Zhang Fei 張飛 was a military general serving the warlord Liu Bei during the Later Han and early Three Kingdoms period. One of Liu Bei's earliest followers, together with Guan Yu, and the Records of the Three Kingdoms describes their relationship "as close as brothers". He is the second general commonly associated with the Five Tiger Generals.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Zhang Fei was from Zhuo Commandery. Not much is known about him before he joined Liu Bei's army besides that he had an imposing appearance as well as a fierce personality.[1] Zhang Fei became very close with Liu Bei and another follower named Guan Yu, to the point where they shared a bed and had a bond akin to brothers. Whenever there were crowds of people in a large gathering hosted by Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei attended Liu Bei throughout the entire day. Whenever Liu Bei went somewhere, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei would always follow, never deterred by difficulty or danger.[2] As Guan Yu was older than him by several years, Zhang Fei treated him like an elder brother.[3] Liu Bei served Cao Cao during the annexation of Lü Bu. During this time, Zhang Fei followed Liu Bei to Xu, and Cao Cao appointed him as General of the Household. Subsequently, Liu Bei went against Cao Cao to join Yuan Shao and Liu Biao. Zhang Fei managed to follow Liu Bei throughout.[4]
In 200, Xiahou Yuan's 13-year-old niece was in Pei commandery gathering firewood when Zhang Fei stumbled across her and took her. Zhang Fei somehow recognized her to be of the Xiahous and forced her to be his wife, having daughters with her.[5]
In 208, at a confrontation against Cao Cao at Chang Slope (長阪; Chǎngbǎn), Liu Bei sent Zhang Fei with 20 cavalrymen to try and halt the advance. Zhang Fei and his men broke the bridge, waved his spear, and with glared eyes, yelled at them, "I am Zhang Yide! Who will come together and determine who dies!" Cao Cao's men were said not to approach out of fear.[4] In 209, Liu Bei made Zhang Fei Grand Administrator of Yidu, General who Conquers Enemies, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Xin Township, later shifting Zhang Fei to be in Nan Commandery.[6]
Military career[]
In 214, Liu Bei attacked Liu Zhang. Zhang Fei and Zhuge Liang among others sailed the streams upward, taking over commanderies and counties; it is said Zhang Fei had been victorious where he fought. He arrived at Jiangzhou, defeating and captured alive Liu Zhang's general, the Grand Administrator of Ba Commandery; Yan Yan. Zhang Fei scolded Yan Yan, saying, "When our great army arrived, why did you not surrender then, rather daring to oppose and fight?!" Yan Yan replied, "You all are all insolent, invading and stealing away my province! My province only has generals with cut-off heads, and there are no surrendered generals!" Zhang Fei was angry, ordered his left and right to go chop his head. Yan Yan's expression did not change, saying, "If you want to cut my head, then cut my head! Why make a tantrum!" Zhang Fei was impressed by his honor and released him, recruiting him as a guest. and met Liu Bei at Chengdu. After Liu Zhang was defeated, Liu Bei awarded Zhang Fei lavishly and made him Grand Administrator of Baxi.[6]
In 215, Cao Cao had Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He remain to guard Hanchuan. Zhang He separately supervised the armies to descend upon Baxi, wanting to move its people to Hanzhong, and advanced his army to Dangqu, Mengtou, and Dangshi. Zhang Fei and hang He opposed each other for over 50 days. Zhang Fei led over 10,000 elite troops and followed a different road to intercept Zhang He's army and fought each other. The mountain roads were very narrow, so Zhang He's front and rear weren't able to help each other. Zhang He's army was defeated by Zhang Fei, and it is said Zhang He had to abandon his horse and scale the mountains to go bac. Only he and over 10 subordinates followed a minor road to retreat and led their army to return to Nanzheng. The lands of Ba were able to be at peace. When Liu Bei declared himself King of Hanzhong, he made Zhang Fei the General of the Right, with acting tally.[7]
In 221, Zhang Fei was promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry, concurrently Colonel who Directs Retainers, and further enfeoffed as Marquis of Xi Township. Liu Bei's order said, "I have continued Heaven's sequence, succeeding and receiving the vast realm to remove corruption and pacify chaos, but have not yet fully understood its reason why it happened. Now that bandits and enemies are doing harm, the people are being extremely tormented, and those who think of the Han extend their necks like cranes. And so I feel anguished from such. In sitting I cannot sit calmly; in eating I have no appetite. I organized my army and spoke officially to them, making to swear to act bearing Heaven's punishment. And you, sir, are loyal and firm, matching the legacy of Shao Hu[n 1], that your reputation commands the far and near, hence I especially present this edict: that [you are bestowed] to construct walls[n 2], that you advance in your peerage, you will also supervise the capital. You shall greatly realize your potential with Heaven's might, reassured other people to serve with virtue, and put down rebellions with punishments, which corresponds with my will. Hasn't the [Classic of] Poetry said, 'With no regrets, no thorns, does a kingdom reach its pinnacle. You have caused and shown your might and achievements, so we gift you fortune!' How could we not be encouraged!" It gives insight to how Liu Bei viewed Zhang Fei.[8]
Death[]
Zhang Fei respected gentlemen but held "petty" people in contempt. Liu Bei advised Zhang Fei against this, saying, "Sir, your punishments and killings are excessive. Daily you beat and whip your warriors, yet now you ordered them as your left and right. This is the way of seeking disaster." Zhang Fei still choose to go on with his behavior, however. When Liu Bei attacked Wu, Zhang Fei should have led troops of 10,000 people, leave from Langzhong, and meet Liu Bei at Jiangzhou. When Zhang Fei was about to leave though, his subordinate generals, Zhang Da 張達 and Fan Jiang 范彊, killed Zhang Fei, took his head, and went downstream to flee to Sun Quan. Zhang Fei's camp supervisor reported this to Liu Bei. It is said that when Liu Bei heard that Zhang Fei's supervisor had a petition, he said, "Alack! Fei has died!"[9] His second son, Zhang Shao, succeeded him as Marquis of Xi Township.
