Zhou Yu

Zhou Yu (周瑜 175 - 210) was a famous militarist and strategist of the Three Kingdoms of China. He was said to be a master of naval battles. As a general of Kingdom of Wu, he commanded the allied army of Kingdom of Wu and Kingdom of Shu to defeat the invasion of Kingdom of Wei led by Cao Cao in the battle of Red Cliff. He died from illness at the age of 35 while traveling to Ba Qiu while peparing for a major battle.

It was said that he grew up to be a very handsome man and earned the nickname "The Gentleman Zhou". Sun Ce, a ruler of Kingdom of Wu, and Zhou Yu had developed a friendship since childhood. In the Chinese epic novel Romance of Three Kingdoms, they are brother-in-laws. Lu Su, another established diplomat and advisor of Kingdom of Wu, was also an acquaintance of Zhou Yu.

In Romance of Three Kingdoms, he was portrayed as a jealous man who relentlessly tried to beat his adversary Zhuge Liang, but Zhuge Liang, the best strategist in the novel, always foiled his plans.

Zhou Yu was the mastermind behind the victorious Shu and Wu in the battle of Red Cliff, but his role was deliberately overshadowed by Zhuge Liang in the novel.