Lü Bu
Encyclopedia
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty
period of Chinese history
. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms
, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General". His image as a handsome and mighty warrior wearing a pheasant-tailed headdress and wielding a ji
known as the "Sky Piercer" on top of his steed Red Hare
was later popularized by Luo Guanzhong
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
. In the story, he is considered the single most powerful warrior in all of China.
Besides being matchless on the battlefield, especially in man-on-man duels, Lü Bu was also notorious for having betrayed and slain two separate lords (who were both his adoptive fathers). He is best known for his amorous relationship with the fictional maiden Diaochan
, which eventually caused him to betray and kill Dong Zhuo
out of jealousy. Throughout Romance of the Three Kingdoms
, Lü Bu has been depicted as a ruthless and impulsive warrior who has no sense of loyalty and sympathy.
Lü Bu was eventually defeated and captured by Cao Cao
at the Battle of Xiapi
. At Liu Bei
's suggestion, Cao Cao had Lü Bu hanged.
, Inner Mongolia
). He started his career as the Chief Secretary under the governor of Bing Province (并州), Ding Yuan
. In 189, Ding Yuan led his troops into the capital city of Luoyang
to assist General-in-Chief He Jin
in eliminating the Ten Attendants
(a group of influential eunuch officials in the imperial court). He Jin was assassinated and Luoyang plunged into chaos when He Jin's supporters and the eunuch faction clashed.
, a warlord from Liang Province who was summoned to Luoyang by He Jin, seized control of the armed forces of Luoyang and rose to power. Lü Bu betrayed and killed Ding Yuan, severed Ding's head and presented it to Dong Zhuo as a gesture of allegiance. Dong Zhuo also acknowledged Lü Bu as his foster son. To consolidate power, Dong Zhuo deposed Emperor Shao
and replaced him with Emperor Xian
, who was actually a puppet ruler under his control, and moved the capital city to Chang'an
in the west. Dong Zhuo's evident intention of usurping state power, compounded by his tyranny and cruelty, angered many loyalists and placed him in a vulnerable position to political assassination. For his personal safety, Dong Zhuo relied heavily on Lü Bu, who was promoted to "General of the Household" (中郎將). Lü Bu would be at Dong Zhuo's side almost all the time as a personal bodyguard.
In his frequent bouts of temper, Dong Zhuo would hurl a halberd at Lü Bu to vent his frustration. Lü Bu dodged the weapons easily and Dong Zhuo's fury subsided quickly. Nevertheless, Lü Bu bore a furtive displeasure towards his foster father for that. Moreover, as Lü Bu had access to Dong Zhuo's residence, he started an amorous affair with one of Dong's servant maids, and was constantly in fear of being discovered by his foster father.
In 192, with encouragement from Interior Minister Wang Yun
, Lü Bu decided to kill Dong Zhuo. He brought a dozen trusted men, including Cavalry Captain Li Su, to greet Dong Zhuo one morning at the palace gate. Li Su stabbed Dong Zhuo and Dong cried out for Lü Bu to save him. However, Lü Bu said, "This is an imperial order." and delivered a fatal blow to Dong Zhuo.
, attacked Chang'an. Within ten days, Chang'an fell to Li Jue and Guo Si, and Lü Bu was forced to flee after his defeat. State power fell into the hands of Dong Zhuo's followers once more. Lü Bu went to the warlord Yuan Shu
and requested to join him, but Yuan refused to accept him as he was deterred by Lü's fickleness.
Lü Bu then headed north to join Yuan Shao
and he helped the latter defeat the bandit army led by Zhang Yan. As Lü Bu's force gradually grew in strength, Yuan Shao began to see him as a potential threat. Lü Bu was aware of that himself so he left Yuan Shao swiftly and avoided the assassins Yuan sent after him.
In 194, when Cao Cao
was away on a campaign against Tao Qian in Xu Province, his subordinates Zhang Miao
and Chen Gong
rebelled and allowed Lü Bu's forces to take over Yan Province. Gao Shun
helped Lü Bu defeat and drive away Cao Cao's army. When Cao Cao heard that Yan Province had fallen into Lü Bu's hands, he turned back and besieged Lü Bu at Puyang
. After more than 100 days of stalemate, a famine forced Lü Bu to abandon the city.
, Lü Bu headed for Xu Province to seek refuge under the new governor, Liu Bei
. In 196, Lü Bu turned against Liu Bei and seized the city of Xiapi, effectively taking over governorship of Xu Province, forcing Liu Bei to move to the nearby town of Xiaopei
(小沛; present-day Pei County
, Anhui
).
In the same year, Yuan Shu
sent an army led by Ji Ling
to attack Liu Bei. As Lü Bu feared that the loss of Xiaopei would expose him to attack from Yuan Shu, he led his men to lay camp south of Xiaopei, where he sent invitations for Liu Bei and Ji Ling to meet him. Lü Bu urged both sides to make peace and extracted promises from them to withdraw their troops if he could hit the sharp tongue of a halberd, erected at the gate, with an arrow. From afar, Lü Bu fired an arrow and it came squarely on its target. Both Liu Bei and Ji Ling kept their promises and retreated.
