At the end of the Han Dynasty and during the Three Kingdoms period, the phenomenon of war was rampant, yet countless talents emerged. This aligns perfectly with the saying, “talent emerges amidst chaos.” The talents during this historical period not only possessed significant martial prowess but also included military strategists who played critical roles in the armies of the leading figures of the time.
Regarding military leaders, many believe that Zhuge Liang was the most strategic genius, as he assisted Liu Bei in establishing the Shu Han regime. In contrast, Sima Yi is often recognized as the best military strategist of the Three Kingdoms because he not only “surpassed” Zhuge Liang but also held the supreme authority of the Cao Wei clan.
However, in reality, the best military strategist of the Three Kingdoms was neither Zhuge Liang nor Sima Yi. Instead, this title belongs to a figure who created many surprises on the political battlefield. This person is Xun Yu.
Xun Yu was the military strategist and national talent of Cao Cao.
Xun Yu (163 – 212), known by the courtesy name Wenruo, was a prominent military strategist and adviser during the late Han Dynasty. He was instrumental in helping Cao Cao build a powerful military during the Three Kingdoms period. Initially, Xun Yu was a well-known figure in the military circles of Cao Cao. He even received the title “Master of the Chen Kingdom,” comparing him favorably with Zhang Liang, one of the famed strategists of the Han Dynasty.
According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Xun Yu was assessed as having little interest in external matters, focusing primarily on military strategies and gaining fame. He was a talented strategist who focused on the wellbeing of the state. At the same time, he was also compared with other great names like Sima Yi, who were still active during his time.
Experts analyze that without Xun Yu’s special strategies, Cao Cao would have faced enormous difficulties in establishing the Cao Wei dynasty. Xun Yu changed the course of history four times and is regarded as the greatest military strategist of Cao Cao.
So what are these four historical turning points?
First, during the Battle of Chibi
Cao Cao often followed Xun Yu’s advice to achieve significant successes in his military endeavors.
The first time Xun Yu changed the course of history was during the Battle of Chibi. At that time, Cao Cao had to attack the allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei at Chibi. Although the northern army had many advantages, Cao Cao’s army in the Duyyen area was almost overwhelmed by the forces of Sun Quan.
Specifically, in 193, the rebel general Zhang Liu was attacking the stronghold of Cao Cao, along with his brother Zhang Xiu and the strategist Zhang Gong, upon hearing that Cao Cao was about to attack Chibi, they were very anxious and did not recognize Cao Cao’s strength in the Duyyen area. The three men decided to seek a new commander to lead a direct assault on Cao. At the same time, Zhang Liu also voted to attack and send Zhang Gong to persuade Zhang Xiu to join forces against Cao Cao.
Clearly, in this situation, Cao Cao fell into a precarious circumstance, losing an important stronghold, and at the same time, it was difficult to maintain strength in the future.
Xun Yu cleverly helped Cao Cao regain control of Duyyen.
Fortunately for Cao Cao, he had Xun Yu as his chief strategist. In a critical moment, Xun Yu established a solid defense for the three main cities in Duyyen for Cao Cao: Ren Cheng, Dong An, and Pham Huyen. Therefore, Cao Cao did not lose his stronghold and also reinforced his troops to advance against Zhang Liu. This situation created an opportunity for Cao Cao to regain control of the situation. The help from Xun Yu allowed Cao Cao to stabilize his position and eventually secure victory at the Battle of Chibi, forcing the enemy to retreat from Duyyen in 195.
After this battle, Cao Cao not only gained military recognition but also established a critical position for himself.
Second, “the heavenly messenger of the army”
Cao Cao followed Xun Yu’s advice to implement the “heavenly messenger” strategy.
According to historical records, when the regime of Emperor Xian was crumbling, two divine books, Li Thoi and Quach Di, were lost. Han Xian De had escaped to the east and returned to Lac Duong. At that time, Xun Yu and Trinh Duc were the two advisors who encouraged Cao Cao to seek the “heavenly messenger” approach to assist the Han family, while also understanding the situation of the times.
