Guandu and subsequent campaigns against the heirs of Yuan Shao, Zhang Xiu died en route Liucheng on a campaign to...
, who feigned surrender and casted calamity over Cao Cao when the latter was sleeping
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
with Zhang's aunt. Much hardships were experienced during the campaign, but Yue, along Yu Jin
Yu Jin
Yu 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...
, was recorded to earn merit during the battles. Due to the fact that Zhang was backed by 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...
of Jing Province, Cao realized Zhang could not be taken care of within a short period of time. Under the rationale that 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...
was asking for help in Xiaopei
Xiaopei
Xiaopei 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...
to fight Lu Bu, Cao finally relinquished his war against Zhang, but sent envoys to ask the latter to form an alliance, which Zhang agreed upon the term that a marriage be arranged between the two families. During the siege of Xiapi
Battle of Xiapi
The 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...
, Yue led a separate command and defeated Lu's deputy general outside the city before he joined the encirclement.
After Lu's demise, Cao focused on preparation to the upcoming war with Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao
Yuan 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...
(who was still Cao's ally), and Yue was assigned to the border. When the warlord of Bing Province, Zhang Yang
Zhang Yang
Zhang Yang is a Chinese film director, screenwriter, and occasional actor. He is the son of Zhang Huaxun, who is also a Chinese film director....
, hesitated on the predicament upon choosing Cao or Yuan as ally, his subordinate, Yang Chou
Yang Chou
Yang Chou was a military general serving under the warlord Zhang Yang during the late Han Dynasty period of China. When Zhang Yang came to ask for the assistance of Lü Bu, Yang killed him out of fear, and joined Cao Cao...
murdered him and took his head to Cao, but another general, Sui Gu
Sui Gu
Sui Gu , style name Baitu , was a vassal serving under the warlord Zhang Yang during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. When Zhang Yang was killed by Yang Chou out of fear for him joining Lü Bu, Sui avenged his lord by killing Yang Chou. Afterwards, Sui Gu went on to serve under Yuan...
(眭固), vindicated his lord when Yang was on his way to Xuchang. In order to merge Zhang Yang's remnants, Yue intercepted Sui when the latter attempted to go back north, and successfully hunted down his prey and took control of the Bingzhou troops. He then brought his troops to join Cao's eastern campaign against the traitor, Liu Bei, who just usurped and killed the Governor of Xu Province. Within a very short time, Liu was defeated, and his aide, 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...
, was captured alive.
Skirmishes
Yue had also participated in the pivotal Battle of GuanduBattle of Guandu
The 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...
, in which Cao Cao pitched his forces against those of rival warlord, Yuan Shao. Before Cao led the main army to the frontline, Yue was assigned several thousand soldiers to reinforce Yu Jin at Yan Ford (延津; north of modern-day Yanjin
Yanjin County, Henan
Yanjin County is a county in Xinxiang, Henan province, China....
, Henan). After joining up with Yu, they selected 5,000 elite soldiers composed of infantry and cavalry, and raided Yuan Shao's detached encampments along the Yellow River southwest from Yan fortress. They snaked up as far as Ji (汲; 25 li
Li (unit)
The 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...
southwest of modern Weihui
Weihui
Weihui is a county-level city in Henan, People's Republic of China. It belongs to Xinxiang. The city has an area of 882 km² and a population of 480,000....
, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), and crossed the river to raid Huojia (獲嘉; southeast of modern Huojia, Henan) to the north. In all, they had set fire to some thirty enemy camps, decapitated several thousand heads, captured several thousand men alive, and forced the surrender of some 20 generals including He Mao (何茂) and Wang Mo (王摩).
Major engagements
However, the war was far from over because the ones that Yue destroyed were just some expendable pawns of the powerful northern regime of Yuan. Cao then ordered Yu to camp at Yuanwu (原武; modern-day YuanyangYuanyang County, Henan
-Towns and villages:The county is divided into 15 towns and townships. The towns and major villages in Yuanyang County are:-Further reading:* 原阳县志编纂委员会编 河南 原阳县志 Zhong zhou gu ji chu ban she, Zhengzhou Shi, ISBN 7-5348-1232-1; a history of Yuanyang County, Henan province, in Chinese*...
