The event
Lü Meng Takes Jing Province
吕蒙袭取荆州
In 219, while Guan Yu was besieging Fancheng, Lü Meng told Sun Quan that Guan Yu had left a large garrison against a Wu attack, and proposed pleading illness and leaving the front so that Guan Yu would pull his troops north. Sun Quan openly summoned him back; Lü Meng recommended Lu Xun, then little known, to take over the front, and Lu Xun wrote Guan Yu a deferential letter. Guan Yu believed it and withdrew part of the garrison to Fancheng. When he captured Yu Jin’s army and took grain from the Xiang Pass depot, Sun Quan set out with Lü Meng ahead of him. Lü Meng hid his best troops in the holds of the boats and had men in merchant dress row day and night, seizing Guan Yu’s river outposts so that no news reached him. At Nan commandery, Shi Ren and Mi Fang surrendered. Lü Meng forbade looting and had a soldier from his own home region executed for taking a hat from a household; Guan Yu’s men, hearing their families were safe, lost the will to fight. Guan Yu fled to Maicheng and then to Zhangxiang, where his men abandoned him; Zhu Ran and Pan Zhang cut off his path, and he and his son were captured.
The people
Who took part
Sources
Historical sources
- Historical record三国志 · 吴书九·周瑜鲁肃吕蒙传
Lü Meng argued that Guan Yu’s control of the upper river posed a strategic danger to Wu.
- Historical record三国志 · 吴书九·周瑜鲁肃吕蒙传
He proposed feigning illness so Guan Yu would reduce the garrison protecting Jing province.
- Historical record三国志 · 吴书九·周瑜鲁肃吕蒙传
The biography says soldiers hid aboard boats and wore merchant clothing while moving toward Jing.
- Historical record三国志 · 吴书九·周瑜鲁肃吕蒙传
After reaching Nan commandery, Lü Meng secured the surrender of the commanders guarding key cities.
- Historical record三国志 · 吴书九·周瑜鲁肃吕蒙传
He ordered troops not to take from local households and punished even a soldier from his home region.
- Later annotation吴书 · 裴松之注引《吴书》·吴书九·周瑜鲁肃吕蒙传
Pei Songzhi quotes the Wu Shu, which says Shi Ren refused to meet Lü Meng’s envoy Yu Fan at Gong’an, so Yu Fan wrote him a letter: the army had come before scouts could be posted or beacons lit, Lü Meng meant to cut the road to Nan commandery, and holding out would leave him no escape. Shi Ren read it, wept, and surrendered; Yu Fan took him along to Nan commandery, and when Lü Meng showed him to Mi Fang, Mi Fang surrendered too.
- Later annotation吴录 · 裴松之注引《吴录》·吴书九·周瑜鲁肃吕蒙传
Pei Songzhi quotes the Wu Lu, which says a fire in Nan commandery’s city had burned much military equipment and Guan Yu blamed Mi Fang for it; Mi Fang grew afraid, Sun Quan heard of it and approached him, and Mi Fang secretly answered. When Lü Meng attacked, Mi Fang came out to surrender with cattle and wine.
- Historical record三国志 · 吴书十三·陆逊传
Lü Meng recommended Lu Xun as a capable successor whose limited fame might not alarm Guan Yu.
- Historical record三国志 · 吴书十三·陆逊传
Lu Xun wrote deferentially to Guan Yu while preparing the campaign to recover Jing.
- Historical record三国志 · 吴书十三·陆逊传
He moved with Lü Meng’s forces as Wu took Gong’an and Nan commandery.
- Historical record三国志 · 蜀书六·关张马黄赵传
When Sun Quan proposed a marriage between their children, Guan Yu insulted the envoy and rejected the match.
- Historical record三国志 · 蜀书六·关张马黄赵传
Mi Fang and Fu Shiren supplied Guan Yu’s army incompletely; both feared punishment after he said he would deal with them on his return.
- Historical record三国志 · 蜀书六·关张马黄赵传
After Sun Quan seized Jiangling and the families of Guan Yu’s soldiers, his force dispersed and he was captured near Linju.
- Historical record三国志 · 吴书二·吴主传
Sun Quan’s forces seized Jing province positions while Guan Yu was campaigning north, leading to Guan Yu’s capture and death.