Liu Zan 留贊 Zhengming 正明

Contents

Introduction

Liu Zan (simplified: 留赞, traditional: 留贊, pinyin: Liú Zàn), courtesy name Zhengming (正明), was an Eastern Wu general from Kuaiji Commandery. As a young commandery clerk he fought a Yellow Turban remnant leader, killed him, but was wounded in the leg and could not straighten it; he cut his own tendon so the leg could heal and he could walk again. Recommended by Ling Tong, he rose to Colonel of Garrison Cavalry and was known for outspoken remonstrance. At Dongxing (252) he served in the vanguard under Zhuge Ke and was promoted to General of the Left. In 255 he followed Sun Jun against Guanqiu Jian; he fell ill on the march, sent his disciple away with his seal before the battle, and as usual loosened his hair and called to heaven before fighting, but was defeated and killed by Jiang Ban at Gubei, aged seventy-three. The Wu shu says he was never defeated when he could fight in his usual way.

Biography

Early life and self-healing

Liu Zan was from Changshan (长山), Kuaiji Commandery (会稽郡). In his youth he served as a commandery clerk. When Yellow Turban remnants were still active in the region, he fought their leader Wu Huan (吴桓), killed him in battle, but was wounded in one leg so that it would not straighten. Liu Zan was direct and fierce and liked to read military texts and the Three Histories; he wished to campaign like the generals in the books and sighed over his crippled leg. One day he used a knife to cut the tendon of the injured leg. He bled heavily and was unconscious for a long time. His family was terrified but helped stretch his leg. Once the leg was straight, the wound gradually healed and Liu Zan could walk again, though with a limp.

Recommendation by Ling Tong and service under Sun Quan

When Ling Tong heard of Liu Zan, he was greatly impressed and recommended him. Liu Zan was given a trial and later won merit repeatedly; he was appointed Colonel of Garrison Cavalry (屯騎校尉). He often remonstrated on state affairs and never flattered; Sun Quan was wary of him but also respected him.

Battle of Dongxing (252)

In the first year of Jianxing (252), Cao Wei attacked Dongxing. The Grand Tutor Zhuge Ke led the defence and sent Liu Zan with Ding Feng, Lü Ju (吕据), and Tang Zi in the vanguard to reach Dongguan first and occupy Xutang. They defeated the Wei forward camp; the main army followed and the Wu forces won a great victory. Liu Zan was promoted to General of the Left (左將軍).

Huainan campaign and death at Gubei (255)

In the second year of Wufeng (255), the Wei generals Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin rebelled at Shouchan. Sun Jun led an army toward Shouchan and gave Liu Zan the tally (or appointed him Left Protector of the Army in one source). Before reaching Shouchan Liu Zan fell ill. When Sun Jun saw that Guanqiu Jian had already been defeated, he had the heavy vehicles and Liu Zan’s unit return first; Sun Jun then camped at Tuogao and, after Zhuge Dan had seized Shouchan, withdrew with the main army and the remnants of Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin.Zhuge Dan sent his general Jiang Ban to pursue. Jiang Ban caught up with Liu Zan’s troops at Gubei (菰陂).

Liu Zan was seriously ill and could not array his troops. Knowing he would lose, he gave his curved canopy and seal to a disciple (or nephew) and told him to return to the state quickly so as not to die with him. The disciple refused; Liu Zan drew his sword to strike him, and only then did the disciple leave. Liu Zan then did as he always did before battle: he loosened his hair and called out to heaven; his men responded; he roused their spirits and then advanced. In the past this had made him unbeaten, but in this battle he was finally defeated. He sighed: “I have a constant method for battle; today I am so ill—it is fate.” Jiang Ban killed Liu Zan. He was seventy-three. Others deeply lamented his death. Jiang Ban had his head displayed in the army and took his seal. (Some sources say Sun Jun had appointed him Left Protector of the Army; the main biography gives General of the Left.)

Personality and traits

Fierce determination

Liu Zan’s decision to cut his own tendon to restore his leg was compared by later writers (e.g. Hao Jing) to Guan Yu’s “scraping the bone”—a heart fixed on its goal, unmoved by pain or death. He was outspoken in remonstrance and did not flatter Sun Quan.

Ritual before battle

The Wu shu states that as a general Liu Zan would always loosen his hair and call to heaven, then sing in a loud voice with his men answering, and only then advance to fight—and that he was never defeated when he could do this. At Gubei his illness prevented him from deploying properly, and he attributed his defeat to fate.