, Henan), and summoned Yue back to his side. A series of battles were fought, and several famed generals of Yuan had been killed, but the latter still possessed a huge army, which applied much pressure to Cao. The battle had been dragging on for months, and Cao's supplies nearly depleted. When Cao thought about relinquishing resistance, he received a piece of intelligence concerning the whereabouts of his enemy's food storage, guarded by Yuan's most prominent general, Chunyu Qiong
Chunyu Qiong
Chunyu Qiong was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He played a significant part in the Battle of Guandu in 200.-Biography:...
. Determined to bet on the information, he picked Yue Jin as his van in this desperate mission, and sneaked their way to Wuchao (烏巢; in modern Yanjin, Henan) with a 5,000-strong mixed force composed of mainly horsemen. Under the cover of night, they were unopposed until they arrived the enemy encampment, where they set a fire upon. Chuyu attempted to fight back with his larger force, but was slain by Yue Jin in the chaos. The success of this raid in Wuchao enabled Cao to overcome his archrival when Yuan was out of stock.
After the ultimate defeat and subsequent death of Yuan Shao, Cao marched his troops northwards into Jizhou (冀州) and Youzhou (幽州) to stamp out Yuan Shao's heirs and supporters. Cao's progress was checked at Liyang (黎陽, northeast of present day Xunxian County, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
), where the war entered a stalemate when two forces fought on the open field. Yue then targeted the unit of Yuan's general, Yan Jing (嚴敬), and had it routed. The defeat of Yan frightened the Yuan brothers, who went back into the city and fled during the night. Yue was promoted to Guerilla General (游擊將軍). He then followed Cao to besiege Ye city, and had it breached. During the battle of Nanpi, Yuan Tan
Yuan Tan
Yuan 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...
personally led a counteroffensive, and inflicted considerable damage to the elite mounted force of Cao Cao – the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. Nevertheless, Yue climbed the city and opened the east gate, and the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry took its revenge by taking Yuan's head. For his efforts in the northern campaign, Yue Jin was promoted to General Who Breaks Conflicts (折冲将军).
Winding-up
When a local gentry and relative to the Yuans, Gao GanGao Gan
Gao Gan was a governor of Bing Province during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was a nephew of the warlord Yuan Shao and a cousin of Gao Rou. After the dissolution of the coalition against Dong Zhuo, warlords all across China returned to their respective territories...
reneged on his surrender and revolted, Yue was dispatched to cleanse the rebellion. He outflanked Gao by adopting a circuitous route to the north of Gao's position. However, Gao outmaneuvered his opponent by retreating to Hu Gate (壺關), where he relied on its strong defense. Several battles were fought on the field, resulting in defeats on Gao's side, but Hu Gate remained defiant, and Yue was unable to take it alone. When the reinforcement led by Cao arrived, they breached the fortress and had every defenders killed. Then, Yue, along Li Dian
Li Dian
Li Dian was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He participated in the Battle of Guandu between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao...
was assigned as vanguards to strike the pirate, Guan Cheng (管承), who was broke by them, and was forced to surrender later.
War with Sun Quan
After Cao Cao successfully congregated central and northern China, he assembled a grandiose force upon Yangtze river, only to be destroyed by the southeastern warlord, Sun QuanSun 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....
, who formed an alliance with Liu Bei. The result of 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...
would lead to the development of the Three Kingdoms.
Battle of Jiangling
As a result of the disastrous defeat at the Red Cliffs, Cao Cao's huge army was scattered around the Northern plain above the Yangtze RiverYangtze 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...
. Yue was ordered to station inside the city of Xiangyang, in anticipation of 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...
's counterstrike. When 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...
was attempting to cut the connection between Jiangling and Xiangyang, he was stymied by Yue, who led his army out and defeated him. During Guan's second attempt to block the waterway of Xiangyang, Yue again spiked Guan on the water at Xiukou.