Family[]
- Eldest son: Zhang Bao
- Second son: Zhang Shao
- Eldest daughter: Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's first empress)
- Younger daughter: Empress Zhang (Liu Shan's second empress)
Notes[]
Fact vs. Fiction[]
Historically…
- …His style name was not this Yide 翼德.
- …Zhang Fei did not swear an oath of brotherhood in a peach garden with Liu Bei and Guan Yu.
- …Zhang Fei did not beat up an imperial inspector. Historically it was Liu Bei who beat up the inspector.
- …Zhang Fei did not kill Cao Bao.
References[]
- ↑ 初，飛雄壯威猛，亞於關羽，魏謀臣程昱等咸稱羽、飛萬人之敵也。Chen Shou, Pei Songzhi. "Biography of Zhang Fei" in the Annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms
- ↑ 先主於鄉里合徒眾，而羽與張飛為之禦侮。先主為平原相，以羽、飛為別部司馬，分統部曲。先主與二人寢則同床，恩若兄弟。而稠人廣坐，侍立終日，隨先主周旋，不避艱險。Chen Shou, Pei Songzhi. "Biography of Guan Yu" in the Annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms
- ↑ 張飛字益德，涿郡人也，少與關羽俱事先主。羽年長數歲，飛兄事之。Chen Shou, Pei Songzhi. "Biography of Zhang Fei" in the Annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 先主從曹公破呂布，隨還許，曹公拜飛為中郎將。先主背曹公依袁紹、劉表。表卒，曹公入荊州，先主奔江南。曹公追之，一日一夜，及於當陽之長阪。先主聞曹公卒至，棄妻子走，使飛將二十騎拒後。飛據水斷橋，瞋目橫矛曰：「身是張益德也，可來共決死！」敵皆無敢近者，故遂得免。Chen Shou, Pei Songzhi. "Biography of Zhang Fei" in the Annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms
- ↑ 《魏略》曰：初，建安五年，時霸從妹年十三四，在本郡，出行樵採，為張飛所得。飛知其良家女，遂以為妻，產息女，為劉禪皇后。Chen Shou, Pei Songzhi. "Biography of Xiahou Yuan" in the Annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 先主旣定江南，以飛為宜都太守、征虜將軍，封新亭侯，後轉在南郡。先主入益州，還攻劉璋，飛與諸葛亮等泝流而上，分定郡縣。至江州，破璋將巴郡太守嚴顏，生獲顏。飛呵顏曰：「大軍至，何以不降，而敢拒戰？」顏荅曰：「卿等無狀，侵奪我州，我州但有斷頭將軍，無有降將軍也。」飛怒，令左右牽去斫頭，顏色不變，曰：「斫頭便斫頭，何為怒邪！」飛壯而釋之，引為賔客。飛所過戰克，與先主會于成都。益州旣平，賜諸葛亮、法正、飛及關羽金各五百斤，銀千斤，錢五千萬，錦千匹，其餘頒賜各有差，以飛領巴西太守。Chen Shou, Pei Songzhi. "Biography of Zhang Fei" in the Annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms
- ↑ 曹公破張魯，留夏侯淵、張郃守漢川。郃別督諸軍下巴西，欲徙其民於漢中，進軍宕渠、蒙頭、盪石，與飛相拒五十餘日。飛率精卒萬餘人，從他道邀郃軍交戰，山道迮狹，前後不得相救，飛遂破郃。郃棄馬緣山，獨與麾下十餘人從間道退，引軍還南鄭，巴土獲安。先主為漢中王，拜飛為右將軍、假節。Chen Shou, Pei Songzhi. "Biography of Zhang Fei" in the Annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms
- ↑ 章武元年，遷車騎將軍，領司隷校尉，進封西鄉侯，策曰：「朕承天序，嗣奉洪業，除殘靖亂，未燭厥理。今寇虜作害，民被荼毒，思漢之士，延頸鶴望。朕用怛然，坐不安席，食不甘味，整軍誥誓，將行天罰。以君忠毅，侔蹤召、虎，名宣遐邇，故特顯命，高墉進爵，兼司于京。其誕將天威，柔服以德，伐叛以刑，稱朕意焉。詩不云乎，『匪疚匪棘，王國來極。肇敏戎功，用錫爾祉』。可不勉歟！」Chen Shou, Pei Songzhi. "Biography of Zhang Fei" in the Annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms
- ↑ 飛愛敬君子而不恤小人。先主常戒之曰：「卿刑殺旣過差，又日鞭檛健兒，而令在左右，此取禍之道也。」飛猶不悛。先主伐吳，飛當率兵萬人，自閬中會江州。臨發，其帳下將張達、范彊殺飛，持其首，順流而奔孫權。飛營都督表報先主，先主聞飛都督之有表也，曰：「噫！飛死矣。」Chen Shou, Pei Songzhi. "Biography of Zhang Fei" in the Annotations to the Records of the Three Kingdoms