諸葛亮

Profile

The chancellor of Shu-Han who drafted the three-way division of the realm from a thatched cottage — and became East Asia’s very byword for genius and devotion. Won by Liu Bei’s three visits, he engineered the Red Cliffs alliance and the taking of Yi Province; after Liu Bei’s death he carried the whole state for the young Liu Shan. He pacified the south, submitted his famous memorial, and led five northern campaigns before dying in camp at Wuzhang Plains. "Bend the body, give everything, cease only in death" — his own words, his whole life.

Key events

1. 207

   Three Visits to the Cottage

   After three visits Liu Bei wins Zhuge Liang — and hears the plan to divide the realm in three. Recorded by Zhuge Liang himself in the Chu Shi Biao.

   Liu BeiGuan YuZhang Fei

2. 208

   Xu Shu Leaves Liu Bei

   Liu Bei’s adviser Xu Shu departs in tears for his captive mother’s sake — recommending, as he leaves, a man named Zhuge Liang.

   Xu ShuLiu BeiCao Cao

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.

   Zhou YuCao CaoSun QuanLiu BeiHuang GaiLu SuCheng PuGan Ning

4. 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 QuanZhou YuZhao Yun

5. 214

   Liu Bei Takes Yi Province

   With Fa Zheng’s defection and reinforcements under Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, Liu Bei enters Chengdu — at the cost of his strategist Pang Tong at Luocheng.

   Liu BeiFa ZhengPang TongZhang FeiZhao YunMa Chao

History vs. the novelHistoryvsNovel

Summoning the southeast wind, borrowing arrows, the empty fort — the sorcery is all the novel’s. Chen Shou’s actual verdict: a statesman to rank with Guan Zhong and Xiao He, though improvisational generalship "was not his strength." Not a wizard — a great chancellor.