The war dragged on and Cao Ren had suffered high casualties in Jiangling fortress. Knowing Cao's position in Nanjun became worse, Yue raised an army in Xiangyang and hurried down to Jiangling, where he attacked and won several skirmishes over the forces of Liu Bei. Yue forced the barbarians of southern Jing to surrender, and mimicked Guan's infiltration strategy to attack Liu's Prefect of Linju, Du Pu and Prefect of Xinyang, Liang Dai. Du and Liang were unable to repel Yue, and were totally routed. When Cao Ren was ordered to give up Jiangling due to continuous loss of materiel, Yue slithered back to Xiangyang.
Battle of Xiaoyao Ford
After Cao Cao lost 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...
in 208, Sun Quan attacked Hefei, prompting the former to personally led reinforcements to the scene. Yue Jin was specifically granted the staff of authority on the way to Hefei. Receiving intelligence Cao had come in person, Sun retreated, and Yue, alongside Zhang Liao and Li Dian
Li Dian
Li Dian was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He participated in the Battle of Guandu between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao...
were left for the defense of Hefei fortress with 7,000 soldiers. However, Sun soon led 100,000 naval forces to advance to Hefei. The 300,000 strong army of Xiahou Dun was unble to hinder Sun's progress. Following a direct order from Cao Cao, Xue Ti led a sizable relief force into the city, and also served as a monitoring system to the 3 generals who were not in good terms with each other. Yue was ordered to stay behind to defend the city with the strategist, Xue Ti (who actually assumed a higher command than Zhang Liao, and was there to enforce the 3 to carry out Cao's orders), while Li and Zhang led a force of 800 men out to meet the enemy. The overconfident Sun Quan lost two generals on the first encounter, but his forces managed to force Zhang and Li back into the fortified citadel. Sun Quan's forces were unable to climb the high walls of the Hefei Castle, and were subsequently infected with a plague. Thus, Sun grudgingly withdrew; in order to avoid being infected, Sun only had 1,000 troops with him on the northern part of Xiaoyao Ford (逍遥津). This news was received by Zhang Liao, who immediately led several thousand elite cavalry to pursue the enemy commander. During the chaos, Sun Quan was nearly killed if not saved by his general, Ling Tong
Ling Tong
Ling 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...
, and the siege of Hefei Castle came to a complete victory for Cao Cao's side. Yue was then promoted to General of the Right (右将军) for his contributions in the miraculous defense of Hefei, along Zhang, they would later be labeled as two of the five top generals of the Kingdom of Wei
Five Wei Generals
The Five Elite Generals The five generals are each famous for a certain attribute. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Yue Jin was renowned for courage in battle, and was often the first to scale the walls of cities in sieges, while Yu Jin, Xu Huang and Zhang He were famous for their...
.
Death
Yue Jin eventually died in 218, but the cause was undocumented in historical records. He was given the posthumous title of Marquis Wei (威侯), literally meaning the awe-inspiring marquis. His son Yue Lin inherited his decisiveness and determination and was eventually promoted to governor of Yangzhou (杨州).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 romanticization 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. Yue Jin made his first appearance in Chapter 5, where he joined Cao Cao's camp when the latter was raising an army to join the coalition against 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...
, the tyrannical warlord who held the emperor hostage in the imperial court.
Unlike historical records, however, Luo Guanzhong had Yue Jin killed in the midst of battle in Chapter 68, shortly after the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford
Battle of Xiaoyao Ford
The Battle of Xiaoyao Ford, also known as the Battle of Leisure Ford, Battle of Hefei, and Hefei Campaign, was fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Sun Quan between 215 and 217 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history over the control of Hefei...
. This was probably because little about the last ten years of Yue Jin's life was documented in the first place.
According to the novel, during a confrontation with Wu troops along the shore of Ruxu River (濡须河), Yue Jin rode out to engage Ling Tong
Ling Tong
Ling 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...
(凌统) in a duel. An arrow fired by Cao Xiu
Cao Xiu
Cao Xiu was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period. A distant nephew of Cao Cao, Cao Xiu was given special attention by the former, who once asserted him befitting...
struck Ling Tong's horse, which in pain threw its rider off. Yue Jin was dashing forward to finish off his opponent when he was hit full in the face by an arrow fired by Wu general, Gan Ning
Gan Ning
Gan 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:...
.