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Xu Shu ( 207–220s),
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 Theo ...
Yuanzhi, originally named Xu Fu, was an official of the state of
Cao Wei Wei ( Hanzi: 魏; pinyin: ''Wèi'' < : *''ŋjweiC'' < 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 Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the West ...
period of China. He was born in the late
Eastern Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
and used to be a vigilante swordsman in his early life. However, after running into trouble with the authorities, he renounced his old ways and took up scholarly pursuits. He lived a reclusive life from the 190s to mid-200s in
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 ...
(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 p ...
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, Jiangx ...
provinces), where he met and befriended
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 ...
. In late 207, he became an adviser to the warlord
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 ...
and served under Liu for about a year. He also recommended Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei during this period of time. In late 208, Liu Bei was 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 ...
by his rival
Cao Cao Cao Cao () (; 155 – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde (), was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet. He was the penultimate grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the dynasty's final years. As one o ...
. Xu Shu's mother was captured by Cao Cao's forces during the battle. Feeling lost and without a sense of direction, Xu Shu eventually left Liu Bei and joined Cao Cao. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei – founded by Cao Cao's son and successor,
Cao Pi Cao Pi () ( – 29 June 226), courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Cao Cao, a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty, but the eldest s ...
, who ended the Eastern Han dynasty – and died of illness in office. Xu Shu's defection from Liu Bei to Cao Cao was fictionalised in the 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 ...
''. In the novel, he was Liu Bei's chief strategist before Zhuge Liang came along, and he once helped Liu Bei repel two attacks from Cao Cao's general
Cao Ren Cao Ren () (168 – 6 May 223), courtesy name Zixiao, was a military general serving during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China under the warlord Cao Cao, who was also his older second cousin. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei – ...
. He was eventually tricked into leaving Liu Bei and joining Cao Cao, but he recommended Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei before leaving and swore never to give advice to Cao Cao.


Early life

Xu Shu was from Yingchuan Commandery (潁川郡), Yu Province, which is in present-day central
Henan Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is a ...
. His original given name was Fu (福), and he was born into a poor family. He was a swordsman in his early life and he once helped someone take revenge by killing another person. To avoid being recognised, he covered his face with white chalk and let his hair run wild. He was later arrested by an official, who asked him for his name, but he did not reply. The official tied him to a cart, paraded him through the streets, and asked for any person who could identify him. No one came forth. Xu Shu's fellows rescued him later. He was so grateful to be saved that he gave up his life as a swordsman and became a scholar. When Xu Shu first attended school, his mates ostracised him because of his background, but he remained humble and hardworking. He woke up early, cleaned the school alone, and paid great attention to his studies. He met Shi Tao (石韜; also known as Shi Guangyuan 石廣元) and became close friends with him. In the early 190s, when wars broke out in central China, Xu Shu and Shi Tao moved south to
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 ...
(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 p ...
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, Jiangx ...
), where they met
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 ...
and befriended him. During his time in Jing Province from the late 190s to the early 200s (decade), Xu Shu maintained close friendships with Zhuge Liang, Shi Tao and Meng Gongwei (孟公威). They travelled and studied together.


Serving Liu Bei

When the warlord
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 ...
was stationed at Xinye County, Xu Shu visited him and received a warm reception. Xu Shu recommended Zhuge Liang as an adviser to Liu Bei and told him that he must visit Zhuge Liang in person (i.e., he cannot invite Zhuge Liang to visit him). Zhuge Liang later came to serve Liu Bei after the latter visited him thrice and consulted him on the affairs of their time. In 208,
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 ...
, the Governor of Jing Province, died and was succeeded by his younger son, Liu Cong. Later that year, when the warlord
Cao Cao Cao Cao () (; 155 – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde (), was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet. He was the penultimate grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the dynasty's final years. As one o ...
invaded Jing Province, Liu Cong surrendered and much of northern Jing Province came under Cao Cao's control. Liu Bei led his forces and a large number of civilians south to Xiakou (夏口; in present-day
Wuhan Wuhan (, ; ; ) is the capital of Hubei Province in the People's Republic of China. It is the largest city in Hubei and the most populous city in Central China, with a population of over eleven million, the ninth-most populous Chinese city a ...
,
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 p ...
), which was independent of Cao Cao's control and where Liu Biao's elder son, Liu Qi, was based. Xu Shu accompanied Liu Bei on his journey towards Xiakou. Cao Cao sent 5,000 riders to pursue Liu Bei. They caught up with him and defeated him 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 ...
. Cao Cao's men captured Xu Shu's mother during the battle, so Xu Shu decided to leave Liu Bei to reunite with his mother. Before leaving, he pointed at his heart and told Liu Bei, "I wanted to join you, General, in making great achievements. This is my purpose in life. Now that I've lost my mother, I've also lost my sense of direction. This isn't going to be helpful. Now I bid farewell to you." He went to join Cao Cao. Shi Tao also followed him and both of them came to serve Cao Cao.


