48 Zhou Yu

The Commander-in-Chief of State Wu

For thousands of years, the Yangtze Delta Region had traditionally been called “Wu”. As early as in the Spring & Autumn Period, a powerful state “Wu” existed here around 600 BC with Suzhou city Jiangsu Province as its capital. In later years of East Han, a warlord surnamed Sun set up an armed independent regime also called “Wu” (one of the three kingdoms), with Nanjing as its capital. The region was rich in historical heritage and people therefore called Yangtze Delta culture as Wu culture, the language as Wu dialect, including Shanghai dialect and Suzhou dialect.

Zhou Yu (175-210) was the commander-in-chief of the Wu regime. People usually called him intimately as Pal Zhou, as he was young, handsome and super-talented. At the beginning of the Chi Bi War, Cao Cao directed his dominating powerful troops southward aiming to swallow up Wu regime, Wu’s ruler Sun Quan and the court officials fell in great panic. Because of great disparity of strength, most of them inclined to surrender, only Zhou Yu with a minority stood up and encouraged ruler Sun to fight back. The Chi Bi War broke out between Wei (Cao Cao) and allied forces of Wu and Shu (Liu Bei), ended up with allied forces victory. The victory should be mainly attributed to Wu’s force, especially the Pal Zhou’s wisdom, because Shu’s force was too small, and the only contribution Shu made was to send Zhuge Liang to Wu to be an advisor.

During the cooperation, Zhou Yu, aware of Zhuge’ wisdom had got upper hand to himself, tried to kill Zhuge for several times, but Zhuge could for each time free from the danger. Then, Zhou Yu hatched up another plot: He sent an invitation to Liu Bei, saying Wu’s ruler Sun Quan had a younger sister, and Liu could marry with the girl to make two states a special alliance. On seeing the skeptical invitation, many Liu’s officials didn’t want Liu to go, only Zhuge Liang wanted Liu to go, saying things could go smoothly with Liu’s marriage trip. When Liu arrived at Wu, the marriage actually took place, because Sun’s mother satisfied Liu to be her son-in-law. Zhou then played next trick: providing extra luxurious life to make Liu feel happy in a cozy nest and hate to return. But Zhuge forged a false military report to press Liu running away. Zhou then sent a mobile detachment trying to intercept Liu, but Zhuge had deployed ambush force en route. When Wu troops were defeated and fled back, Shu soldiers shouted loudly behind them:

“Pal Zhou’s wisdom pacified the world,

But lost lady and suffered in battlefield.”

Zhou Yu was died of spitting blood, cried repeatedly: “(Heaven) Already gave birth to Zhou Yu, why also gave birth to Zhuge!”