Ju An

Biography & Historical Record

Ju An was a military officer who initially served as an Army Garrison Commander (Yamen Jiang) in Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period and later surrendered to Cao Wei, becoming a general in the northern state. While historical records do not preserve his birth place or early career, Ju An is prominently documented in Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi – Book of Wei, Biography of Guo Huai and Biography of Chen Tai) and Luo Guanzhong’s classic historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He is historically recognized as a resilient and courageous fortress commander who endured an agonizing, month-long siege atop Mount Qu under extreme physical deprivation, holding his post to the last drop of water before being forced to capitulate due to total isolation following Jiang Wei’s strategic retreat.

In the autumn of 249 AD, following the political shift in Luoyang after Sima Yi’s rise, Shu Han Grand General Jiang Wei launched a major northern invasion into Yong Province. To establish an enduring forward operational base and threaten Cao Wei’s border garrisons, Jiang Wei constructed two heavily fortified earthwork castles atop Mount Qu (Qushan) and deployed two Army Garrison Commanders, Ju An and Li Shao, to hold the stronghold with a dedicated garrison. Recognizing the vulnerability of these newly erected fortifications, Cao Wei’s Senior General Commanding the West Guo Huai and Inspector of Yong Province Chen Tai executed a brilliant containment strategy. Rather than launching costly direct assaults up the steep slopes, Chen Tai led generals Deng Ai and Xu Zhi to impose a total, suffocating blockade around Mount Qu, completely severing the mountain fortress from all external food supplies and mountain water channels.

Trapped inside the citadel, Ju An and his troops faced catastrophic starvation and thirst as autumn turned to winter. Deprived of well water, Ju An instructed his men to gather rainwater and melt mountain snow, wringing out the slush to quench their desperate thirst. Despite the extreme suffering and deteriorating physical condition of his garrison, Ju An maintained strict military discipline and fiercely repelled every Cao Wei probing attack against the ramparts. Meanwhile, Jiang Wei led Shu Han relief forces toward Niutou Mountain to break the siege. However, Chen Tai skillfully fortified key river passes, blocking Jiang Wei’s advance while Guo Huai marched a secondary force around Niutou Mountain to threaten Jiang Wei’s rear supply lines. Realizing the danger of total encirclement, Jiang Wei was forced to order a full strategic retreat back into Shu territory, leaving Mount Qu completely abandoned.

With Jiang Wei’s main army in full retreat, the fortress on Mount Qu became a solitary, helpless island amidst tens of thousands of Cao Wei siege troops. Exhausted, out of food, with all water sources completely dried up, and realizing that no relief army would ever arrive, Ju An and Li Shao recognized that further resistance meant the useless slaughter of their surviving men. In late 249 AD, Ju An and Li Shao formally opened the fortress gates and led their remaining garrison out to surrender to Chen Tai and Guo Huai. Following his surrender, Ju An was inducted into the Cao Wei military hierarchy as a general, where he served in the northern provinces. Historical commentators in Sanguozhi noted that Ju An’s capitulation was not born of treachery or cowardice, but was the inevitable result of his chief commander’s retreat and the utter impossibility of survival, praising his heroic defense under unbearable hardship.

Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In Luo Guanzhong’s classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Ju An appears in Chapter 107 as a brave Shu Han commander whose desperate defense at Mount Qu forms a dramatic focal point during Jiang Wei’s early Northern Expeditions. Introduced in Chapter 107 alongside Li Shao, Ju An is entrusted by Jiang Wei with holding the two crucial forward castles built on Mount Qu to secure the advance into Yong Province. When Chen Tai and Xu Zhi encircle the mountain and cut off all water streams, Ju An and his men suffer immensely, melting snow to drink while gallantly holding the ramparts against Wei assault waves. When Jiang Wei’s relief force at Niutou Mountain is outmaneuvered by Chen Tai and Guo Huai, Jiang Wei is forced to retreat, leaving Ju An isolated. Cut off from all hope of rescue, with his troops dying of thirst and ammunition spent, Ju An weeps in despair and surrenders Mount Qu to save his surviving soldiers. His literary portrayal emphasizes his steadfast loyalty and valiant endurance in the face of inevitable defeat.

Ju An (句安) — Historical & Literary Timeline

Key Relationships

Family

• No information

Friends

• Li Shao (李韶, Lý Thiều): Fellow Shu Han Army Garrison Commander who co-defended the twin fortresses atop Mount Qu during the 249 AD northern campaign, enduring extreme starvation and water deprivation before surrendering together to Cao Wei.
• Jiang Wei (姜维, Khương Duy): Shu Han Grand General who appointed Ju An to command the forward stronghold at Mount Qu in 249 AD and attempted to break the siege via Niutou Mountain before being forced into a strategic retreat.

Enemies

• Chen Tai (陈泰, Trần Thái): Cao Wei Inspector of Yong Province who devised and led the suffocating siege and water blockade of Mount Qu in 249 AD, ultimately accepting Ju An’s capitulation.
• Guo Huai (郭淮, Quách Hoài): Cao Wei Senior General Commanding the West who co-directed the counteroffensive in 249 AD, maneuvering around Niutou Mountain to cut Jiang Wei’s supply lines and isolate Ju An.
• Deng Ai (邓艾, Đặng Ngải): Cao Wei general who served under Chen Tai during the siege of Mount Qu in 249 AD, enforcing the strict encirclement that cut off external provisions.
• Xu Zhi (徐质, Từ Chất): Cao Wei officer who took part in surrounding Mount Qu and launching assaults against Ju An’s fortified earthworks in 249 AD.

Other

• No information