Lei Tong

Historical Record

Lei Tong, a general, receives very little ink in the official histories; he appears mainly in Liu Bei's faction's advance into Hanzhong. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, in the twenty-third year of Jian'an (218 CE), Liu Bei led his generals to advance toward Hanzhong. In this operation, Lei Tong and the general Wu Lan were ordered to lead their troops into Wudu commandery.^[1] However, this operation did not succeed, and the forces of Lei Tong and Wu Lan were both defeated and captured by Cao Cao's army. The official histories do not describe in detail Lei Tong's specific performance on the battlefield, his background, or his final fate in this campaign, such as whether he died or how he was dealt with after capture. His specific position and duties in Liu Bei's faction can only be glimpsed from the fact that he was dispatched to carry out a military task, indicating that he was at the time a general under Liu Bei. Before this, whether Lei Tong had served other powers, or had any other achievements, the official histories do not record.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lei Tong's image is given a richer literary treatment, with his appearances and the events he takes part in far exceeding the historical record. He first appears in the capacity of a general under Liu Zhang, serving together with Wu Lan as a deputy commander under Wu Yi.^[2] When Liu Bei attacked Luocheng, Lei Tong took part in the defensive battle against Liu Bei's army. He once schemed together with Leng Bao, Wu Lan, and others, attempting to flood Liu Bei's army by breaching the waters of the Fu River. However, this scheme was seen through by Liu Bei's army; Leng Bao was captured alive by Wei Yan, and Lei Tong and Wu Lan, while going to support Leng Bao, encountered the army of Huang Zhong and failed.^[3]

Later, Lei Tong went over to Liu Bei and became one of his generals. In the Hanzhong Campaign, he joined Zhang Fei in opposing the Cao Wei general Zhang He. Lei Tong offered Zhang Fei a plan, advising that an ambush be laid in the strategic terrain of Langzhong to lure Zhang He in deep and then strike from two sides with a surprise force.^[4] In the ensuing battle, Lei Tong clashed with Zhang He face to face; at first Zhang He feigned defeat, and Lei Tong pursued, only to fall into Zhang He's ambush. In the end, Lei Tong was stabbed off his horse by Zhang He and died bravely.^[5] The novel's depiction transforms Lei Tong from a general dismissed in a single stroke in the histories into a flesh-and-blood character with strategy and courage; though he could not in the end escape his fate, his loyalty and valor are fully displayed.

Key Relationships

* Liu Zhang's faction (serves): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lei Tong was at first a general under Liu Zhang, Governor of Yi Province, garrisoning Luocheng together with Wu Yi, Wu Lan, and others to oppose Liu Bei's attack.^[2] He took part in Liu Zhang's faction's councils of war and carried out defensive duties, displaying his identity as one of Liu Zhang's generals.
* Liu Bei's faction (serves): Whether in history or the novel, Lei Tong ultimately served Liu Bei's faction. In the histories, as Liu Bei's general, he took part in the Hanzhong Campaign and was in the end captured by Cao Cao's army.^[1] In the novel, he surrendered after Liu Bei took Yi Province, became a valiant general under Liu Bei, and served Liu Bei in the Hanzhong Campaign.
* Zhang Fei (serves): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lei Tong had a fairly close working relationship with Zhang Fei. He once offered Zhang Fei a plan and jointly deliberated how to deal with Zhang He.^[4] In the battle against Zhang He, Lei Tong was Zhang Fei's subordinate and died to cover Zhang Fei or to carry out a tactic, embodying his loyalty and supporting role toward Zhang Fei.
* Zhang He (dies_in): Lei Tong's final end, whether in history or the novel, is connected to an enemy general. In the histories he was captured by Cao Cao's army.^[1] In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lei Tong died directly at the hands of the Cao Wei general Zhang He. In one clash, Zhang He feigned defeat to lure Lei Tong into pursuit, then set an ambush and finally stabbed Lei Tong off his horse.^[5] Zhang He became the key figure who ended Lei Tong's life. (novel only)

Signature Scenes

* Captured in the Battle of Wudu (historical): According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Lei Tong's most important historical event is that in the twenty-third year of Jian'an he and Wu Lan, by Liu Bei's order, entered Wudu, only to be defeated and captured by Cao Cao's army.^[1] This is the only military operation and outcome clearly recorded for Lei Tong in the official histories, marking a setback in Liu Bei's faction's early expansion.
* Defending Luocheng against Liu Bei (novel only): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Lei Tong's first appearance is in the Battle of Luocheng, where, as a general under Liu Zhang, he opposed Liu Bei together with Wu Lan, Leng Bao, and others. He took part in the scheme to breach the waters of the Fu River to flood Liu Bei's army; though it failed in the end, this scene displays his early image as a general under Liu Zhang and his military participation.^[2][3]
* Offering Zhang Fei a plan against Zhang He (novel only): An important scene displaying Lei Tong's military strategy in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is his offering Zhang Fei a plan, advising the use of terrain at Langzhong to lay an ambush, lure Zhang He, and strike from two sides with a surprise force.^[4] This episode not only highlights Lei Tong's cunning but also lays the foundation for his cooperative relationship with Zhang Fei.
* Dying at the hands of Zhang He (novel only): Lei Tong's most tragic and signature scene in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is his death in battle against Zhang He. He clashed with Zhang He and pursued the feignedly defeated Zhang He, only to fall into an ambush and be stabbed off his horse by Zhang He in the end.^[5] This scene is not only a portrait of Lei Tong's brave death, but also the spark for Zhang Fei to avenge him, greatly enriching Lei Tong's character and the storyline in the novel.