Jiao Chu

Historical Record

Jiao Chu, a former general of Yuan Shao, is known chiefly from records after Cao Cao pacified Hebei. In the first month of the tenth year of Jian'an (205 CE), Cao Cao broke Nanpi and beheaded Yuan Tan. At this time the brothers Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang fled to Gu'an. Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan (the histories call them "Tu and others") had originally been generals of Yuan Xi, yet at this critical moment they betrayed the Yuan clan. They led their men to attack Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang, forcing the two to flee to the Wuhuan of Liaoxi. Jiao Chu styled himself Governor of You Province and summoned the various commandery administrators and county magistrates, openly abandoning the Yuan clan and turning to go over to Cao Cao. He assembled a force of tens of thousands, held a covenant of slaughtering a white horse, and decreed: "Whoever disobeys the order shall be beheaded!" Cowed by his might, all smeared their lips with blood in covenant. Only the Aide Han Hang, grateful for the deep favor of the Yuan father and sons, was unwilling to face north and serve Cao; Jiao Chu, far from forcing him, praised his loyalty and righteousness and let him fulfill his wish. This act displayed Jiao Chu's decisive opportunism in a chaotic age and a certain military strength ^c:5864.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Jiao Chu's image is given more dramatic color and plot-driving function. He first appears in Chapter 33: after Cao Cao broke Nanpi, Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan, as generals of Yuan Xi, took the initiative to defect and surrender to Cao Cao, and were enfeoffed as full marquises by Cao Cao ^c:5865. This differs from the historical account in which Jiao Chu first attacked Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang, forcing them to flee, and only then went over to Cao Cao; the Romance portrays it as a more direct act of surrender. Subsequently, after Cao Cao adopted Guo Jia's stratagem, Jiao Chu, together with Zhang Nan, Lü Kuang, Lü Xiang, Ma Yan, Zhang Yi, and other surrendered generals of Yuan Shao, was sent to You Province to attack Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang ^c:2689.

Jiao Chu also takes part in the Battle of Changban in the Romance. In Chapter 41, he, together with Zhang Nan, Ma Yan, and Zhang Yi, pursued Zhao Yun, trying to block Zhao Yun from rescuing his lord. However, Zhao Yun was peerless in valor, fought off the four generals, and finally beat back the Cao army and broke out of the encirclement ^c:5866. This episode is not recorded in the histories and is an artistic creation of the Romance to highlight Zhao Yun's martial prowess. Jiao Chu's last appearance is on the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs in Chapter 48. He and Zhang Nan volunteered, asking to lead the northern naval forces into battle against Zhou Yu's army from south of the river, to prove that the northern soldiers too could fight aboard ships ^c:5867. Although Cao Cao had misgivings, he finally agreed and gave them twenty small boats and five hundred elite soldiers. Jiao Chu clashed with Han Dang on the river and was finally stabbed to death by Han Dang with one spear ^c:12584. Zhang Nan was then also beheaded by Zhou Tai ^c:2690. In the Romance, Jiao Chu's end is the sacrifice of a general under Cao Cao, further intensifying the carnage of the Battle of Red Cliffs.

Key Relationships

* Yuan Xi (betrayed_by): Jiao Chu had originally been a general of Yuan Xi, but when the Yuan clan declined, he and Zhang Nan betrayed Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang, directly causing the further collapse of the Yuan brothers and forcing them to flee to the Wuhuan ^c:5864.
* Cao Wei (defected_to): After betraying the Yuan clan, Jiao Chu turned to go over to Cao Cao, styling himself Governor of You Province and assembling forces, becoming an important aid to Cao Cao in pacifying Hebei ^c:5864. In the Romance, he directly surrendered to Cao Cao and was enfeoffed as a full marquis ^c:5865.
* Yuan Shao's Faction (defected_from): Jiao Chu had been a member of Yuan Shao's faction, but ultimately chose to break away, a microcosm of the disintegration of Yuan Shao's faction.
* Han Dang (dies_in): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Jiao Chu finally clashed with Han Dang at the Battle of Red Cliffs and was stabbed to death by Han Dang with one spear ^c:2690 (unique to the Romance).

Signature Scenes

* Betraying the Yuan clan and styling himself Governor of You Province: After Cao Cao broke Nanpi, Jiao Chu took the initiative to attack Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang, forcing them to flee, and styled himself Governor of You Province, assembling a force of tens of thousands to go over to Cao Cao and holding the white-horse covenant, displaying his decisive political choice and military ability in a chaotic age ^c:5864.
* Pursuing Zhao Yun at Changban: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Jiao Chu, together with Zhang Nan, Ma Yan, Zhang Yi, and other generals, pursued Zhao Yun, trying to block him from rescuing his lord, but was finally beaten back by Zhao Yun ^c:5866 (unique to the Romance).
* Volunteering for the naval battle at Red Cliffs and dying in action: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan, on the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, volunteered to lead the northern naval forces against Eastern Wu, and was finally stabbed to death by Han Dang on the river ^c:12584, ^c:2690 (unique to the Romance).