Xu Sheng
| Xu Sheng | |||
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| Traditional Chinese | 徐盛 | ||
| Simplified Chinese | 徐盛 | ||
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Xu Sheng (died ~225),[1] style name Wenxiang (文響), was a military general of Eastern Wu during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He fought in at least 5 wars for the southern regime during his lifetime. He is often noted as a brave yet arrogant men whether on the battlefield or court.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early career against Huang She
Xu Sheng's early career and responsibility can be concluded with the defense against the guerrilla forces under Huang Zu, who killed Sun Jian (father of Sun Ce and Sun Quan) during the Battle of Xiangyang (191). Xu came from a gentry family rooted in Lu County, but his clan migrated to Wu because of the frequent wars in central China. After the death of Sun Ce, his brother Sun Quan succeeded him and became the new ruler of Jiangdong. When Sun Quan held large-scaled recruitments to draw support for his heritage, Xu clan answered the call, and Xu Sheng received 500 soldiers to station in Chaisang (柴桑, southwest of present-day Jiujiang, China) as a Marshall of Separate Command.[2]
As (Acting) Chief of Chaisang (守柴桑长), Xu Sheng was tasked with local defenses. Once, the son of Huang Zu, Huang She, led several thousand men down to attack Xu Sheng when the latter only had 200 men inside Chaisang fortress. However, the men under Xu were elite archers and they caused Huang a casualty of a thousand.[3] When the morale of Huang's army plummeted, Xu Sheng opened the city gate and ordered his men to conduct melee combat. Huang She was soundly defeated, so he left the area and retreated to his father in Jiangxia (present-day Yunmeng County, Hubei, China).
[edit] Wars with Cao Cao
Like Zhu Ran and Zhang Zhao, Xu Sheng was also a representative of the gentry class, and they were preservative and skeptical on resisting the leading warlord, Cao Cao, when the latter launched the Battle of Red Cliff. Therefore, Xu Sheng played a minor role in Sun Quan's military until the latter solidified his position after the Battle of Jiangling. During the first battle of Ruxu, in which Cao Cao personally led 400,000 men with the intention to crush the 70,000 men Sun Quan gathered, Xu Sheng served as a captain in the front division for Sun. However, the Mengchong warships were blown to the other side of the river as a result of strong winds. The captains (generals in charge of the warships) were terrified and dared not move out from the ships. Xu Sheng landed and ordered his men to attack the enemy, and dealt some damage to his foe. After the wind stopped, all the generals returned to the southern side unharmed. Sun Quan applauded Xu Sheng's bravery when the generals reported of what happened.[4] Along with Zhu Ran, Xu deliberately expressed displeasure to work with and under general Zhou Tai, who came from a lower origin but was assigned as the area commander. (See Appraisal Section for details).
After the Liu-Sun agreement of AD 215, Sun Quan launched the Battle of Leisure Ford to divert Cao Cao's pressure on the Shu-region warlord Liu Bei. In the battle, Xu Sheng was wounded by Zhang Liao and fled the battlefield. More humiliating, he lost his precious weapon during the clash and got one of his soldier executed by Pan Zhang as an act of military discipline.[5] It is recorded in He Qi's biography of the Records of the Three Kingdoms that the famous collector, general He, had Xu Sheng's 474 cm long Mao (矛, similar to a lengthened spear) retrieved.[6] However, it is not stated whether general He kept the loot himself or he returned it to Xu Sheng. Either way, losing his personal weapon was a shame to the proud Xu Sheng.
[edit] Defenses against Cao Pi
[edit] Defense against Cao Xiu
After the death of the southern commander of Kingdom of Wei, Xiahou Dun, 20 armies of his 26 armies were now under commandership of Cao Xiu, the newly appointed area commander under Wei emperor, Cao Pi (son of Cao Cao). Xu Sheng was the Governor of Lujiang at the time, and worked under Lu Fan when Cao Xiu advanced to Dongfu. Xu and Lu sailed across the river and occupied the ford. However, they were struck by a cyclone, and many of their mariners, as well as ships, were lost. The Wu generals were scared to death because they had lost half of the ships to the natural disaster, but were overjoyed by the arrival of Hè Qi, who actually arrived behind schedule and was not affected by the storm.[7] Coincidentally, Hè Qi was obsessed with luxuries, and every ship of his was finely decorated and well equipped with elite bows and crossbows, even the arrows were amongst the best; thus, Cao Xiu was shocked when he saw Hè Qi's grandeur display of his refulgent navy, so he paused his attack.[8] Xu Sheng then assembled those scattered by the gale and returned back to the other side of the river. Cao Xiu targeted Lu Fan, and ordered his subordinates to do battle with Xu Sheng.[9] Even Cao routed Lu, his aides were not able to suppress Xu, at the end both sides withdrew their troops from the area.
[edit] Defense of Stone City
In AD 224, Cao Pi mobilized a large force to attack Eastern Wu. Xu proposed to Sun Quan they should show the enemy that they were well prepared for an invasion, thus discouraging the Wei from crossing the Yangtze River. Despite opposition from the majority, Xu insisted and carried out his plan by pitching encampments starting from Jianye. Within each encampment, there elected a "fake tower", and warships (whether they were populated or not) were suspended on the river.[10] Xu Sheng's ruse effectively constructed a "wall" along the banks of the river that served as a border, which stretched over several hundreds li. Cao Pi, upon sighting his foe's "strong defenses", sighed, "did God creat the Yangtze to divide South and North?" Cao Pi then withdrew his forces, and the Wu generals finally recognized Xu's insight.
