周瑜

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The grand commander of Wu whose victory at Red Cliffs opened the age of three kingdoms. Sun Ce’s exact contemporary and closest friend, he conquered the Southland at his side, then became the young Sun Quan’s foremost champion. At Red Cliffs he directed the fire attack that burned Cao Cao’s armada. Famously handsome and a master of music — "if a note is wrong, Zhou the young lord turns his head," ran the saying. He died at thirty-six, still carrying a grand design to take Yi Province.

Key events

1. 195

   Sun Ce Conquers the Southland

   Sun Ce sets out to conquer the Southland with his father’s veterans. After their famous duel at Shenting, he captured Taishi Ci and won him over.

   Sun CeTaishi CiHuang GaiCheng Pu

2. 200

   Sun Ce Dies; Sun Quan Succeeds

   Struck down by assassins, Sun Ce entrusts the Southland to his 19-year-old brother Sun Quan, propped up by Zhang Zhao and Zhou Yu.

   Sun CeSun QuanZhang Zhao

3. 208

   Battle of Red Cliffs

   Zhou Yu’s Sun–Liu alliance burns Cao Cao’s armada with fire ships, halting his southern conquest. The three-way division of the realm was sealed here.

   Cao CaoSun QuanLiu BeiZhuge LiangHuang GaiLu SuCheng PuGan Ning

4. 209

   Siege of Jiangling

   Riding Red Cliffs’ momentum, Zhou Yu wrests Jiangling from Cao Ren after a year of hard fighting — taking an arrow wound himself.

   Cao RenGan Ning

5. 209

   The Sun–Liu Marriage Alliance

   Sun Quan weds his sister to Liu Bei to cement the alliance — the episode the novel restages as Zhou Yu’s honey trap and the brocade-bag stratagems.

   Liu BeiSun QuanZhuge LiangZhao Yun

History vs. the novelHistoryvsNovel

The petty rival who dies of rage at being outwitted three times is the novel’s greatest character assassination. The historical Zhou Yu was "large-minded and modest, beloved by all" — and he died of illness on campaign, not of wounded pride.