徐晃

Profile

One of Wei’s Five Elite Generals, famed above all for iron discipline. Leaving his bandit-army origins to join Cao Cao, he fought through Guandu, Red Cliffs and Tong Pass. His masterpiece was the relief of Fancheng, smashing head-on through the siege lines of a Guan Yu at the height of his power. Cao Cao compared his camps to those of the legendary Zhou Yafu.

Key events

1. 200

   Battle of Guandu

   Cao Cao shatters Yuan Shao’s far larger host by burning the Wuchao grain depot — the war for the north. Zhang He defected to Cao Cao here.

   Cao CaoYuan ShaoXun YuGuo JiaZhang He

2. 219

   Siege of Fancheng

   Guan Yu drowns seven Wei armies in the flood and shakes the heartland. Cao Ren holds Fancheng until Xu Huang’s relief breaks the siege.

   Guan YuCao RenCao Cao

History vs. the novelHistoryvsNovel

The novel makes him Guan Yu’s old friend with a great axe. The histories say little of the friendship — but that he set sentiment aside and fought Guan Yu head-on at Fancheng is fact in both tellings.