To counter Cao Cao's rising power, Yuan Shu offered to form an alliance with Lü Bu. Lü Bu agreed initially but regretted afterwards. He sent his men to retrieve his daughter, who was on her way to be married to Yuan Shu's son. Lü Bu also imprisoned Yuan Shu's envoy and sent the captive to Cao Cao as a token of friendship.
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
, was a dramatization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms era. It portrayed Lü Bu as an invincible warrior but an incapable leader who is further marred by character flaws. While adhering to factual history in the general course of events, Luo Guanzhong exaggerated or sentimentalised many stories about Lü Bu, drawing inspirations from folklore and traditional operas. The following are some of the stories of Lü Bu in the novel that differ from historical accounts:
. When Dong Zhuo
proposed to depose Emperor Shao
, Ding Yuan opposed Dong Zhuo's decision and denounced him as a traitor. Dong Zhuo wanted to kill Ding Yuan for the refute but refrained when Lü Bu stood forward to defend his foster father. Li Su, one of Dong Zhuo's followers who came from the same hometown as Lü Bu, volunteered to persuade Lü to defect over.
Li Su went to see Lü Bu, bringing with him the Red Hare
, a thousand taels of gold, dozens of pearls and a jade belt. Li Su succeeded in persuading Lü Bu to defect, as Lü was moved by Dong Zhuo's gifts and he felt that following Ding Yuan would not brighten his future. That night, Lü Bu murdered and decapitated Ding Yuan, bringing the head to see Dong Zhuo the next morning. Dong Zhuo was overjoyed and accepted Lü Bu as his foster son, appointing him as a high-ranking military officer and showering him with gifts. Lü Bu served as Dong Zhuo's personal bodyguard from then on.
under Yuan Shao
's leadership to attack him.
The coalition forces were victorious in the early battles until they reached Hulao Pass
, 50 Li away from the capital Luoyang
. Lü Bu came forth to challenge the coalition army, riding on his Red Hare, clad in the finest silver armour and donning a pheasant-tail headdress. Generals from the coalition, Fang Yue
and Mu Shun, were slain by Lü Bu in one-on-one duels, while Wu Anguo's wrist was cut off and had to retreat. The warlord Gongsun Zan
fought with Lü Bu personally but was no match for him and had to retreat as well. Just then, Zhang Fei appeared, insulting Lü Bu as "a bastard slave with three family names (since he had his own name and had two adoptive fathers)". Zhang Fei struggled against Lü Bu for more than 50 rounds but neither side was able to win. Before long, Guan Yu
and Liu Bei
joined in the fight consecutively, but Lü Bu still managed to hold on. Eventually, as he grew weary, Lü Bu fought his way out and retreated back to the pass.
in the west. Interior Minister Wang Yun
devised a plot to sow discord between Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo, intending to make use of Lü Bu to kill the tyrant. Wang Yun invited Lü Bu to his residence for a banquet one evening and captured Lü's attention with his servant girl Diaochan
. Lü Bu was entranced by Diaochan's beauty and was overjoyed when Wang Yun promised to let her marry him. A few days later, Wang Yun repeated the scenario, this time with Dong Zhuo as the guest in his house. Wang Yun allowed Dong Zhuo to bring Diaochan home and she became Dong's concubine.
The angry Lü Bu confronted Wang Yun later and accused Wang of breaking his promise. Wang Yun feigned ignorance and lied to Lü Bu that Dong Zhuo had brought Diaochan home so he could see his prospective daughter-in-law before her marriage. Lü Bu's anger subsided after hearing that and he apologized to Wang Yun before leaving. The next morning, Lü Bu headed to Dong Zhuo's bedroom and saw Diaochan looking at him, with a sorrowful expression on her face. When Dong Zhuo fell ill, Lü Bu used the opportunity to see Diaochan under the pretext of visiting his foster father. When Dong Zhuo caught Lü Bu staring at his concubine, he was furious and forbid Lü from entering his inner rooms from then on.
One day, when Dong Zhuo was out, Lü Bu sneaked into his house to see Diaochan. At Fengyi Pavilion, Diaochan lied to Lü Bu that she was no longer a virgin and felt ashamed to see Lü. She attempted suicide but Lü Bu stopped her. Lü Bu was moved and believed that Dong Zhuo had taken Diaochan, rightfully his, from him by force. Just then, Dong Zhuo returned and saw the pair locked in a tight embrace. He was furious and chased after Lü Bu, who fled, with a halberd in hand. Dong Zhuo hurled the weapon at Lü Bu, who dodged it narrowly and escaped. Dong Zhuo returned to Diaochan and chided her for infidelity, but Diaochan replied indignantly that it was Lü Bu who embraced her against her consent. She attempted suicide once more to prove her loyalty to Dong Zhuo, who was moved and he trusted her.
