Zhang Fei

Historical Record

Zhang Fei, courtesy name Yide, was a man of Zhuo Commandery who in his early years followed Liu Bei together with Guan Yu. Guan Yu was several years older than Zhang Fei, and Zhang Fei treated him with the deference due an elder brother. After Liu Bei, then under Cao Cao, defeated Lü Bu, Cao Cao appointed Zhang Fei a General of the Household (zhonglang jiang). When Liu Bei broke away from Cao Cao and turned to Yuan Shao and then Liu Biao, Zhang Fei followed him. After Liu Biao's death, Cao Cao advanced his troops into Jing Province, and Liu Bei fled south toward the Jiangnan region, pursued urgently by Cao Cao. At Changban in Dangyang, Liu Bei was overtaken by Cao Cao; he abandoned his wife and children and fled, escaping danger with only a few dozen riders, including Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun. Zhang Fei led twenty horsemen to cover the retreat, holding the riverbank and cutting the bridge; with glaring eyes and leveled spear he roared aloud, "I am Zhang Yide; come and we shall fight to the death!" None of Cao Cao's troops dared approach, and Liu Bei was thereby able to escape^[1].

After Liu Bei pacified the Jiangnan region, he appointed Zhang Fei Grand Administrator of Yidu and General Who Conquers Bandits, enfeoffing him as Marquis of Xinting, and later transferred him to Nan Commandery. During Liu Bei's entry into Yi Province to attack Liu Zhang, Zhang Fei and others such as Zhuge Liang advanced up the river, dividing and pacifying commanderies and counties. At Jiangzhou he defeated and captured alive Yan Yan, Grand Administrator of Ba Commandery and a general under Liu Zhang. Zhang Fei at first angrily rebuked Yan Yan for refusing to surrender, but Yan Yan replied with stirring words: "This province has only beheaded generals; it has no surrendered generals." Moved by Yan Yan's heroism, Zhang Fei released him and made him an honored guest^[1]. After Yi Province was pacified, Zhang Fei was rewarded for his merit with five hundred catties of gold, a thousand catties of silver, fifty million cash, and a thousand bolts of brocade, and was made Grand Administrator of Baxi.

After Cao Cao defeated Zhang Lu, he left Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He to garrison Hanchuan. Zhang He led his army south into Baxi, intending to relocate the local populace to Hanzhong, and faced off against Zhang Fei in the area of Dangqu, Mengtou, and Dangshi for more than fifty days. Zhang Fei led over ten thousand elite troops by another route and engaged Zhang He in a narrow mountain path, ultimately routing Zhang He's army. Zhang He abandoned his horse and climbed the mountain, escaping back to Nanzheng by a small path with only some ten followers, and the Baxi region was thereby pacified^[2]. After Liu Bei proclaimed himself King of Hanzhong, he appointed Zhang Fei General of the Right with authority of the tally. In the first year of Zhangwu (221 CE), Zhang Fei was transferred to General of Chariots and Cavalry, concurrently Colonel-Director of Retainers (Sili), and his fief was raised to Marquis of Xixiang. The histories record that Zhang Fei was mighty and fierce, second only to Guan Yu; Cao Wei advisers such as Cheng Yu all called Guan Yu and Zhang Fei "matches for ten thousand men"^[3]. However, Zhang Fei "loved and respected gentlemen but had no compassion for common soldiers," and Liu Bei once warned him: "Your punishments and executions are already excessive, and you daily flog stout soldiers yet keep them at your side—this is the way to bring disaster upon yourself." But Zhang Fei did not reform^[3]. In the fourth month of summer in the first year of Zhangwu (221 CE), Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor. In the sixth month of that same year, Zhang Fei was murdered by his subordinate generals Zhang Da and Fan Qiang, who took his head and fled to Sun Quan. When Liu Bei heard the news, he sighed, "Alas! Fei is dead." He posthumously honored Zhang Fei with the title Marquis Huan. His eldest son Zhang Bao died young; his second son Zhang Shao inherited the title and rose to Palace Attendant and Vice Director of the Masters of Writing. Zhang Bao's son Zhang Zun served as a Master of Writing and died fighting Deng Ai at Mianzhu alongside Zhuge Zhan^[4].

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Fei's image is given even more vivid color and legend. He first appears with the image of "a leopard's head and round eyes, a swallow's jaw and tiger's whiskers, a voice like thunder, and a bearing like a galloping horse," and swears brotherhood with Liu Bei and Guan Yu in the Peach Garden, vowing, "We seek not to be born on the same year, month, and day, but only to die on the same year, month, and day," establishing the deep bond between the three^[5]. The weapon he wields is the eighteen-foot serpent-spear of tempered steel (novel only; no clear record in the histories).

In the novel, Zhang Fei's temperament is more hot and impulsive, yet this also makes his loyalty and valor more apparent. For example, after the Yellow Turban turmoil was pacified, when Dong Zhuo treated Liu Bei with disdain and rudeness, Zhang Fei "flew into a rage and said: 'We risked our lives in bloody battle and saved this fellow, yet he treats us so rudely! If I do not kill him, my anger cannot be quelled!'" and tried to draw his blade to kill Dong Zhuo, but was stopped by Liu Bei and Guan Yu^[6]. When Liu Bei was serving as constable of Anxi County and the inspector (duyou) came to extort, Zhang Fei, ignoring Liu Bei's dissuasion, tied the inspector to the hitching post and flogged him with willow switches, ultimately causing Liu Bei to abandon his office^[7]. This differs from the histories, in which Liu Bei resigned the office of his own accord; through Zhang Fei's violent action the novel highlights both Liu Bei's benevolence and Zhang Fei's straightforwardness.

