Lu Su

Historical Record

Lu Su, styled Zijing, was a man of Dongcheng in Linhuai. He lost his father in childhood and depended on his grandmother. His family was wealthy, but he was open-handed by nature, generous and charitable. When the realm fell into chaos, he scattered his family wealth, sold his lands, broadly relieved the poor, made friends with men of valor, and won the hearts of his home district^[1]. When Zhou Yu was Chief of Juchao and sought grain from Lu Su, Lu Su generously gave him one of his two granaries of rice (each holding three thousand hu); Zhou Yu thereupon esteemed him all the more, and the two became bosom friends^[1]. Yuan Shu, hearing of his renown, appointed him Chief of Dongcheng, but Lu Su, perceiving that Yuan Shu's governance was in disarray and not fit for great undertakings, took his family and led over a hundred light-spirited young gallants south to join Zhou Yu^[1].

After Sun Ce died and Sun Quan succeeded to power, Lu Su was drawn into Sun Quan's service and became a guest-retainer^[2]. At their first meeting Sun Quan and Lu Su conversed with great pleasure. In a private talk, Lu Su offered Sun Quan the famous "Couch Strategy," advising him to imitate the Founding Ancestor of Han, establish a tripod foothold in the Southland to await changes in the realm, then destroy Huang Zu, attack Liu Biao, take possession of the whole length of the Yangtze, and finally proclaim himself emperor and plan for the realm^[3]. Sun Quan deeply approved, finding that Lu Su's design accorded with his own. Though Zhang Zhao and others held Lu Su young and coarse and unfit for heavy use, Sun Quan paid no heed, esteeming Lu Su all the more and treating his mother generously^[3].

In the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208), Cao Cao's great army marched south and Liu Cong surrendered. Liu Bei fled south in panic, and Lu Su, on Sun Quan's orders, went to Xiakou, met Liu Bei at Changban in Dangyang, explained Sun Quan's intent to ally against Cao Cao, and urged Liu Bei to join forces with Sun Quan^[4]. During this time Lu Su became acquainted with Zhuge Liang and they formed a friendship^[4]. Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, when all the officers advocated surrender to Cao Cao, only Lu Su overruled the rest and firmly favored war. He caught up with Sun Quan and laid out the stakes, pointing out that if Sun Quan surrendered he would have nowhere to turn, whereas subordinates like himself might still preserve their home districts and offices. Sun Quan heard this and deeply agreed, sighing that Lu Su's words matched his own thoughts^[5]. Lu Su also strongly urged Sun Quan to recall Zhou Yu, and was appointed Colonel Who Aids the Army, assisting Zhou Yu in planning strategy^[5]. After the Battle of Red Cliffs, Lu Su was greatly commended by Sun Quan for his merit and appointed Administrator of Hanchang and Deputy General^[5].

When Zhou Yu lay gravely ill, he submitted a memorial to Sun Quan recommending Lu Su to succeed him, saying his "wisdom and strategy were equal to the charge"^[6]. Sun Quan adopted Zhou Yu's recommendation, appointing Lu Su Colonel Who Stirs Valor to succeed Zhou Yu in command of the army, inheriting Zhou Yu's four thousand troops and four counties of fief^[6]. Lu Su garrisoned Lukou, his prestige and grace spreading far, and his forces grew to over ten thousand^[6]. When Liu Bei sought to borrow Jing Province from Sun Quan, Lu Su strongly urged Sun Quan to lend it, holding that this would set up an ally for Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao^[6]. Later, after Liu Bei took possession of Yi Province, Sun Quan sent Lü Meng to take the three commanderies of Changsha, Lingling, and Guiyang. Lu Su and Guan Yu confronted each other at Yiyang, and Lu Su once invited Guan Yu to a meeting attended armed with a single blade, where he rebuked Guan Yu to his face for breaking faith by not returning Jing Province^[7]. Lu Su died in the twenty-second year of Jian'an (217) at the age of forty-six. Sun Quan held mourning for him and attended his funeral^[7].

In the Novel

Lu Su in Romance of the Three Kingdoms largely continues the historical traits of an honest elder and farsighted strategist, but through the addition and subtraction of certain episodes, his image as an "honest man" is made more prominent, and he often serves as a foil to Zhuge Liang's wisdom. In the novel, Lu Su first appears when Zhou Yu recommends him to Sun Quan, and he offers a "Couch Strategy" similar to the historical one, displaying his strategic vision^[8].

Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Lu Su was sent by Sun Quan to Jiangxia to offer condolences for Liu Biao—in fact to spy out the situation and to urge Liu Bei to ally with Sun Quan against Cao Cao^[9]. He met Zhuge Liang and was won over by his talent^[10]. In the process of persuading Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao, Lu Su played the key role of intermediary. He recommended Zhuge Liang to Sun Quan and repeatedly argued strongly before Sun Quan for resisting Cao Cao, refuting the surrender arguments of Zhang Zhao and others^[11]. When Zhou Yu first met Zhuge Liang, Lu Su had charged Zhuge Liang not to mention that Cao Cao had many troops, but Zhuge Liang did the opposite and enraged Sun Quan. Lu Su reproached Zhuge Liang for this, but Zhuge Liang laughed and said he had his own plan to break Cao Cao—only Sun Quan had not asked^[12].