After that incident, Lü Bu became increasingly displeased with Dong Zhuo, although Dong attempted to "patch-up" by sending him gifts. Wang Yun seized the opportunity to instigate Lü Bu into killing Dong Zhuo, by warning Lü that he would be remembered in history as a traitor and corrupt general for serving a villain like Dong Zhuo. When Lü Bu claimed that he could not bear to betray two adoptive fathers, Wang Yun replied, "Dong Zhuo's surname is Dong, while yours is Lü. Did he consider you as his son when he threw that halberd at you?". Lü Bu eventually made up his decision to kill Dong Zhuo. Wang Yun sent Li Su to fetch Dong Zhuo to the palace, claiming that the emperor had decided to abdicate and pass the throne to Dong. Dong Zhuo was ambushed by Wang Yun's men at the palace gate and he cried out for Lü Bu to save him. Lü Bu appeared and said coldly, "I've an imperial order to kill the traitor Dong Zhuo.", before delivering a fatal blow.
and Liu Bei
formed a temporary alliance against Lü Bu and attacked him in the Battle of Xiapi
. Lü Bu's forces were besieged inside the city for two months. Cao Cao's advisors Xun Yu
and Guo Jia
then suggested to their lord to flood Xiapi by directing water from the Yi and Si rivers. Lü Bu's advisor Chen Gong
suggested that he should lead a group of soldiers outside the city gate before the water level is too high, and to cut down Cao Cao's food supply. While Chen Gong himself will lead another group to a different direction. Both groups will then coordinate a two-pronged attack on Cao Cao's army and should be sufficient to force him to retreat. However, Lü Bu's wife, Lady Yan
, complained that he hardly spent time with his family and persuaded him to stay in the city and defend it until Cao Cao's forces retreat. As the city gates were flooded, Lü Bu's men rushed to inform him but Lü dismissed the warning, thinking that his Red Hare would help him escape. Lü Bu was heavily indulging in alcohol and women at that time, but one day he decided to abstain from wine after seeing his own reflection in the mirror. He issued an order banning his men from consuming alcohol. One day, Hou Cheng
, one of Lü Bu's generals, caught a defector attempting to steal 50 horses. He prepared some wine to celebrate his achievement with his colleagues and presented five bottles to Lü Bu. Lü Bu was enraged when he saw that Hou Cheng defied his order and had Hou flogged. The unhappy Hou Cheng then plotted with Song Xian
and Wei Xu
to defect over to Cao Cao. At night, Hou Cheng stole Lü Bu's Red Hare and fled from the city towards Cao Cao's camp.
The next morning, Cao Cao's troops launched a fierce attack on the city, forcing Lü Bu to participate in the defense personally. The battle dragged until late noon and the exhausted Lü Bu took a nap. Song Xian and Wei Xu took the opportunity to tie Lü Bu up and they hoisted a white flag and threw Lü Bu's weapon down the city wall. With help from the defectors, Cao Cao's army broke into the city and captured it swiftly. Lü Bu was bound and brought before Cao Cao at White Gate Tower. He pledged his service to Cao and Cao, who had a penchant for recruiting talents, was almost swayed by Lü Bu's words. Just then, Liu Bei reminded Cao Cao of the fates of Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao changed his decision. Lü Bu stamped his foot in anger and hurled abuse at Liu Bei. Cao Cao then ordered for Lü Bu to be executed by hanging and xiaoshou (梟首; the corpse to be decapitated and the head put on display).
and manga
. Some examples for these are listed below.
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General". His image as a handsome and mighty warrior wearing a pheasant-tailed headdress and wielding a ji
Ji (halberd)
The ji , the Chinese halberd, was used as a military weapon in one form or another from at least as early as the Shang dynasty until the end of the Qing dynasty. They are still used for training purposes by many Chinese martial arts...
known as the "Sky Piercer" on top of his steed Red Hare
Red Hare
Red Hare was Lü Bu's horse during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Historical records only mention the horse when Lü Bu temporarily became a subordinate of Yuan Shao, where he charged and defeated the armies of Zhang Yan while riding the Red Hare...
was later popularized by Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
. In the story, he is considered the single most powerful warrior in all of China.
Besides being matchless on the battlefield, especially in man-on-man duels, Lü Bu was also notorious for having betrayed and slain two separate lords (who were both his adoptive fathers). He is best known for his amorous relationship with the fictional maiden Diaochan
Diaochan
Diaochan was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have been born in 161 or 169 or 176, depending on the source. However, unlike the other three beauties, there is no known evidence that suggests her existence, therefore she is likely to be a fictional character.Diaochan...
, which eventually caused him to betray and kill Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
out of jealousy. Throughout Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, Lü Bu has been depicted as a ruthless and impulsive warrior who has no sense of loyalty and sympathy.
Lü Bu was eventually defeated and captured by Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
at the Battle of Xiapi
Battle of Xiapi
The Battle of Xiapi was a battle fought by the forces of Lü Bu against the allied armies of Cao Cao and Liu Bei in 198 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
. At Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
's suggestion, Cao Cao had Lü Bu hanged.
Service under Ding Yuan
Lü Bu was a local of Jiuyuan County, Wuyuan Commandery (a district of present-day BaotouBaotou
Baotou is a mid-sized industrial city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. Governed as a prefecture-level city, its urban areas are home to a population of approximately 1.78 million, with a total population of over 2.65 million accounting for counties under...
, Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
). He started his career as the Chief Secretary under the governor of Bing Province (并州), Ding Yuan
Ding Yuan
Ding Yuan was a regional governor and minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. In 189, both he and Dong Zhuo were summoned into the capital Luoyang with their individual troops to assist in the struggle against the powerful eunuch faction...
