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The Library of Alexandria by J. Michael Bestul With a Single Thunderous Cry “I am Zhang Fei of Yan!” the honorable Shu taking on the opportunistic These were the words that the man styled Wei (sorry, Wu), and is considered one of the Yide, known to us as Zhang Fei, used to inspire Four Classic Novels. The archetypes within it allies and terrify enemies. At least, those are have influenced centuries of Chinese culture. the words we find in a translation of a piece of And before you dismiss popular folklore in historical fiction. favor of “history,” take the case of Guan Yu: What is the line between history and after his death, he became a folk deity folklore, and should one be valued over the embodying loyalty, honor, and martial prowess other? (and long beards). Eventually, he found himself Read on. an official Chinese deity – Guan Di, the God of War. Dynasty Warriors But those are two other Anachronism cards For those who haven’t played Koei’s series of for two other articles. We’re interested in his video games (or studied Chinese drama), here’s oath brother, Zhang Fei. China during the Three Kingdoms Era: After rebellions by the likes of Yellow Oath of the Peach Orchard Abstract: Scarves and Eunuchs, the Han Dynasty Romance of the Three Kingdoms starts with collapsed. Well, deflated, really. In the rebellion. The Han Empire needs soldiers to Zhang Fei ensuing chaos, three kingdoms emerged (hence fight the menace of the Yellow Scarves (or the name). Turbans, whatever). The scene shifts to a man In the north, Cao Cao held the leash of the whose “face [is] flawless as jade.” Emperor and created the Wei empire. In the This is Liu Bei, and he stands longingly in south, the Sun family held sway (and the front of an Imperial recruitment poster (“Uncle Culture: Chinese Imperial Seal); theirs was the Han Wants YOU!”). As he sighs, The historical man known as Zhang kingdom of Wu. Liu Bei hears a loud voice behind Fei (Yide) lived at the tail end of Finally, there were the him. He turns around and sees the Han Dynasty (about the year “a man eight spans tall, with a latecomers in the west, lead by Stay! Bastard with three 200 of the Common Era). The Liu Bei and his strategist, Zhuge blunt head like a panther’s, huge cultural icon known as Zhang Fei Liang. As a (distant) Imperial round eyes, a swallow’s heavy fathers! Know me for (Yide) developed through the descendant, Liu Bei endeavored jowls, a tiger’s whiskers, a to restore the dynasty, calling his thunderous voice, and a stance centuries, until Luo Guanzhong kingdom the Shu Han. Zhang Fei of Yan! like a dashing horse.” The large used him in Romance of the Three Who won this conflict? None man introduces himself as Zhang Kingdoms. Scholars place the of them! Though the north Fei, styled Yide. writing of this novel somewhere “unified” China, the Cao family was Well, these two head to the tavern, as young between 1330-1400 CE. overthrown by their advisors, the Sima clan – men are wont to do. While engaging in who promptly founded the Jin dynasty. libations, they meet an even larger man, with a That didn’t last either; the next period was two-foot-long beard – hey, it’s Ghan Yu! known as the Six Dynasties Era. While it After a few drinks, the trio head back to the sounds bigger, it wasn’t as sexy as Three Zhang farm, where they talk of poems and Tradition: the Legend Kingdoms. That’s because Six Dynasties prayers and promises, and things that they As one of the “Four Classical Novels,” believe in (and what about their dreams?). The doesn’t have a culturally-vital novel about it. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is more Unlike, say, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, next morning, they meet at the peach orchard than just a story full of passion, battle, and by Luo Guanzhong. behind the farm; underneath the blossoming cool one-liners. It’s also chock-full of Why should this article look to the Chinese tress, these three men become oath brothers, equivalent to The Iliad? swearing loyalty. lessons. One of the reasons characters and Read on. events were exaggerated and fictionalized, Three on Lü Bu besides the mythic aspect, is to teach. In the Historiographer’s Note The oath brothers proved themselves in the case of Zhang Fei, he was counterpart to While the historian is often concerned with campaign against the Yellow Scarves. Despite Guan Yu. Both could take on thousands. “what really happened,” the historiographer the