Xu Shu

Historical Record

Xu Shu, styled Yuanzhi, originally named Fu, was a man of Yingchuan. In his youth he loved the chivalrous life and swordsmanship, and once avenged another man. At the end of the Zhongping era, he was seized by officials for his deeds of chivalry, but he kept his mouth shut and would not give his name, and his associates contrived to rescue him. After this, Xu Shu repented and turned over a new leaf; he abandoned the martial way for letters, bowing his head to study, and with a humble and diligent attitude pursued learning, mastering its essence. He was on good terms with Shi Tao of his own commandery, and during the Chuping era, on account of the wars in the Central Plains, the two went south together to Jing Province, where he also formed a deep friendship with Zhuge Liang^[1].

When Liu Bei was garrisoning Xinye, Xu Shu went to call on him, and Liu Bei greatly esteemed his talent. Xu Shu recommended Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei, calling him the "Crouching Dragon," and noted that Zhuge Liang "is a man one may go to see, but cannot summon by bending him," advising Liu Bei to go in person to visit him. Through Xu Shu's recommendation, Liu Bei made the Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage and finally obtained an audience with Zhuge Liang^[2].

In the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208), Cao Cao campaigned south against Jing Province. After Liu Biao died, his son Liu Cong surrendered to Cao Cao. On hearing the news, Liu Bei led his followers in retreat to the south, and Xu Shu and Zhuge Liang accompanied him together. However, in the course of the retreat, Liu Bei's column was overtaken and routed by Cao Cao's troops, and Xu Shu's mother was captured by the Cao army in this chaos. Xu Shu therefore took his leave of Liu Bei, saying: "I had wished to plan with you, General, for the work of a king and hegemon, relying on this square inch of heart. Now that I have lost my old mother, my square inch is in disorder, and I would be of no use to your cause. I beg to part from you here." He then went over to Cao Cao^[1].

After joining Cao Cao, Xu Shu rose to be General of the Household of the Right and Imperial Counsellor-in-Chief. According to the Weilüe, when Zhuge Liang was on his northern campaign in Longyou, he heard that Xu Shu and Shi Tao held only low office in Wei, and lamented: "Does Wei truly have so many men of talent! Why are those two men not employed?" Xu Shu finally died of illness in Wei, and his tombstone still stands today at Pengcheng^[1].

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Xu Shu's image is invested with more legendary color and drama. At his first appearance he uses the alias "Shan Fu," and as a wandering knight sings in the marketplace to draw Liu Bei's attention^[3]. Master Shuijing, Sima Hui, had once mentioned to Liu Bei the saying of "the Crouching Dragon and the Young Phoenix," and Xu Shu was precisely the man of whom Master Shuijing spoke as a "hero and worthy, right before your eyes"^[4].

After joining Liu Bei, Xu Shu displayed outstanding military talent. He saw through the "Eight-Gate Golden-Lock Formation" laid out by Cao Ren, and directed Zhao Yun in breaking it, so that Liu Bei's army won a great victory^[5]. He also anticipated Cao Ren's raid on the camp, set an ambush, and again defeated the Cao army, causing Cao Ren to lose troops and officers^[6]. These military victories made Liu Bei firmly believe in Xu Shu's talent, and he appointed him as his military adviser^[7].

The episode of Xu Shu leaving Liu Bei is greatly heightened in the novel. On Cheng Yu's advice, Cao Cao schemed to lure Xu Shu's mother to Xuchang and forge a letter from her summoning Xu Shu to Cao Cao. Learning that his mother was imprisoned, Xu Shu was frantic with anxiety and took his leave of Liu Bei. Liu Bei deeply grieved at Xu Shu's departure, even seeing him off stage after stage^[8]. At the moment of parting, Xu Shu recommended Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei, calling his talent far superior to his own, "a talent able to weave heaven and earth, the one man under heaven," and brought about the famous tale of the Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage^[9].

In the novel, after Xu Shu joined Cao Cao, his mother took her own life out of fury at his "abandoning the light to turn to the dark," which led Xu Shu to vow, "Though my body is there, I swear to devise not a single scheme for them"^[10]. On the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, when Pang Tong presented the chained-ships stratagem, Xu Shu saw through it, but Pang Tong threatened him with the lives of "the people of the eighty-one prefectures of Jiangnan" and the "eight hundred and thirty thousand troops," and in the end Xu Shu chose silence. Pang Tong also devised a plan of escape for Xu Shu, having him take charge of Sanguan Pass as a pretext to stay far from the Red Cliffs battlefield, avoiding death in the fire attack^[11]. None of these episodes are recorded in the histories; they are artistic embellishments the novel makes to shape the figure's image of loyalty and righteousness and to advance the plot.