. In 189, Ding Yuan led his troops into the capital city of Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
to assist General-in-Chief He Jin
He Jin
He Jin was the elder half-brother of Empress He, consort to Emperor Ling of the late Eastern Han Dynasty in China. He shared power with his sister as regents in 189, following the death of Emperor Ling. In the ensuing struggle with the influential eunuch faction for power, He Jin was assassinated...
in eliminating the Ten Attendants
Ten Attendants
The Ten Attendants were a group of eunuchs from the Eunuch Faction of the Han Imperial Court in China...
(a group of influential eunuch officials in the imperial court). He Jin was assassinated and Luoyang plunged into chaos when He Jin's supporters and the eunuch faction clashed.
Service under Dong Zhuo
Dong ZhuoDong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
, a warlord from Liang Province who was summoned to Luoyang by He Jin, seized control of the armed forces of Luoyang and rose to power. Lü Bu betrayed and killed Ding Yuan, severed Ding's head and presented it to Dong Zhuo as a gesture of allegiance. Dong Zhuo also acknowledged Lü Bu as his foster son. To consolidate power, Dong Zhuo deposed Emperor Shao
Prince of Hongnong
The Prince of Hongnong , was briefly an emperor of China during the Han dynasty. He is also known as "Emperor Han Shao" , a name which he shares with several other emperors with brief reigns...
and replaced him with Emperor Xian
Emperor Xian of Han
Emperor Xian of Han , personal name Liu Xie, style name Bohe, was the last emperor of the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history...
, who was actually a puppet ruler under his control, and moved the capital city to Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
in the west. Dong Zhuo's evident intention of usurping state power, compounded by his tyranny and cruelty, angered many loyalists and placed him in a vulnerable position to political assassination. For his personal safety, Dong Zhuo relied heavily on Lü Bu, who was promoted to "General of the Household" (中郎將). Lü Bu would be at Dong Zhuo's side almost all the time as a personal bodyguard.
In his frequent bouts of temper, Dong Zhuo would hurl a halberd at Lü Bu to vent his frustration. Lü Bu dodged the weapons easily and Dong Zhuo's fury subsided quickly. Nevertheless, Lü Bu bore a furtive displeasure towards his foster father for that. Moreover, as Lü Bu had access to Dong Zhuo's residence, he started an amorous affair with one of Dong's servant maids, and was constantly in fear of being discovered by his foster father.
In 192, with encouragement from Interior Minister Wang Yun
Wang Yun
Wang Yun was a Minister over the Masses under Emperor Xian during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. During Wang Yun's time, the emperors were mere puppets under the power of eunuchs and warlords. In 192, Wang Yun plotted and successfully staged Lü Bu's assassination of Dong Zhuo, the...
, Lü Bu decided to kill Dong Zhuo. He brought a dozen trusted men, including Cavalry Captain Li Su, to greet Dong Zhuo one morning at the palace gate. Li Su stabbed Dong Zhuo and Dong cried out for Lü Bu to save him. However, Lü Bu said, "This is an imperial order." and delivered a fatal blow to Dong Zhuo.
Roaming the land
After Dong Zhuo's death, the central government, now controlled by Wang Yun, refused to grant amnesty to Dong's former followers. In fear, Dong Zhuo's remnants, led by Li Jue and Guo SiGuo Si
Guo Si , also known as Guo Duo , was a general serving under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He assisted Dong in his many campaigns, and was placed under Dong's son-in-law after Dong relocate the imperial capital to Chang'an...
, attacked Chang'an. Within ten days, Chang'an fell to Li Jue and Guo Si, and Lü Bu was forced to flee after his defeat. State power fell into the hands of Dong Zhuo's followers once more. Lü Bu went to the warlord Yuan Shu
Yuan Shu
Yuan Shu was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the imperial court in 189. He was said to be a younger cousin of the warlord Yuan Shao, but was actually Yuan Shao's younger half-brother...
and requested to join him, but Yuan refused to accept him as he was deterred by Lü's fickleness.
Lü Bu then headed north to join Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
and he helped the latter defeat the bandit army led by Zhang Yan. As Lü Bu's force gradually grew in strength, Yuan Shao began to see him as a potential threat. Lü Bu was aware of that himself so he left Yuan Shao swiftly and avoided the assassins Yuan sent after him.
In 194, when Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
was away on a campaign against Tao Qian in Xu Province, his subordinates Zhang Miao
Zhang Miao
Zhang Miao , style name Mengzhuo , was a minister of the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as prefect of Chenliu Commandery. Zhang Miao led an army during the coalition against Dong Zhuo. In the coalition Zhang expressed displeasure at their leader, Yuan Shao, and Yuan sent Cao...
and Chen Gong
Chen Gong
Gong Chen was an advisor to the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. However, he started his career under Cao Cao before defecting to Lü Bu and was executed when the latter was defeated by Cao....
rebelled and allowed Lü Bu's forces to take over Yan Province. Gao Shun
Gao Shun
Gao Shun was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Although he only had 700 men under his command, he was nicknamed as the "camp crusher " for his destructive charges, and came to be known as Lü's most able commander...
helped Lü Bu defeat and drive away Cao Cao's army. When Cao Cao heard that Yan Province had fallen into Lü Bu's hands, he turned back and besieged Lü Bu at Puyang
Puyang
Puyang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Henan province, China. Located on the northern shore of the Yellow River, it borders Anyang in the west, Xinxiang in the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Hebei in the east and north respectively....
