Lu Xun (Eastern Wu) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lu Xun
陸遜
A Qing dynasty illustration of Lu Xun
Imperial Chancellor (丞相)
In office January or February 244 (January or February 244) – 19 March 245 (19 March 245)
Monarch	Sun Quan
Preceded by	Gu Yong
Succeeded by	Bu Zhi
Senior General-in-Chief (上大將軍)
In office 229 (229) – January or February 244 (January or February 244)
Monarch	Sun Quan
Succeeded by	Lü Dai
Right Protector-General (右都護)
In office 229 (229) – January or February 244 (January or February 244)
Monarch	Sun Quan
Grand Chief Controller (大都督)
In office 228
In office 222 (222)–223 (223)
Monarch	Sun Quan
General Who Assists the State (輔國將軍)
In office 222 (222)–229 (229)
Monarch	Sun Quan
Governor of Jing Province (荊州牧)
In office 222 (222)–229 (229)
Monarch	Sun Quan
General Who Guards the West (鎮西將軍)
In office 219 (219)–222 (222)
Personal details
Born	183 Wu County, Wu Commandery, Han Empire (present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu)
Died	19 March 245 (aged 62) Wuchang, Eastern Wu (present-day Ezhou, Hubei)
Spouse	Lady Sun
Children	Lu Yan Lu Kang
Parent	Lu Jun (father)
Relatives	Lu Mao (brother) Gu Cheng's mother (sister) Lu Kang (granduncle) Lu Ji (second cousin once removed) Lu Kai (relative)
Occupation	General, politician
Courtesy name	Boyan (伯言)
Posthumous name	Marquis Zhao (昭侯)
Peerage	Marquis of Jiangling (江陵侯)
Original name	Lu Yi (陸議)

Lu Xun (born 183, died 245), also known as Boyan, was a very important military general and politician in ancient China. He lived during the Three Kingdoms period. He served the state of Eastern Wu under its ruler, Sun Quan.

Lu Xun started his career as a government official in the early 200s. He slowly moved up the ranks. In 219, he helped General Lü Meng invade Jing Province. This led to the defeat of Liu Bei's famous general, Guan Yu. In 222, Lu Xun led the Wu army in the Battle of Xiaoting. He won a huge victory against Liu Bei's forces.

After this battle, Lu Xun became very famous and respected. Sun Quan gave him many honors and promotions. Lu Xun managed both government and military matters for Wu. He also fought in battles against Wu's rival state, Cao Wei. In his later years, he got involved in a disagreement about who would be Sun Quan's next ruler. This made Sun Quan unhappy with him. Lu Xun died a year later, feeling very frustrated. He was known for following Confucian ideas. He often advised Sun Quan to be kind to his people. He also strongly disagreed when Sun Quan wanted to change his chosen heir.

Lu Xun's Early Life and Family

Lu Xun's first name was "Yi." He came from a very important family in Wu County, which is now Suzhou, Jiangsu. His grandfather, Lu Yu, and father, Lu Jun, were officials in the Eastern Han dynasty government. The Lu family was one of the four most powerful families in the Jiangdong region.

Lu Xun became an orphan when he was young. His granduncle, Lu Kang, raised him. Lu Kang was a government official. When Lu Kang was in danger, he sent Lu Xun and his family back to Wu Commandery for safety. After Lu Kang died, Lu Xun became the new head of the Lu family. This was because he was older than Lu Ji, who was Lu Kang's son.

Starting His Career

Working for Sun Quan

Around the early 200s, when Lu Xun was 20, he began working for the warlord Sun Quan. Sun Quan ruled the Jiangdong territories. Lu Xun started as a small officer. He later became a clerk and then a county official.

When his county faced a long drought, Lu Xun helped the people. He opened up food storage areas and gave supplies to everyone. He also encouraged farming. Many people were hiding from the government to avoid taxes. Lu Xun found them, registered them, and helped them settle down. Some young men joined the army, while others worked in farming.

Fighting Bandit Groups

Early in his career, Lu Xun helped Sun Quan fight bandits in Jiangdong. These bandits had caused problems for years. Lu Xun formed his own group of fighters. He attacked a bandit leader named Pan Lin in Kuaiji Commandery. His group grew to over 2,000 soldiers.

He also fought another bandit leader, You Tu, in Poyang County. Lu Xun won this battle too. He was then made a Colonel and stationed at Lipu County.

