Lu Xun
A scholar made general who burned the linked camps at the Battle of Yiling and crushed Liu Bei.
Life
Great clan of Jiangdong
Lu Xun came from the Lu clan of Wu Commandery, a great clan of Jiangdong. Early on he served on Sun Quan's staff, pacified the Shanyue, and married Sun Ce's daughter.
Battle of Yiling
In 219 he helped Lü Meng seize Jingzhou by surprise. In 222, when Liu Bei led a great army east, Lu Xun held out without giving battle until the Shu troops were exhausted and suffering in the summer heat, then broke their linked camps with a fire attack; Liu Bei was crushed and fell back to Baidi.
General in the field, minister at court
He then guarded Jingzhou for many years, routed Cao Xiu at Shiting, and became chancellor in 244. In his later years he was drawn into the succession dispute (the Strife of the Two Palaces); after repeatedly submitting memorials and being rebuked by Sun Quan, he died in indignation in 245.
Legacy
Lu Xun was Eastern Wu's most important commander after Zhou Yu, Lu Su and Lü Meng, and the Battle of Yiling fixed the border between Wu and Shu.
Major works & achievements
- Crushed Liu Bei at the Battle of Yiling
- Crushed Cao Xiu at the Battle of Shiting
Did you know? When he was made Grand Commander he was still relatively junior, and at first the other generals did not accept his authority.
Key dates
- 219Helped seize Jingzhou by surprise
- 222Burned the linked camps at the Battle of Yiling
- 228Routed Cao Xiu at the Battle of Shiting
- 244Became chancellor
- 245Died