. After more than 100 days of stalemate, a famine forced Lü Bu to abandon the city.
Occupation of Xu Province
After abandoning PuyangPuyang
Puyang is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Henan province, China. Located on the northern shore of the Yellow River, it borders Anyang in the west, Xinxiang in the southwest, and the provinces of Shandong and Hebei in the east and north respectively....
, Lü Bu headed for Xu Province to seek refuge under the new governor, Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
. In 196, Lü Bu turned against Liu Bei and seized the city of Xiapi, effectively taking over governorship of Xu Province, forcing Liu Bei to move to the nearby town of Xiaopei
Xiaopei
Xiaopei is an ancient Chinese town located in present-day Pei County, Jiangsu. During the late Han Dynasty period, it was under the jurisdiction of Xu Province, governed by Tao Qian. Before Tao died, he handed his governorship over to Liu Bei. Liu Bei took refuge in Xiaopei when Lü Bu seized Xu...
(小沛; present-day Pei County
Pei County
Pei County is a county of Jiangsu, China. It is under the administration of Xuzhou city. It has an area of 1,576 square kilometers and a population of 1,217,400.-External links:**...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
).
In the same year, Yuan Shu
Yuan Shu
Yuan Shu was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the imperial court in 189. He was said to be a younger cousin of the warlord Yuan Shao, but was actually Yuan Shao's younger half-brother...
sent an army led by Ji Ling
Ji Ling
Ji Ling was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. Under the orders of his lord, he led a force of 30,000 men against Liu Bei in 196, but the battle was halted when Lü Bu called both sides to a banquet and performed an act of...
to attack Liu Bei. As Lü Bu feared that the loss of Xiaopei would expose him to attack from Yuan Shu, he led his men to lay camp south of Xiaopei, where he sent invitations for Liu Bei and Ji Ling to meet him. Lü Bu urged both sides to make peace and extracted promises from them to withdraw their troops if he could hit the sharp tongue of a halberd, erected at the gate, with an arrow. From afar, Lü Bu fired an arrow and it came squarely on its target. Both Liu Bei and Ji Ling kept their promises and retreated.
To counter Cao Cao's rising power, Yuan Shu offered to form an alliance with Lü Bu. Lü Bu agreed initially but regretted afterwards. He sent his men to retrieve his daughter, who was on her way to be married to Yuan Shu's son. Lü Bu also imprisoned Yuan Shu's envoy and sent the captive to Cao Cao as a token of friendship.
Downfall and death
In 198, Lü Bu switched his allegiance to Yuan Shu again and attacked Liu Bei at Xiaopei. Liu Bei went to join Cao Cao and Cao led his army to attack Xu Province. After three months of siege and many consecutive defeats, Lü Bu's subjects were low in morale and some of them defected to Cao Cao's side. Lü Bu had no choice but to surrender eventually. In some accounts, Lü Bu was betrayed by his subordinates, who tied him up while he was asleep, and presented him to Cao Cao. Lü Bu was bound and brought before Cao Cao, to whom he pledged his service. When Liu Bei reminded Cao Cao about the fate of Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao condemned Lü Bu to death by hanging.In fiction
Romance of the Three KingdomsRomance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
, was a dramatization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms era. It portrayed Lü Bu as an invincible warrior but an incapable leader who is further marred by character flaws. While adhering to factual history in the general course of events, Luo Guanzhong exaggerated or sentimentalised many stories about Lü Bu, drawing inspirations from folklore and traditional operas. The following are some of the stories of Lü Bu in the novel that differ from historical accounts:
Defection to Dong Zhuo
Lü Bu first appeared in chapter 3 as the foster son of Ding YuanDing Yuan
Ding Yuan was a regional governor and minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. In 189, both he and Dong Zhuo were summoned into the capital Luoyang with their individual troops to assist in the struggle against the powerful eunuch faction...
. When Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
proposed to depose Emperor Shao
Prince of Hongnong
The Prince of Hongnong , was briefly an emperor of China during the Han dynasty. He is also known as "Emperor Han Shao" , a name which he shares with several other emperors with brief reigns...
, Ding Yuan opposed Dong Zhuo's decision and denounced him as a traitor. Dong Zhuo wanted to kill Ding Yuan for the refute but refrained when Lü Bu stood forward to defend his foster father. Li Su, one of Dong Zhuo's followers who came from the same hometown as Lü Bu, volunteered to persuade Lü to defect over.
Li Su went to see Lü Bu, bringing with him the Red Hare
Red Hare
Red Hare was Lü Bu's horse during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Historical records only mention the horse when Lü Bu temporarily became a subordinate of Yuan Shao, where he charged and defeated the armies of Zhang Yan while riding the Red Hare...
