Three Kingdoms Officer Names: Five Tigers
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Five Tiger Generals of Shu (五虎將): Shu’s Five Tiger Generals included Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun. In the novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei appointed these honorary titles in recognition of the achievements of these men. In history, Liu Bei never assigned his ‘Five Tiger Generals’, but in the Sanguozhi Chen Shou did group them together in a chapter of Shu’s finest officers. The Three Kingdoms’ most famous group.
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Style Names (Zi, 子): By Officer Name [TOP]
Name (family, given), style, Wade-Giles, tones, traditional and simplified Chinese.
| Officer Name (Wade-Giles) |
Traditional, Simplified |
Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| Guan Yu (Yunchang) | 關羽 (雲長) | |
| Kuan Yü (Yün-ch‘ang) | 关羽 (云长) | |
| Sworn brother of Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. First of the Five Tiger Generals. | ||
Notes: Originally styled Changsheng (長生). He is frequently referenced by the honorary title, Guan Gong (關公), or ‘Lord Guan’. Guan Yu appears as Guan Gong or Lord Guan in most novel translations, many historic texts, and modern conversation outside the Three Kingdoms community, and on most merchandise. In religion he is called Saintly Emperor Guan (關聖帝君) or in Buddhism, Sangharama Bodhisattva (伽藍菩薩) (more). |
||
| Huang Zhong (Hansheng) | 黃忠 (漢升) | |
| Huang Chung (Han-shêng) | 黄忠 (汉升) | |
| Joined Liu Bei after Han Xuan’s defeat. One of the Five Tiger Generals. | ||
| Ma Chao (Mengqi) | 馬超 (孟起) | |
| Ma Ch‘ao (Mêng-ch‘i) | 马超 (孟起) | |
| Served Shu after fleeing from the north. Third of the Five Tiger Generals. | ||
| Zhang Fei (Yide) | 張飛 (益德) | |
| Chang Fei (I-tê) | 张飞 (益德) | |
| Sworn brother of Liu Bei and Guan Yu. Second of the Five Tiger Generals. | ||
Notes: Sanguozhi records Zhang Fei’s style as 益 (yi4: ‘benefit’ or ‘increase’) rather than 翼 (yi4: ‘wing’), as used in the novel, games, and most literature. |
||
| Zhao Yun (Zilong) | 趙雲 (子龍) | |
| Chao Yün (Tzŭ-lung) | 赵云 (子龙) | |
| Served Shu. Highly trusted by Liu Bei. Fourth of the Five Tiger Generals. | ||
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