By this method, there would be real meaning to counter the imperial influence. The strategy of calling this military tactic the “heavenly messenger” (with the literal meaning of the envoy of heavenly strategy) was seen as a crucial strategy that brought Cao Cao to success and increasingly powerful. The significance of this strategy was undoubtedly comparable to the “Longzhong Plan” that Zhuge Liang devised for Liu Bei to achieve ultimate glory.
Based on the recommendations of Xun Yu to Cao Cao, it can be seen that this military leader had a significant influence and power over the direction of Cao’s army. Despite the circumstances when the Han family was declining, many individuals remained loyal to this regime. Xun Yu’s strategy aimed to help Cao Cao maintain the “meaning” to win the hearts of the people amidst the chaotic historical backdrop.
If there were no strategic book “the envoy of heavenly strategy,” then the power of Cao Cao would not have been able to sustain its strength. Thus, the actions and strategic writings of Xun Yu changed the entire trajectory of history.
Third, at the Battle of Guan Du
Cao Cao’s forces won at Guan Du and completely annihilated Yuan Shao’s army, following Xun Yu’s advice.
The third time Xun Yu changed the course of history was during the Battle of Guan Du in 200. According to official records, during the early and middle stages of the Battle of Guan Du, Cao Cao was in a precarious position. At that time, Yuan Shao had a very strong army, vastly outnumbering Cao Cao.
The conflict between the two sides was fierce. Specifically, both sides held a stalemate for many days without any clear victor, but it was evident that Cao Cao’s army was at a disadvantage. When the troop strength was about to run out, Cao Cao intended to retreat to Hua Xiong, so he sought Xun Yu’s opinion.
Immediately afterward, Xun Yu wrote a letter advising Cao Cao: “do not think about retreating; once you retreat, you cannot maintain the army anymore.” Instead, according to Xun Yu, this was a crucial moment that needed to be utilized because both sides were engaged in a lengthy battle, leading to exhaustion.
Cao Cao accepted Xun Yu’s advice and made efforts to maintain his forces. Naturally, not long after that, Hua Du, the general of Yuan Shao, led his troops to attack Cao Cao’s camp. This event caused Yuan’s forces to crumble.
Fourth, after the Battle of Guan Du
After four significant historical turning points, Xun Yu emerged as the most powerful military strategist in the Three Kingdoms.
After the Battle of Guan Du, while the entire army of Yuan Shao suffered significant losses, it was Cao Cao who managed to maintain his strength. However, this only served to enhance the power of the Yuan family and did not lead to the complete destruction of Cao Cao’s forces. Although Cao Cao won the Battle of Guan Du, the Yuan family would continue to fight fiercely, and Cao Cao found it challenging to completely annihilate Yuan Shao’s forces.
However, at that time, Cao Cao did not realize this and was eager to strike back at Yuan’s family. If the situation continued like this, the outcome would lead to Cao Cao’s eventual defeat.
During this critical juncture, Xun Yu stepped up and successfully advised Cao Cao. Xun Yu firmly believed that “the stronghold of Yuan Shao was still strong, but the foundation was not solid.” Therefore, if Cao Cao continued to attack, he would have to face a strong resistance. If he did not attack, Yuan Shao’s forces would naturally weaken. The longer they fought, the weaker they would become. If Cao Cao continued to attack again, the chances of success would be even greater.
Clearly, after Cao Cao followed Xun Yu’s advice, the outcome of the struggle against Yuan Shao was evident, leading to the annihilation of Yuan’s forces in 207 and the complete control of the North. During this time, Xun Yu defended the position of Hua Xiong without any significant changes.
From the four turning points in history, it can be concluded that Xun Yu emerged as the most powerful military strategist and the strongest leader in the Three Kingdoms. Without him, Cao Cao would have faced annihilation long ago. The ongoing conflict between Cao Cao and Xun Yu continued until the end of their lives, with both aiming for the ultimate goal of restoring the Han dynasty. Ultimately, Xun Yu passed away in an obscure way in 212, aged 50. He was posthumously honored with the title of “Kinh Hieu.”
Experts assess that if the conflicts had not occurred and Xun Yu had not died early, this military leader could have helped Cao Cao achieve the greatest glory. Xun Yu’s contributions can also be seen as a significant loss for Cao Cao.
Article references: Sohu, Baidu, Zhihu