Lu Xun told Sun Quan that they should get rid of the local bandits first. He said they would stop Sun Quan from becoming the most powerful ruler in China. Sun Quan listened to him. He made Lu Xun a Commandant. Another bandit leader, Fei Zhan, was secretly working for Cao Cao, a rival warlord. Lu Xun led a smaller army against Fei Zhan. He tricked the enemy into thinking he had more troops. He used many flags and drums to make it seem like a huge army was coming. Lu Xun won this battle.

Lu Xun sent his troops to three eastern commanderies. He recruited thousands of young men for the army and for farming. He cleared the area of all opposing forces. Then he returned to his base at Wuhu.

A Disagreement with Chunyu Shi

Chunyu Shi, a local administrator, once accused Lu Xun of bothering the common people. When Lu Xun met Sun Quan, he praised Chunyu Shi instead. Sun Quan was confused. He asked, "Chunyu Shi accused you, but you praise him. Why?" Lu Xun replied, "Chunyu Shi was worried about the people. If I criticized him, I would go against my own beliefs. I won't do that." Sun Quan said, "This shows you are a truly good person."

Taking Over Jing Province

Planning the Attack

Around 215, Sun Quan and his ally, Liu Bei, had arguments over land in southern Jing Province. They almost went to war. But they agreed to split the land. Guan Yu guarded Liu Bei's part, and Lü Meng guarded Sun Quan's.

In 219, Lü Meng planned to take Liu Bei's part of Jing Province. He pretended to be sick and went back home. Lu Xun visited Lü Meng. He said, "Guan Yu is close to our border. How can we not worry about him?" Lü Meng said he was too sick. Lu Xun then said, "Guan Yu is very proud and looks down on others. He doesn't see us as a threat. If he thinks you are sick, he will lower his guard. We can attack him then." Lü Meng still seemed unsure.

Lu Xun Takes Charge

When Lü Meng arrived back in the capital, Sun Quan asked him who could replace him. Lü Meng said, "Lu Xun is careful and smart. He can handle this important job. He is also not very well known, so Guan Yu won't suspect him. This is perfect." Sun Quan agreed. He made Lu Xun a Lieutenant-General to replace Lü Meng in Jing Province.

Conquering Jing Province

Lu Xun wrote a humble letter to Guan Yu. He praised Guan Yu and said he wanted to rely on him. Guan Yu believed Lu Xun and relaxed his defenses. Lu Xun then sent a secret report to Sun Quan. He explained how to defeat Guan Yu.

Sun Quan secretly sent an army. Lü Meng and Lu Xun led the first attack. They used clever tricks to sneak past Guan Yu's defenses. They quickly captured Guan Yu's main bases in Jing Province. For his success, Lu Xun was promoted. He was made the Administrator of Yidu Commandery and a General. He was also given the title "Marquis of Hua Village." Lu Xun gave new official seals to the local leaders who surrendered.

Even after this victory, some areas were still controlled by Liu Bei's forces. Lu Xun sent his officers to calm these regions. They defeated enemy officers and captured many. Lu Xun also convinced some enemy leaders to join Sun Quan.

Lu Xun captured or recruited tens of thousands of enemies. Sun Quan was very happy with Lu Xun. He promoted him to Right Protector-General and General Who Guards the West. His marquis title was changed to "Marquis of Lou."

The Battle of Xiaoting

Setting the Scene

In 220, Cao Pi took over the Han dynasty and started the state of Cao Wei. Two years later, Liu Bei declared himself emperor and started the state of Shu Han. Sun Quan first agreed to be a king under Cao Pi. But in late 222, he declared his independence.

Liu Bei's Attack

In early 222, Liu Bei personally led the Shu army to attack Sun Quan. He wanted to get back his lost lands in Jing Province. Sun Quan made Lu Xun the Grand Chief Controller. He put Lu Xun in charge of 50,000 troops to stop Liu Bei. Many other generals served under Lu Xun.

The Shu army moved through valleys and mountains. They set up many camps near Yiling. Liu Bei also bribed local tribes to support him. He appointed his own generals to lead different parts of his army. Liu Bei sent some men to build camps on flat ground. They tried to make the Wu forces attack them.

The Wu generals wanted to fight back. But Lu Xun said, "This must be a trick. We should watch them first." Earlier, when the Shu army first arrived, the Wu generals wanted to attack. Lu Xun stopped them. He said, "Liu Bei's army is strong and their morale is high. They are in high, mountainous areas, which makes it hard to attack. If we lose, our morale will drop a lot. We should wait for the right moment." The other generals didn't understand. They thought Lu Xun was scared.

