Lu Su (172–217),

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theobald ...

Zijing, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord

Sun Quan Sun Quan (, Chinese: 孫權) (183 – 21 May 252), courtesy name Zhongmou (), posthumously known as Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of the Eastern Wu dynasty, one of the Three Kingdoms of China. He inherited control of the warlord regime es ...

during the late

Eastern Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) and a warr ...

. In the year 200, when Sun Quan had just taken over the reins of power, his adviser

Zhou Yu Zhou Yu (, ) (175–210), courtesy name Gongjin (), was a Chinese military general and strategist serving under the warlord Sun Ce in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. After Sun Ce died in the year 200, he continued serving under Sun Quan, ...

recommended Lu Su as a talent to Sun Quan. As one of Sun Quan's most important advisers in the warlord's early career, Lu Su is best known for making some significant contributions. Firstly, in 200 he drafted a long-term strategy for Sun Quan's power bloc to emerge as one of three major contending powers in China – a plan similar to

Zhuge Liang Zhuge Liang ( zh, t=諸葛亮 / 诸葛亮) (181 – September 234), courtesy name Kongming, was a Chinese statesman and military strategist. He was chancellor and later regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. He is r ...

Longzhong Plan The Longzhong Plan is the name given to a strategic plan by Zhuge Liang, a statesman of the Shu Han state in the Three Kingdoms period (220–280) of China. Zhuge Liang presented the plan to Liu Bei, a warlord who became the founding emperor of ...

, which was proposed about seven years later. Secondly, before the

Battle of Red Cliffs The Battle of Red Cliffs, also known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive naval battle in the winter of AD 208–209 at the end of the Han dynasty, about twelve years prior to the beginning of the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history. T ...

in late 208, he was the first person to persuade Sun Quan to ally with

Liu Bei Liu Bei (, ; ; 161 – 10 June 223), courtesy name Xuande (), was a warlord in the late Eastern Han dynasty who founded the state of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period and became its first ruler. Although he was a distant relative of the H ...

against

Cao Cao Cao Cao () (; 155 – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde (), was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet. He was the penultimate Grand chancellor (China), grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the End of ...

. Thirdly, he succeeded Zhou Yu as the frontline commander of Sun Quan's forces in 210 after Zhou's death and maintained the Sun–Liu alliance. Fourthly, in 215, he represented Sun Quan at the negotiations with Liu Bei's general

Guan Yu Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...

during the

Sun–Liu territorial dispute The Sun–Liu territorial dispute was a military conflict between the warlords Sun Quan and Liu Bei in 215 during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. While Sun Quan and Liu Bei had initially formed an alliance in 208 against their common riva ...

over

Jing Province Jingzhou or Jing Province was one of the Nine Provinces of ancient China referenced in Chinese historical texts such as the ''Tribute of Yu'', '' Erya'' and '' Rites of Zhou''. Jingzhou became an administrative division during the reign of Empe ...

Early life

Lu Su was from Dongcheng County (),

Linhuai Commandery Linhuai Commandery ( zh, 臨淮郡) was a historical commandery of China, located in what is now central Jiangsu province. History The commandery was first established in 117 BC, from part of Pei and Guangling commanderies. In late Western Han per ...

(), which is located southeast of present-day

Dingyuan County Dingyuan County () is a county of Anhui Province, China. It is under the administration of Chuzhou city. History The ancestral home of Li Keqiang, the Premier of the People's Republic of China, was Dingyuan. In December 2011, Taiwan ...

Anhui Anhui , (; formerly romanized as Anhwei) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the East China region. Its provincial capital and largest city is Hefei. The province is located across the basins of the Yangtze River ...

.(魯肅字子敬，臨淮東城人也。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. He lost his father not long after he was born, so he lived with his grandmother. Lu Su was very generous with his family's wealth as he used it to help the needy. Wei Zhao's ''Book of Wu'' () described Lu Su as having a stalwart and extraordinary appearance. He had great ambitions since he was young and was very fond of strategy.(吳書曰：肅體貌魁奇，少有壯節，好為奇計。) ''Wu Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Towards the

end End, END, Ending, or variation, may refer to: End *In mathematics: ** End (category theory) ** End (topology) **End (graph theory) ** End (group theory) (a subcase of the previous) **End (endomorphism) *In sports and games **End (gridiron footbal ...

of the

, when chaos broke out throughout China due to the

Yellow Turban Rebellion The Yellow Turban Rebellion, alternatively translated as the Yellow Scarves Rebellion, was a List of peasant revolts, peasant revolt in China against the Eastern Han dynasty. The uprising broke out in 184 CE during the reign of Emperor Ling of ...

and

Dong Zhuo Dong Zhuo () (died 22 May 192), courtesy name Zhongying, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. At the end of the reign of the Eastern Han, Dong Zhuo was a general and powerful minist ...

's tyranny, Lu Su sold his family's lands and properties and used the money to help the poor. He also spent his time associating with other reputable and talented persons. He was well-loved by his fellow townsfolk.(生而失父，與祖母居。家富於財，性好施與。爾時天下已亂，肅不治家事，大散財貨，摽賣田地，以賑窮弊結士為務，甚得鄉邑歡心。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. The ''Book of Wu'' gave another account of Lu Su's life during that chaotic period. Apart from practising sword-fighting, horse-riding and archery, he also hired a group of young men as his

retainers Retainer may refer to: * Retainer (orthodontics), devices for teeth * RFA ''Retainer'' (A329), a ship * Retainers in early China, a social group in early China Employment * Retainer agreement, a contract in which an employer pays in advance for ...

