Three Kingdoms History: Zhuge Liang

Romance of the Three Kingdoms Officer Encyclopedia

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Zhuge Liang (Kongming)   諸葛亮 (孔明)

Lived: AD 181–234

Biographies:

Served: Shu

Mastermind of Shu’s rise as a great power. Also known as ‘Sleeping Dragon’.

Officer Details

Wade-Giles: Chuko Liang (K‘ung-ming)
Simplified Chinese: 诸葛亮 (孔明)
Pronunciation: Zhu1ge3 Liang4 [Kong3ming2]  

Birthplace: Yangdu, Langye
(Presently Yinan, Shan Dong Province)

Name Notes: Also known by his nickname, ‘Sleeping Dragon’ or ‘Wo Long’ (臥龍). His original novel introduction, with Pang Tong, comes under this title. In this case, Zhuge is his surname, Liang his given name.

Rank and Titles

Army Advisor, General of the Gentlemen of the Household, Army Advisor General; Lieutenant Chancellor (AD 221); Intendant of the Affairs of the Masters of Writing; Director Colonel of Retainers (AD 222); Marquis of Wuxiang (AD 223); Governor of Yizhou; General of the Right (AD 228, demotion); Marquis Zhongwu (posthumous)

Family and Relationships

Zhuge Feng (Ancestor); Zhuge Gui (Father); Zhuge Xuan (Uncle); Zhuge Jin, Zhuge Jun (Brothers); Zhuge Dan (Cousin); Huang Yueying (Wife); Zhuge Zan (Son); Zhuge Qiao (from Zhuge Jin) (Adopted Son); Zhuge Shang, Zhuge Jing (Grandchildren)

Fact vs. Fiction

Differences Between Fact and Common Fiction

  • Zhuge Liang did not plan the events of the Battle of Chibi or change the winds. He did not ‘borrow arrows’ from Cao Cao, Sun Quan did: one side of his boat became so heavy with crossbow bolds that he turned to avoid capsizing.
  • Zhuge Liang did not have a great rivalry with Zhou Yu or plot his death. He did not attend Zhou Yu’s funeral. Pang Tong, however, did mourn his passing.
  • Was not adviser during the Hanzhong campaign. This responsibility was handled by Fa Zheng.
  • Liu Bei gave Zhuge Liang authorization to depose Liu Shan, not kill him. And this authorization was not given via public announcement. His intentions are not certain.
Literary Appearances

Romance of the Three Kingdoms: 36-46, 48-57, 60-67, 70-73, 76-82, 84-103, 104, 105-106, 111, 113, 115-117, 119, 120

Popular Quotation

Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 43
Responding to Zhang Zhao, Zhuge Liang said, “How can the common birds understand the long flight of the cranes?”

Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Chapter 99
From the hilltop Kongming watched Zhang He charge and thrust to and fro, even more splendid and valiant than before. Turning to his aides, Zhuge Liang said, “They say men gaped in awe when Zhang Fei fought Zhang He; now seeing Zhang He for myself, I can appreciate his prowess. But he will prove dangerous to Shu, and so we must do away with him.”