Key Relationships

* Liu Bei's faction (serves): In both history and the novel, Xu Shu served Liu Bei. In history, he recommended Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei and was an important early strategist of Liu Bei's faction^[2]. In the novel, he is even more so Liu Bei's early military adviser, planning strategies for Liu Bei and repeatedly achieving remarkable feats.
* Liu Bei (advises_in): Xu Shu's counsel to Liu Bei is shown chiefly in his recommendation of Zhuge Liang. He not only introduced Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei but also stressed Zhuge Liang's quality of not being summoned by force, prompting Liu Bei to go in person to seek the worthy^[2]. In the novel, his counsel to Liu Bei covers military strategy and the recommendation of talent.
* Cao Wei (defected_to): Xu Shu went over to Cao Cao because his mother was captured; this is an episode common to both history and the novel^[1]. However, the novel's depiction of Xu Shu's vow to "never devise a single scheme for him for the rest of his life" embodies his loyalty to Liu Bei and his resistance to Cao Cao (novel-only).
* Sima Hui (friend_of): In the novel, Sima Hui is Xu Shu's friend and guide; he mentioned Xu Shu's talent to Liu Bei and brought about Xu Shu's acquaintance with Liu Bei^[4]. In history, Sima Hui also recommended Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong to Liu Bei, but his direct relationship with Xu Shu is not clearly mentioned.
* Zhuge Liang (friend_of): The histories record that Xu Shu was "especially on good terms" with Zhuge Liang^[1]. In the novel, Xu Shu is even more so Zhuge Liang's bosom friend; he strongly recommended Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei and brought about the famous tale of the "Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage." At the Battle of Red Cliffs, Pang Tong also used the friendship between Xu Shu and Zhuge Liang to persuade Xu Shu to keep the secret (novel-only)^[11].

Signature Scenes

* Riding off to recommend Zhuge Liang: This is Xu Shu's most representative scene; both history and the novel record Xu Shu recommending Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei. In the novel, as he takes his leave of Liu Bei, Xu Shu spurs his horse back to strongly recommend Zhuge Liang, calling his talent far superior to his own, a "talent able to weave heaven and earth," and bringing about the famous tale of Liu Bei's Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage^[9].
* Seeing through the Eight-Gate Golden-Lock Formation: In the novel, no sooner had Xu Shu joined Liu Bei than he displayed extraordinary military talent; he saw through the "Eight-Gate Golden-Lock Formation" laid out by Cao Ren and directed Zhao Yun in breaking it, so that Liu Bei's army won a great victory. This was his first appearance as military adviser and an embodiment of his stratagem (novel-only)^[5].
* Xu Shu's mother berates Xu Shu: In the novel, after Xu Shu joined Cao Cao, his mother bitterly rebuked him for "abandoning the light to turn to the dark" and finally took her own life. This scene greatly intensifies Xu Shu's dilemma between loyalty and filial piety and his loyalty to Liu Bei, and prompts Xu Shu's vow to "never devise a single scheme for the rest of his life," becoming the cornerstone of his later conduct (novel-only)^[10].
* Escaping the Battle of Red Cliffs: In the novel, on the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, Xu Shu saw through Pang Tong's chained-ships stratagem, but Pang Tong urged him to keep the secret for the sake of the larger situation. Pang Tong also devised for Xu Shu a plan to stay far from the battlefield under the pretext of guarding Sanguan Pass, sparing Xu Shu from disaster in the fire attack; this episode displays Xu Shu's wisdom and Pang Tong's friendship (novel-only)^[11].
* Taking leave of Liu Bei: Xu Shu had to leave Liu Bei because his mother was captured; this scene is recorded in both history and the novel. Xu Shu expressed to Liu Bei the helplessness of "my square inch is in disorder, I would be of no use," embodying his character of valuing filial piety^[1]. In the novel, Liu Bei and Xu Shu parted with reluctant affection, rendering this scene all the more moving^[8].