page_title: List of fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
section_title: Guan Yu releases Cao Cao at Huarong Trail
hierarchical_section_title: List of fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms / Guan Yu releases Cao Cao at Huarong Trail
caption_attribution_description: English: A en:Peking opera performance in en:Tianchan Theatre by en:Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company.
context_page_description: The following is a chronologically arranged list of apocryphal stories in the 14th century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. Although the novel is a romanticised retelling of the history of the late Eastern Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, due to its widespread popularity, many people believe it to be a real account of the events that happened during that era. The primary historical sources for the Three Kingdoms period is Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms, which includes Annotations to Records of the Three Kingdoms by Pei Songzhi from other historical texts such as Yu Huan's Weilüe and the Jiang Biao Zhuan. Other sources covering the history of that period include Fan Ye's Book of the Later Han and Fang Xuanling's Book of Jin. Since Sanguo Yanyi is a historical novel, many stories in it are likely dramatised or fabricated, or based on folk tales and historical incidents that happened in other periods of Chinese history.
context_section_description: Guan Yu is sent to guard Huarong Trail (believed to be near present-day Dongshan Town, Huarong County, Hunan) and intercept Cao Cao when he passes by after his defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs. Zhuge Liang is initially reluctant to allow Guan Yu to take up the task because he is worried that Guan might consider the kindness Cao Cao showed towards him many years ago and end up releasing Cao Cao. Guan Yu insists on accepting the mission and claims he has already repaid Cao Cao's kindness by slaying Yan Liang and Wen Chou and lifting the siege on Boma. He makes a pledge to not let Cao Cao off; Zhuge Liang also makes a pledge that he will give his head to Guan Yu if Cao Cao does not show up at Huarong Trail. As Zhuge Liang predicted, Cao Cao reaches Huarong Trail and encounters Guan Yu there. However, Guan Yu decides to spare Cao Cao in consideration of their past dealings, and after taking pity on the plight of Cao Cao's men and Zhang Liao, whom he saved from death at the Battle of Xiapi. He allows Cao Cao and his men to pass through Huarong Trail unharmed. When he returns to camp, he confesses the truth to Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang orders Guan Yu to be executed for failing in his mission but pardons him when Liu Bei intervenes.
  Historicity
  This incident is not mentioned in the Sanguozhi and is entirely fiction. The Shanyang Gong Zaiji (山陽公載記) states that after Cao Cao lost the Battle of Red Cliffs, he retreated with his surviving men and passed by Huarong Trail. The path was muddy and difficult to access, so Cao Cao ordered the weaker soldiers to lay the ground with straw and hay so that his horsemen can pass. Many of those weaker soldiers were trampled to death when they became stuck in the mud. When Cao Cao finally got out of the dire situation, he expressed joy so his generals asked him why he was happy. Cao Cao replied, "Liu Bei, he's my mate. However, he doesn't think fast; if he had set fire earlier I'd have no chance of escaping." Liu Bei did think of setting fire but it was too late as Cao Cao had already escaped.
caption: Guan Yu, flanked by Guan Ping and the Guandao-carrying Zhou Cang, waiting at Huarong Trail. From a Peking opera performance by Shanghai Jingju Theatre Company on January 17, 2015, in Tianchan Theatre, Shanghai, China.
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