Zhao Yun (Romance of the Three Kingdoms)

Zhao Yun (in Chinese: 趙雲), also known as The Dragon of Changshan, is a character and one of the major protagonists in the 14th-century Chinese classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by the late Luo Guanzhong, and its multiple adaptations. He is a former servant of Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao and one of the most loyal generals of Shu under the warlord Liu Bei. He has been lauded his bravery at Han River. Dynasty Warriors incarnation of Zhao Yun has been used as the mascot character and can be considered to be the main protagonist of the series. The said novel and adaptations from it would often show Zhao Yun to be a mighty warrior that was possessed powerful combat skills.
==History==
===Serving Gongsun Zan and Liu Bei===
Zhao Yun was born in Changshan, Zhengding, his early years in the military who while originally a subordinate of the Han Dynasty warlord Gongsun Zan, but he later come to serve Liu Bei. After his elder brother's death, Zhao Yun has would leave Liu Bei and returned to Gongsun Zan, that Liu Bei was holding Zhao Yun's hand while bidding him farewell.
However, in later, Zhao Yun had would be once again to meet Liu Bei, which his hard work an dedication eventually distinguished him from the ranks to the point where he was made one of Liu Bei's personal subordinates.
===Retreat Across Jingzhou===
Eventually, Liu Bei was forced to leave the service of his commander, Yuan Shao. General Cao Cao, Liu Bei's previous rival officer under Yuan Shao that was took the opportunity to pursue Liu Bei and his most peoples. In the Battle of Bowang, while Xiahou Dun is quite sent his armies to attack Liu Bei's forces, however, it was often shown Zhao Yun was captured Xiahou Lan, an enemy commander who was from the same hometown as Zhao. It was known Zhao Yun had would requested that Liu Bei has spare Xiahou Lan's life and recommended Xiahou to be a military judge.
During the Battle of Changban, Liu Bei was known on the running from, Cao Cao's massive army. When Liu Bei had be left so suddenly he has forced to abandoned his family and flee with his closest retainers. While passing through Jingzhou, for it was known that Zhao Yun must broke off from the army that go back to retrieve Liu Bei's wife, Lady Gan and their son, Liu Shan.
For his efforts, Zhao Yun was promoted to General. This action is one of Zhao Yun's most lawded in the history and subsequently, adaptations of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms stories.
===Establishing Shu===
One day, Zhao Fan had a widowed sister-in-law who is famous for her beauty. While Zhao Yun met Lady Fan, Zhao Fan wanted to arrange for her to marry Zhao Yun so as to build connections with Zhao Yun. However, Zhao Yun was told him, he did not agree to the marriage. In next year, Liu Bei married Wu commander Sun Quan's younger sister, Sun Shangxiang, but Sun Shangxiang is quite remained in Jing Province when Liu Bei has left for Yi Province. It while often shown Sun Shangxiang is attempted to takes Liu Shan along with her, that Zhao Yun and Liu Bei's sworn brother, Zhang Fei has would tries to stop her and retrieved Liu Shan. While Liu Bei went to recruit his old mentor, Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang has would be accept the recruitment, and that Zhao Yun has often worked with Zhang Fei was surely to help Zhuge Liang win territory for Shu. Actually, Zhao Yun in particular focused on the western territories, such as the Battle of Mount Dingjun.
During the Battle of Mount Dingjun, Huang Zhong was attacked pressed an attack to destroy Cao Cao's food supply. However, Zhao Yun has would be return from a scouting missing to find that Huang Zhong is gone. When his comrade but does not return, Zhao Yun was rallied a detachment to check on Huang Zhong. They would find themselves that surrounded by Cao Cao's forces, though Zhao Yun was initially charged through enemy lines, soon after he was eventually had to retreat back to his base to tend to the massive casualties his attempted rescue had caused. However, Cao Cao's forces has be pursued but stopped at the gates of the camp but thanks to a bluff by Zhuge Liang. The open gates with no signs of guards that was instantly suspicious to Cao Cao and that as well as he choose to retreat rather than walk into the any traps waiting for him.
The situation was actually a ploy from Zhuge Liang, while Shu had few soldiers was left, but rather than put up a fight, that Liu Bei's old mentor had made conquering them seem too easy to be true. Soon after, but thanks to Zhuge Liang, Zhao Yun was able to save the most of his soldiers but can still reported with heavy heart that his colleague old colleague, it was show Huang Zhong had to be left that behind. When Liu Bei has venerated Huang Zhong, to made Zhuge Liang his regent for tactics and promoted Zhao Yun for his bravery that was try to save Huang Zhong and his wisdom to retreat, but rather than sacrifice the remaining troops for blind honor.