Service in Cao Wei

Xu Shu continued serving in the state of
Cao Wei Wei ( Hanzi: 魏; pinyin: ''Wèi'' < : *''ŋjweiC'' < Cao Pi Cao Pi () ( – 29 June 226), courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Cao Cao, a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty, but the eldest s ...
– after the fall of the Han dynasty and the start of 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 Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the West ...
period. In the 220s, during the reign of Cao Pi, Xu Shu served as a Right General of the Household (右中郎將) and a Palace Assistant Imperial Clerk (御史中丞). During the reign of Cao Rui (Cao Pi's successor), Zhuge Liang – who was then the
chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
-regent of the state of
Shu Han Han (; 221–263), known in historiography as Shu Han ( ) or Ji Han ( "Junior Han"), or often shortened to Shu (; pinyin: ''shŭ'' <
a series of campaigns to attack the state of Cao Wei. When Zhuge Liang heard about the ranks of Xu Shu and Shi Tao in Wei, he remarked, "Are there so many talents in Wei? Why aren't the talents of these two men put to good use?" Xu Shu died of illness in Wei several years later. A tombstone with his name on it was found in Pengcheng (present-day
Xuzhou Xuzhou (徐州), also known as Pengcheng (彭城) in ancient times, is a major city in northwestern Jiangsu province, China. The city, with a recorded population of 9,083,790 at the 2020 census (3,135,660 of which lived in the built-up area ma ...
,
Jiangsu Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with it ...
).


In ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''

Xu Shu is featured as a fairly prominent character in the 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 ...
'', 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 Eastern Han dynasty and was followed by the West ...
period. He appeared mainly in chapters 35–36, in which he served as
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 ...
's strategist before
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 ...
came along. In the novel, his original name was Shan Fu (單福), likely due to a misreading of the phrase "本單家子" from his biography in the ''
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� ...
''. The phrase could be read as him being a son of the Shan family, but in this context, it actually meant that he was a son of a poor family. Xu Shu was singing on the streets of Xinye when Liu Bei noticed him and asked him if he was either the "Sleeping Dragon" or the "Fledgeling Phoenix" that
Sima Hui Sima Hui (died 208), courtesy name Decao and pseudonym Shuijing, was a hermit who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Life Sima Hui was from Yangzhai County (), Yingchuan Commandery (), which is around present-day Yuzhou, Henan ...
spoke of. However, Xu Shu told Liu Bei that he was neither of them. He agreed to become Liu Bei's strategist and helped Liu counter an invading army led by
Cao Cao Cao Cao () (; 155 – 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde (), was a Chinese statesman, warlord and poet. He was the penultimate grand chancellor of the Eastern Han dynasty, and he amassed immense power in the dynasty's final years. As one o ...
's general
Cao Ren Cao Ren () (168 – 6 May 223), courtesy name Zixiao, was a military general serving during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China under the warlord Cao Cao, who was also his older second cousin. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei – ...
. Cao Ren deployed his troops in an " Eight Gates Golden Locks Formation" (八門金鎖陣) outside Xinye, but Xu Shu pointed out the weaknesses in the formation and instructed Liu's general
Zhao Yun Zhao Yun ( ) (died 229), courtesy name Zilong (), was a military general who lived during the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China. Originally a subordinate of the northern warlord Gongsun Zan, Zhao Yun later came ...
on how to break it. Zhao Yun led his men to attack the formation and succeeded in breaking it and defeating Cao Ren. Xu Shu also accurately predicted that Cao Ren would launch a surprise attack that night after his defeat. Liu Bei defeated Cao Ren again in the night battle and forced Cao Ren to retreat. Cao Cao was impressed when he heard about Xu Shu and was eager to recruit Xu as an adviser. He invited Xu Shu's mother to meet him and asked her to write a letter to her son, requesting that her son come to join him. Xu Shu's mother refused, denounced Cao Cao as a treacherous villain, and threw an ink stone at him. The furious Cao Cao ordered Xu Shu's mother to be executed but changed his mind when Cheng Yu reminded him that Xu Shu would be more determined to help Liu Bei oppose him if he killed his mother. Cao Cao then had Xu Shu's mother detained and asked Cheng Yu to pretend to be Xu Shu's sworn brother to win the trust of Xu's mother. After some time, Cheng Yu got close to Xu Shu's mother and learnt to mimic her handwriting. He wrote a letter to Xu Shu in the handwriting of Xu's mother, telling Xu that she was in trouble and urging him to come to the imperial capital Xu (許; present-day
Xuchang Xuchang (; postal: Hsuchang) is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pi ...
,
Henan Henan (; or ; ; alternatively Honan) is a landlocked province of China, in the central part of the country. Henan is often referred to as Zhongyuan or Zhongzhou (), which literally means "central plain" or "midland", although the name is a ...
) quickly. Xu Shu was a filial son so he immediately left for Xu after reading the letter. Xu Shu was in a hurry when he sped off on horseback. On the way, he suddenly remembered something and immediately turned back to meet Liu Bei and recommend
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 ...
to him. He then resumed his journey to Xu. When he arrived at his destination, he was shocked to discover that he had been tricked. His mother was furious with her son's failure to discern between truth and deception, and ashamed by the fact that her son joined Cao Cao instead of Liu Bei. She committed suicide. Xu Shu remained with Cao Cao, but he swore never to give advice to Cao.''Sanguo Yanyi'' ch. 35-36. The Chinese saying "His body is in (Cao) Cao's camp, but his heart is actually with the Han (dynasty)" () is derived from this story about Xu Shu and another story about Guan Yu in ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''. It is used to describe a situation where a person who ostensibly works for a "bad" organisation is actually loyal towards another "good" organisation.


In popular culture

Xu Shu is first introduced as a playable character in '' Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires'' 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 o ...
'' video game series.


See also

*
Lists of people of the Three Kingdoms The following are lists of people significant to the Three Kingdoms period (220–280) of Chinese history. Their names in Mandarin pinyin are sorted in alphabetical order. Fictional characters in the 14th-century historical novel ''Romance of ...


References

* Chen, Shou (3rd century). ''
Records of 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). ''
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 ...
'' (''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:Xu, Shu Officials under Cao Cao Han dynasty politicians from Henan Cao Wei politicians 2nd-century births 3rd-century deaths