, a thousand taels of gold, dozens of pearls and a jade belt. Li Su succeeded in persuading Lü Bu to defect, as Lü was moved by Dong Zhuo's gifts and he felt that following Ding Yuan would not brighten his future. That night, Lü Bu murdered and decapitated Ding Yuan, bringing the head to see Dong Zhuo the next morning. Dong Zhuo was overjoyed and accepted Lü Bu as his foster son, appointing him as a high-ranking military officer and showering him with gifts. Lü Bu served as Dong Zhuo's personal bodyguard from then on.
Battle with the three heroes at Hulao Pass
Dong Zhuo's tyranny and cruelty incurred the anger of many people, so in 190, several regional governors and warlords formed a coalition armyCampaign against Dong Zhuo
The Campaign against Dong Zhuo was a punitive expedition initiated by a coalition of regional officials and warlords against Dong Zhuo, Chancellor of State, in 190 during the late Han Dynasty of Chinese history...
under Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
's leadership to attack him.
Battle of Hulao Pass
The Battle of Hulao Pass is a fictional battle described in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The battle was fought between Dong Zhuo and a coalition of regional warlords and officials as part of the Campaign against Dong Zhuo in 190 during the prelude to the Three...
, 50 Li away from the capital Luoyang
Luoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
. Lü Bu came forth to challenge the coalition army, riding on his Red Hare, clad in the finest silver armour and donning a pheasant-tail headdress. Generals from the coalition, Fang Yue
Fang Yue
Fang Yue is a fictional character in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He was a military general serving under the warlord Wang Kuang. Wang was one of the members of the coalition against Dong Zhuo. When the coalition faced Dong's forces at the Battle of Hulao Pass,...
and Mu Shun, were slain by Lü Bu in one-on-one duels, while Wu Anguo's wrist was cut off and had to retreat. The warlord Gongsun Zan
Gongsun Zan
Gongsun Zan , style name Bogui , a native of Liaoxi , was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:...
fought with Lü Bu personally but was no match for him and had to retreat as well. Just then, Zhang Fei appeared, insulting Lü Bu as "a bastard slave with three family names (since he had his own name and had two adoptive fathers)". Zhang Fei struggled against Lü Bu for more than 50 rounds but neither side was able to win. Before long, Guan Yu
Guan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
and Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
joined in the fight consecutively, but Lü Bu still managed to hold on. Eventually, as he grew weary, Lü Bu fought his way out and retreated back to the pass.
Killing Dong Zhuo
After Lü Bu's retreat, Dong Zhuo abandoned Luoyang and moved the capital city to Chang'anChang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
in the west. Interior Minister Wang Yun
Wang Yun
Wang Yun was a Minister over the Masses under Emperor Xian during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. During Wang Yun's time, the emperors were mere puppets under the power of eunuchs and warlords. In 192, Wang Yun plotted and successfully staged Lü Bu's assassination of Dong Zhuo, the...
devised a plot to sow discord between Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo, intending to make use of Lü Bu to kill the tyrant. Wang Yun invited Lü Bu to his residence for a banquet one evening and captured Lü's attention with his servant girl Diaochan
Diaochan
Diaochan was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have been born in 161 or 169 or 176, depending on the source. However, unlike the other three beauties, there is no known evidence that suggests her existence, therefore she is likely to be a fictional character.Diaochan...
. Lü Bu was entranced by Diaochan's beauty and was overjoyed when Wang Yun promised to let her marry him. A few days later, Wang Yun repeated the scenario, this time with Dong Zhuo as the guest in his house. Wang Yun allowed Dong Zhuo to bring Diaochan home and she became Dong's concubine.
The angry Lü Bu confronted Wang Yun later and accused Wang of breaking his promise. Wang Yun feigned ignorance and lied to Lü Bu that Dong Zhuo had brought Diaochan home so he could see his prospective daughter-in-law before her marriage. Lü Bu's anger subsided after hearing that and he apologized to Wang Yun before leaving. The next morning, Lü Bu headed to Dong Zhuo's bedroom and saw Diaochan looking at him, with a sorrowful expression on her face. When Dong Zhuo fell ill, Lü Bu used the opportunity to see Diaochan under the pretext of visiting his foster father. When Dong Zhuo caught Lü Bu staring at his concubine, he was furious and forbid Lü from entering his inner rooms from then on.
One day, when Dong Zhuo was out, Lü Bu sneaked into his house to see Diaochan. At Fengyi Pavilion, Diaochan lied to Lü Bu that she was no longer a virgin and felt ashamed to see Lü. She attempted suicide but Lü Bu stopped her. Lü Bu was moved and believed that Dong Zhuo had taken Diaochan, rightfully his, from him by force. Just then, Dong Zhuo returned and saw the pair locked in a tight embrace. He was furious and chased after Lü Bu, who fled, with a halberd in hand. Dong Zhuo hurled the weapon at Lü Bu, who dodged it narrowly and escaped. Dong Zhuo returned to Diaochan and chided her for infidelity, but Diaochan replied indignantly that it was Lü Bu who embraced her against her consent. She attempted suicide once more to prove her loyalty to Dong Zhuo, who was moved and he trusted her.
