Huo Jun

Historical Record

Huo Jun, styled Zhongmiao, was a man of Zhijiang in Nan Commandery. His elder brother Huo Du had gathered several hundred personal retainers in their home district; after Huo Du died, Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, appointed Huo Jun to take over this force.^[1] After Liu Biao died, Huo Jun led his followers to attach themselves to the Former Lord Liu Bei. Liu Bei appointed Huo Jun as a Gentleman-General. When the Former Lord Liu Bei advanced south from Jiameng to attack Liu Zhang, he left Huo Jun to guard the city of Jiameng.^[1]

During this time, Zhang Lu sent the general Yang Bo to lure Huo Jun into surrender and to propose holding the city jointly. Huo Jun sternly refused, saying: "You may have my head, but you can never have the city!" Yang Bo then withdrew. Later, Liu Zhang's generals Fu Jin, Xiang Cun, and others led more than ten thousand men up the Lang River to besiege the city Huo Jun held; the siege lasted nearly a year but could never take it.^[1] Huo Jun's garrison numbered only a few hundred men, but he was skilled at observing the enemy's moments of slackness, selecting elite troops to sally out, and routed the enemy in a great victory, beheading Xiang Cun. After the Former Lord Liu Bei pacified the land of Shu, he commended Huo Jun's merit, and so divided off part of Guanghan commandery to establish Zitong commandery, appointing Huo Jun as Administrator of Zitong and Auxiliary General.^[1] After three years in office, Huo Jun died at only forty, and his body was conveyed back to Chengdu for burial. The Former Lord Liu Bei felt deep grief and regret over this, and issued an edict to Zhuge Liang, saying: "Huo Jun was both an excellent man of talent and one who served the state with merit. I intend to confer a posthumous title upon him." He then personally led his officials to mourn, and lodged the night beside Huo Jun's tomb; at that time Huo Jun's glory reached its peak.^[1]

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Huo Jun's appearance differs slightly from the historical record and is given more dramatic elaboration. In Chapter 62, while Liu Bei was deliberating military affairs with Pang Tong at Fucheng, a scout reported that Sun Quan of Eastern Wu had allied with Zhang Lu of Eastern Chuan, intending to attack Jiameng Pass.^[2] Liu Bei was deeply worried by this, fearing that the loss of Jiameng Pass would cut off his line of retreat and leave him with no way forward or back. Pang Tong advised Meng Da—since Meng Da was familiar with the geography of Shu—to go and guard Jiameng Pass. Meng Da then recommended Huo Jun, saying that he had once served as a Gentleman-General under Liu Biao in Jing Province and was a man of Zhijiang in Nan Commandery.^[2] Liu Bei was delighted to hear this and at once dispatched Meng Da and Huo Jun together to defend Jiameng Pass. This episode has no clear record in the histories and is a literary creation of the novel to enrich the character's introduction and the development of the plot.

In Chapter 70, the Jiameng Pass garrison commanders Meng Da and Huo Jun learned that Zhang He was leading troops to attack. Huo Jun advocated holding the city firmly, while Meng Da insisted on going out to meet the enemy.^[3] Meng Da led troops down the pass to clash with Zhang He, only to be badly defeated and return. Huo Jun then sent an urgent dispatch to Chengdu. When Liu Bei learned the news, he convened his generals to deliberate. Kongming held that Zhang He was a famous general of Wei, no ordinary foe, and that only Zhang Fei could withstand him. However, Fa Zheng pointed out that Zhang Fei's guarding of Langzhong was also a vital matter and that he should not be recalled. At this point, a general stepped forth and declared in a loud voice that he was willing to take Zhang He's head and present it before the commander.^[3] This passage highlights the contrast between Huo Jun's strategy of firm defense and Meng Da's rashness, and also lays the groundwork for Zhang Fei's later entrance, further shaping the image of Huo Jun as steady and loyal; though his role in the novel is relatively limited, his image of solitary loyalty in defending a city is deeply impressed on readers.

Key Relationships

* Huo Du (sibling_of): Huo Jun's elder brother, whose personal retainers Huo Jun took over after Huo Du died.^[1]
* Liu Biao's faction (serves): Huo Jun served as a Gentleman-General under Liu Biao, and after Liu Biao died led his followers to attach themselves to Liu Bei.^[1]
* Liu Bei's faction (serves): After Liu Bei entered Shu, Huo Jun attached himself to Liu Bei, was appointed Gentleman-General, and later, for his merit in defending the city, was promoted to Administrator of Zitong and Auxiliary General.^[1]
* Xiang Cun (enemy_of): A general of Liu Zhang who led troops to besiege Huo Jun and was in the end beheaded by him.^[1]
* Yang Bo (enemy_of): A general of Zhang Lu who once attempted to lure Huo Jun into surrender, but was sternly refused.^[1]
* Meng Da (colleague_of, novel only): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Meng Da and Huo Jun garrisoned Jiameng Pass together, but differed over the strategy for defending the city.^[2]
* Zhang He (enemy_of, novel only): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang He led troops to attack Jiameng Pass, and Huo Jun and Meng Da resisted together.^[3]

Signature Scenes

* Firmly holding Jiameng city and refusing to surrender: When Liu Bei entered Shu, Huo Jun was ordered to guard the city of Jiameng. Facing Zhang Lu's general Yang Bo's inducement to surrender, Huo Jun replied with ringing words: "You may have this small man's head, but you cannot have the city."^[1] This displayed his loyalty unto death and his firm will. Then, facing the siege of more than ten thousand men under Liu Zhang's generals Fu Jin, Xiang Cun, and others, Huo Jun held out with a few hundred troops for nearly a year, finally seizing the moment of the enemy's slackness to sally out and counterattack, smashing the enemy in a great victory and beheading Xiang Cun, successfully preserving the city.^[1] This battle fully embodies Huo Jun's decisive seizing of opportunity, his refusal to let a solitary city fall, and his unyielding will.
* Liu Bei personally mourning and conferring a posthumous title: After Huo Jun died, the Former Lord Liu Bei gave high praise to his merits and character, not only issuing an edict to Zhuge Liang expressing his intent to confer a posthumous title, but also personally leading his officials to mourn and lodging the night beside the tomb.^[1] This was the greatest affirmation of Huo Jun's personal merit, and also displayed Liu Bei's regard for meritorious ministers and his cherishing of talent, making Huo Jun's posthumous glory complete.