Zhuo Ying

Historical Record

Zhuo Ying's deeds are recorded only very briefly in the official histories, appearing chiefly during the period of Liu Bei's entry into Shu and his conflict with Liu Zhang. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, when relations between Liu Bei and Liu Zhang had soured and the two sides had taken up arms, Zhuo Ying, as one of Liu Zhang's generals, was named by Liu Bei to lead troops in attacking Liu Zhang. In the year 212, Cao Cao campaigned against Sun Quan, and Sun Quan sought aid from Liu Bei. Liu Bei seized the occasion to demand troops and supplies from Liu Zhang, claiming that he meant to go east to aid Sun Quan. Liu Zhang, however, agreed to provide only four thousand soldiers, and gave only half of the other supplies. Liu Bei was greatly displeased at this, and used the occasion to stir up his soldiers' resentment, declaring that Liu Zhang was stingy with his wealth, unwilling to reward men of merit, and unworthy to have officers die for him.^[1]

Against this background, the conflict between Liu Bei and Liu Zhang grew daily sharper. Liu Zhang seized and executed Zhang Song, so that the breach between the two sides was complete. Liu Zhang then ordered the garrison commanders of the various passes to cease all correspondence with Liu Bei. Enraged at this, Liu Bei summoned Yang Huai, Liu Zhang's commander of the Baishui army, and on the charge of "disrespect" had him beheaded. He then dispatched Huang Zhong and Zhuo Ying to lead troops in an attack on Liu Zhang.^[1] Liu Bei personally led his army to Guanzhong, took the wives and children of the various officers and soldiers as hostages, and then together with the forces of Huang Zhong, Zhuo Ying, and others advanced to Fucheng and occupied the city. When Liu Zhang heard of this, he sent Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren, Deng Xian, and other generals to resist Liu Bei at Fucheng, but all were defeated and forced to fall back to defend Mianzhu. Liu Zhang then sent Li Yan to take command of the various armies at Mianzhu, but Li Yan led his men in surrender to Liu Bei. Liu Bei's army was thus greatly strengthened, and he detached his generals to pacify the surrounding counties, in the end besieging Luocheng. Zhuo Ying, throughout this series of military actions, was one of the important generals in Liu Bei's early attack on Yi Province.^[1]

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhuo Ying's image and deeds are depicted more concretely, though his appearance and role remain relatively limited. He appears chiefly in the chapters of Liu Bei's attack on Yi Province and his battles with Liu Zhang's army. In the novel, Zhuo Ying is portrayed as a general under Liu Zhang who, together with Zhang Ren and others, resisted Liu Bei's advance. Unlike the histories, however, the novel gives a detailed literary elaboration of Zhuo Ying's surrender.

In Chapter 64, Liu Bei's strategist Pang Tong laid a scheme to lure Zhang Ren into pursuit. Having fallen for the ruse, Zhang Ren was caught between two ambushes laid by Wei Yan and Huang Zhong. Wei Yan's troops burst out from the reeds, jabbing wildly with long spears; Huang Zhong's troops lay in ambush among the reeds, specially chopping at the horses' hooves, so that Zhang Ren's cavalry all toppled to the ground and were captured.^[2] Zhuo Ying, having witnessed Zhang Ren fall into the trap and be surrounded, did not choose to fight on but, deciding promptly, surrendered to Zhao Yun's troops. The novel states explicitly that "it turned out that Zhuo Ying, seeing Zhang Ren fall for the scheme, had already surrendered before Zhao Yun's army, and all came together to the great camp."^[2] This episode not only accounts for Zhuo Ying's fate but also highlights his choice at the critical moment—when the battle turned against him, to submit to the stronger power. The Zhuo Ying of the novel, though given little stage time, makes through his surrender a small addition to the victory of Liu Bei's faction, and renders the collapse of Liu Zhang's faction all the swifter and more complete. The novel does not delve into Zhuo Ying's whereabouts after his surrender or his later achievements; his chief function is to set off the unstoppable advance of Liu Bei's army.

Key Relationships

* Liu Zhang's faction (former allegiance): Zhuo Ying was originally a general under Liu Zhang, who in the early days of Liu Bei's entry into Shu was ordered to resist Liu Bei's advance. He was sent by Liu Zhang together with Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren, and Deng Xian to defend against Liu Bei's army at Fucheng.^[1]
* Liu Bei's faction (submission): In the course of Liu Bei's attack on Yi Province, Zhuo Ying in the end chose to submit to Liu Bei. The sources record that Liu Bei dispatched Huang Zhong and Zhuo Ying to lead troops against Liu Zhang, indicating that Zhuo Ying was already under Liu Bei in the early days of his entry into Shu.^[1] Romance of the Three Kingdoms, for its part, depicts in detail his surrender to Zhao Yun's army after Zhang Ren fell for the scheme and was captured.^[2] (novel only). This turned him from a subordinate of Liu Zhang into a member of Liu Bei's faction, contributing to Liu Bei's seizure of Yi Province.
* Huang Zhong (colleague): In the histories, Liu Bei dispatched Huang Zhong and Zhuo Ying together to lead troops against Liu Zhang, showing that the two had once been colleagues fighting side by side in Liu Bei's army.^[1]
* Zhao Yun (receiver of surrender): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhuo Ying surrendered to Zhao Yun's army after Zhang Ren fell for the scheme.^[2] (novel only). This made Zhao Yun the key figure in Zhuo Ying's submission to Liu Bei's faction.

Iconic Scenes

* Ordered to attack Liu Zhang: After relations between Liu Bei and Liu Zhang broke down, Liu Bei dispatched Huang Zhong and Zhuo Ying to lead troops against Liu Zhang, advancing all the way to Fucheng and occupying the city.^[1] This is Zhuo Ying's most clearly recorded military action in the official histories, marking his status as a general under Liu Bei.
* The battle of Fucheng: Zhuo Ying took part in the battle between Liu Bei's army and Liu Zhang's army at Fucheng. Though the sources do not describe Zhuo Ying's specific conduct in this battle, they state clearly that the troops sent by Liu Zhang (including Zhang Ren) were all defeated by Liu Bei's army and fell back to hold Mianzhu.^[1] As one of Liu Bei's army, Zhuo Ying without doubt took part in this important victory.
* Surrendering to Zhao Yun after Zhang Ren fell for the scheme: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhuo Ying's iconic scene is his immediate choice, upon witnessing Zhang Ren fall for the scheme and be captured, to surrender to Zhao Yun's army.^[2] (novel only). This episode displays both Zhuo Ying's prudent choice when the battle turned against him and adds drama to the victory of Liu Bei's faction, while concretizing the details of his submission during Liu Bei's entry into Shu.