Xu Sheng died during the reign of Huangwu (222 - 229). Therefore, he must have died between 224 -229. His title, as well as his troops, were succeeded by his son, Xu Kai, who continued to serve the Kingdom of Wu.
[edit] Appraisal
Xu Sheng was always confident. When Wei sent Xing Zhen as an ambassador to Jiangdong to officially grant a kingship to Sun Quan, Sun personally led his officers out to a pavilion to receive Xing, who represented the Wei emperor, Cao Pi. Xing acted arrogantly and did not take Sun Quan seriously.[11] Observing Xing's elated expression and behavior, Zhang Zhao and Xu Sheng were enraged. Xu said to his peers, "we can't risk our life for the country to conquer Xuluo (Xuchang and Luoyang) and Bashu (Ba and Shu regions), is that not a shame?[12] Xing commented, "with officers such as them, (Sun Quan) will not be a subject for long."
However, Xu Sheng's self-ego did not always lead to positive actions, though. During the battle of Ruxu, Zhou Tai was appointed by Sun Quan to be the area commander, Xu Sheng and Zhu Ran were both under Zhou's command. However, the two came from a wealthier background, and did not want to submit to Zhou Tai's command citing the latter's common background. Thus, a great party was held, where Sun Quan personally served wine to Zhou Tai, and asked him to remove his outer garments. Pointing at each scar on Zhou's body, Sun Quan asked Zhou Tai the story behind it, whereupon Zhou would respond with his memories of past battles. At the end, Xu Sheng and Zhu Ran yielded to Zhou's authority.
Xu Sheng was also a man who tended to think too much. During his early appointment as the Huwu Chief, he attempted to execute Jiang Qin's civil clerk but was stopped by Sun Quan. Since then, Xu had been apprehensive of Jiang's revenge. When Jiang received the staff of authority to articulate military affairs in Ruxu, Xu Sheng even held the illusion that Jiang would use an excuse to get rid of him. However, the truth is that Jiang always spoke in favour of Xu and never abused his power to harm the latter.[13]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
Primary source:
- Chen Shou. Records of Three Kingdoms, Chapter 55, Biography of Xu Sheng.
- Chen Shou. Records of Three Kingdoms, Chapter 47, Biography of Sun Quan.
- Chen Shou. Records of Three Kingdoms, Chapter 60, Biography of He Qi.
- Chen Shou. Records of Three Kingdoms, Chapter 9, Biography of Cao Xiu.
- Yu Pu. Jiangbiao Zhuan.
[edit] Notes
- ^ de Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A biographical dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms (23–220 AD). Brill. p. 911. ISBN 978-90-04-15605-0.
- ^ (孙权统事，以为别部司马，授兵五百人，守柴桑长，拒黄祖。) Chen, Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms. Vol 55. Biography of Xu Sheng.
- ^ (黄祖。祖子射，尝率数千人下攻盛。盛时吏士不满二百，与相拒击，伤射吏士千馀人。) Chen, Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms. Vol 55. Biography of Xu Sheng
- ^ (时乘蒙冲，遇迅风，船落敌岸下，诸将恐惧，未有出者，盛独将兵，上突斫敌，敌披退走，有所伤杀，风止便还，权大壮之。 )
- ^ (璋身次在後，便馳進，橫馬斬謙、盛兵走者二人，兵皆還戰。) Chen Shou. Records of Three Kingdoms, Volume 55, Biography of Pan Zhang.
- ^ (時城中出戰，徐盛被創失矛，齊引兵拒擊，得盛所失。) Chen Shou. Records of Three Kingdoms, Volume 60, Biography of He Qi.
- ^ (會洞口諸軍遭風流溺，所亡中分，將士失色，賴齊未濟，偏軍獨全，諸將倚以為勢。) Chen, Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms. Vol 60. Biography of He Qi.
- ^ (所乘船雕刻丹鏤，青蓋絳襜，干櫓戈矛，葩爪文畫，弓弩矢箭，咸取上材，蒙衝鬥艦之屬，望之若山。休等憚之，遂引軍還) Chen, Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms. Volume 60 of Chen's book depicts how grandiose Hè Qi's ships were.
- ^ (遭大风，船人多丧，盛收馀兵，与休夹江。休使兵将就船攻盛，盛以少御多，敌不能克，各引军退。) Chen, Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms. Vol 55. Biography of Xu Sheng
- ^ (盛建计从建业筑围，作薄落，围上设假楼，江中浮船。) Chen, Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms. Vol 55. Biography of Xu Sheng
- ^ (及权为魏称藩，魏使邢贞拜权为吴王。权出都亭候贞，贞有骄色) Chen, Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms. Vol 55. Biography of Xu Sheng
- ^ (张昭既怒，而盛忿愤，顾谓同列曰：“盛等不能奋身出命，为国家并许洛，吞巴蜀，而令吾君与贞盟，不亦辱乎！”因涕泣横流。) Chen, Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms. Vol 55. Biography of Xu Sheng
- ^ (初，欽屯宣城，嘗討豫章賊。蕪湖令徐盛收欽屯吏，表斬之，權以欽在遠不許，盛由是自嫌於欽。曹公出濡須，欽與呂蒙持諸軍節度。盛常畏欽因事害己，而欽每稱其善。盛既服德，論者美焉。) Chen, Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms. Vol 55. Biography of Jiang Qin.
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