Liu Bei's strategist, 27 years old in 208. Negotiated the alliance; later governed Shu-Han.
A fine talent who understood governance, the equal of Guan Zhong and Xiao He.Chen Shou's appraisal, Sanguozhi, Shu shu 5
Appears in
Three Kingdoms 1 · panel 9Three Kingdoms 1 · panel 10Three Kingdoms 3 · panel 16Three Kingdoms 4 · panel 9Three Kingdoms 4 · panel 11Three Kingdoms 4 · panel 12Three Kingdoms 4 · panel 13Three Kingdoms 4 · panel 14Three Kingdoms 4 · panel 15
Relations
- Liu Bei strategist & lord — From 207 until Liu Bei's death in 223. At Baidicheng the dying emperor gave him the heir and the state.
- Zhou Yu allies — The alliance of 208 was their joint work.
- Sima Yi opponents — Four years on the Wei river, 231–234. One would not fight; the other could not afford to wait.
Myth vs record
The story you may know
A sorcerer-strategian who summons winds, empties cities, and knows everything before it happens.
What the sources say
Chen Shou's appraisal praises him as an administrator and lawgiver, and notes plainly that his military successes fell short of his planning. The wind at Red Cliff belongs to Huang Gai in the sources.