Huo Jun (霍峻, Hoắc Tuấn), courtesy name Zhongmiao (仲邈, tự Trọng Mạc) (178 – 217), was a Shu general celebrated for holding Jiameng Pass with a few hundred men against a year-long siege. A native of Zhijiang in Nanjun, he joined Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) after Liu Biao (刘表, Lưu Biểu)’s death and earned Liu Bei’s personal mourning when he died aged thirty-nine.
Contents
Historical Career
Huo Jun was a native of Zhijiang in Nanjun. His elder brother Huo Du (霍笃, Hoắc Đốc) served Liu Biao with several hundred troops; after Huo Du’s death in 205, Liu Biao ordered Huo Jun to take over the command. When Liu Biao died in 208, Huo Jun led his men to join Liu Bei. He was appointed General of the Household and accompanied Liu Bei into Yi Province.
When open war broke out with Liu Zhang (刘璋, Lưu Chương), Liu Bei left Huo Jun to hold Jiameng with only a few hundred men. Zhang Lu (张鲁, Trương Lỗ) sent Yang Bo (杨帛, Dương Bạc) to entice him to open the gates; Huo Jun replied, “You can have the head of a small fellow like me, but you cannot have the city.” Yang Bo withdrew. Later Liu Zhang dispatched Xiang Cun (向存, Hướng Tồn), Fu Jin (扶禁, Phù Cấm) and some ten thousand troops to besiege Jiameng. The siege lasted more than a year without success. When the attackers grew slack, Huo Jun selected his best men, made a sudden sortie, routed the enemy and killed Xiang Cun. After the conquest of Yi, Liu Bei divided Guanghan Commandery, appointed Huo Jun Governor of Zitong and promoted him to Major-General. Huo Jun died in 217 at the age of thirty-nine (or forty by East Asian reckoning). Liu Bei deeply mourned him, ordered a libation read by Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng), personally attended the funeral in Chengdu and lodged for several days near the tomb. His son Huo Yi (霍弋, Hoắc Dực) later served Shu and Jin.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In the novel Huo Jun (霍峻, Hoắc Tuấn) receives a smaller role. Chapter 62: Meng Da (孟达, Mạnh Đạt) proposes taking him to secure Jiameng Pass. Chapter 65: he and Meng Da are left to defend the pass. Chapter 70: the two, together with veterans Huang Zhong (黄忠, Hoàng Trung) and Yan Yan (严颜, Nghiêm Nhan), hold Jiameng against Zhang He’s Wei forces. The dramatic year-long solitary defence and the famous reply to Yang Bo are omitted or condensed.
Huo Jun (霍峻, Hoắc Tuấn) — Historical & Literary Timeline
Succession and Change of Allegiance
Succeeds his brother Huo Du under Liu Biao. After Liu Biao’s death (208) leads his troops to Liu Bei; appointed General of the Household and accompanies the advance into Yi Province.
Year-long Siege and Counter-attack
Left with a few hundred men to hold Jiameng. Rejects Yang Bo’s offer of joint defence. Withstands a year-long siege by Xiang Cun and Fu Jin’s 10,000 troops, then sorties, routs them and kills Xiang Cun. In the novel he shares the defence with Meng Da (and later Huang Zhong and Yan Yan).
Promotion and Mourning by Liu Bei
Made Governor of the newly created Zitong Commandery and Major-General. Dies in 217 aged 39. Liu Bei personally attends the funeral and lodges near the tomb; Zhuge Liang reads the eulogy.
Historical Note
Historically Huo Jun’s defence of Jiameng with a tiny garrison against a force more than twenty times larger is one of the most striking feats of the Yi Province campaign. Liu Bei’s unusual personal mourning underscores the high value he placed on the achievement. The novel reduces the episode to a supporting role shared with Meng Da and later with Huang Zhong and Yan Yan, thereby diminishing the solitary heroism that the historical record emphasises.
For detailed historical records, archives, and official chronicles, explore Huo Jun on Wikipedia.
Key Relationships
Family
- Huo Du (霍笃, Hoắc Đốc): Elder brother. Commander of local militia whose troops Huo Jun inherited upon Huo Du’s death.
- Huo Yi (霍弋, Hoắc Dực): Son. Shu (later Jin) general who governed and defended the southern Nanzhong region.
Friends
- Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị): Lord who entrusted Huo Jun with Jiameng Pass (212) and personally mourned his funeral in Chengdu (217).
- Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng): Chancellor who read the libation at Huo Jun’s funeral.
- Meng Da (孟达, Mạnh Đạt): Fellow officer assigned with Huo Jun to guard Jiameng in the novel (Ch.62–70).
Enemies
- Zhang Lu (张鲁, Trương Lỗ): Hanzhong warlord whose envoy Yang Bo tried to coax Huo Jun into opening Jiameng; Huo Jun refused.
- Liu Zhang (刘璋, Lưu Chương): Yi Province governor whose generals Fu Jin and Xiang Cun besieged Huo Jun’s few hundred men for a year; Huo Jun’s sortie killed Xiang Cun.
- Xiang Cun (向存, Hướng Tồn): Liu Zhang general slain in Huo Jun’s breakout at Jiameng (214 AD).
Other
- Liu Biao (刘表, Lưu Biểu): Former Jing overlord under whom Huo Jun first held command after his brother’s death (c. 205).
- Yang Bo (杨帛, Dương Bạc) / Fu Jin (扶禁, Phù Cấm): Envoy and besieging officers in the historical Jiameng siege — co-appearances that define Huo Jun’s defence (no dedicated posts; plain text).
- Huang Zhong (黄忠, Hoàng Trung) / Yan Yan (严颜, Nghiêm Nhan): Novel co-defenders of Jiameng with Huo Jun and Meng Da against Wei forces (Ch.70); history emphasises Huo Jun’s solitary garrison instead.
In Novel
Chapter 62
- Huo Jun (霍峻, Hoắc Tuấn): Named when Meng Da (孟达, Mạnh Đạt) proposes taking him to secure Jiameng Pass for Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) during the Yi Province campaign.
Chapter 65
- Huo Jun (霍峻, Hoắc Tuấn): Left with Meng Da to hold Jiameng while Liu Bei presses deeper into Yi against Liu Zhang (刘璋, Lưu Chương).
Chapter 70
- Huo Jun (霍峻, Hoắc Tuấn): Holds Jiameng with Meng Da, Huang Zhong (黄忠, Hoàng Trung), and Yan Yan (严颜, Nghiêm Nhan) against Wei pressure — a shared defence that compresses his historical solitary year-long siege.
In History
Summary
- Huo Jun (霍峻, Hoắc Tuấn), styled Zhongmiao, was a Nanjun officer who joined Liu Bei after Liu Biao’s death and held Jiameng with a few hundred men against ~10,000 besiegers for over a year.
Year: 212–214 AD
- Rejects Yang Bo (Zhang Lu’s envoy); withstands Xiang Cun and Fu Jin’s siege; sorties and kills Xiang Cun. Made Governor of Zitong and Major-General after Yi falls.
Year: 217 AD
- Dies aged 39. Liu Bei attends the funeral; Zhuge Liang reads the eulogy.
Novel vs History
- History: solitary year-long defence and famous refusal of Yang Bo.
- Novel: supporting garrison role shared with Meng Da (and later Huang Zhong / Yan Yan); the solitary heroism is reduced.
Historical Record
- SGZ Shu, biography of Huo Jun (霍峻传); Pei annotations as cited for the Jiameng defence.
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