assistance of heroes like Zhang Fei, though, But Guan Yu disrespected his peers; Zhang much prefers “how it has been told.” Take, for it was too late to save the fading Han Dynasty. Fei treated his subordinates poorly. In example, Luo’s novel. This novel was written In the ensuing political chaos, a tyrant named Luo’s novel, Guan Yu is beheaded by peers, many centuries after the fact, and takes a Dong Zhuo placed his own puppet on the Zhang Fei by his subordinates. literary turn on historical events. It focuses on Imperial throne. While this upset those lords continued on the next page... The Library of Alexandria ...continued from previous page who’d so recently put down rebellions, ol’ When none came forward, Zhang Fei’s voice Dongy had an ace up his sleeve: Lü Bu. In rumbled again: Luo’s novel, Lü Bu represents the penultimate “Here he stands, Zhang Fei of Yan, who’ll fight warrior, the Flying General wielding his Ji to the death any man who dares!” from the back of Red Hare. As the rear of Cao Cao’s army wavered, But that’s another article. All you need to Zhang Fei brandished his spear and bellowed know about Lü Bu is that he was an again: unstoppable bad-ass. Don’t pursue Lü Bu. “What’s it to be? Don’t want to fight? Don’t Anyway, back to our heroes, who’ve now want to leave?” joined a new coalition of heroes. Summoned by At this, the Wei army broke and ran. A Cao Cao and lead by Yuan Shao, this group general fainted from his horse, and Cao Cao lost hopes to stop Dong Zhuo’s reign. First, his hat in the retreat. Though the Wei army though, they need to stop Lü Bu. The best would regroup, Zhang Fei had bought the fighters all decide to challenge the mighty fledgling kingdom of Shu time and a chance. warrior, hoping that one will be able to capture him. All Good Things… The hole in this plan becomes evident With Liu Bei’s escape, the kingdom of Shu immediately, as mighty Gongsun Zan is within was able to set its feet. A short alliance with a few hoofbeats of being impaled upon Lü Bu’s Wu handed Cao Cao a devastating defeat at the halberd. That’s when a thunderous voice Battle of Chibi. The Three kingdoms Era was freezes the Flying General: well underway. “Stay! Bastard with three fathers! Know me Unfortunately for Shu, its success would for Zhang Fei of Yan!” depend on its legendary heroes and strategists. Brandishing his serpent-headed spear, a full One by one, these men passed on, often without eighteen spans long, Zhang Fei rides in to anyone to fill their legendary shoes. challenge the unbeatable warrior. Neither can In the case of Zhang Fei, death was Zhang Fei’s pack defeat the other, so Guan Yu joins the fight. foreshadowed by the words of Liu Bei. This One of the appealing parts of this Still, there’s a stalemate, until Liu Bei drew his warning can be found as the flavor text on Tie card is not only the design of its swords and entered the fray. Xia Bi Hu Jia: game mechanics, but the notion that The trio was able to ride around Lü Bu, “Zhang Fei, you kill excessively and often whip its warrior pack tells the cultural trapping him. A clever feint allowed the Flying your soldiers. Beware, lest one day you be in story of Zhang Fei. General to escape, but the damage was done. trouble with your subordinates.” The abilities of Chang Ban Po Without their unbeatable leader, Lü Bu’s army That day came in 221 CE, as Zhang Fei was mirror Zhang Fei’s famous standoff fled. preparing to attack Wu in revenge for Guan on the Chang Ban bridge. If Yu’s death. Zhang Fei was assassinated by his opponents stay away, it triggers It’s MY Bridge bodyguards, and his head given to Wu. The rivalry; coming close grants you a Eventually, Lü Bu ended the reign of Dong thunderous voice was silenced. Zhuo. Again, it did little to calm the chaos. In His legend, however, continues to echo free swipe at them. the years that followed, Wei and Wu sprang through the millennia. Zhang Fei’s legendary weapon, up in the north and south, and Liu Bei hired Remember that section on historiography? referred to as an “eighteen-span snake- his strategist, Zhuge Liang. Before they could While Zhang Fei never achieved the godhood or headed spear,” shows up as Ba Bian She found the Shu kingdom, though, Liu Bei had title of his brothers, his character became Mao. Not surprisingly, it has a good to lead his people to Jiangxia – which Cao Cao engrained in Chinese culture. Did his feats synergy with Zhang Fei’s Kuai shu fan didn’t want to happen.

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