Qiao Rui

Historical Record

According to the surviving historical materials, the record of Qiao Rui is a blank. The official histories such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms make no clear mention of Qiao Rui's life and deeds, his offices, or his specific role in historical events. We therefore cannot construct his historical image or assess his true contribution from the sources.

In the Novel

In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Qiao Rui appears as a general under Yuan Shu, portrayed as a military officer taking part in military operations. He first appears after Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor: at that time Yuan Shu usurped the imperial title at Shouchun in Huainan, took the dynastic name "Zhongshi," established court offices, and set up his own empress and crown prince. When Yuan Shu learned that Lü Bu had escorted Han Yin to Cao Cao and had him beheaded, he flew into a rage and resolved to send troops to attack Lü Bu in Xu Province^[1].

In this large-scale military operation, Yuan Shu appointed Zhang Xun as Grand General, commanding an army of more than two hundred thousand, advancing on Xu Province in seven columns. Qiao Rui was appointed Senior General and charged with leading one of these columns, his specific assignment being to "hold the left"^[1]; together with Zhang Xun's central army, Chen Ji's right army, and the other deputy and surrendered generals, he formed part of the vast array of Yuan Shu's campaign against Xu Province. Yuan Shu also appointed Ji Ling as Commissioner of Relief for the seven columns, and personally led an army of thirty thousand as reserve, with Li Feng, Liang Gang, Yue Jiu, and others as expediting commissioners to support the troops of the seven columns. Qiao Rui's appearance in the novel revolves chiefly around this military operation of Yuan Shu's; as one of the important military forces of Yuan Shu's faction, he took part in the campaign against Lü Bu. The novel, however, does not describe Qiao Rui's specific performance or fate in this campaign in detail, and his image exists more as a component of the vast military force of Yuan Shu's faction.

Key Relationships

* Yuan Shu's faction: Qiao Rui is one of the important generals under Yuan Shu, serving the Yuan Shu regime. After Yuan Shu usurped the imperial title, Qiao Rui was appointed Senior General and took part in Yuan Shu's large-scale military operation against Lü Bu in Xu Province^[1]. Together with Zhang Xun, Chen Ji, Lei Bao, Chen Lan, and others, he formed the military backbone of Yuan Shu's faction, jointly constituting the force of Yuan Shu's outward campaigns. This relationship shows that Qiao Rui was a loyal follower and military executor of Yuan Shu, his fate closely bound to the rise and fall of Yuan Shu's faction.

Signature Scene

* Taking part in Yuan Shu's seven-column attack on Xu Province: Qiao Rui's most signature scene is his appointment by Yuan Shu as Senior General, leading one column in the campaign against Xu Province. After Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor, because Lü Bu had beheaded Han Yin, Yuan Shu in his rage mustered an army of more than two hundred thousand and advanced on Xu Province in seven columns. Qiao Rui was among them, appointed Senior General and put in charge of the left column^[1]. This scene not only displays Qiao Rui's identity as a military general of Yuan Shu's faction but also highlights the ambition of Yuan Shu's faction at the time to expand its power and dominate a region. Although the novel does not describe Qiao Rui's specific combat or fate in this campaign in detail, his role as commander of one of the seven columns is already enough to constitute his core image and principal deeds in the novel. (Novel only)