Zhou Cang

Historical Record

(No biographical materials)

In the Novel

Zhou Cang, courtesy name unknown, is a fictional character in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, with no record in the official histories. He first appears in the identity of a Yellow Turban Army general, having once been a subordinate of Zhang Bao^[1]. After Zhang Bao was defeated and died, Zhou Cang gathered followers in the forests and became an outlaw of the greenwood, entrenched at Wolf-Bull Mountain. He had long heard of Guan Yu's great fame and admired him in his heart, always hoping for a chance to meet. When Guan Yu, riding a thousand li alone, passed near Wolf-Bull Mountain, Zhou Cang appeared together with Pei Yuanshao. Seeing Guan Yu, Zhou Cang was overcome with emotion and at once dismounted and prostrated himself, expressing his strong wish to follow Guan Yu^[2]. He even said that if it was inconvenient for Guan Yu to take in his men, he himself would go on foot and follow Guan Yu for ten thousand li without complaint^[3]. Moved by his sincerity, Guan Yu finally accepted Zhou Cang. At Guan Yu's side, Zhou Cang served mainly as a foot soldier, holding the whip and following the stirrup, loyal and devoted. While Guan Yu was searching for his elder brother, Zhou Cang was once ordered to go to Wolf-Bull Mountain to recruit Pei Yuanshao's men, only to find that Pei Yuanshao had already been killed by Zhao Yun and the stronghold seized^[4]. Thereafter Zhou Cang formally became a member of Liu Bei's faction and, together with Guan Ping, assisted Guan Yu^[5].

Zhou Cang's image in the novel is largely that of valor and loyalty. Not only was he immensely strong, with arms of a thousand catties' force, slab-ribbed and curly-bearded, of imposing appearance^[1], but he was also skilled in the water. During Guan Yu's defense of Jing Province, Zhou Cang repeatedly went on campaign with Guan Yu and showed himself valiant on the battlefield. Especially in the Battle of Xiangfan, relying on his outstanding skill in the water, he captured alive the Wei general Pang De, rendering brilliant service in Guan Yu's flooding of the Seven Armies^[6]. Zhou Cang's loyalty to Guan Yu reached the utmost. When Guan Yu was defeated and fled to Maicheng and was finally killed by Eastern Wu, Zhou Cang, seeing the heads of Guan Yu and his son on the wall of Maicheng, was overcome with grief and indignation and finally chose to cut his own throat to die for his lord^[7]. His death further strengthens his image of loyalty and righteousness, becoming a powerful foil to Guan Yu's spirit of loyalty and righteousness in the novel.

Key Relationships

* Zhang Bao (serves): Zhou Cang was in his early days a Yellow Turban Army general, serving under Zhang Bao^[1]. (novel only)
* Yellow Turban Army (member_of): Zhou Cang was a member of the Yellow Turban Army, active in the Yellow Turban Rebellion. (novel only)
* Guan Yu (serves): The most important relationship of Zhou Cang's life; he was utterly loyal to Guan Yu, following him to the death, his able assistant and loyal subordinate^[2].
* Liu Bei's faction (member_of): After following Guan Yu, Zhou Cang naturally became a member of Liu Bei's faction, serving Shu Han^[5].
* Pei Yuanshao (comrade): Zhou Cang's companion during his time at Wolf-Bull Mountain; the two gathered followers in the forests together, and later Pei Yuanshao was killed by Zhao Yun^[4]. (novel only)
* Guan Ping (comrade): Zhou Cang and Guan Ping together assisted Guan Yu and jointly defended Jing Province, the two great generals at Guan Yu's side^[8].

Iconic Scenes

* First meeting Guan Yu at Wolf-Bull Mountain and swearing to follow him to the death: When Guan Yu rode a thousand li alone, Zhou Cang met him at Wolf-Bull Mountain. He expressed his boundless admiration for Guan Yu, and with the greatest sincerity declared that he was willing to go on foot and follow Guan Yu, even for ten thousand li, without complaint^[3]. This scene fully displays Zhou Cang's rough yet utterly sincere character and establishes his image as a loyal follower of Guan Yu.
* Sternly rebuking Lu Su at the single-blade meeting: When Guan Yu attended the meeting in Eastern Wu armed with a single blade, Zhou Cang, as his attendant, heard Lu Su at the banquet raise the question of Jing Province's ownership, and, filled with righteous indignation, sternly rebuked Lu Su, defending Guan Yu's dignity^[9]. Although this act was checked by Guan Yu, it also showed Zhou Cang's loyalty to Guan Yu and his wish to defend him.
* Flooding the Seven Armies and capturing Pang De alive: In the Battle of Xiangfan, when Guan Yu flooded the Seven Armies, Zhou Cang, relying on his outstanding skill in the water, captured alive the Wei general Pang De amid the floodwaters, rendering great service in Guan Yu's victory^[6]. This scene displays Zhou Cang's valor and special skill and becomes the high point of his personal martial prowess.
* Cutting his own throat at Maicheng to die for his lord: Guan Yu was defeated and fled to Maicheng and was finally killed by Eastern Wu. When Zhou Cang saw the heads of Guan Yu and his son on the wall of Maicheng, he was overcome with grief and finally chose to cut his own throat to die for his lord^[7]. This scene is the highest embodiment of Zhou Cang's image of loyalty and righteousness, bringing a tragic, heroic close to his life.