, and provided them with clothing and food. They often went to the hills to hunt and practise military arts. The elders of the clan remarked: "We got this wild boy because the Lu clan is in decline!"(天下將亂，乃學擊劒騎射，招聚少年，給其衣食，往來南山中射獵，陰相部勒，講武習兵。父老咸曰：「魯氏世衰，乃生此狂兒！」) ''Wu Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Moving to Jiangdong

Around 196, when

was nominally serving as the Chief () of Juchao County under the warlord

Yuan Shu Yuan Shu () (died July or August 199), courtesy name Gonglu, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the Han central government in 189 ...

, he wanted to leave Yuan Shu and travel east to the Jiangdong (or Wu) region to join

Sun Ce Sun Ce () () (175–200), courtesy name Bofu, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was the eldest child of Sun Jian, who was killed during the Battle of Xiangyang w ...

, who had recently conquered some territories in Jiangdong over the past few years. Along the way, Zhou Yu and his militia, numbering a few hundred men, visited Lu Su and requested for supplies. At the time, Lu Su owned two large granaries, each capable of storing 3,000 ''hu'' of grain. He pointed at one granary and gave it to Zhou Yu. Realising that Lu Su was no ordinary person, Zhou Yu thanked and befriended him. The third-century historian

Chen Shou Chen Shou (; 233–297), courtesy name Chengzuo (), was a Chinese historian, politician, and writer who lived during the Three Kingdoms period and Jin dynasty of China. Chen Shou is most known for his most celebrated work, the ''Records of the ...

compared their friendship to that of Gongsun Qiao and

Ji Zha Ji or JI may refer to: Names and titles * Ji (surname), the pinyin romanization of a number of distinct Chinese surnames * Ji (Korean name), a Korean surname and element in given names (including lists of people with the name) * -ji, an honorific ...

() during the

Spring and Autumn period The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history from approximately 770 to 476 BC (or according to some authorities until 403 BC) which corresponds roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou period. The period's name derives fr ...

.(周瑜為居巢長，將數百人故過候肅，并求資糧。肅家有兩囷米，各三千斛，肅乃指一囷與周瑜，瑜益知其奇也，遂相親結，定僑、札之分。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. The

Chinese idiom ''Chengyu'' () are a type of traditional Chinese idiomatic expression, most of which consist of four characters. ''Chengyu'' were widely used in Classical Chinese and are still common in vernacular Chinese writing and in the spoken language t ...

"pointing at a granary and presenting it" (), which means to generously provide aid to someone, originated from this anecdote. When Yuan Shu heard of Lu Su's fame, he wanted to recruit him to serve as the Chief of Dongcheng County (東城縣; present-day

Suining County, Jiangsu Suining County () is under the administration of Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, China; it is the southernmost county-level division of Xuzhou and borders the prefecture-level city, prefecture-level cities of Suqian to the east and Suzhou, Anhui, Suzhou ...

). However, Lu Su refused because he saw that Yuan Shu's administration was ill-disciplined and predicted that Yuan Shu would ultimately meet his downfall. He told his followers, "The central government has collapsed. Robbers and bandits are rampant. The areas around the

Huai The Huai River (), formerly romanized as the Hwai, is a major river in China. It is located about midway between the Yellow River and Yangtze, the two longest rivers and largest drainage basins in China, and like them runs from west to east. ...

and Si rivers are no longer safe. I heard the lands in Jiangdong are fertile and they have a prosperous population and powerful armed forces. We can take shelter there. Are you willing to accompany me to that paradise and wait until stability is restored in central China?" They unanimously agreed to follow him.(後雄傑並起，中州擾亂，肅乃命其屬曰：「中國失綱，寇賊橫暴，淮、泗間非遺種之地，吾聞江東沃野萬里，民富兵彊，可以避害，寧肯相隨俱至樂土，以觀時變乎？」其屬皆從命。) ''Wu Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Lu Su led his followers and some civilians southward to Juchao County to join Zhou Yu. He ordered able-bodied young men to guard the rear while the others continued moving forward. The local authorities sent some armed horsemen to stop Lu Su and his followers from leaving. When the riders caught up with them, Lu Su turned back and said, "All of you are capable men, so you should understand what's going on. The Empire is now in a state of chaos. While you won't be rewarded for your efforts (even if you manage to stop us), you will also not be punished for failing to stop us. Do you really want to force us to fight?" He then placed a shield upright on the ground and fired an arrow at it. The arrow pierced through the shield. The horsemen realised that they could not stop Lu Su so they gave up and left. Lu Su and his followers then crossed the

Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest list of rivers of Asia, river in Asia, the list of rivers by length, third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in th ...

with Zhou Yu and arrived in Jiangdong, where they met Sun Ce, who also saw great potential in Lu Su.(乃使細弱在前，彊壯在後，男女三百餘人行。州追騎至，肅等徐行，勒兵持滿，謂之曰：「卿等丈夫，當解大數。今日天下兵亂，有功弗賞，不追無罰，何為相偪乎？」又自植盾，引弓射之，矢皆洞貫。騎旣嘉肅言，且度不能制，乃相率還。肅渡江往見策，策亦雅奇之。) ''Wu Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. In Jiangdong, Lu Su lived in Qu'e County (曲阿縣; in present-day Danyang, Jiangsu) for some time before making a short trip back to Dongcheng County later to attend his grandmother's funeral.(袁術聞其名，就署東城長。肅見術無綱紀，不足與立事，乃攜老弱將輕俠少年百餘人，南到居巢就瑜。瑜之東渡，因與同行，留家曲阿。會祖母亡，還葬東城。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Nearly leaving Jiangdong

