Nie You

Historical Record

Nie You, courtesy name Wenti, was a native of Yuzhang Commandery. In his early years he served as a county clerk, and his outstanding eloquence and discernment won the esteem of Yu Fan. When Yu Fan was exiled to Jiaozhou, the county magistrate sent Nie You to see him off; after conversing with Nie You, Yu Fan marveled at his ability and wrote especially to Xie Fei, Grand Administrator of Yuzhang, recommending Nie You for the post of Officer of Merit. At the time the commandery already had an Officer of Merit, and when Xie Fei asked others their view of Nie You, some held that he was no more than a petty county clerk fit only for the post of assistant clerk. But Xie Fei adopted Yu Fan's recommendation and let Nie You take the post of Officer of Merit^[1].

While serving as Officer of Merit, Nie You gradually became known for his ability. He was on very good terms with Zhuge Ke, who even once tried to place Nie You among such famous men as Gu Yong and Gu Shao to raise his repute. Later Nie You became a general, once leading troops to subdue Dan'er; on his return he was appointed Grand Administrator of Danyang at the age of only thirty-three^[1].

When Zhuge Ke held power and was preparing to launch a great campaign against Wei, Nie You, as Grand Administrator of Danyang, once wrote to remonstrate with Zhuge Ke. He pointed out that although the late sovereign Sun Quan had had a plan to contain Dongguan, he had not carried it out. Now that Zhuge Ke was assisting in the great enterprise, he should give weight to fulfilling the late sovereign's wishes. He held that the Wei troops had come from afar, and that the officers and men, relying on Zhuge Ke's authority and virtue, ought to fight bravely, so that once an extraordinary feat of arms was achieved it would be a blessing to the ancestral temple and the altars of state. Nevertheless, Nie You advised that Zhuge Ke should for the time being hold his troops still, nurture his strength, and watch for the right moment before acting. He held that to press the advantage and again send out a great army at this time was not permitted by the times, and that if he willfully persisted, it might arouse unrest^[2].

Zhuge Ke, however, took no notice of Nie You's remonstrance; he annotated the back of Nie You's letter and replied that, though Nie You had reason, he failed to see the larger picture, and urged him to study his arguments carefully so as to attain understanding. In the end Zhuge Ke, disregarding the opposition of many, launched a great campaign, conscripting two hundred thousand troops from the provinces and commanderies, which caused the people to be in turmoil and lost the support of the people's hearts^[2].

After Zhuge Ke was defeated against Wei and led his troops in retreat, Nie You foresaw Zhuge Ke's downfall and death. He wrote to Teng Yin, sighing, "When a man is at his strongest, he can uproot mountains and rivers; once he weakens, human sentiment changes a thousandfold—how lamentable." After Zhuge Ke was killed, Sun Jun harbored misgivings about Nie You and intended to demote him to Grand Administrator of Yulin. Nie You thereupon fell ill from grief and indignation and at last died of illness^[1].

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms does not give the figure of Nie You any literary shaping. Nie You's deeds—including his friendship with Zhuge Ke, his remonstrance against Zhuge Ke's campaign against Wei, and his ultimate fate—are nowhere mentioned in the novel. In the novel, therefore, Nie You is a figure with no clear record. His image and story depend entirely on the records of the historical source material^[2].

Key Relationships

* Zhuge Ke (friend_of): Nie You's relationship with Zhuge Ke was no ordinary one; the two were close friends. Zhuge Ke once tried to promote Nie You so that he would hold a place among the famous men of the day^[1]. However, when Zhuge Ke launched his great campaign against Wei, Nie You wrote to remonstrate, pointing out the risks of his decision. Although Zhuge Ke did not adopt his advice, Nie You, on the eve of Zhuge Ke's downfall and death, still felt deep anxiety for his fate and foresaw his tragic end^[2]. This relationship—at once that of friend and remonstrator—was the most important social tie of Nie You's life.
* Yu Fan (mentor): While on the road to exile, Yu Fan, impressed by Nie You's eloquence and discernment, praised him highly and recommended him to Xie Fei, Grand Administrator of Yuzhang, for the post of Officer of Merit, opening an important step in Nie You's official career^[1].
* Teng Yin (correspondent): After Zhuge Ke's defeat, Nie You wrote to Teng Yin, expressing his anxiety for Zhuge Ke's future and his lament over the fickleness of human sentiment^[1].

Iconic Scenes

* Remonstrating with Zhuge Ke over the Campaign Against Wei: As Grand Administrator of Danyang, when Zhuge Ke insisted on a great campaign against Wei, Nie You remonstrated with him by letter. He rationally analyzed the situation of the time, pointing out that the times were unfavorable and it was unwise to send out troops rashly, and foretold the unrest it might bring^[2]. This scene displays Nie You's far-sighted discernment and his concern for the larger interest of the state, and also highlights his complex relationship with Zhuge Ke—at once friend and one who dared to speak frankly.
* Foreseeing Zhuge Ke's Downfall: When Zhuge Ke was defeated against Wei and his great army retreated, Nie You keenly perceived Zhuge Ke's crisis and wrote to Teng Yin, expressing his foreboding of Zhuge Ke's imminent downfall. With the lament "When a man is at his strongest he can uproot mountains and rivers; once he shrinks and weakens, human sentiment turns a thousand ways," he profoundly laid bare the coldness of the world and the fickleness of human feeling^[1]. This scene reflects not only Nie You's insight into the times but also his compassion for his friend's fate.