Before Hulao Gate, the "Three Heroes Fight Lü Bu" featuring Zhang Fei is a classic scene of the novel. He was the first to go out and battle Lü Bu, loudly cursing him as a "slave of three surnames," displaying his fearless fighting spirit^[8]. At Xu Province, Liu Bei entrusted the city to Zhang Fei and warned him about being "harsh and unyielding after drink, flogging his soldiers; and second, acting rashly and not heeding others' counsel," and Zhang Fei solemnly vowed to reform. Yet he got drunk and flogged Cao Bao, causing Cao Bao to bring Lü Bu to raid Xu Province by surprise, plunging Liu Bei into difficulty^[9]. Although this episode highlights Zhang Fei's flaws, it also lays the groundwork for Liu Bei's later benevolence and Zhang Fei's remorse. When Xu Province fell and his sisters-in-law were trapped, Zhang Fei felt deep guilt and even drew his sword to kill himself, but was stopped by Liu Bei's words: "Brothers are like hands and feet; wives and children are like clothing"^[10].

In the novel, Zhang Fei's cause of death is consistent with the histories—he was murdered by his subordinate generals Zhang Da and Fan Qiang. But the novel further emphasizes that before his death he was grief-stricken and indignant over Guan Yu's death, flogging his soldiers, which ultimately led his subordinates to rebel, deepening the tragedy of his "violent and merciless" character^[3].

Key Relationships

* Liu Bei's faction (serves): Zhang Fei was one of the core members of Liu Bei's faction, loyally following Liu Bei from the Oath of the Peach Garden onward and rendering illustrious service in the founding of Shu Han^[5].
* Liu Bei (fights_in): Zhang Fei and Liu Bei were as close as brothers, sharing the same bed and bound by brotherly affection^[11]. He repeatedly charged into battle for Liu Bei, such as covering the retreat at Changban, sharing countless hardships with Liu Bei^[12].
* Guan Yu (brother): Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were sworn brothers with deep affection. Although they sometimes quarreled (novel only), they always supported each other and worked together for Liu Bei^[5].
* Zhang He (fights_in): Zhang Fei once fought the renowned Cao Wei general Zhang He in the Dangqu area and ultimately routed Zhang He's army, forcing him to abandon his horse and flee, displaying his outstanding military talent^[13].
* Shu Han (serves): Zhang Fei was an important general of Shu Han, rising to General of Chariots and Cavalry, concurrently Colonel-Director of Retainers, and enfeoffed as Marquis of Xixiang, making great contributions to the founding and consolidation of Shu Han^[2].
* Yan Yan (captures_and_releases): Zhang Fei captured Yan Yan alive during his entry into Shu and, moved by his loyalty and righteousness, ultimately released him and made him an honored guest, showing the careful side beneath Zhang Fei's roughness^[1].
* Lü Bu (rival): In the novel, Zhang Fei clashed with Lü Bu several times, especially at Hulao Gate and Xu Province, and the conflict between the two is an important plot thread^[8].
* Zhang Da and Fan Qiang (murderers): Zhang Fei was ultimately murdered by his subordinate generals Zhang Da and Fan Qiang, who took his head and fled to Sun Quan, the direct cause of Zhang Fei's tragic end^[4].

Iconic Scenes

* Oath of the Peach Garden: Zhang Fei, Liu Bei, and Guan Yu burned incense and swore brotherhood in the Peach Garden, vowing to share life and death—one of the most classic opening scenes in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, establishing the deep bond among the three^[14] (novel only).
* Flogging the Inspector: Discontented with the inspector's oppression of the people and of Liu Bei, Zhang Fei tied him to the hitching post and flogged him, displaying his hatred of evil and his violent, impulsive nature^[7] (novel episode; no clear record in the histories).
* Covering the Retreat at Changban: When Cao Cao's great army pursued Liu Bei, Zhang Fei led twenty horsemen to hold the riverbank and cut the bridge, leveling his spear and roaring to frighten off Cao Cao's troops and allow Liu Bei to escape, fully showing his valor as a match for ten thousand men^[1].
* Righteously Releasing Yan Yan: When attacking Yi Province, Zhang Fei captured Yan Yan alive and, moved by his unyielding loyalty, ultimately released him and made him an honored guest, displaying Zhang Fei's heroic and magnanimous side^[1].
* Routing Zhang He: Zhang Fei faced off against Zhang He at Baxi and ultimately, using surprise tactics, routed Zhang He's army and sent it fleeing in disorder, consolidating Liu Bei's position in Hanzhong^[13].
* Losing Xu Province While Drunk: Zhang Fei, drunk, flogged Cao Bao, causing Cao Bao to bring Lü Bu to raid Xu Province by surprise and Liu Bei to lose his base. This incident profoundly reveals the flaw in Zhang Fei's "violent and merciless" character^[15] (novel only).
* Murdered by His Subordinate Generals: Zhang Fei was ultimately killed by his subordinate generals Zhang Da and Fan Qiang; this ending is both an embodiment of his character tragedy and a foreshadowing of Liu Bei's campaign against Wu^[4].