Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang was a prominent military strategist and politician during the late Han Dynasty in China, known for his intelligence and insight into the turbulent political landscape of his time. Orphaned during the Yellow Turban rebellion, he was raised by his uncle and later became a recognized scholar-farmer. In 206 CE, he joined Liu Bei's staff, proposing a strategic plan to unify China by forming alliances and capturing key geographic locations. After Liu Bei’s death in 223 CE, Zhuge Liang served as the prime minister of the Shu state, advising Liu Bei's son and continuing military campaigns aimed at the north. Despite his efforts, these campaigns did not yield significant results, and he ultimately died in the Wei River valley. Over time, Zhuge Liang has been celebrated in Chinese folklore as a loyal yet tragic figure, symbolizing the complexities of strategy and loyalty in the face of adversity. His legacy continues to influence perceptions of leadership and strategy in Chinese culture.
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Subject Terms
Zhuge Liang
Related civilizations: Eastern Han Dynasty, Three Kingdoms, China
Major role/position: Political and military leader
Life
Born into a scholar-official family, Zhuge Liang (JEW-geh-LEE-AHNG) was orphaned during the Yellow Turban rebellion and raised by his uncle. He accompanied his uncle to the middle Yangtze region. As a precocious farmer-scholar, he became well known for his scholarship and insight into contemporary politics of the late Han Dynasty. In 206 c.e., he joined the staff of Liu Bei (r. 221-223 c.e.) and outlined for him a strategy for unifying China, ousting Cao Cao, and reviving the Han Dynasty. His plan called for an alliance with Sun Quan and the seizure of important geographic points to serve as a base for a two-pronged offensive to seize the north China plain and unify China. After 219 c.e., the political situation had changed and Zhuge Liang’s plan was no longer viable.
After the death of Liu Bei in 223 c.e., Zhuge Liang served as prime minister of the Shu state (present-day Sichuan Province) and adviser to his son, who inherited the imperial title. Beginning in 228 c.e., he launched a series of campaigns north through the Qinling mountains. Failing to achieve any dramatic results, he died while campaigning in the Wei River valley. Over the centuries, controversy has arisen over whether these offensives were a variant of his earlier plan or a limited offensive to improve the strategic defensive position of Shu.
Influence
Zhuge Liang has been venerated in Chinese folklore as the epitome of the loyal but unsuccessful hero and acclaimed for his strategic acumen.
Bibliography
Huang, Ray. China: A Macro History. Armonk, N.Y.: M. E. Sharpe, 1997.
Hucker, Charles O. China’s Imperial Past. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1975.
Killigrew, John W. “Zhuge Liang and the Northern Campaign of 228-234.” Early Medieval China 5 (1999): 55-91.
Twitchett, Denis, and Michael Loewe, eds. The Ch’in and Han Empires. Vol.1 in The Cambridge History of China. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1986.