Bi Gui

Historical Record

Bi Gui served during the Cao Wei period as Inspector of Bing Province. During his tenure, facing the problem of the Xianbei tribes on the northern frontier, he once undertook an important military action and decision. At the time, the frontier-guarding Xianbei chieftain Bu Dugen was secretly colluding with the rebel Xianbei chieftain Kebineng. Bi Gui therefore memorialized the court, proposing to send troops to overawe Kebineng and to pacify Bu Dugen. However, Emperor Ming of Wei, Cao Rui, after reviewing Bi Gui's memorial, raised doubts about his strategy. Emperor Ming held that the reason Bu Dugen was secretly communicating with Kebineng was that he had been enticed by Kebineng and harbored inner misgivings. If Bi Gui were to send troops at this point, it might instead drive the two tribes, in their fright, to merge into one; how then could the intended effect of overawing and pacifying be achieved? ^c:2610 Emperor Ming therefore at once issued an edict warning Bi Gui to be cautious when sending troops, not to cross the frontier passes, and still less to cross Mount Gouzhu.

However, before the edict arrived, Bi Gui had already led his army to garrison at Yinguan and dispatched the generals Su Shang and Dong Bi to pursue the Xianbei. Kebineng then sent out his son leading more than a thousand cavalry to come and receive Bu Dugen's tribe. The two armies met at Loufan, and the forces of Su Shang and Dong Bi were defeated in this battle, the two generals falling in action. Bu Dugen's tribe then all defected beyond the frontier, joined forces with Kebineng, and together raided the borders. On hearing the news, the court dispatched the General of Resolute Cavalry, Qin Lang, to lead the central army on the campaign, finally forcing the Xianbei tribes to retreat to the northern desert ^c:2610.

In addition, Bi Gui once spoke up at court on behalf of Xin Pi. After Emperor Ming of Wei ascended the throne, Xin Pi was advanced to Marquis of Yingxiang with a fief of three hundred households. At the time, the Director of the Palace Secretariat, Liu Fang, and the Prefect of the Palace Secretariat, Sun Zi, were deeply trusted by the emperor and held the power of decision over court affairs; the great ministers all curried favor with them, only Xin Pi having no dealings with them. Xin Pi's son Xin Chang once admonished his father, holding that Liu and Sun were of overweening power and that all relied on them, and that his father ought to yield a little and blend in with them, lest he invite criticism. However, Xin Pi replied sternly that even if the emperor were not especially brilliant, he was by no means a fatuous ruler. He had his own principles in conducting himself, and even if he were on bad terms with Liu and Sun, at most it would mean only that he could not be ranked among the Three Excellencies, and no other harm. He countered to Xin Chang: how could a true man ruin his lofty integrity for the sake of seeking the rank of the high ministers? ^c:2611 Against this background, the Supernumerary Cavalier-in-Attendance Bi Gui memorialized praising the Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat, Wang Si, as a diligent veteran official, but said that his loyalty and strategy were inferior to Xin Pi's, proposing that Xin Pi replace Wang Si. Emperor Ming of Wei consulted Liu Fang and Sun Zi on the matter, and the two replied: "Your Majesty employs Wang Si in the hope that he can produce real results, not for the sake of empty reputation. Xin Pi is indeed loyal and upright, but his temperament is harsh and self-willed; this is what Your Majesty must carefully consider." In the end, Emperor Ming of Wei did not adopt Bi Gui's proposal, and Xin Pi was instead transferred to be Commandant of the Guards ^c:2611.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Bi Gui's image appears mainly during the period of Cao Shuang's monopoly of power, his role being positioned as an important member of the Cao Shuang clique. The novel depicts how Cao Shuang, after seizing great power, appointed his younger brother Cao Xi as Commandant of the Central Army, Cao Xun as General of Martial Guard, and Cao Yan as Cavalier-in-Attendance, allowing each of them to lead three thousand imperial guards in and out of the forbidden palace freely. At the same time, Cao Shuang gave important posts to He Yan, Deng Yang, and Ding Mi as Imperial Secretaries, while Bi Gui was appointed Colonel-Director of Retainers, and Li Sheng as Intendant of Henan ^c:2612. These five men conferred with Cao Shuang day and night, together forming the core of the Cao Shuang clique.

