Yue Jin

Historical Record

Yue Jin, styled Wenqian, was a native of Weiguo in Yangping; short of stature but exceedingly bold and fierce. He first followed Cao Cao as a clerk in his retinue, and was later sent back to his home commandery to recruit troops, successfully raising over a thousand men, for which he was appointed Acting Major of the Army and Commandant Who Storms Battle Lines ^c:47.

Yue Jin's military career was renowned for his valor in "being first to scale and charge the ranks." He followed Cao Cao in campaigns against Lü Bu at Puyang, Zhang Chao at Yongqiu, and Qiao Long at Ku, in each battle taking the lead among the soldiers and rendering military service, for which he was enfeoffed as Marquis of Guangchang Precinct. Afterward he continued to follow Cao Cao in campaigns on all sides, including the campaign against Zhang Xiu at Anzhong, the siege of Lü Bu at Xiapi, the strike against Sui Gu at Shequan, and the attack on Liu Bei at Pei, all of which were victorious, and he was appointed Colonel Who Punishes Bandits ^c:47.

At the Battle of Guandu, Yue Jin fought valiantly and cut down Yuan Shao's general Chunyu Qiong. He then defeated Tan and Shang at Liyang and beheaded their leading general Yan Jing, and was appointed General of Roving Attack. Yue Jin also led troops alone against the Yellow Turban Army, routing them and pacifying Le'an Commandery. In the campaigns to besiege Ye and to attack Yuan Tan at Nanpi, Yue Jin was again first to scale, breaking into Yuan Tan's eastern gate. After Yuan Tan's defeat, Yue Jin went on to take Yongnu ^c:47.

In the eleventh year of Jian'an, Cao Cao submitted a memorial to Emperor Xian of Han praising Yue Jin, Yu Jin, Zhang Liao, and others: "Their martial strength is great, their plans complete; loyal and single-minded in nature, they hold fast to integrity and righteousness. In every battle and assault they always serve as commanders, rousing the strong to break the firm, no stronghold they do not breach; taking up the drumsticks themselves, their hands know no weariness." For this Yue Jin was appointed General Who Breaks the Enemy's Onslaught ^c:47.

Yue Jin also campaigned separately against Gao Gan, entering Shangdang by the northern road and outflanking him from the rear. Gao Gan withdrew to hold Huguan, and Yue Jin fought him in successive engagements and took heads. Gao Gan held firm and was not taken until Cao Cao personally campaigned and captured him. Yue Jin also joined Li Dian in defeating Guan Cheng and pacifying the seacoast. Before Jing Province was pacified, he garrisoned Yangzhai. Later he followed Cao Cao in pacifying Jing Province and remained to garrison Xiangyang, repelling Guan Yu, Su Fei, and others, so that the Man tribes of Nan Commandery came over in submission one after another. He also campaigned against Liu Bei's Prefect of Linju, Du Pu, and Prefect of Jingyang, Liang Da, routing both ^c:55.

After the campaign against Sun Quan, Cao Cao left Yue Jin together with Zhang Liao and Li Dian to garrison Hefei. Because of his repeated military achievements, Yue Jin was granted an additional fief of five hundred households, totaling, with what he had before, twelve hundred households; five hundred households were set apart, and one of his sons was enfeoffed as a full marquis. Yue Jin himself was promoted to General of the Right. In the twenty-third year of Jian'an, Yue Jin died, with the posthumous title Marquis Wei. His son Yue Chen inherited the title; Yue Chen too had much of his father's bearing and rose to the office of Inspector of Yangzhou ^c:55.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Yue Jin is likewise cast as a valiant and battle-hardened general, but the details of his entrance and some of his deeds differ from the historical facts, and much literary color is added.

Yue Jin first appears in Chapter 5, coming together with Li Dian to join Cao Cao, and is appointed clerk before the tent ^c:57. This episode has no detailed record in the histories and belongs to the novel's literary creation. In Chapter 6, when Dong Zhuo burned Luoyang and forcibly removed the Son of Heaven, Cao Cao called on the various lords to give chase, but all hesitated. Enraged, Cao Cao led his own troops in pursuit, with Yue Jin accompanying him together with Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Hong, Li Dian, and other generals ^c:58. This further reinforces Yue Jin's identity as a core general of Cao Cao's early years.

The novel repeatedly depicts Yue Jin's valor on the battlefield. For example, in Chapter 12, when Dian Wei was searching for Cao Cao within the city of Puyang, he met Yue Jin. The two charged into the city together to rescue their lord; although fire-cannon rolled down from the wall and Yue Jin's horse could not enter, Dian Wei still braved the smoke and fire to break in ^c:6958. Though this is a standout moment for Dian Wei, it also shows Yue Jin's loyalty and courage from the side.

In Chapter 14, Cao Hong, Li Dian, and Yue Jin came to escort the emperor; Cao Hong reported to Emperor Xian of Han that, knowing the rebel troops were about to arrive and fearing that Xiahou Dun's forces alone would be insufficient, Cao Cao had sent them to assist ^c:59. This reflects Yue Jin's standing as an important general of Cao Cao.

