Zhao Yun

Historical Record

Zhao Yun, styled Zilong, was a native of Zhending in Changshan. He first served under Gongsun Zan. When Gongsun Zan sent Liu Bei to resist Yuan Shao, Zhao Yun accompanied Liu Bei and served as his chief of cavalry^[1]. When Liu Bei was pursued by Cao Cao at Changban in Dangyang and was forced to abandon his wife and children and flee south, Zhao Yun, at this perilous moment, carried Liu Bei's infant son Liu Shan (the Later Sovereign) in his arms and protected Lady Gan (the Later Sovereign's mother), bringing them safely through danger^[2]. For this merit Zhao Yun was appointed General of the Standard's Gate.

When Liu Bei entered Shu, Zhao Yun remained to guard Jing Province. According to the *Yun Biezhuan*, at the time some falsely reported that Zhao Yun had gone over to the north, but Liu Bei firmly believed Zhao Yun would not betray him^[1]. After the pacification of the south of the Yangtze, Zhao Yun was appointed Lieutenant General and concurrently Grand Administrator of Guiyang, succeeding Zhao Fan. Zhao Fan once tried to give his widowed sister-in-law Lady Fan to Zhao Yun in marriage, but Zhao Yun firmly declined, on the grounds of their shared surname and because Zhao Fan's submission could not yet be trusted — showing his careful, deliberate character^[1]. In the Battle of Bowang, Zhao Yun captured alive his fellow townsman Xiahou Lan and recommended him to Liu Bei as one well-versed in law, having him serve as army judge rather than keeping him at his own side — this too reflects Zhao Yun's prudence^[1].

When Liu Bei attacked Liu Zhang, Zhao Yun, together with Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei, and others, advanced upriver, settling the commanderies and counties one by one, and finally joined Liu Bei at Chengdu. After Chengdu was pacified, Zhao Yun was appointed General Who Assists the Army^[3]. After the pacification of Yi Province, when others proposed dividing up the houses and gardens of Chengdu and bestowing them on the generals, Zhao Yun rebutted them: "Huo Qubing, because the Xiongnu were not yet destroyed, had no use for a household." He held that with the realm not yet settled one should not seek comfort, and proposed returning the fields and houses to the people of Yi Province to settle their hearts — advice that Liu Bei adopted^[3].

After the death of Xiahou Yuan, Cao Cao and Liu Bei contended for Hanzhong. On one foraging expedition, Huang Zhong did not return by the appointed time, and Zhao Yun led several dozen cavalry, lightly equipped, out of the encirclement to meet him. Encountering Cao Cao's main army, Zhao Yun valiantly charged through, fighting as he withdrew, and rescued the wounded Zhang Zhu. When the Cao army pursued to Zhao Yun's camp, Zhao Yun instead threw open the camp gates, lowered the banners, and silenced the drums, causing the Cao army to suspect an ambush and withdraw. Then Zhao Yun beat the drums to thunderous effect and shot at the Cao army with crossbows, causing them to trample one another, with many falling into the Han River. The next day Liu Bei personally visited Zhao Yun's camp, praised him as "all courage from head to foot," and called him "the General of Tiger Might"^[3].

After Sun Quan seized Jing Province, Liu Bei was enraged and wished to campaign against Sun Quan. Zhao Yun remonstrated, pointing out that "the traitor to the state is Cao Cao, not Sun Quan," and argued that Wei should be destroyed first rather than warring with Wu, but Liu Bei did not heed him and went on his eastern campaign, leaving Zhao Yun to command Jiangzhou^[3]. After Liu Bei's defeat at Zigui, Zhao Yun advanced his troops to Yongan, by which time the Wu army had already withdrawn.