In the novel, Bi Gui, as Colonel-Director of Retainers, together with He Yan and the others, witnessed and took part in Cao Shuang's extravagance and tyranny. During Cao Shuang's monopoly of power, Sima Yi feigned illness and stayed away, and his two sons also withdrew from office to live in idleness, as a show of deference. Cao Shuang, meanwhile, daily caroused with He Yan and the others, his manner of life no different from the court's; he even took the choicest of the rare curios presented as tribute from all quarters for his own enjoyment before presenting them to the palace. His mansion was filled with beauties, and the eunuch Zhang Dang even privately selected seven or eight of the late emperor's concubines to send into Cao Shuang's mansion. Cao Shuang also chose thirty or forty singing and dancing women of good family as his household troupe, and embarked on great construction, raising layered towers and painted pavilions, using vessels of gold and silver, and putting hundreds of skilled artisans to work day and night without rest ^c:2612. Against this background, Bi Gui, as a backbone member of the Cao Shuang clique, was undoubtedly a participant in and upholder of this corruption. Compared with the historical image of Bi Gui as a military decision-maker serving as Inspector of Bing Province and an official who spoke up at court, the Bi Gui of the novel emphasizes more his role as a political dependent and confidant of Cao Shuang; his personal ability and independent judgment are not fully displayed in the novel but are absorbed into the overall image of the Cao Shuang clique. The novel does not describe Bi Gui's personal deeds in detail, but treats him as an emblematic figure of the period of Cao Shuang's monopoly of power, setting off, together with the other confidants, Cao Shuang's arrogance and ultimate downfall.

Key Relationships

* Kebineng (rival_of): In historical fact, Bi Gui, as Inspector of Bing Province, attempted to overawe Kebineng by sending troops, but ultimately, through misjudgment, brought about the failure of the military action, indirectly causing Kebineng and Bu Dugen to join forces and making Kebineng his military adversary ^c:2610.
* Bu Dugen (rival_of): One of the original aims of Bi Gui's sending troops was to pacify Bu Dugen, but his military action instead drove Bu Dugen's tribe to defect and join forces with Kebineng, making him a hostile force to Bi Gui on the frontier question ^c:2610.
* Cao Shuang Clique (member_of): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Bi Gui is one of the core members of the Cao Shuang clique, appointed Colonel-Director of Retainers, and together with He Yan, Deng Yang, Ding Mi, Li Sheng, and others assisting Cao Shuang and taking part in his monopoly of power and extravagant life ^c:2612 (Novel only).
* Xin Pi (advises_in): In historical fact, Bi Gui once memorialized Emperor Ming of Wei proposing that Xin Pi replace Wang Si as Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat, showing Bi Gui's recognition of Xin Pi's ability and character and his attempt to secure a higher post for him ^c:2611.
* Cao Shuang (advises_in): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Bi Gui, as Colonel-Director of Retainers, was one of Cao Shuang's important advisers, conferring with Cao Shuang day and night and taking part in his political decisions ^c:2612 (Novel only).

Signature Scenes

* Sending Troops to Loufan, Defeated by the Xianbei: Bi Gui, as Inspector of Bing Province, without fully grasping Emperor Ming of Wei's intent, rashly sent troops to pursue the Xianbei, ultimately bringing about the deaths in battle of the generals Su Shang and Dong Bi, and the defection of Bu Dugen's tribe to join forces with Kebineng, aggravating the frontier crisis. This event not only reflects Bi Gui's misjudgment in military matters but also displays Emperor Ming of Wei's deep insight into the frontier situation ^c:2610.
* Memorializing to Recommend Xin Pi: Bi Gui once memorialized Emperor Ming of Wei, strongly recommending that Xin Pi replace Wang Si as Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat, holding that Xin Pi was superior in loyalty and strategy. Though it was ultimately not adopted, this act reflects Bi Gui's discernment and recommendation of talent, and one side of his participation in the political workings of the court ^c:2611.
* Ranked Among Cao Shuang's Confidants, Colonel-Director of Retainers: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Bi Gui was appointed by Cao Shuang as Colonel-Director of Retainers, and together with He Yan, Deng Yang, Ding Mi, and others became one of Cao Shuang's core advisers, jointly taking part in his monopoly of power and indulgence. This scene marks Bi Gui's identity in the novel as a member of the Cao Shuang clique, setting off Cao Shuang's overweening power and ultimate decline ^c:2612 (Novel only).