===Turning Point of Shu===
However, in the Battle of Yiling/Xiaoting, Liu Bei was would be avenge to his sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's death, that he went to put down Sun Quan. Though the rest of Shu it was were eager for the victory, Zhao Yun was expressed distaste for the battle and to remained in Jiāngzhōu. Actually, the battle was known has quite that became a slaughtering-ground for Shu's forces and as a result, Zhao Yun was said he can already preserved an army by avoiding the conflict. After Liu Bei's death, while he was succeeded by his son, as well as Shu was continued to be lead by Zhuge Liang, who while has promoted Zhao Yun to "General who Guards the East".
During the Battle of Tianshui, Zhao Yun was distracted Cao Cao's forces while Zhuge Liang went on an expedition across Mount Qi. From the starting in the battle, however, Zhao Yun has could to see the invasion that was going to fail was against them and eventually issued the order for retreat to preserve the Shu forces. It is no matter soon Zhao Yun was surely personally guarded the army's flank during the retreat.
It was known that Zhao Yun's detachment but didn't lose many war supplies and were is able to re-distribute the resources to other the units. Though Zhuge Liang is offered to reward Zhao Yun, but he can declined since it was still that defeat, and soon willingly accepted he was demotion.
===Death===
Later that year, Zhao Yun died of illness, that was succeeded by his son, Zhao Tong. After his death, he was posthumously honoured as "Marquis Shunping".
==Personality==
Zhao Yun is a honorable warrior who is one of Liu Bei's loyal right-hand men, that faithfully had often serving him for the good of the land as a calm yet virtuous valiant general. However, Zhao Yun is always courageous and heroic, facing impossible odds in stride. While he has the utmost faith in his lord and, though he may not agree with all of his decisions, it was known that he can believes in his lord's integrity. As well as compassionate and trustworthy man, the said for it would often shown Zhao Yun is also on good terms that with the rest of Shu's men. While he is brave general of peerless strength who has a deep sense of loyalty for Liu Bei.
==Trivia==
*Zhao Yun is based on the real-life Chinese warrior name of the same.
*Zhao Yun's moves in the game are reach attacks, this is based on the stories that was depect him as able to wade through many crowds of enemies.
*Zhao Yun is outlived all the other Tiger Generals.
*Historically/Story-wise, Zhao Yun is the only officer who was dies of old age. Everyone else who has dies either in battle, are assassinated, or stressed out, and rarely reach 60 years of age.
*In Chinese folktale, Zhao Yun had never been wounded in the battle before so there were no scars on his body. One day, while he was known to taking a bath, as well as his wife pricked him with a sewing needle out of mischief. However, Zhao Yun has began to bleed profusely and that eventually died of shock.
*Zhao Yun's Samurai Warriors counterpart is Yukimura Sanada.
*Zhao Yun is the poster boy and one of the playable characters in the Dynasty Warriors video game series.
*In the Dynasty Warriors games, Zhao Yun's height is 185 cm (6'1").
*Zhao Yun appears as one of the playable characters in the Kessen II.
*Zhao Yun is one of the boss characters in Wei's Musou Mode of the Dynasty Warriors 4.
*In the first Warriors Orochi game, Zhao Yun is quite captured by Orochi's forces and held prisoner in Ueda Castle. He was rescued by Zuo Ci, Yoshihiro Shimazu, and Xingcai.
*In the historical paths of the Dynasty Warriors 7 and 8, Zhao Yun disappears after Shu's storyline to coincide with his historical death.
*In Dynasty Warriors 8 and 9, Zhao Yun was lives long enough to fight at Wuzhang Plains, but does not appears in other later storylines.
*Zhao Yun is one of the main protagonists in Dynasty Warriors: Godseekers, He is Lei Bin's childhood friend.
*In the 2008 film Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon, Zhao Yun serves as the titular main protagonist of the film. He is an former ally of Luo Pingan and Cao Ying's rival and archenemy. Zhao Yun was betrayed by them and that he also died in the final battle.
*Zhao Yun is one of the playable characters in the Knights of Valour video game series, but he appear as the minor boss character in the third installment.
*In the Hong Kong wuxia comic The Ravages of Time, Zhao Yun was called Liaoyuan Huo and Zhao Huo, is an assassin who was known as the young leader of the Crippled Legion and a close friend to the Sima clan's young head, Sima Yi. He is Xiao Meng's love interest.
*Zhao Yun is one of the eight characters to receive a Deification mode in Warriors Orochi 4. When his form is based from Apollo, the Greek god of the sun and god-protector of evil, which suits him for being the protector of Shu. While his deified Unique Magic it was shows him generating light from the sky which rain down on his enemies.
*Zhao Yun is a major character in the 2010 adaptation of the Three Kingdoms. He is portrayed by Nie Yuan.
*Zhao Yun is the titular main protagonist of the 2016 TV drama God of War Zhao Yun/Chinese Hero Zhao Zilong. He is portrayed by Lin Gengxin also known as Kenny Lin.
*Despite being a main protagonist in the Dynasty Warriors series, Zhao Yun does not appears in the live-action film based on video game series of the same name.
==External links==
*Zhao Yun in Koei Wiki
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