In the first year of Jianxing, Zhao Yun was appointed Central Protector of the Army and General Who Conquers the South, enfeoffed as Marquis of Yongchangting, and later promoted to General Who Guards the East. In the fifth year of Jianxing, he accompanied Zhuge Liang to garrison at Hanzhong. The next year, when Zhuge Liang led out his army, he gave out that he would advance by way of the Xiegu road and ordered Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi to go forward to oppose the enemy, while he himself attacked Mount Qi. Zhao Yun and Deng Zhi, with weak forces, were defeated at Jigu, but were able to gather their men and hold firm, avoiding a great rout. After the army withdrew, Zhao Yun was demoted to General Who Guards the Army. Zhuge Liang once asked Deng Zhi why at the withdrawal at Jieting the officers and men had not looked to one another, whereas at the withdrawal at Jigu the officers and men had not become scattered. Deng Zhi answered, "Zhao Yun personally covered the rear; of the army's supplies and goods scarcely anything was discarded, and so the officers and men had no occasion to lose one another." Zhao Yun handed over the remaining supplies and silk to the storehouse at Chi'an rather than distributing them among the officers and men, an act that won Zhuge Liang's deep admiration^[3].

In the seventh year of Jianxing, Zhao Yun died and was posthumously titled Marquis Shunping. The Later Sovereign Liu Shan, in his edict, praised Zhao Yun as one whose "accumulated merit was already manifest" and who "by his loyalty and obedience brought deliverance through danger," and Jiang Wei and others deliberated and settled on the posthumous title "Marquis Shunping" to commend his being "gentle, worthy, kind, and benevolent," "orderly in handling affairs," and "able to settle disorder"^[3].

In the Novel

In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Zhao Yun's image is endowed with greater legendary color and heroic deeds. He first appears at the time of the war between Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao. When Gongsun Zan, pursued by Wen Chou to a perilous extremity, Zhao Yun appeared like a divine warrior and battled Wen Chou for fifty or sixty bouts without a decision; in the end, when Gongsun Zan's reinforcements arrived, Wen Chou withdrew^[4]. Zhao Yun announced his name and home and said he had abandoned Yuan Shao because Yuan Shao had no heart to be loyal to the sovereign and save the people, and had come to join Gongsun Zan — his heart in fact set on benevolent government^[4].

Zhao Yun's first meeting with Liu Bei revealed a mutual esteem between kindred spirits. In the Battle of Jieqiao, Zhao Yun protected Gongsun Zan in cutting his way out of the encirclement, after which Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei arrived to give aid. After meeting Zhao Yun, Liu Bei felt loath to part from him^[5]. Later, when Liu Bei borrowed troops from Gongsun Zan to rescue Xu Province, he made a point of asking to borrow Zhao Zilong to go along — ample proof of his regard for Zhao Yun^[6].

Zhao Yun's formal allegiance to Liu Bei is portrayed in the novel in a more dramatic fashion. At Wuniu Mountain, Zhao Yun, riding alone, slew Pei Yuanshao and held the mountain as its lord. When Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Liu Bei were reunited, Liu Bei personally went to Wuniu Mountain, recognized Zhao Yun at a glance, and sighed, "When I first met Zilong I felt loath to part from him; now happily we meet again!"^[7] Zhao Yun too pledged his loyalty, saying, "I have wandered the four quarters seeking a lord to serve, but have found none like you, my lord. Now that I may follow you, my life's wish is fulfilled; though my brains were dashed upon the ground, I should have no regret."^[7] This episode is not recorded in the histories; it is an artistic embellishment by the novel to strengthen Zhao Yun's loyalty to Liu Bei.

In the Battle of Bowang Slope, when Zhuge Liang first emerged from his thatched hut, Zhao Yun followed his strategy and, together with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and other generals, laid an ambush and routed the Cao army^[8].

The Battle of Changban Slope is Zhao Yun's most representative moment of glory in the novel. Single-handed, he went in and out of Cao Cao's encircling host seven times, not only rescuing Lady Gan but also carrying the infant lord Adou in his arms, slaying Cao Cao's general Xiahou En and seizing the Qinggang sword, and finally breaking through successfully^[9]. In the course of this, Lady Mi, so as not to be a burden to Zhao Yun, resolutely threw herself into a well^[10], further highlighting the difficulty and the loyal courage of Zhao Yun's rescue of his lord. Seeing Zhao Yun's valor, Cao Cao ordered that no cold arrows be loosed and that Zhao Yun be taken alive, which allowed Zhao Yun to escape danger^[11]. This series of breathtaking descriptions greatly shapes Zhao Yun's heroic image as "all courage from head to foot," far surpassing the terse record of the histories.