Search Results
zhuge liang and the landmines…
Date: 04/08     Replies:  10
Zhuge Liang's Types of Generals
Date: 04/08     Replies:  38
Zhuge Liang's Relationship With Guan Yu
Date: 03/08     Replies:  31
Zhuge Liang books
Date: 02/08     Replies:  14
Zhuge Liang and Cao Cao?
Date: 12/07     Replies:  31
Is Zhuge Liang "overrated"?
Date: 11/07     Replies:  17
who is the best lu xun zhuge liang or sima yi
Date: 11/07     Replies:  14
Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang
Date: 10/07     Replies:  10
Zhuge Liang's best strategies
Date: 08/07     Replies:  22
Did anyone actually LIKE Zhuge Liang in the novel? o_O
Date: 06/07     Replies:  19
Fa Zheng vs Zhuge Liang (historically)
Date: 05/07     Replies:  13
Zhuge Liang's Han Xin.
Date: 02/07     Replies:  21
Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi or Lu Xun?
Date: 02/07     Replies:  76
Kongming's 4th Campaign: Wang Ping; Zhang He and Sima Yi
Date: 01/07     Replies:  12
Historically, how much did people fear Zhuge Liang?
Date: 12/06     Replies:  73
Zhuge Liang’s greatest fault?
Date: 11/06     Replies:  29
Deng Ai, a match for Kongming?
Date: 04/06     Replies:  77
Who is most talented, Kongming or Sima Yi?
Date: 03/06     Replies:  79
Death of Kongming
Date: 02/06     Replies:  21
Zhuge Liangs wife [Huang Yueying]
Date: 01/06     Replies:  10
Is Zhuge Liang the True Hero of RTK?
Date: 12/05     Replies:  26
What if Zhuge Liang served Wei or Wu
Date: 11/05     Replies:  15
Kongming's Archives Development/Encyclopedia Project
Date: 11/05     Replies: 326
Zhuge Liangs Fatal Error
Date: 10/05     Replies:  14
Zhuge Liang or Zhang Liang: Who would you choose?
Date: 09/05     Replies:  23
View ≈40 Additional Results?
Cao Cao and Zhuge Liang
Date: 09/05     Replies:  33
Zhuge Liang's alterior motives
Date: 06/05     Replies:  36
Should Master Kongming have joined Liu Bei?
Date: 06/05     Replies:  15
Can someone help me about Zhuge Liang's accomplishments?
Date: 04/05     Replies:  50
Did Wu really need Kong Ming's help?
Date: 03/05     Replies:  26
Kong Ming and Liu Bei's Faith
Date: 03/05     Replies:  15
Zhuge Liang being tricked
Date: 10/04     Replies:  39
Cao Cao vs. Zhuge Liang
Date: 09/04     Replies:  47
Zhou Yu's tendacy to try to murder Zhuge Liang
Date: 08/04     Replies:  57
Zhuge liang - a military strategist
Date: 08/04     Replies: 199
Zhuge Liang's Six Campaigns
Date: 08/04     Replies: 110
Zhuge Liang=Terrorist? Red Cliffs=911?
Date: 07/04     Replies:  42
Zhuge Liang and Liu Chan
Date: 07/04     Replies:  14
Zhuge Liang's Inventions
Date: 02/04     Replies:  14
Pang Tong or Zhuge Liang?
Date: 01/04     Replies:  33
What if Zhuge Liang was a villain?
Date: 12/03     Replies:  20
Zhuge Liang's enemies
Date: 12/03     Replies:  15
Jiang Wei and Zhuge Liang’s Wei Campaigns: Damaging to Shu?
Date: 08/03     Replies:  16
What If Guo Jia was Alive? Match for Zhuge Liang?
Date: 08/03     Replies:  37
Zhuge Liang's Original Sucessor…Ma Su
Date: 07/03     Replies:  64
Was Zhuge Liang for Han?
Date: 06/03     Replies:  17
Zhuge Liang - Really Shu's strategist?
Date: 06/03     Replies:  71
Our treatment of Zhuge Liang
Date: 04/03     Replies:  29
Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang
Date: 04/03     Replies:  21
Zhuge Liang's Wei campaigns
Date: 04/03     Replies:  59
Zhuge Liang, etc, the greatest strategist ever?
Date: 02/03     Replies:  88
Zhuge Jin and Zhuge Liang
Date: 01/03     Replies:  14
Zhuge Liang; do you support him?
Date: 01/03     Replies: 160
Zhuge Liang vs. Sima Yi
Date: 12/02     Replies: 173
About Kong Ming
Date: 12/02     Replies:  14
Kongming-Sleeping Dragon? (A discussion on names)
Date: 12/02     Replies:  47
Differences between Cao Cao and Zhuge Liang
Date: 12/02     Replies:  50
What if Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang were together
Date: 12/02     Replies:  35
Who did more, Zhou Yu or Zhuge Liang?
Date: 11/02     Replies: 149
The sons of Liu Bei, after Zhuge Liang's death
Date: 11/02     Replies:  22
Zhuge Liang: treacherous and immoral
Date: 10/02     Replies:  34
Brief Chronology of Zhuge Liang's Life
Date: 09/02     Replies:  17
The True Values of Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions
Date: 09/02     Replies:  27
Zhuge Liang deserves better treatment
Date: 09/02     Replies:  49
Zhuge Liang's Eightfold Maze
Date: 09/02     Replies:  10
Zhuge Liang's Administration of Shu
Date: 08/02     Replies:  37
Zhuge Liang overrated
Date: 07/02     Replies:  33
Zhuge Liang (SGZ)
Date: 06/02     Replies:  75
Why didn't Zhuge Liang join Wu or Wei?
Date: 06/02     Replies:  26
Premium External Linkage

First class external must-reads. Enjoy!

  • The Way of the General
    Strategic work attributed to Zhuge Liang with good introduction. Translated by Thomas Cleary.
  • The Wooden Ox Makes a Comeback
    Interesting article about Zhuge Liang’s Wooden Ox (wheelbarrow)—the invention he used to transport supplies through the difficult Bashu terrain.
  • Kongming’s Eight Array Battle Formation
    The “Eight-Unit Formation” was a battle array formed by eight fighting units represented by Heaven, Earth, Wind, Cloud, Dragon, Tiger, Bird and Snake. …
  • Kongming’s Niche
    A sunken part of the sheer cliffs in the Yangtze River looks like a huge niche. It was said that once Zhuge Kongming wrote an inscription on it describing the scenery in Wu Gorge and Wu Mountains.

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May 22, 2008