Political achievements

Military service

Liu Zan served as Colonel of Garrison Cavalry after being recommended by Ling Tong and winning repeated merit, then as General of the Left after Dongxing (252). In 255 he was given the tally (or made Left Protector of the Army) under Sun Jun for the Huainan campaign and was killed at Gubei.

Relationships

Ling Tong

Ling Tong heard of Liu Zan’s story, met him, thought him extraordinary, and recommended him, so that Liu Zan received a trial and later office.

Sun Quan, Sun Liang, Sun Jun

Liu Zan served under Sun Quan (who respected but was wary of his remonstrance), under Sun Liang at Dongxing with Zhuge Ke, and under Sun Jun in the Huainan campaign.

Zhuge Ke, Ding Feng, Lü Ju, Tang Zi

At Dongxing he was in the vanguard with Ding Feng, Lü Ju, and Tang Zi.

Anecdotes and allusions

Cutting his own tendon

Liu Zan’s leg was injured in battle and would not straighten. He cut the tendon with a knife, bled heavily, and lost consciousness; his family helped stretch his leg. It healed and he could walk again. The story was later compared to Guan Yu’s “scraping the bone” as an example of extreme determination.

Source: Wu shu in Pei Songzhi’s annotation
Type: Historical

“Loosen hair and call to heaven”

Before battle Liu Zan would loosen his hair and call to heaven, then sing with his men responding, then advance. The Wu shu says he was never defeated when he could do this. At Gubei he was too ill to deploy properly and was killed.

Source: Wu shu in Pei Songzhi’s annotation
Type: Historical

Sending the disciple away

At Gubei, knowing he would lose, Liu Zan gave his canopy and seal to a disciple and ordered him to flee. When the disciple refused, Liu Zan drew his sword; the disciple left. Liu Zan then fought in his usual manner and was defeated and killed.

Source: Records of the Three Kingdoms and annotations
Type: Historical

Achievements

Liu Zan’s documented achievements include:

Killing the Yellow Turban remnant leader Wu Huan as a commandery clerk
Healing his leg by cutting his own tendon and returning to service
Being recommended by Ling Tong and serving as Colonel of Garrison Cavalry with repeated merit
Remonstrating openly; Sun Quan respected him
At Dongxing (252), serving in the vanguard and contributing to the great victory; promotion to General of the Left
In 255, receiving the tally (or Left Protector of the Army) under Sun Jun for the Huainan campaign

Behind the scenes

Historical sources

Liu Zan appears in the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志) in the biography of Sun Jun (孫峻) and in the annals of the Three Heirs; Pei Songzhi’s annotation quotes the Wu shu (吳書) for his early life, his battle ritual, and his death at Gubei. The Zizhi tongjian also records the campaigns.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the novel, Liu Zan is mentioned at Dongxing (chapter 108): Zhuge Ke sends Ding Feng with three thousand troops in the lead and Lü Ju, Tang Zi, and Liu Zan each with ten thousand as support.

Later reverence

In Tao Hongjing’s Zhenling weiye tu (真靈位業圖), Liu Zan is listed as “Sima in charge of the key to the southern gate” (主南門鑰司馬).

Historical evaluations

Wu shu

“When Zan was a general, he would always loosen his hair and call to heaven before the enemy, then raise his voice in song with his men answering; when that was done he advanced to battle, and in battle he never failed to win.”

Hao Jing (郝經)

“Liu Zan was fierce, bold, and devoted—a match for ten thousand. His cutting his leg was truly like Yunchang’s scraping the bone. His heart had a master and did not waver; he treated pain and death as if they had nothing to do with him—the courage of a strong man. And he got the death he sought.”

Legacy

Liu Zan is remembered for his extreme resolve (cutting his own tendon), his ritual of loosening hair and calling to heaven before battle, and his death at Gubei while ill. Later writers compared his self-surgery to Guan Yu’s scraping the bone and praised his courage and devotion.

References

Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志), “Biography of Sun Jun” (孫峻傳), “Annals of the Three Heirs” (三嗣主傳), and related biographies.
Pei Songzhi. Annotations (Wu shu).
Sima Guang. Zizhi tongjian (資治通鑑), relevant juan.
Luo Guanzhong. Romance of the Three Kingdoms (三國演義), chapter 108.