When Liu Bei realized his trick failed, he moved his hidden troops out of the valley. Lu Xun told his officers, "That's why I didn't attack earlier. I suspected something was wrong."

The Fire Attack

The Wu generals complained, "We should have attacked Liu Bei earlier. Now, he has moved far forward. We've been stuck for months. He has made all his positions strong. We won't gain anything by attacking now." Lu Xun replied, "Liu Bei is smart and experienced. At first, his army was very focused. We couldn't beat them then. But now, after a long time, they are tired and losing hope. Now is the time for us to attack them from many sides."

Lu Xun first attacked one enemy camp. He failed to capture it. The Wu officers complained again. Lu Xun said, "I have a plan to defeat the enemy." He then ordered his men to carry straw. They launched a fire attack on the enemy camps.

After the fire started, Lu Xun led all the Wu units in a full attack. Shu generals and a tribal king were killed. The Wu forces destroyed over 40 Shu camps. Many Shu officers surrendered. Liu Bei and his remaining troops retreated to the Ma'an Hills. Wu forces attacked them fiercely from all directions. Liu Bei fled at night. He ordered his men to burn their armor to create barriers. By the time Liu Bei reached safety, all his boats and supplies were captured. Liu Bei was very upset. He said, "Is it fate that I must be shamed by Lu Xun?"

Events During the Battle

During the battle, General Sun Huan was surrounded by the enemy. He asked Lu Xun for help, but Lu Xun said no. Other Wu officers said, "General Sun is related to our lord. He's surrounded, shouldn't we help him?" Lu Xun replied, "He has good support and defenses. There's nothing to worry about. When my plan works, the siege will end on its own." After the Wu victory, Sun Huan told Lu Xun, "I was angry when you didn't help. But now I see you had a plan."

Many Wu officers in the battle had served for a long time or were Sun Quan's relatives. They felt important and didn't want to follow Lu Xun's orders. But after the great victory, which was mostly due to Lu Xun's plans, they all respected him much more.

Sun Quan praised Lu Xun. He promoted Lu Xun to General Who Assists the State. He also made him Governor of Jing Province. His marquis title was changed to "Marquis of Jiangling."

After the Battle

After Liu Bei retreated, some Wu generals wanted to attack him again. Sun Quan asked Lu Xun for his opinion. Lu Xun, along with other generals, said that Cao Pi was gathering his forces. They believed Cao Pi was pretending to help Wu but actually had bad intentions. So, they should be careful, stop chasing Liu Bei, and return to Wu. Soon after, Cao Pi led the Wei armies to invade Wu from three directions.

Liu Bei heard about the Wei invasion. He still had armies near the border. Many of his officials wanted to renew the alliance with Wu. Lu Xun and another general, Zhuge Jin, sent letters to Liu Bei asking for peace. Liu Bei finally agreed. He wrote to Lu Xun to renew the alliance and plan an attack against Wei.

Liu Bei died in 223. His son, Liu Shan, became the new emperor of Shu. Zhuge Liang became Shu's main leader. He made peace with Wu and restarted the alliance against Wei. Sun Quan allowed Lu Xun to reply to Zhuge Liang on his behalf. He even sent a copy of his own official seal to Lu Xun's office. Whenever Sun Quan wrote to Liu Shan or Zhuge Liang, he let Lu Xun read the letters, make changes, and stamp them before sending them.

The Battle of Shiting

In 228, Sun Quan told his general, Zhou Fang, to pretend to join Wei. This was to trick Cao Xiu, a Wei general, into attacking Wu. Cao Xiu fell for the trick. He led his armies to attack a Wu base. Sun Quan gave Lu Xun special authority. He made him Grand Chief Controller again. Lu Xun was in charge of six Wu armies and the imperial guards to fight the Wei invaders. Sun Quan even ordered everyone to show respect to Lu Xun.

Cao Xiu realized he had been tricked. He felt embarrassed but decided to continue the fight. He had more soldiers and they were well-trained. During the Battle of Shiting, Lu Xun stayed in the main command center. His generals led the armies on the left and right sides. Their armies attacked together. They defeated Cao Xiu's forces and chased them north. They killed or captured thousands of enemies. They also took a lot of the enemy's animals, equipment, and supplies. Cao Xiu died of illness after returning to Wei.

Lu Xun and the victorious Wu forces returned to Wuchang. Sun Quan held a big party for them. Sun Quan had his servants hold his imperial umbrella over Lu Xun when he entered or left the palace. He also gave Lu Xun many gifts. The honors Lu Xun received were very special. After this, Lu Xun moved to Xiling County.