After that incident, Lü Bu became increasingly displeased with Dong Zhuo, although Dong attempted to "patch-up" by sending him gifts. Wang Yun seized the opportunity to instigate Lü Bu into killing Dong Zhuo, by warning Lü that he would be remembered in history as a traitor and corrupt general for serving a villain like Dong Zhuo. When Lü Bu claimed that he could not bear to betray two adoptive fathers, Wang Yun replied, "Dong Zhuo's surname is Dong, while yours is Lü. Did he consider you as his son when he threw that halberd at you?". Lü Bu eventually made up his decision to kill Dong Zhuo. Wang Yun sent Li Su to fetch Dong Zhuo to the palace, claiming that the emperor had decided to abdicate and pass the throne to Dong. Dong Zhuo was ambushed by Wang Yun's men at the palace gate and he cried out for Lü Bu to save him. Lü Bu appeared and said coldly, "I've an imperial order to kill the traitor Dong Zhuo.", before delivering a fatal blow.
Downfall
In 198, Cao CaoCao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
and Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
formed a temporary alliance against Lü Bu and attacked him in the Battle of Xiapi
Battle of Xiapi
The Battle of Xiapi was a battle fought by the forces of Lü Bu against the allied armies of Cao Cao and Liu Bei in 198 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
. Lü Bu's forces were besieged inside the city for two months. Cao Cao's advisors Xun Yu
Xun Yu
Xun Yu was a strategist and statesman who served as an advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Early life:...
and Guo Jia
Guo Jia
Guo Jia was a strategist and advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. During his 11 years of service, Guo Jia's brilliance greatly aided Cao Cao in his victories over rival warlords Lü Bu and Yuan Shao, as well as chief of the Wuhuan tribe, Tadun...
then suggested to their lord to flood Xiapi by directing water from the Yi and Si rivers. Lü Bu's advisor Chen Gong
Chen Gong
Gong Chen was an advisor to the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. However, he started his career under Cao Cao before defecting to Lü Bu and was executed when the latter was defeated by Cao....
suggested that he should lead a group of soldiers outside the city gate before the water level is too high, and to cut down Cao Cao's food supply. While Chen Gong himself will lead another group to a different direction. Both groups will then coordinate a two-pronged attack on Cao Cao's army and should be sufficient to force him to retreat. However, Lü Bu's wife, Lady Yan
Lady Yan
Lady Yan was the first wife of the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. She bore him a daughter, popularly known as Lü Lingqi, who was to marry Yuan Yao, son of the royal pretender Yuan Shu. She supported Lü Bu's decision for the marriage because she felt that Yuan...
, complained that he hardly spent time with his family and persuaded him to stay in the city and defend it until Cao Cao's forces retreat. As the city gates were flooded, Lü Bu's men rushed to inform him but Lü dismissed the warning, thinking that his Red Hare would help him escape. Lü Bu was heavily indulging in alcohol and women at that time, but one day he decided to abstain from wine after seeing his own reflection in the mirror. He issued an order banning his men from consuming alcohol. One day, Hou Cheng
Hou Cheng
Hou Cheng was a general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He defected to the warlord Cao Cao during the Battle of Xiapi....
, one of Lü Bu's generals, caught a defector attempting to steal 50 horses. He prepared some wine to celebrate his achievement with his colleagues and presented five bottles to Lü Bu. Lü Bu was enraged when he saw that Hou Cheng defied his order and had Hou flogged. The unhappy Hou Cheng then plotted with Song Xian
Song Xian
Song Xian was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. In 198, when Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu at the Battle of Xiapi, Song Xian and his colleagues Hou Cheng and Wei Xu kidnapped Lü Bu's chief advisor Chen Gong and defected to Cao Cao's side...
and Wei Xu
Wei Xu
Wei Xu was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:When Lü Bu wandered the land, Wei closely followed him in the journey, together, they routed the Heishan Bandits, and fended off attacks from Yuan Shu...
to defect over to Cao Cao. At night, Hou Cheng stole Lü Bu's Red Hare and fled from the city towards Cao Cao's camp.
The next morning, Cao Cao's troops launched a fierce attack on the city, forcing Lü Bu to participate in the defense personally. The battle dragged until late noon and the exhausted Lü Bu took a nap. Song Xian and Wei Xu took the opportunity to tie Lü Bu up and they hoisted a white flag and threw Lü Bu's weapon down the city wall. With help from the defectors, Cao Cao's army broke into the city and captured it swiftly. Lü Bu was bound and brought before Cao Cao at White Gate Tower. He pledged his service to Cao and Cao, who had a penchant for recruiting talents, was almost swayed by Lü Bu's words. Just then, Liu Bei reminded Cao Cao of the fates of Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao changed his decision. Lü Bu stamped his foot in anger and hurled abuse at Liu Bei. Cao Cao then ordered for Lü Bu to be executed by hanging and xiaoshou (梟首; the corpse to be decapitated and the head put on display).
Family
The family members of Lü Bu mentioned in this section are based on the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.- Foster fathers:
- Ding YuanDing YuanDing Yuan was a regional governor and minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. In 189, both he and Dong Zhuo were summoned into the capital Luoyang with their individual troops to assist in the struggle against the powerful eunuch faction...
