Meng You

Biography & Literary Record

Meng You (孟优, Mạnh Ưu) is the younger brother of Nanman king Meng Huo (孟获, Mạnh Hoạch) in Luo Guanzhong’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms (southern campaign, roughly Chapters 87–91). He is novel-only: Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms never names a brother of Meng Huo. In the story he is a loyal subordinate, occasional counsellor, and the agent of the classic false-surrender / drugged-wine capture that fills one of Zhuge Liang’s “seven captures.”

Traditional tellings also place an eldest brother Meng Jie (孟节, Mạnh Tiết) (Wanan Yinshi) as a mountain hermit who later aids Shu with medicinal springs—family drama invented for the campaign arc, not history.

Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

False surrender (third-capture cycle): Meng You is sent to the Shu camp under pretence of negotiation or defection, intending to open the camp from within while Meng Huo strikes from outside. Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng) sees through the ruse, drugs the wine served to Meng You and his men, and has them incapacitated. When Meng Huo arrives he finds his brother unconscious; both are captured and later released again.

Refuge with King Duosi: After further defeats, Meng You urges his brother to seek aid from King Duosi (朵思大王, Đóa Tư Đại Vương) of Tulong Cave and the four poisonous springs (Ch.89)—not to be confused with Dailai Dongzhu (带来洞主, Đái Lai Động Chủ), a separate Nanman cave-lord and Meng Huo’s brother-in-law.

Later coalition & submission: Meng You fights on through the King Mulu / later Nanman stages. When Meng Huo finally submits after the seventh capture, Meng You also pledges allegiance to Shu and remains to help govern the southern tribes under Shu authority.

Meng You (孟优, Mạnh Ưu) — Literary Timeline

Meng You is fictional; the historical 225 Nanzhong campaign does not record this brother.

Key Relationships

Family

• Meng Jie (孟节, Mạnh Tiết) — Eldest brother (novel); hermit of the Ten Thousand Ravines who later aids Zhuge Liang with medicinal springs.
• Meng Huo (孟获, Mạnh Hoạch) — Second brother; Nanman king whose resistance Meng You supports throughout the southern campaign (novel only).
• Zhurong (祝融夫人, Chúc Dung Phu Nhân) — Sister-in-law; Meng Huo’s consort and fire-weapon queen (novel).
• Dailai Dongzhu (带来洞主, Đái Lai Động Chủ) — Clan ally / brother-in-law of Meng Huo’s house (novel). Not King Duosi.

Friends

• King Duosi (朵思大王, Đóa Tư Đại Vương) — Close Nanman ally; Meng You recommends Tulong Cave and the four poisonous springs as refuge after Meng Huo’s fourth defeat (Ch.89). Chinese name is 朵思, not 带来.
• King Mulu (木鹿大王, Mộc Lộc Đại Vương) — Beast-controlling sorcerer king who later joins Meng Huo’s coalition; fellow southern ally in the prolonged resistance.

Enemies

• Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng) — Architect of the southern campaign; drugs Meng You’s false-surrender party and repeatedly outmanoeuvres the Meng brothers.
• Zhao Yun (赵云, Triệu Vân) — Shu strike general who routs Nanman arrays in the same chapters.
• Wei Yan (魏延, Ngụy Diên) — Shu vanguard commander battling Nanman forces through the campaign.
• Ma Dai (马岱, Mã Đại) — Shu commander who seizes Nanman grain roads (e.g. Jiashan) and pressures Meng Huo’s host.

Other

• Dailai Dongzhu (带来洞主, Đái Lai Động Chủ) vs King Duosi (朵思大王, Đóa Tư Đại Vương) — Distinct Nanman figures. Wiki/CSV mix-ups sometimes paste 带来洞主 onto Duosi; correct Friends link is always /king-duosi/ for 朵思大王.
• Yang Feng (Nanman) (杨锋, Dương Phong) — Defects to Shu at Tulong and captures Meng Huo and King Duosi while drunk (Ch.89); Meng You is in that refuge arc.
• History: No attested brother of Meng Huo — all bonds above are novel (or later folk) only.

Gallery