Lu Xun (Three Kingdoms)
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- For the 20th century Vernacular Chinese writer, see Lu Xun.
Lu Xun (Template:Zh-tsp) (183 – 245), originally named Lu Yi (陸議/陆議), was a general of the Kingdom of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period in ancient China.
He was born in one of four most prestigous and richest families in the Wu district (Zhu, Lu, Gu, Zhang). In an attempt to rally these powerful families to his side, the ruler of Wu Sun Ce married his daughter to Lu Xun. Lu Xun began his career as a minor official under Sun Ce, ruler of Wu (who was then still a general and provincial warlord). He was soon given a minor post as commandant and civil officer, where he distinguished himself as both a skilled civil leader, and as a military commander. As a military commander, he pacified south eastern tribes of Yue and brough them within the chinese influence. As a civil official, he was successful in integrating northern refugees and minorities into the social and economic structure of Wu.
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Taking Jingzhou
In AD 208, the alliance of Sun Quan and Liu Bei defeated the warlord Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs, halting Cao Cao's southern expansion and cementing Wu's place in the Three Kingdoms. Liu Bei, however, was without a territory. Sun Quan agreed to lend Bei the province of Jingzhou until such time as Bei managed to take the states of Ba and Shu. By AD 219, Bei had taken Ba-Shu, but balked at returning Jing. Guang Yu, the governor of Jingzhou was an arrogant man who antagonized many subordinates including Liu Bei's brother-in-law Mi Fang.
An oppertunitity presented it self, when Guan Yu began a campaign against Wei in the north, leaving his eastern front unguarded. The eastern front was unguarded because Guan Yu recived the false impression that Lu Meng was ill at the time.
Sun Quan was informed of the idea, and the plan was fleshed out. Lu Xun pretended to take command of the armed forces and sent a flattering letter to Guan Yu, stating his awe in being allowed to work alongside such a great general and that he desired to depend on Yu's skill. Guan Yu bought it, and further dropped his guard. Lu Meng and Lu Xun then then staged a lightning attack into Jingzhou and snatched away the province before Yu knew what was happening. Afterwards, Guan Yu's arragance doomed him as his subordinates surrendered to Wu army one after another.
To demoralize Guan Yu's troops, Lu Meng asked the family members of Guan Yu's troops to write them letters. After receiving these letters, Guan Yu's army simply melted away and returned home to their families. In his attempted escape to Shu, Guan Yu was captured and executed.
The Battle of Yiling
When Liu Bei found out that Jingzhou had been taken, and that Guan Yu, who was his closest general, had been executed, he was enraged. He led an army eastward to reclaim Jing and avenge his brother. Lu Xun was given command of the Wu army and ordered to counter this threat.
Lu Xun's strategy was to establish several forts and reinforce the existing citadels before allowing Liu Bei to move into an area. While land was sacrificed, critical time was bought to organize and transport the Wu troops. The established critical points severed to tie down enemy troops and distrupt enemy supply chain.
Few generals were happy with the choice of Lu Xun as supreme commander; many were hardened veterans from the days of Sun Ce, whereas Lu Xun was someone new and something of an unknown. They wished to attack Liu Bei while he was fresh off the march, hoping to take advantage of the exhaustion of his forces; Lu Xun denied them, stating that he discerned that Bei had planned for that, and open battle would be too risky. Liu Bei sent some forces forward to lure the Wu army into an ambush; the generals wished to fight, but Lu Xun, spotting the ambush, once again denied them.
After several months of inactivity, Lu Xun suddenly struck, ordering forces to move forward with torches and set fire to Liu Bei's camps, and then followed up by a devastating attack from three sides by all of the Wu forces. Liu Bei's army was destroyed. Bei fled west and died shortly thereafter. Afterwards, few Wu generals criticized him, seeing how he had devised most of the winning strategies of the battle.
The Wu army prepared for a follow-up campaign into Shu, but Lu Xun perceived that Cao Pi, Emperor of Wei, would take the opportunity to attack Wu, and held off. Sure enough, Wei led armies against Wu shortly thereafter.
Later campaigns
Lu Xun had cemented his position as head of the army, and was named the Governor of Jingzhou. In another astonishing battle, Zhou Fang a provincial official feigned defection to Wei, luring a large Wei army deep into Wu territory. An ambush was set up by Lu Xun in which the much larger army of Wei was surrounded and destroyed.
At a later date, Wu launched a campaign northward, but one of their trusted couriers was captured and news of their military plans leaked out. Zhuge Jin, one of the generals leading the campaign, began to panic and sought advice on how to retreat from Lu Xun; Yi did not reply, but instead spent his time playing chess and planting beans. Jin, perplexed, went to find out what Lu Xun was up to. Lu Xun explained that if they fled immediately, the army would be in chaos and the enemy would be able to take advantage, pursue, and destroy them. Instead, by acting calm, they would suspect some ploy by Lu Xun and thus hesitate, allowing the Wu forces to quietly withdraw. Just as he said, the enemy hesitated and the Wu forces were able to withdraw safely.
Lu Xun was a highly respected advisor to Sun Quan; he was known for his virtue and humility, as well as his keen insight. After Sun Quan named himself Emperor, Lu Xun was made Chancellor.
Ignoble end
A dispute arose between two of Sun Quan's sons: Sun He, then heir to the throne, and Sun Ba, Prince of Lu. Sun He's position as Crown Prince was threatened by Sun Ba, who received a great deal of favor from his father. Lu Xun sided with He and begged Quan to firmly establish He as Crown Prince, stating that Ba's power was a threat to the stability of the kingdom. He sent letter after letter; they were all ignored. Furthermore, he was dismissed from office, and Quan repeatedly sent officers to reprimand him. Filled with grief, Lu Xun fell ill and died at the age of 63.
He was father to Lu Yan and Lu Kang; Kang eventually re-established his father's name, and went on to become one of the greatest generals of Wu.