Zhu Guang

Historical Record

There is no clear record of Zhu Guang in the official histories. In the Records of the Three Kingdoms and other historical biographical material, no deeds related to Zhu Guang can be found; his life, native place, offices, and the role he played in the Cao Wei camp are all impossible to verify. Therefore, from the standpoint of the historical record, Zhu Guang was not a truly existing historical figure — or at least, in the surviving sources, he has left behind no written trace. This indicates that Zhu Guang is very likely a purely fictional literary figure, whose image and story were entirely shaped by later literary works rather than based on historical fact.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhu Guang, as a member of the Cao Wei camp, is given a concrete depiction of his image and deeds. He appears mainly in chapters 61 and 67 of the novel. According to the Romance, Zhu Guang once served as Grand Administrator of Lujiang and was appointed by Cao Cao to garrison Wan^[1]. This appointment took place after Cao Cao and Sun Quan confronted each other at Ruxukou. At that time, after receiving Sun Quan's letter — "So long as you do not die, I shall have no peace" — Cao Cao laughed heartily and richly rewarded the envoy, then issued orders to withdraw his army back to Xuchang, entrusting the heavy responsibility of garrisoning Wan to Zhu Guang^[1].

Zhu Guang's appearance in the novel mainly serves to bring out the subsequent episode of Sun Quan attacking Wan, thereby advancing the conflict between the Wu-Shu alliance over the issue of Jing Province. His role is set up so that Sun Quan can find a pretext to attack Cao Wei, and to lay the groundwork for the later meeting between Lu Su and Guan Yu, and for Zhou Yu's strategies. In the historical material, however, there is no record of Zhu Guang garrisoning Wan, indicating that these experiences of his in the novel all belong to literary creation rather than historical fact. Through the figure of Zhu Guang, the Romance deftly connects the complex relationships among the three powers of Cao Wei, Eastern Wu, and Liu Bei, especially the entanglement over the ownership of Jing Province.

Key Relationships

* Cao Wei (serves): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhu Guang clearly served Cao Cao, was appointed Grand Administrator of Lujiang, and was ordered to garrison Wan^[1]. As a local official of Cao Wei, he was the defending general of an important stronghold of Cao Cao's power in the Jiangdong region (unique to the novel).
* Sun Quan: Between Zhu Guang and Sun Quan there was a relationship of military opposition. After Cao Cao withdrew his army, Sun Quan intended to attack Wan, and Zhu Guang, being the defender of Wan, thus became the target of Sun Quan's military operation (unique to the novel).

Iconic Scenes

* Garrisoning Wan: Zhu Guang's most iconic scene is his appointment by Cao Cao as Grand Administrator of Lujiang and his order to garrison Wan^[1]. This appointment directly brought out the episode of Sun Quan attacking Wan, becoming an important military event in Romance of the Three Kingdoms. After confronting Sun Quan, Cao Cao withdrew his army back to Xuchang and entrusted the strategic point of Wan to Zhu Guang's garrison, showing Cao Cao's trust in Zhu Guang and also providing a target for Sun Quan's subsequent military action (unique to the novel).
* Sparking the Jing Province dispute: Zhu Guang's garrisoning of Wan indirectly brought about Sun Quan's attack on Wan and further sparked the Sun Quan faction's covetous designs on Jing Province. After Cao Cao went north, Sun Quan deliberated with his generals and held that Liu Bei was still at Jiameng Pass and had not returned, so that this was an opportune time to lead troops to seize Jing Province. Zhang Zhao offered a scheme, holding that "we should not yet move troops. I have a plan that will keep Liu Bei from ever returning to Jing Province"^[1]. The existence of Zhu Guang and the Wan he garrisoned became an important trigger in Sun Quan's strategic consideration of seizing Jing Province, advancing the complication of the Wu-Shu alliance (unique to the novel).