|
|
|
|
|
L BuL Bu (呂布) (156-198), courtesy name Fengxian (奉先), was one of the foremost warriors in Chinese history. He lived during the period of the Three Kingdoms. L Bu was known as a master of horse riding, archery, and armed combat. He was handsome, tall and undefeated, because of this; he was nicknamed the "Flying General." L Bu originally started his career as Chief Secretary in the office of Ding Yuan, who was also his foster father, but later he murdered Ding Yuan when Dong Zhuo marched into the capital. Dong Zhuo had offered L Bu many extravagant gifts, including a horse named Red Hare (赤兔), in order to get L Bu on his side. L Bu was appointed Cavalry Commander, Imperial Corps Commander, and Knight General by Dong Zhuo successively, and was titled Lord of a Capital Precinct. L Bu and Dong Zhuo swore to be foster son and father, and since then L Bu became Dong Zhuo's closest guard. However Dong's bad temper had often created uneasy moments between the two. Finally he was talked by Imperial Minister of Interior Wang Yun to murder Dong Zhuo. A minor reason of his betrayal was that L Bu had had relation with one of Dong's maid, whose name was never recorded, but in the fiction Romance of Three Kingdoms, the minor reason became the major one and the maid was named Diao Chan. When Dong's army led by Li Jue, Guo Si, Niou Fu and Fan Chou attacked Chang An, L Bu was forced to retreat and seek refuge with Yuan Shao. Yuan refused to let L Bu join him. L Bu became a leader of a wandering army, he fought and joined other warlords, in particular it was recorded that he had once saved Liu Bei who later founded Kingdom of Shu. He then setled in Xia Pi. Soon, Lu Bu had a daughter who's name is unknown. Lu Bu originally wished to marry his daughter to Yuan Shu's son but drew back on his promise resulting in tensions between the two forces. Later Lu Bu betrayed Liu Bei who had previously generously given Lu Bu the prefecture of Xia Pi. This maneuver forced Liu Bei to request help from Cao Cao to help defeat the powerful Lu Bu. Initially Lu Bu gained victories in this war. On the advice of Chen Gong Lu Bu ambushed Cao Cao and Cao Cao, as a result, nearly lost his life. Eventually however Cao Cao and Liu Bei besieged Xia Pi. Lu Bu enforced a prohibition of alchohol to keep his generals wary and when one of his vassals asked him for alchohol to celebrate a victory, Lu Bu abrasively gave this general, Huo Cheng, punishment by lashing. This caused distrust among several of Lu Bu's retainers who disagreed with this harsh incident. Ironically Lu Bu was caught drunk by his generals, tied up and brought before Cao Cao. Finally in 198, Cao Cao, had managed to defeat Lu Bu. Because Lu Bu frequently betrayed his previous masters, Cao Cao opted to execute Lu Bu through strangulation rather than allowing the traitorous warlord to serve him. Cao Cao allowed the betrayers of Lu Bu to join him and henceforth they became valuable generals in his army. Some such as Lu Bu's general Gao Shun resisted so Cao Cao executed him. One of Cao Cao's greatest generals and later the head of the Elite 5 joined Cao Cao but had originally served Lu Bu. This general was named Zhang Liao. In Romance of Three Kingdoms, L Bu is said to be a very dishonorable general, a warrior without wisdom. His fictional love with Diao Chan becomes so well-known that many believe it really happened.
|
 |
|
| Copyright 2005-2009 OnPedia.com. All Rights Reserved |
|
|