Liu Ye, a friend of Lu Su, once wrote a letter to him: "Warlords and heroes have emerged all over the Empire. I believe the time has come for me to put my talents to good use. I am in a rush to fetch my mother but I will be stopping at Dongcheng County for a while. I heard that recently there is one Zheng Bao (鄭寶) who has rallied thousands of followers in

Chaohu Chaohu () is a county-level city of Anhui Province, People's Republic of China, it is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Hefei. Situated on the northeast and southeast shores of Lake Chao, from which the city was named, Ch ...

and gained control over some very fertile lands. Many people in Lujiang Commandery are planning to join him – including myself. As of now, he is still gathering followers. You should act fast and not miss this opportunity." Lu Su agreed with what Liu Ye told him. After his grandmother's funeral, Lu Su returned to Qu'e County and planned to leave Jiangdong and head north to join Zheng Bao. However, after he found out that

had fetched his mother to

Wu Commandery Wu Commandery was a commandery of imperial China. It covers parts of the contemporary Northern Zhejiang and Southern Jiangsu. The capital of Wu commandery was Wu (today's Suzhou). Major counties of Wu commandery include Wu (county), Yuhang county, ...

(around present-day

Suzhou Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trade ...

Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...

), he gave up his plan to leave Jiangdong and headed to Wu Commandery to meet Zhou Yu.(劉子揚與肅友善，遺肅書曰：「方今天下豪傑並起，吾子姿才，尤宜今日。急還迎老母，無事滯於東城。近鄭寶者，今在巢湖，擁衆萬餘，處地肥饒，廬江閒人多依就之，況吾徒乎？觀其形勢，又可博集，時不可失，足下速之。」肅荅然其計。 ... 葬畢還曲阿，欲北行。會瑜已徙肅母到吳，肅具以狀語瑜。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. In 200, after

was assassinated, his younger brother

succeeded him as the warlord controlling the Jiangdong territories. When Lu Su arrived in Wu Commandery, Zhou Yu told him, "In the past, Ma Yuan once told Emperor Guangwu, 'In this era, not only do lords choose their subjects; subjects also choose the lords they wish to serve.' The new lord un Quanwelcomes and respects persons of virtue and talent. He has recruited many extraordinary people. Besides, I also heard a saying that in the past, philosophers predicted that the successor to the Liu clan's empire he Han dynastywill rise in the southeast. As you can see, these events are already in motion. This is the time for heroes to rise up and showcase their talents and abilities, and contribute to the construction of a new empire to receive the

Mandate of Heaven The Mandate of Heaven () is a Chinese political philosophy that was used in ancient and imperial China to legitimize the rule of the King or Emperor of China. According to this doctrine, heaven (天, ''Tian'') – which embodies the natural ...

. Having said this, I don't think you need to take Liu Ye's words to heart." Lu Su heeded Zhou Yu's advice(時孫策已薨，權尚住吳，瑜謂肅曰：「昔馬援荅光武云『當今之世，非但君擇臣，臣亦擇君』。今主人親賢貴士，納奇錄異，且吾聞先哲祕論，承運代劉氏者，必興於東南，推步事勢，當其歷數。終搆帝基，以協天符，是烈士攀龍附鳳馳騖之秋。吾方達此，足下不須以子揚之言介意也。」肅從其言。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. and remained in Jiangdong. The historian

, who wrote Lu Su's biography, believed that Zhou Yu recommended Lu Su to Sun Quan because he knew that his lord needed to widely recruit more of such talents to accomplish his goal of building up his power bloc. Therefore, he could not afford to let Lu Su leave with Liu Ye.(瑜因薦肅才宜佐時，當廣求其比，以成功業，不可令去也。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Drafting a plan for Sun Quan

immediately summoned Lu Su to meet him, and was pleased to see Lu Su. When the other guests were leaving after the meeting, Lu Su also took his leave but Sun Quan called him back. They shared a table and had a private conversation over drinks. Sun Quan asked, "The Han dynasty is in decline and there is turmoil everywhere. I have inherited the work of my father and elder brother, and I intend to make achievements like those of

Duke Huan of Qi Duke Huan of Qi (; died 643 BC), personal name Xiǎobái (小白), was the ruler of the State of Qi from 685 to 643 BC. Living during the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, as the Zhou dynasty's former vassal states fought each other for supremacy ...

and

Duke Wen of Jin Duke Wen of Jin (697–628BC), born Chong'er (literally "Double Ears"), was a scion of the royal house of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history. He famously endured a long period of exile from his realm before finally bei ...

. I am honoured to have your noble patronage. What advice do you have for me?"(權即見肅，與語甚恱之。衆賔罷退，肅亦辭出，乃獨引肅還，合榻對飲。因密議曰：「今漢室傾危，四方雲擾，孤承父兄遺業，思有桓文之功。君旣惠顧，何以佐之？」) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Lu Su replied: Sun Quan replied, "Now, I am doing my best to support the Han dynasty. What you said can't be achieved."(權曰：「今盡力一方，兾以輔漢耳，此言非所及也。」) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Zhang Zhao, a senior adviser to Sun Quan, felt that Lu Su was not humble enough so he often spoke ill of Lu Su in front of their lord. Pointing out that Lu Su was too young and neglectful, Zhang Zhao advised Sun Quan to refrain from entrusting Lu Su with important responsibilities. However, Sun Quan ignored Zhang Zhao and continued to treat Lu Su respectfully and regard him highly. He gave new clothes and curtains to Lu Su's mother and restored Lu Su's family to their prior status as a wealthy family.(張昭非肅謙下不足，頗訾毀之，云肅年少麤踈，未可用。權不以介意，益貴重之，賜肅母衣服幃帳，居處雜物，富擬其舊。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Formation of the Sun–Liu alliance

When

Liu Biao Liu Biao () () (151 – September 208), courtesy name Jingsheng, was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He is best known for serving as the Governor of Jing Province (coveri ...

died in 208, his younger son Liu Cong succeeded him as the Governor of

(covering present-day

Hubei Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The prov ...

and

Hunan Hunan (, ; ) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, part of the South Central China region. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to ...