Lu Xun's Middle Career

In 229, Sun Quan declared himself emperor and started the state of Eastern Wu. He made Lu Xun Senior General-in-Chief. That year, Sun Quan went on a trip to the east. He left his son, Sun Deng, and other officials in charge of Wuchang. Lu Xun was told to help Sun Deng and manage all government and military matters in Jing Province and three other areas.

Teaching Sun Quan's Sons

Sun Quan's second son, Sun Lü, liked watching duck fights. He built a small shed for them. When Lu Xun heard about it, he firmly told Sun Lü, "Marquis, you should be reading books and learning. Why are you doing this?" Sun Lü immediately tore down the shed.

Sun Song, another relative of Sun Quan, let his soldiers act silly and didn't keep good military order. Lu Xun punished Sun Song's soldiers by shaving their heads.

Important Advice

Even though Lu Xun was far from the capital, he cared deeply about his state. He often wrote to Sun Quan about important matters.

When Sun Quan planned to send armies to conquer Yizhou (present-day Taiwan) and Zhuya (present-day Hainan), he asked Lu Xun for his thoughts. Lu Xun advised against it. He said the losses would be greater than any gains. Sun Quan ignored him and launched the campaigns. Lu Xun's predictions were right. Wu suffered more than it gained.

In 237, a warlord named Gongsun Yuan rebelled against Wei. He allied with Wu but later broke the alliance. Sun Quan was angry and wanted to personally lead an army to attack him. Lu Xun advised him not to go. He said it was too far and too risky. Sun Quan listened to his advice.

The Xiangyang Campaign

In 234, Sun Quan led a large army to attack a Wei fortress. He ordered Lu Xun and Zhuge Jin to lead another 10,000 troops to attack the Wei city of Xiangyang. Lu Xun sent a messenger to Sun Quan. On the way back, the messenger was captured by Wei soldiers.

When Zhuge Jin heard this, he was scared. He wrote to Lu Xun, "Our emperor has pulled back his forces. The enemy knows our situation. The rivers are dry, so we should retreat quickly." Lu Xun didn't reply. Instead, he told his men to plant vegetables. He played board games with his officers as if nothing was wrong. Zhuge Jin said, "Boyan is smart. He knows what he's doing." He went to see Lu Xun. Lu Xun told him, "The enemy knows our emperor has left. They will focus on us. They have already placed troops in key spots. We must stay calm and prepare to retreat carefully. If we show we are scared now, they will attack us, and we will lose."

Lu Xun then secretly told Zhuge Jin his plan. He told Zhuge Jin to get the boats ready for their return. Meanwhile, Lu Xun gathered his troops and marched towards Xiangyang. The Wei forces were always careful of Lu Xun. When they saw his army coming, they quickly retreated back into the city. Lu Xun organized his men and pretended to prepare to attack Xiangyang. By then, Zhuge Jin and the boats had arrived. Lu Xun and his forces slowly moved back to the boats and left. The Wei forces in Xiangyang did not dare to attack them.

A Raid and Its Impact

On their way back, the fleet passed by Baiwei. Lu Xun announced they would go ashore for a hunting trip. But he secretly ordered his officers to attack three counties in Jiangxia Commandery. Outside Shiyang County, people were in the marketplace. When Lu Xun's men appeared, the people tried to rush inside the city walls. The Wei soldiers tried to close the gates, but the civilians blocked the way. Lu Xun's men captured over 1,000 civilians.

These captured people were moved to Wu. Lu Xun told his men not to bother the people. Those who had their families with them were taken care of. Those who lost loved ones were given food and clothes. Many people were so touched by Lu Xun's kindness that they decided to move to Wu territory. When news of Lu Xun's kindness spread, two Wei officers and a tribal king led their followers to join Lu Xun. Lu Xun gave them generous rewards.

Later Career and Wisdom

Tricking an Enemy Officer

Lu Shi, a Wei officer, often caused trouble at the border between Wu and Wei. Lu Xun heard that Lu Shi didn't get along with another Wei officer. Lu Xun came up with a plan. He pretended to have received a letter from Lu Shi. He wrote a "reply" saying, "I understand your problems with the other officer. You want to join my side. I have told my lord and will gather my men to welcome you. Get ready soon and tell us the date." He left this "reply" letter at the border. Lu Shi's men found it. When Lu Shi heard about it, he got scared. He sent his family to the Wei capital. His own officers stopped trusting him, and he was eventually removed from his job.