The novel especially stresses Yue Jin's role in the Battle of Hefei. In Chapter 50, Cao Cao arranged for Zhang Liao to be chief commander, with Yue Jin and Li Dian as deputies, to garrison Hefei together ^c:4489. In Chapter 67, when Sun Quan besieged Hefei with a hundred thousand troops, the sealed plan Cao Cao had left behind instructed: "If Sun Quan arrives, Generals Zhang and Li shall sally forth to battle, and General Yue shall guard the city" ^c:6960. Zhang Liao, however, strongly advocated giving battle; Yue Jin at first thought, "The enemy are many and we are few; it is hard to meet them—better to hold firm," but in the end, with Zhang Liao's insistence and Li Dian's earnest declaration that he would follow orders, Yue Jin also took part in the plan to sally forth ^c:6961. Although this episode differs somewhat from Cao Cao's secret instruction in the histories (where it was "Generals Zhang and Li shall sally forth to battle; General Yue shall guard the army, and must not give battle" ^c:46), it still highlights Yue Jin's importance in the defense of Hefei.

Moreover, the novel depicts a direct clash between Yue Jin and Sun Quan. In Chapter 53, Yue Jin, "with one horse and one blade, took Sun Quan straight from a flanking angle, like a bolt of lightning flying before his face, his blade rising and falling," and even cut through the painted halberds of Song Qian and Jia Hua, nearly capturing Sun Quan ^c:60. This detail has no record in the histories; it is an artistic embellishment by the novel to highlight Yue Jin's valor.

Key Relationships

* Cao Wei (serves): Yue Jin loyally served Cao Cao and the Cao Wei regime he founded from beginning to end. Starting as a clerk in Cao Cao's retinue, he rose step by step through his boldness and military achievements to General Who Breaks the Enemy's Onslaught and General of the Right, one of the important Five Elite Generals under Cao Cao ^c:47. In the novel he is also one of the generals Cao Cao recruited early on and repeatedly campaigned alongside Cao Cao ^c:57.
* Sun Quan (enemy of): Yue Jin clashed repeatedly with Sun Quan and his Eastern Wu army. In history, he garrisoned Hefei together with Zhang Liao and Li Dian, successfully repelling Sun Quan's attacks ^c:46. In the novel, Yue Jin even charged Sun Quan single-handedly and nearly captured him ^c:60 (novel only).
* Lü Bu (enemy of): Yue Jin followed Cao Cao in campaigns against Lü Bu at Puyang and Xiapi, rendering military service ^c:47.
* Zhang Chao (enemy of): Yue Jin was also first to scale with merit when Cao Cao campaigned against Zhang Chao at Yongqiu ^c:47.
* Yuan Shao (enemy of): At the Battle of Guandu, Yue Jin fought valiantly and cut down Yuan Shao's general Chunyu Qiong ^c:47.
* Guan Yu (enemy of): Yue Jin once garrisoned Xiangyang and repelled Guan Yu ^c:55.
* Zhang Liao, Li Dian (comrades): Yue Jin often fought alongside Zhang Liao and Li Dian in history, especially at the Battle of Hefei, where the three garrisoned Hefei together and resisted Sun Quan's great army ^c:46. The novel also stresses the coordination among the three: although they once differed over the strategy of sallying forth, they were finally able to fight in concert ^c:6961.

Iconic Scenes

* First to scale and charge the ranks, repeatedly rendering service: The most prominent feature of Yue Jin's military career was his valor in "being first to scale and charge the ranks." Whether striking Lü Bu at Puyang, Zhang Chao at Yongqiu, or attacking Yuan Tan at Nanpi, he charged at the fore, repeatedly being first to break into the enemy formation, for which he was enfeoffed Marquis of Guangchang Precinct ^c:47. This is a direct manifestation of his "bold and fierce" character.
* Cutting down Chunyu Qiong at Guandu: At the Battle of Guandu between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, Yue Jin fought valiantly and cut down Yuan Shao's general Chunyu Qiong ^c:47. This feat further cemented his position as a fierce general under Cao Cao.
* Battle of Hefei, holding the city firm: Yue Jin garrisoned Hefei together with Zhang Liao and Li Dian, successfully resisting the siege of Sun Quan's hundred thousand troops. Cao Cao's secret instruction directed Yue Jin to "guard the army, and not give battle," but with Zhang Liao's insistence the three in the end fought in concert, so that Sun Quan, after attacking the city for more than ten days, could not take it and at last withdrew ^c:46. This campaign displayed Yue Jin's tenacity as a defending general and his tacit cooperation with his colleagues.
* Charging Sun Quan single-handedly: In the novel, in one battle Yue Jin "with one horse and one blade took Sun Quan straight from a flanking angle," nearly capturing him ^c:60 (novel only). This scene greatly heightens Yue Jin's personal martial valor, making his "bold and fierce" character all the more vivid.
* Commended by Cao Cao as one of the "Five Elite Generals": In the eleventh year of Jian'an, Cao Cao submitted a memorial to Emperor Xian of Han praising Yue Jin, Yu Jin, Zhang Liao, and others: "Their martial strength is great, their plans complete; loyal and single-minded in nature, they hold fast to integrity and righteousness. In every battle and assault they always serve as commanders, rousing the strong to break the firm, no stronghold they do not breach," and for this he was appointed General Who Breaks the Enemy's Onslaught ^c:47. This was an official recognition of his military talent and loyalty and established his standing as one of the "Five Elite Generals."