). Upon receiving news of Liu Biao's death, Lu Su told Sun Quan, Sun Quan then sent Lu Su as his representative to Jing Province.(權即遣肅行。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. When Lu Su reached Xiakou (夏口; present-day

Hankou Hankou, alternately romanized as Hankow (), was one of the three towns (the other two were Wuchang and Hanyang) merged to become modern-day Wuhan city, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers wher ...

, Hubei), he heard that Cao Cao and his forces were advancing towards Jing Province so he travelled day and night in the hope of reaching

Xiangyang Xiangyang is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Hubei province, China and the second largest city in Hubei by population. It was known as Xiangfan from 1950 to 2010. The Han River runs through Xiangyang's centre and divides the city no ...

(Jing Province's capital) in the shortest time possible. When he arrived at

Nan Commandery Nan Commandery ( zh, 南郡, "Southern Commandery") was a Chinese commandery that existed from the Warring States period to Tang dynasty. Its territories covered present-day central and western Hubei province, as well as parts of Chongqing. The seat ...

(南郡; around present-day

Jingzhou Jingzhou () is a prefecture-level city in southern Hubei province, China, located on the banks of the Yangtze River. Its total residential population was 5,231,180 based on the 2020 census, 1,068,291 of whom resided in the built-up (''or metro' ...

, Hubei), he received news that Liu Cong had already surrendered to Cao Cao, and that Jing Province was now under Cao Cao's control. At the same time, Liu Bei had been defeated at the

Battle of Changban The Battle of Changban was fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Liu Bei in October 208 in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. The battle took place at Changban (長坂; south of present-day Duodao District, Jingmen, Hubei). Background ...

and was trying to cross the

Yangtze The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau) and flows ...

and head further south. Lu Su met Liu Bei at Changban (長阪; in present-day

Dangyang Dangyang () is a city in western Hubei province, People's Republic of China, lying east of the Gezhouba Dam on the Yangtze River. During the Western Han Dynasty (206-24 BC). Emperor Jing of Han established an administration in Dangyang on an ar ...

, Hubei), where he conveyed Sun Quan's intentions to Liu Bei and pointed out that Jiangdong was very stable. Liu Bei was delighted. Lu Su also met and befriended Liu Bei's adviser

; he told Zhuge Liang that he was a friend of

Zhuge Jin Zhuge Jin (174 – July or August 241), courtesy name Ziyu, was a Chinese military general and politician of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Born in the late Eastern Han dynasty, Zhuge Jin started his career in ...

, Zhuge Liang's elder brother. Liu Bei moved to Xiakou, where he instructed Zhuge Liang to follow Lu Su to meet Sun Quan and discuss the formation of a Sun–Liu alliance against Cao Cao.(到夏口，聞曹公已向荊州，晨夜兼道。比至南郡，而表子琮已降曹公，備惶遽奔走，欲南渡江。肅徑迎之，到當陽長阪，與備會，宣騰權旨，及陳江東彊固，勸備與權併力。備甚歡恱。時諸葛亮與備相隨，肅謂亮曰「我子瑜友也」，即共定交。備遂到夏口，遣亮使權，肅亦反命。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Contradiction

Pei Songzhi Pei Songzhi (372–451), courtesy name Shiqi, was a Chinese historian and politician who lived in the late Eastern Jin dynasty and Liu Song dynasty. His ancestral home was in Wenxi County, Shanxi, but he moved to the Jiangnan region later. He i ...

, who annotated Lu Su's biography, argued that Lu Su was actually the first person to propose forming a Sun–Liu alliance against Cao Cao. When Lu Su told Zhuge Liang that he was Zhuge Jin's friend, Zhuge Liang would probably have already heard of Lu Su but had yet to meet him in person. Pei Songzhi pointed out that Zhuge Liang's biography in the ''Shu Shu'' (蜀書; ''Book of Shu'') recorded: "Zhuge Liang persuaded Sun Quan with his argument on forming an alliance. Sun Quan was very pleased." Going by the ''Shu Shu'' account, the first person who suggested the Sun–Liu alliance should be Zhuge Liang instead of Lu Su. Pei Songzhi commented that the historians in

Eastern Wu Wu ( Chinese: 吳; pinyin: ''Wú''; Middle Chinese *''ŋuo'' <

Eastern Han Chinese

: ''*ŋuɑ''), known in h ...

and

Shu Han Han (; 221–263), known in historiography as Shu Han ( ) or Ji Han ( "Junior Han"), or often shortened to Shu (; pinyin: ''shŭ'' <

wrote both Lu Su and Zhuge Liang's biographies but the two biographies contradict each other on this point.(臣松之案：劉備與權併力，共拒中國，皆肅之本謀。又語諸葛亮曰「我子瑜友也」，則亮已亟聞肅言矣。而蜀書亮傳云：「亮以連橫之略說權，權乃大喜。」如似此計始出於亮。若二國史官，各記所聞，競欲稱揚本國容美，各取其功。今此二書，同出一人，而舛互若此，非載述之體也。) Pei Songzhi's annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Urging Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao

In late 208, when

received news that

was planning to lead his forces across the

to invade Jiangdong, he discussed with his subjects on how to deal with Cao Cao. Everyone present at the meeting advised Sun Quan to surrender and welcome Cao Cao; only Lu Su remained silent. When Sun Quan left the meeting for a change of clothes, Lu Su hurriedly left his seat and followed his lord. Sun Quan sensed that Lu Su had something to say so he held Lu Su's hand and asked him,(會權得曹公欲東之問，與諸將議，皆勸權迎之，而肅獨不言。權起更衣，肅追於宇下，權知其意，執肅手曰：「卿欲何言？」) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. "What do you want to tell me?" Lu Su replied, Sun Quan sighed, "I am very disappointed with those gentlemen. Your thoughts are exactly the same as mine. That's why I say you are Heaven's gift to me."(權歎息曰：「此諸人持議，甚失孤望；今卿廓開大計，正與孤同，此天以卿賜我也。」) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Alternative accounts

The ''Wei Shu'' (魏書; ''Book of Wei'') and the ''Jiuzhou Chunqiu'' () gave different accounts on how Lu Su urged Sun Quan to go to war with Cao Cao. They recorded that Lu Su attempted to use

reverse psychology Reverse psychology is a technique involving the assertion of a belief or behavior that is opposite to the one desired, with the expectation that this approach will encourage the subject of the persuasion to do what is actually desired. This techniqu ...

to persuade Sun Quan by saying, "Cao Cao is truly a formidable foe. He has engulfed

Yuan Shao Yuan Shao (, ; died 28 June 202), courtesy name Benchu (), was a Chinese military general, politician, and warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil wars that occurred to ...

's territories and his forces are very powerful. If he uses the might of a victorious army to invade a weak and chaotic state, he'll definitely win. Why don't we dispatch our troops to assist him, while you send your family to Ye (Cao Cao's base in northern China)? If not, we'll be in danger." When a furious Sun Quan wanted to execute Lu Su, the latter said, "We are in dire straits. Since you have other plans, why don't you assist Liu Bei instead of executing me?" Sun Quan agreed with Lu Su's idea, so he ordered

to lead his forces to help Liu Bei.(魏書及九州春秋曰：曹公征荊州，孫權大懼，魯肅實欲勸權拒曹公，乃激說權曰：「彼曹公者，實嚴敵也，新并袁紹，兵馬甚精，乘戰勝之威，伐喪亂之國，克可必也。不如遣兵助之，且送將軍家詣鄴；不然，將危。」權大怒，欲斬肅，肅因曰：「今事已急，即有他圖，何不遣兵助劉備，而欲斬我乎？」權然之，乃遣周瑜助備。) ''Wei Shu'' and ''Jiuzhou Chunqiu'' annotations in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. The fourth-century historian Sun Sheng commented that both Wei Zhao's ''Book of Wu'' and the ''Jiang Biao Zhuan'' () recorded that Lu Su urged Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao and build his own empire. When Liu Biao died, Lu Su advised Sun Quan to observe the developments. There was no mention of Lu Su using reverse psychology to persuade Sun Quan to go to war with Cao Cao. Sun Sheng pointed out that there were many others among Sun Quan's subjects who urged their lord to surrender, so it made no sense for Sun Quan to single out Lu Su. He concluded that the accounts on Lu Su's use of reverse psychology are absurd and unreliable.(孫盛曰：吳書及江表傳，魯肅一見孫權便說拒曹公而論帝王之略，劉表之死也，又請使觀變，無緣方復激說勸迎曹公也。又是時勸迎者衆，而云獨欲斬肅，非其論也。) Sun Sheng's annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Battle of Red Cliffs

At the time,

was in

Poyang County Poyang County is a county under the administration of Shangrao city in the northeast of Jiangxi Province of the People's Republic of China, bordering Anhui Province to the north. It is located on the eastern side of Lake Poyang. History The ar ...

so Lu Su advised

to quickly summon Zhou Yu back to discuss their plans on how to counter

's impending invasion. When Zhou Yu returned, he also urged Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao. This resulted in Sun Quan arriving at his final decision to go to war with Cao Cao. Sun Quan put Zhou Yu in command of his military forces and appointed Lu Su as Colonel Who Praises the Army () to assist Zhou Yu in formulating the battle plan.(時周瑜受使至鄱陽，肅勸追召瑜還。 ... 遂任瑜以行事，以肅為贊軍校尉，助畫方略。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. In the winter of 208, the allied forces of Sun Quan and

defeated Cao Cao's forces at the decisive

. When Lu Su returned after the battle, Sun Quan hosted a grand reception for him and said: "Zijing, I dismounted from my horse and received you on foot. Is this enough to illuminate your glory?" Lu Su replied: "No." All the others present at the scene were startled by Lu Su's response. After taking his seat, Lu Su raised his horsewhip and said: "I hope that our lord will spread his might and virtues throughout the

Four Seas The Four Seas () were four bodies of water that metaphorically made up the boundaries of ancient China. There is a sea for each for the four cardinal directions. The West Sea is Qinghai Lake, the East Sea is the East China Sea, the North Sea is ...

, expand his territories to cover the

Nine Provinces The term Nine Provinces or Nine Regions (), is used in ancient Chinese histories to refer to territorial divisions or islands during the Xia and Shang dynasties and has now come to symbolically represent China. "Province" is the word used to t ...