Stopping Rebellions

In 237, a general wanted to recruit soldiers from Poyang Commandery. He asked Lu Xun for his opinion. Lu Xun believed the people there were restless and might rebel if forced to join the army. The general ignored Lu Xun's advice. As Lu Xun predicted, the people in Poyang started a rebellion. They killed the general and took control of many areas. People in nearby regions also joined the revolt. Lu Xun led his forces to stop the rebellion. He succeeded in making the rebels surrender. He recruited over 8,000 men into his army and brought peace to the three regions.

Speaking Up for Justice

At one point, a supervisor named Lü Yi was misusing his power. Lu Xun and another official, Pan Jun, told Sun Quan about their worries. They even cried because they were so concerned. Later, Lü Yi's crimes were revealed. Sun Quan had him executed and deeply regretted not listening to Lu Xun and Pan Jun earlier.

Advice on Governing

Lu Xun often gave Sun Quan advice on how to govern the state. He wanted the government to be fair and strong.

Becoming Chancellor

Around 244, Lu Xun became the Imperial Chancellor of Eastern Wu. This was a very high position, like a prime minister.

A Difficult Time: The Succession Struggle

Sun Quan had two sons, Sun He (the Crown Prince) and Sun Ba (the Prince of Lu). Many officials tried to get their relatives jobs in the princes' offices. They hoped to gain influence. Lu Xun told Quan Cong that many of these candidates were not good enough. He said officials were just trying to help their own families. He worried this could cause big problems for the government.

Lu Xun also saw that Sun He and Sun Ba were becoming rivals. Both had many supporters. He believed this power struggle would hurt Eastern Wu's future. Quan Cong's son became a close helper to Sun Ba. Lu Xun warned Quan Cong that this would bring disaster to his family. But Quan Cong ignored him.

When rumors spread that Sun He might lose his position as Crown Prince, Lu Xun wrote many letters to Sun Quan. He said, "The Crown Prince is the rightful heir. He should be as solid as a rock. The Prince of Lu is a subject and should have less power. If both know their place, everyone will have peace." He begged Sun Quan to think carefully. He even asked to travel to the capital to speak about this, but Sun Quan said no. Lu Xun's nephews, who supported Sun He, were sent away. Another official who talked with Lu Xun was put in prison and later executed.

Lu Xun's Death

Sun Quan repeatedly sent messengers to scold Lu Xun for getting involved in the succession issue. Lu Xun died on March 19, 245, feeling very angry and frustrated. He was 62 years old. Lu Xun was a very careful spender. When he died, he left very little money for his family. Later, a Wu emperor gave Lu Xun the special title "Marquis Zhao," meaning "illustrious marquis."

The struggle for who would rule next ended five years after Lu Xun's death. Sun Quan removed Sun He and chose another son, Sun Liang. Many officials involved in the conflict faced bad outcomes.

In 251, about six months before he died, Sun Quan regretted how he treated Lu Xun. He told Lu Xun's son, Lu Kang, with tears in his eyes, "I believed bad rumors and didn't understand your father's good advice. I let you down. I have burned all the papers with accusations against your father so no one can ever see them."

What People Thought of Lu Xun

Lu Xun was known for his wisdom. He once told Zhuge Ke, "I respect those above me and help those below me. You act proud to those above you and look down on those below you. This is not how you build a good career."

The historian Chen Shou, who wrote about Lu Xun, said: "Liu Bei was a great hero, and many feared him. Lu Xun, who was young and not very famous then, managed to defeat Liu Bei. Lu Xun's brilliant plans, along with Sun Quan seeing his talent, led to a great achievement. Lu Xun was loyal, honest, and sincere. He died worrying about his state's future. He was truly an important pillar of his state."

Lu Xun's Family

After 216, Lu Xun married the eldest daughter of Sun Ce, Sun Quan's older brother.

Lu Xun's oldest son, Lu Yan, died young. His second son, Lu Kang, inherited his title. Lu Kang became a famous general later on. Lu Kang had six sons.

Lu Xun's younger brother, Lu Mao, also worked for Eastern Wu.

Lu Ji, a son of Lu Xun's granduncle, was known for being very respectful to his parents. He also worked for Sun Quan.

Lu Kai, a relative of Lu Xun, later became the Imperial Chancellor of Eastern Wu.

Lu Xun in Stories

Lu Xun appears as a character in the famous historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. This book tells exciting stories about the Three Kingdoms period. His most important part in the novel is his role in the Battle of Xiaoting.

Images for kids

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  A Qing dynasty illustration of Lu Xun