SuaveG – The Gentle Path

Chinese mythology, folktales, and literature

Zhang Fei

  • Liu Bei’s Escape from Cao Cao [Three Kingdoms]

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    The year 199 AD marked a pivotal turning point in the life of Liu Bei, transforming him from a politically constrained and closely watched vassal under Cao Cao into an independent warlord once again. This dramatic shift—from subservience in Xuchang to open rebellion in Xu Province (Xuzhou) —was not sudden, but the culmination of…

  • Why Liu Bei killed Han Xian and Yang Feng? [Three Kingdoms]

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    In the turbulent twilight of the Eastern Han dynasty, when warlords carved up the empire and loyalty was a fleeting commodity, strategic survival often hinged not on brute force, but on cunning, timing, and reputation. One such pivotal moment unfolded in 197 AD, when Liu Bei, caught between the ambitions of Lü Bu and…

  • Lü Bu’s betrayal of Liu Bei [Three Kingdoms]

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    In 195 AD, after being defeated by Cao Cao, Lü Bu fled from Yan Province to Xu Province and sought help from Liu Bei. Despite the objections of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, Liu Bei, upholding his reputation for benevolence and righteousness, stationed Lü Bu at Xiaopei (present-day Pei County, Jiangsu) and formed an…

  • The second massacre of Xuzhou by Cao Cao [Three Kingdoms]

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    In the summer of 194 AD, Cao Cao assembled a massive army to launch his second invasion of Xu Province, this time under the banner of filial vengeance. His father, Cao Song, had been murdered by soldiers of Tao Qian.

  • Three reactions to corruption [Three Kingdoms]

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    In the core conflict of “Zhang Fei Wrathfully Flogs Du You” in the second chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the attitudes and actions of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei toward the government inspector Du You are totally different.

  • The culture of Names and Courtesy Names in Three Kingdoms

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    In ancient China, a person’s name typically consisted of three parts: family name, given name, and courtesy name (or style name). Some individuals also had “clan name” or “pseudonym” (usually self-given titles). This article will briefly introduce the composition and characteristics of ancient Chinese names, using examples from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

  • The Oath of the Peach Garden: The power and peril of sworn brotherhood [Three Kingdoms]

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    The sworn brotherhood of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, famously known as the Oath of the Peach Garden, is one of the most iconic scenes in the opening chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

  • The Recruitment Notice: A Fateful Encounter [Three Kingdoms]

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    In the first chapter of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the peasant rebel army advances toward Youzhou. The governor of Youzhou, Liu Yan, fearing that his forces are outnumbered, issues a notice recruiting volunteers for a righteous militia.

  • The Raksasas and the Ocean Bazaar

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    Ma Ji, also known as Dragon Messenger, was a merchant’s son. He had striking good looks and in his untrammeled youth gave himself up to the pleasures of singing and dancing. He frequented the Pear Garden, where he amused himself in the company of the actors. Wrapping his head in a brocade turban he…