, and successfully build an empire. When he has achieved that and he comes to receive me on a carriage, I will be the first to feel honoured." Sun Quan clapped his hands and laughed.(曹公破走，肅即先還，權大請諸將迎肅。肅將入閤拜，權起禮之，因謂曰：「子敬，孤持鞌下馬相迎，足以顯卿未？」肅趨進曰：「未也。」衆人聞之，無不愕然。就坐，徐舉鞭言曰：「願至尊威德加乎四海，總括九州，克成帝業，更以安車軟輪徵肅，始當顯耳。」權撫掌歡笑。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Handing over Jing Province to Liu Bei

In 210, Liu Bei travelled to Jing (京; present-day

Zhenjiang Zhenjiang, alternately romanized as Chinkiang, is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu Province, China. It lies on the southern bank of the Yangtze River near its intersection with the Grand Canal. It is opposite Yangzhou (to its north) and b ...

) to meet

and request for the governorship of

. Only Lu Su advised Sun Quan to "lend" Jing Province to Liu Bei so as to strengthen the Sun-Liu alliance against

.(後備詣京見權，求都督荊州，惟肅勸權借之，共拒曹公。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. At the time,

Lü Fan Lü Fan (died 228), courtesy name Ziheng, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He continued serving in the state of Eastern Wu during the early Three King ...

urged Sun Quan to hold Liu Bei hostage in Jiangdong and prevent him from returning to Jing Province. However, Lu Su objected: "No. My lord, you may have received the blessings of Heaven, but Cao Cao is still a foe to be reckoned with. As we have recently taken control of Jing Province, we haven't earned the trust and support of its people yet. It's better to 'lend' it to Liu Bei and let him help us pacify the area. The best strategy to adopt now is to create more enemies for Cao Cao and less enemies for ourselves." Sun Quan agreed with Lu Su.(漢晉春秋曰：呂範勸留備，肅曰：「不可。將軍雖神武命世，然曹公威力實重，初臨荊州，恩信未洽，宜以借備，使撫安之。多操之敵，而自為樹黨，計之上也。」權即從之。) ''Han Jin Chunqiu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Cao Cao was writing when he received news that Sun Quan had "lent" Jing Province to Liu Bei. He dropped his brush upon hearing that.(曹公聞權以土地業備，方作書，落筆於地。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Succeeding Zhou Yu

In 210, when

became critically ill, he wrote to

: The ''Jiang Biao Zhuan'' () provided a longer, but generally similar, account of Zhou Yu's message to Sun Quan before his death. Zhou Yu wrote: After Zhou Yu's death, Lu Su was appointed as Colonel of Vehement Martial Might () and succeeded Zhou Yu. He took charge of the 4,000 troops and the four counties which used to be under Zhou Yu's control.

Cheng Pu Cheng Pu () (died after 210), courtesy name Demou, was a Chinese military general and politician serving under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He previously served under Sun Quan's predecessors: Sun Jian (Sun ...

succeeded Zhou Yu as the Grand Administrator () of Nan Commandery (南郡; around present-day

). Lu Su was at

Jiangling County Jiangling () is a county in southern Hubei province, People's Republic of China. Administratively, it is under the jurisdiction of Jingzhou City. History The county name derived from the old name of Jingzhou. Liang dynasty Prince Xiao Yi 蕭繹 ( ...

initially, so he moved to Lukou (陸口; in present-day

Jiayu County Jiayu County () is a county of southeastern Hubei province, People's Republic of China, located on the southeast (right) bank of the Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in th ...

, Hubei) and garrisoned there. Lu Su governed with justice and benevolence, and the number of troops under his command increased to over 10,000. He was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant-General () and appointed as the Administrator of Hanchang Commandery (漢昌郡; around present-day Pingjiang County,

).(即拜肅奮武校尉，代瑜領兵。瑜士衆四千餘人，奉邑四縣，皆屬焉。令程普領南郡太守。肅初住江陵，後下屯陸口，威恩大行，衆增萬餘人，拜漢昌太守、偏將軍。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. In 214, Lu Su accompanied Sun Quan on a campaign at Wan County (皖縣; present-day

Qianshan County Qianshan is a county-level city in the southwest of Anhui Province, People's Republic of China; it is under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Anqing. It has a population of 570,000 and an area of . The government of Qianshan County ...

), a garrison under Cao Cao's control. After Sun Quan's forces emerged victorious, Lu Su was reassigned as General Who Crosses the River ().(十九年，從權破皖城，轉橫江將軍。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Sun–Liu territorial dispute

Background

Before Zhou Yu died, he, along with

Gan Ning Gan Ning () (early 170s - c. 220), courtesy name Xingba, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Sun Quan in the late Eastern Han dynasty. Originally a notorious pirate, he gave up the life of a marauder in the late 190s and beca ...

and others, had constantly urged Sun Quan to seize

Yi Province Yizhou (益州), Yi Province or Yi Prefecture, was a '' zhou'' (province) of ancient China. Its capital city was Chengdu.de Crespigny, p. 256. During the Han dynasty, it included the commanderies Hanzhong, Ba, Guanghan, Shu, Wenshan, Jianwei, ...

(covering present-day

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

and

Chongqing Chongqing ( or ; ; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), Postal Romanization, alternately romanized as Chungking (), is a Direct-administered municipalities of China, municipality in Southwes ...

) from its governor, Liu Zhang. However, Zhou Yu died of illness while making preparations for an invasion of Yi Province. When Sun Quan asked Liu Bei for his opinion, Liu Bei, who secretly had the intention of seizing Yi Province for himself, lied to Sun Quan: "Liu Zhang and I are members of the imperial clan, so we should strive to uphold the Han dynasty with the aid of our ancestors' blessings. Now, when I heard that Liu Zhang has offended his neighbours, I feel afraid and don't dare to probe further. I hope you can show leniency towards him. If you don't, I will retire and return to the countryside." Liu Bei revealed his true intentions later when he attacked Liu Zhang himself and eventually seized control of Yi Province. During the campaign against Liu Zhang, Liu Bei left his general

behind to guard

in his absence. When Sun Quan heard about

Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province was a military campaign by the warlord Liu Bei in taking control of Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing) from the provincial governor, Liu Zhang. The campaign took place between the years 2 ...

