History of Chinese Emperors - Super Men

Author: Shangguan Ping / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: After years of turmoil on the battlefield, Liu Bei experienced a significant turning point in his life after settling in Xinye. Facing Liu Biao, who was suspicious and always wary of him, Liu Bei, upon reflecting on his past campaigns, realized that to break free from his dependent status and achieve great success, he must possess immense strength and truly own his own territory. To strengthen his forces and seize the empire, he knew he needed talented advisors who could offer strategic counsel—"To accomplish great deeds, one must rely on the people." Therefore, Liu Bei decided to recruit talents widely to expand his power.
Xu Shu, a friend of Zhuge Liang, learned of Liu Bei's intentions and seized the opportunity to recommend him, saying, "My friend Zhuge Liang is full of strategic wisdom and is known as the 'Sleeping Dragon.' Would the general like to meet him?" Upon hearing this, Liu Bei was delighted and immediately asked Xu Shu to bring Zhuge Liang to see him. However, Xu Shu told Liu Bei, "This friend of mine, you must go see him in person—you cannot let him come to you in a subordinate manner." "This person can be seen, but he must not be brought in humbly. The general should make the effort to visit him."
At the age of 47, Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang at Longzhong Mountain (now within Xiangyang, Hubei) three times, sincerely requesting the 27-year-old Zhuge Liang, who was living in seclusion and farming the land "without seeking fame," to meet him. "I visited twice before finally meeting him." With a deep desire for talent, Liu Bei, upon meeting Zhuge Liang, immediately shared his grand ambitions for unifying the empire and sought his advice. To prevent their conversation from leaking, Liu Bei dismissed his attendants and earnestly said to Zhuge Liang, "The Han Dynasty has fallen into decline, traitors have seized power, and the emperor is in exile. I did not measure my strength or capabilities but sought to uphold righteousness in the world. However, my lack of wisdom led to failures, and we have reached this point. Yet my resolve remains unshaken. What do you suggest?"
Touched by Liu Bei's sincerity, Zhuge Liang carefully analyzed the current situation of the various warlords and proposed a plan: to ally with Sun Quan externally and reform the government internally, first seizing Jing (Jingzhou) and Yi (Yizhou) provinces, and then, when the time was right, advancing to the Central Plains to establish. "If this plan is followed, then the can be achieved, and the Han Dynasty can be restored." This became known as the Longzhong Strategy. Liu Bei happily accepted Zhuge Liang's advice and, from then on, held him in high regard, "deepening his bond with Zhuge Liang."
Liu Bei's high regard for Zhuge Liang displeased his trusted generals, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. "Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were displeased." In this situation, Liu Bei worked to persuade Guan Yu and Zhang Fei and explained to them, "With Zhuge Liang by my side, I am like a fish in water. Please do not say anything more." After Liu Bei's patient persuasion, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei finally understood and ceased their complaints.
To realize his grand vision, Liu Bei followed Zhuge Liang's advice and formed an alliance with Sun Quan to jointly fight against Cao Cao, who was stronger than them. The following year after Liu Bei adopted Zhuge Liang's strategy, the Liu-Sun alliance decisively defeated Cao Cao's forces at the Battle of Red Cliffs. Subsequently, Liu Bei seized Jingzhou (now Jiangling, Hubei). Afterward, he led his army westward to Yi Province (now Chengdu, Sichuan) and took the title of Governor of Yi Province, appointing Zhuge Liang as his military advisor.
After firmly securing Jing and Yi provinces, Liu Bei did not rest but continued to follow the Longzhong Strategy, beginning to seize areas occupied by Cao Cao, including Hanzhong (now Hanzhong, Shaanxi). Hanzhong was a crucial strategic location for controlling the southern Shu region. In 219 (the 24th year of Jian'an), Liu Bei personally led his army to Dingjun Mountain (now Mian County, Shaanxi) and decisively defeated the Cao forces stationed there. During the battle, Cao Cao's general Xiahou Yuan was killed by Liu Bei's troops. Victorious, Liu Bei declared himself the King of Hanzhong.
In 221 (the first year of Zhangwu), after gradually achieving the goals outlined in the Longzhong Strategy, Liu Bei finally declared himself emperor, establishing the state of Shu with Chengdu as its capital. Upon ascending the throne, Liu Bei appointed Zhuge Liang as his prime minister. From then on, Zhuge Liang devoted himself entirely to serving his master, formulating policies that benefited the development and stability of Shu. These included establishing Han laws that demanded strict rewards and punishments, improving relations with frontier regions, particularly the ethnic minorities in the southwest, emphasizing strict military discipline and encouraging soldiers to train in martial arts, and developing agriculture by reclaiming wasteland, allocating troops for farming, and planting mulberry and hemp extensively. These measures significantly strengthened Shu, a relatively weak dynasty among the Three Kingdoms.
After Liu Bei's death in 223 (the third year of Zhangwu), Zhuge Liang continued to serve Liu Bei's young successor, Liu Shan, who was half his age, truly embodying the principle of "dedicating oneself to the cause until death." Chen Shou, the author of Records of the Three Kingdoms, praised Liu Bei in his evaluation, stating, "He entrusted the entire state to Zhuge Liang, yet remained unwavering in his loyalty—truly the epitome of the most virtuous relationship between ruler and subject in ancient and modern times." However, this also shows that while Zhuge Liang was both brave and wise, without Liu Bei's appreciation for talent and ability to utilize people, he might have died in seclusion at Longzhong, never having the chance to showcase his talents. Conversely, without Liu Bei's wholehearted trust and reliance on Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei's dream of reviving the Han Dynasty and achieving might have been in vain. For thousands of years, people have praised this story endlessly, and this cannot be said to be an insignificant reason. P004-005