In the novel, Lu Su repeatedly witnesses and takes part in the contests of wits between Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang. For example, when Zhou Yu schemed to kill Zhuge Liang, Lu Su often played the role of mediator, or, unable to bear seeing Zhuge Liang framed, secretly warned him^[13]. In episodes such as "Borrowing Arrows with Straw Boats" and the "Bitter-Flesh Stratagem," Lu Su was used by Zhou Yu to probe Zhuge Liang, but each ended with Zhuge Liang's wit proving superior^[14]. Splendid as these episodes are, they have no clear basis in history and are the novel's artistic creation to shape characters and advance the plot.

In the episode of "Guan Yu Attends the Meeting Armed with a Single Blade," the novel also makes alterations. In history, Lu Su met Guan Yu at Yiyang and rebuked him to his face. In the novel, Lu Su appears more cautious, urging Zhou Yu not to move rashly against Liu Bei out of fear of Guan Yu's martial prowess^[15]. These alterations of detail make the novel's Lu Su a fuller image—possessing both the loyal uprightness of history and a measure of honest, kindly, even endearingly "clumsy" charm.

Key Relationships

* Eastern Wu (serves): Lu Su was an important strategist and general of the Eastern Wu regime, making great contributions to the stability and development of Sun Quan's enterprise. The "Couch Strategy" he proposed laid out a grand strategic blueprint for Sun Quan^[3].
* Zhou Yu (friend_of): Lu Su and Zhou Yu were bosom friends of deep affection. Zhou Yu strongly recommended Lu Su to Sun Quan to succeed to his post^[6]. In the novel, Lu Su repeatedly maneuvered between Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang in an attempt to reconcile their conflicts, though he was often "used" by Zhou Yu to probe Zhuge Liang^[13].
* Sun Quan's Faction (serves): Lu Su was one of the core members of Sun Quan's faction, deeply esteemed by Sun Quan. He strongly favored resisting Cao Cao before the Battle of Red Cliffs and, after the battle, succeeded Zhou Yu in command of the great army and garrisoned a region^[5].
* Zhuge Liang (friend_of): Lu Su became acquainted with Zhuge Liang through the alliance against Cao Cao and became his friend^[4]. In the novel, Lu Su is a witness and foil to Zhuge Liang's wit, repeatedly "teased" or "used" by Zhuge Liang, yet always coming to admire him in the end^[14].
* Pang Tong (friend_of): Lu Su once recommended Pang Tong to Liu Bei, holding that Pang Tong was no "hundred-li talent" and should be entrusted with a more important post^[16].
* Liu Bei (ally): Lu Su was an active promoter and upholder of the Sun–Liu alliance. He strongly urged Sun Quan to lend Jing Province to Liu Bei in order to jointly resist Cao Cao^[6]. In the novel, he repeatedly served as envoy between the Sun and Liu houses, devoted to maintaining the alliance.

Iconic Scenes

* The Couch Strategy: Lu Su offered Sun Quan the "Couch Strategy," laying out a strategic blueprint of establishing a tripod foothold in the Southland and then planning for the realm, displaying his outstanding strategic vision^[3].
* Strongly favoring resistance to Cao Cao: Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, facing the pressing advance of Cao Cao's great army and with all the officers advocating surrender, Lu Su overruled the rest, firmly urged Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao, and successfully persuaded him, laying the foundation for victory at Red Cliffs^[5].
* Recommending Zhuge Liang: Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Lu Su recommended Zhuge Liang to Sun Quan, bringing about the formation of the Sun–Liu alliance to jointly resist Cao Cao^[4] (novel-only; in history Zhuge Liang was an envoy dispatched by Liu Bei).
* Attending the meeting armed with a single blade: Lu Su met Guan Yu at Yiyang and rebuked him to his face for not returning Jing Province, displaying his upright, principled character^[7].
* Zhou Yu's deathbed entrustment: When Zhou Yu lay gravely ill, he recommended Lu Su to Sun Quan to succeed to his post, showing Zhou Yu's trust and esteem for Lu Su^[6].
* Maneuvering over "borrowing Jing Province": On the question of Liu Bei borrowing Jing Province, Lu Su strongly urged Sun Quan to lend it and repeatedly mediated between the Sun and Liu houses, devoted to maintaining the alliance^[6].
* The "honest man" of "Borrowing Arrows with Straw Boats": In the novel, Lu Su was used by Zhou Yu to probe Zhuge Liang, but Zhuge Liang had long seen through it and in turn used Lu Su to accomplish the feat of "Borrowing Arrows with Straw Boats," with Lu Su appearing somewhat "clumsy" and "honest" in this episode^[14] (novel-only).