, murdered by Lü Bu - Dong ZhuoDong ZhuoDong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
, murdered by Lü Bu in their dispute over Diaochan
- Ding Yuan
- Spouses:
- Lady YanLady YanLady Yan was the first wife of the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. She bore him a daughter, popularly known as Lü Lingqi, who was to marry Yuan Yao, son of the royal pretender Yuan Shu. She supported Lü Bu's decision for the marriage because she felt that Yuan...
, Lü Bu's first wife, bore him a daughter - Lady Cao (曹氏), Lü Bu's second wife, daughter of Cao BaoCao BaoCao Bao was a vassal serving under the warlord Tao Qian during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. At one time when Cao Cao invaded Xu Province, Cao Bao met Xiahou Dun for a duel but ended up being forced to retreat by powerful gale. Cao Bao then later went on to serve under Liu...
, died early, did not bear Lü Bu any children - DiaochanDiaochanDiaochan was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have been born in 161 or 169 or 176, depending on the source. However, unlike the other three beauties, there is no known evidence that suggests her existence, therefore she is likely to be a fictional character.Diaochan...
, Lü Bu's concubine, never bore him any children either
- Lady Yan
- Children:
- Daughter, unknown name (known as Lü Lingqi in Koei's video games), arranged to be married to Yuan ShuYuan ShuYuan Shu was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He rose to prominence following the collapse of the imperial court in 189. He was said to be a younger cousin of the warlord Yuan Shao, but was actually Yuan Shao's younger half-brother...
's son
- Daughter, unknown name (known as Lü Lingqi in Koei's video games), arranged to be married to Yuan Shu
Appointments and titles held
- Commandant of Cavalry (騎都尉)
- General of the Household (中郎將)
- General Who Inspires Might (奮威將軍)
- Marquis of Wen (溫侯)
Modern references
Because of his reputation as an unmatched and highly skilled warrior in the Three Kingdoms saga, Lü Bu is often held in high regard in works based on the Three Kingdoms, sometimes even in works not based on the Three Kingdoms. These include video games, where he is often given the highest War/Attack stats, and in animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
. Some examples for these are listed below.
- Lü Bu appears in Koei's video game series Romance of the Three Kingdoms, usually as one of the icon characters.
- Lü Bu is featured as a playable character in all installments of Koei's Dynasty WarriorsDynasty Warriorsis a series of tactical action video games created by Omega Force and Koei. The award-winning series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy Romance of the Three Kingdoms series, based loosely around the Chinese classical novel of the same name. The first game titled Dynasty Warriors,...
video game series, as well as Warriors OrochiWarriors Orochi, is a PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 hack and slash video game developed by Koei and Omega Force. It is a crossover of two of Koei's popular video game series, Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors...
, a crossover between Dynasty Warriors and Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
. In the games his name is spelled as "Lu Bu" without the diaeresis in the "U" in "Lu".
- In CapcomCapcomis a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's Destiny of an EmperorDestiny of an Emperoris a strategy role-playing game by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was originally released in Japan in , with an English language localization released for the North American market in ....
for the NESNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
Lü Bu appears as a character with the highest attack stat. In the game, the player is capable of recruiting him into Liu Bei's party albeit only temporarily.
- Lü Bu is one of the fighters in the Neo GeoNeo Geo (console)The is a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japanese game company SNK. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family, which only lived through the 1990s...
's World Heroes 2 JetWorld Heroesis a series of fighting games created by ADK originally created for the Neo Geo MVS arcade cabinets with the assistance of SNK, though some of the games in the series were also ported to the Neo Geo AES and Neo-Geo CD platforms, as well as some non-SNK platforms such as the Super NES and the Sega...
, although his name is instead "Ryofu," the Japanese pronunciation of his name.
- The character Ryofu Housen (Japanese pronunciation of Lü Bu Fengxian), in the anime short series Ikki TousenIkki Tousen, also known as Battle Vixens, is a manga series written and illustrated by Yuji Shiozaki, based on the classic Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms...
, is also roughly based on Lü Bu.
- In the manga and OVA anime Ryofuko-chanYawaraka Sangokushi Tsukisase!! Ryofuko-chanYawaraka Sangokushi Tsukisase!! Ryofuko-chan is a Japanese manga and anime, loosely based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.It began in the comedy manga I, Otaku - Struggle in Akihabara by Jiro Suzuki, which the characters watched in their world. It was turned by Square Enix into a real manga...
, Lü Bu is reincarnated as the elementary school student Ryofuko.
- In the collectible card game Magic: The GatheringMagic: The GatheringMagic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
there is a card named "Lu Bu, Master-at-Arms", in the Portal Three KingdomsPortal Three KingdomsPortal Three Kingdoms is the third Magic: The Gathering expansion of the Portal block, and the third starter level set. Like the other expansions in the Portal block, Portal: Three Kingdoms is designed for beginners to Magic. The setting is heavily based on the Chinese historical novel Romance of...
set.
- In Fate/ExtraFate/Extrais a Japanese dungeon role-playing game for the PlayStation Portable, created by Type-Moon and Image Epoch and published by Marvelous Entertainment. The game takes place in a parallel universe to the visual novel Fate/stay night. The game was released in Japan on July 22, 2010. Aksys Games...
, Lü Bu is one of the Berserker-class Servants.