, he angrily remarked: "This cunning barbarian dares to trick me!"(先是，益州牧劉璋綱維頹弛，周瑜、甘寧並勸權取蜀，權以咨備，備內欲自規，乃偽報曰：「備與璋託為宗室，兾憑英靈，以匡漢朝。今璋得罪左右，備獨竦懼，非所敢聞，願加寬貸。若不獲請，備當放髮歸於山林。」後備西圖璋，留關羽守，權曰：「猾虜乃敢挾詐！」) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. At the same time, tensions were rising at the Sun–Liu border in Jing Province as both sides became more suspicious of each other. Lu Su tried to reduce the tensions by being friendly towards Liu Bei's side. After Liu Bei took over Yi Province, Sun Quan asked him to return three commanderies in southern Jing Province –

Changsha Changsha (; ; ; Changshanese pronunciation: (), Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is the capital and the largest city of Hunan Province of China. Changsha is the 17th most populous city in China with a population of over 10 million, an ...

(), Lingling (零陵; around present-day

Yongzhou Yongzhou, formerly known as Lingling, is a prefecture-level city in the south of Hunan province, People's Republic of China, located on the southern bank of the Xiang River, which is formed by the confluence of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers, and b ...

) and Guiyang (桂陽; around present-day

Chenzhou Chenzhou () is a prefecture-level city located in the south of Hunan province, China, bordering the provinces of Jiangxi to the east and Guangdong to the south. Its administrative area covers , 9.2% of the provincial area, and its total populatio ...

, Hunan) – but Liu Bei refused. Sun Quan then ordered his general

Lü Meng Lü Meng () (178 – January or February 220), courtesy name Ziming, was a Chinese military general and politician who served under the warlord Sun Quan during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Early in his career, he fought in several batt ...

to lead his forces to seize the three commanderies by force. When Liu Bei found out, he returned to

Gong'an County Gong'an County () is a county in southern Hubei province, People's Republic of China, bordering Hunan to the south. It is under the administration of Jingzhou City. History During the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era, Gong'an County was k ...

and sent Guan Yu to lead an army to stop Lü Meng.(及羽與肅鄰界，數生狐疑，疆埸紛錯，肅常以歡好撫之。備旣定益州，權求長沙、零、桂，備不承旨，權遣呂蒙率衆進取。備聞，自還公安，遣羽爭三郡。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Negotiations

Yiyang Yiyang () is a prefecture-level city on the Zi River in Hunan province, China, straddling Lake Dongting and bordering Hubei to the north. According to the 2010 Census, Yiyang has a population of 4,313,084 inhabitants residing in an area of . The ...

, Lu Su invited Guan Yu to attend a meeting to discuss the dispute. During the negotiations, both sides stationed their soldiers more than 100 paces away from the meeting area and the officers present at the talks were each armed with only a blade weapon. Lu Su told Guan Yu:(肅住益陽，與羽相拒。肅邀羽相見，各駐兵馬百步上，但請將軍單刀俱會。肅因責數羽曰： ...) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Before Lu Su could finish what he was saying, an unnamed person interrupted him and said: "Whoever has the ability to govern the land shall have control over it. Isn't it so?" Lu Su angrily rebuked that person in a firm and stern tone. Guan Yu drew his sword, stood up and said, "This is a state-level problem. We can't hope to understand it." He left after that.(語未究竟，坐有一人曰：「夫土地者，惟德所在耳，何常之有！」肅厲聲呵之，辭色甚切。羽操刀起謂曰：「此自國家事，是人何知！」目使之去。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

''Wu Shu'' account

Wei Zhao's ''Book of Wu'' provided more details on the meeting. Prior to the talks, Lu Su's subordinates feared that Guan Yu would try to harm Lu Su, so they advised Lu Su against attending the meeting. However, Lu Su replied: "It's better for us to settle this issue in a peaceful manner. Liu Bei may have acted against our lord's interests, but we haven't agreed on who is right and who is wrong. Do you think Guan Yu will dare to do something as rash as killing me at this point in time?"(吳書曰：肅欲與羽會語，諸將疑恐有變，議不可往。肅曰：「今日之事，宜相開譬。劉備負國，是非未決，羽亦何敢重欲干命！」) ''Wu Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Lu Su then met Guan Yu, who told him: Lu Su replied: Guan Yu did not respond to what Lu Su said.(羽無以荅。) ''Wu Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Liu Bei eventually agreed to divide Jing Province between his and Sun Quan's domains along the

Xiang River The Xiang River is the chief river of the Lake Dongting drainage system of the middle Yangtze, the largest river in Hunan Province, China. It is the 2nd largest tributary (after Min River) in terms of surface runoff, the 5th largest tributar ...

. Both sides withdrew their forces.(備遂割湘水為界，於是罷軍。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Death

Lu Su died at the age of 46 (by

East Asian age reckoning Countries in the East Asian cultural sphere (China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and their diasporas) have traditionally used specific methods of reckoning a person's numerical age based not on their birthday but the calendar year, and what age one is ...

) in 217. Sun Quan mourned his death and attended his funeral.

also held a memorial service for Lu Su.(肅年四十六，建安二十二年卒。權為舉哀，又臨其葬。諸葛亮亦為發哀。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Descendants

Lu Su's son, Lu Shu () (217 - 274), was born physically strong. Zhang Cheng once remarked that Lu Shu would become very outstanding in the future. Between 258 and 264, during the reign of

Sun Xiu Sun Xiu (235 – 3 September 264), courtesy name Zilie, formally known as Emperor Jing of Wu, was the third emperor of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Early life Sun Xiu was born in 235 to Wu's founding emper ...