Key Relationships

* Liu Bei's faction (serves): After joining Liu Bei, Zhao Yun was unswervingly loyal and served him all his life, an important general of Liu Bei's faction^[1].
* Liu Bei (fights_in): Zhao Yun many times charged into battle for Liu Bei — rescuing his lord at Changban Slope, valiantly repelling the enemy in the Hanzhong Campaign — all embodying his loyalty and contribution to Liu Bei^[2].
* Empress Gan (witnesses): In the Battle of Changban Slope, Zhao Yun personally protected Lady Gan, bringing her safely through danger^[2].
* Gongsun Zan's faction (serves): Zhao Yun served early on under Gongsun Zan, later leaving with Liu Bei^[1].
* Zhuge Liang (cooperates): Zhao Yun once settled the commanderies and counties together with Zhuge Liang and, during the Northern Expeditions, followed his command in jointly resisting Cao Wei^[3]. In the novel, Zhao Yun was moreover one of the generals Zhuge Liang trusted when he first emerged from his thatched hut^[8].
* Zhang Fei (comrade): In the novel, Zhang Fei once mistakenly believed Zhao Yun had surrendered to Cao Cao, but Liu Bei firmly believed Zhao Yun would not betray him, and the misunderstanding was finally dispelled^[12]. The two also fought side by side many times on the battlefield.
* Lady Mi (protects): In the Battle of Changban Slope, Zhao Yun tried to protect Lady Mi, but Lady Mi, so as not to be a burden to Zhao Yun, threw herself into a well (novel-only)^[10].
* Liu Shan (protects): In the Battle of Changban Slope, Zhao Yun carried the infant lord Liu Shan in his arms and brought him safely through danger — a concentrated embodiment of his loyal courage^[2].

Signature Scenes

* Rescuing his lord at Changban Slope: This is Zhao Yun's most widely known signature scene. Pursued by Cao Cao's main army, Liu Bei abandoned his wife and children and fled; Zhao Yun, single-handed, carrying the infant lord Liu Shan and protecting Lady Gan, went in and out of the chaotic army seven times and finally broke through successfully, displaying his unmatched loyal courage and martial skill^[2]. In the novel this episode is rendered all the more breathtaking, with added details of Zhao Yun slaying several Cao generals and seizing the Qinggang sword^[9].
* The Battle of the Han River: In the Hanzhong Campaign, to rescue Huang Zhong, Zhao Yun led several dozen cavalry, lightly equipped, in a sortie; facing Cao Cao's main army, he valiantly charged through, fighting as he withdrew, and cleverly used the empty-camp stratagem, causing the Cao army to trample one another, for which Liu Bei praised him as "all courage from head to foot"^[3].
* Declining Lady Fan: When Zhao Yun was Grand Administrator at Guiyang, Zhao Fan wished to give his widowed sister-in-law Lady Fan to him in marriage. Zhao Yun declined on the grounds of their shared surname and his doubts about Zhao Fan's submission, embodying his prudence and incorruptibility^[1].
* Remonstrating against Liu Bei's campaign on Wu: When Liu Bei wished to campaign against Wu over the death of Guan Yu, Zhao Yun remonstrated, pointing out that "the traitor to the state is Cao Cao, not Sun Quan," and argued that Wei should be destroyed first and Wu dealt with afterward, displaying his strategic vision and concern for the broader picture^[3].
* Reuniting with Liu Bei at Wuniu Mountain (novel-only): In the novel, Zhao Yun slew Pei Yuanshao at Wuniu Mountain and there was reunited with Liu Bei. This episode strengthens Zhao Yun's loyal choice of Liu Bei and adds legendary color to his formal joining of Liu Bei's faction^[13].
* First battle at Bowang Slope (novel-only): In the novel, when Zhuge Liang first led troops, Zhao Yun followed his strategy and, together with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and other generals, laid an ambush at Bowang Slope and routed the Cao army, displaying his trust in and execution of the new military adviser's plans^[8].
* First meeting Liu Bei at Jieqiao (novel-only): In the novel, Zhao Yun, on his first appearance, rescued Gongsun Zan in the Battle of Jieqiao and met Liu Bei for the first time; Liu Bei held him "in great esteem and affection, and was loath to part from him," foreshadowing the future bond of lord and minister between the two^[5].