, Lu Shu served as General of Illustrious Martial Might () and Area Commander () of

Wuchang Wuchang forms part of the urban core of and is one of 13 urban districts of the prefecture-level city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, China. It is the oldest of the three cities that merged into modern-day Wuhan, and stood on the ri ...

, and was named as a Marquis of a Chief Village (). Between 269 and 271, during the reign of Sun Xiu's successor,

Sun Hao Sun Hao (243 – January or February 284), courtesy name Yuanzong, originally named Sun Pengzu with the courtesy name Haozong, was the fourth and last emperor of the state of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the son ...

, Lu Shu was reassigned as the Area Commander of Xiakou (). Lu Shu was known for being very disciplined and competent in his duties. He died in 274.(肅遺腹子淑旣壯，濡須督張承謂終當到至。永安中，為昭武將軍、都亭侯、武昌督。建衡中，假節，遷夏口督。所在嚴整，有方幹。鳳皇三年卒。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Lu Shu's son, Lu Mu (), inherited his father's marquis title and military post.(子睦襲爵，領兵馬。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

Appraisal

Wei Zhao's ''Book of Wu'' () described Lu Su as follows: Lu Su was a strict person who rarely indulged in material pleasures, led a frugal life, and had no interest in common hobbies. He maintained good military discipline and executed orders without fail. Even when he was in the army, he was often seen reading books. He was proficient in arguing and writing. He could think far and possessed an exemplary sense of judgment. He was the best after

.(吳書曰：肅為人方嚴，寡於玩飾，內外節儉，不務俗好。治軍整頓，禁令必行，雖在軍陣，手不釋卷。又善談論，能屬文辭，思度弘遠，有過人之明。周瑜之後，肅為之冠。) ''Wu Shu'' annotation in ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54. Sun Quan once told

: In 229, when Sun Quan was attending a ceremony to declare himself emperor and establish the state of

Eastern Wu Wu ( Chinese: 吳; pinyin: ''Wú''; Middle Chinese *''ŋuo'' <

Eastern Han Chinese

: ''*ŋuɑ''), known in h ...

, he told his subjects: "In the past, Lu Zijing often spoke about what is happening now. Indeed, he had good foresight."(權稱尊號，臨壇，顧謂公卿曰：「昔魯子敬甞道此，可謂明於事勢矣。) ''Sanguozhi'' vol. 54.

In ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''

Lu Su appeared as a character in the 14th-century historical novel ''

Romance of the Three Kingdoms ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' () is a 14th-century historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong. It is set in the turbulent years towards the end of the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history, starting in 184 AD and ...

'', which romanticises the historical events before and during the

Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty and wa ...

period. In the novel, Lu Su's role is significantly downplayed as compared to his historical counterpart, such that he is mainly used as a

foil Foil may refer to: Materials * Foil (metal), a quite thin sheet of metal, usually manufactured with a rolling mill machine * Metal leaf, a very thin sheet of decorative metal * Aluminium foil, a type of wrapping for food * Tin foil, metal foil ...

between

and

to highlight their intelligence, especially for the former. He is also used to add minor

comic relief Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character, scene, or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. Definition Comic relief usually means a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episo ...

to the rivalry between Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu, particularly in the events leading to the

. Besides, he is also portrayed as an honest and sententious man who is often easily cheated and taken advantage of, resulting in his maladroit handling of the territorial dispute over

between Liu Bei and Sun Quan.

In popular culture

Lu Su was first introduced as a playable character in the eighth instalment of

Koei Koei Co., Ltd. was a Japanese video game publisher, developer, and distributor founded in 1978. The company is known for its ''Dynasty Warriors'' games based on the novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', as well as simulation games based on p ...

's ''

Dynasty Warriors is a series of Japanese hack and slash action video games created by Omega Force and Koei (now is Koei Tecmo). The series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy '' Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' series, based upon the Chinese novel of ...

'' video game series and ''

Warriors Orochi 4 ''Warriors Orochi 4'', released as in Japan, is a 2018 hack and slash video game developed by Koei Tecmo and Omega Force for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. First announced in March 2018, it is the fifth installmen ...

'', being voiced by

Taiten Kusunoki , better known by his stage name , is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo. He is affiliated with Amuleto. He is best known dubbing roles for Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and many more. Biography Filmography Television animation ;1995 * ...

. He also appears in Koei's strategy game series ''

''.

Notes

References

; Citations from the ''Sanguozhi'' ; Citations from the ''Sanguozhi zhu'' ; Other citations * Chen, Shou (3rd century). ''

Records of the Three Kingdoms The ''Records or History of the Three Kingdoms'', also known by its Chinese name as the Sanguo Zhi, is a Chinese historical text which covers the history of the late Eastern Han dynasty (c. 184–220 AD) and the Three Kingdoms period (220– ...

'' (''Sanguozhi''). * * Luo, Guanzhong (14th century). ''

'' (''Sanguo Yanyi''). * Pei, Songzhi (5th century). ''

Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms () by Pei Songzhi (372-451) is an annotation completed in the 5th century of the 3rd century historical text ''Records of the Three Kingdoms'', compiled by Chen Shou. After leaving his native land, Pei ...

'' (''Sanguozhi zhu''). * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lu, Su 172 births 217 deaths Han dynasty generals from Anhui Han dynasty politicians from Anhui Generals under Sun Quan Officials under Sun Quan Politicians from Chuzhou Political office-holders in Hunan Sun Ce and associates