Contents
Biography & Historical Record
Zhang Fei (died 221 AD), courtesy name Yide, was a military general of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. Hailing from Zhuozhou in Zhuo Commandery, Zhang Fei possessed a towering physical stature, thunderous voice, peerless martial might, and an intense fiery temper. In 184 AD, amidst the chaos of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he met Liu Bei and Guan Yu in a wine shop, with whom he swore the legendary Oath of the Peach Garden in a small orchard, binding their lives together in an unbreakable lifelong brotherhood.
Throughout the turbulent civil wars of the era, Zhang Fei stood alongside Guan Yu as Liu Bei’s right-hand martial pillar, single-handedly holding off Cao Cao’s entire cavalry vanguard at the Longban Bridge (Changban) with a terrifying roar, and later capturing the seasoned Shu general Yan Yan during the invasion of Yi Province through a mixture of tactical cleverness and magnanimity. Appointed as one of the elite Five Tiger Generals in 219 AD, Zhang Fei governed Langzhong with distinction. However, his harsh, abusive treatment of his subordinates—whom he frequently beat and threatened for minor infractions—ultimately proved his undoing. In 221 AD, while preparing troops for the punitive campaign against Eastern Wu to avenge Guan Yu, Zhang Fei was assassinated in his sleep by his disgruntled subordinate officers Zhang Da and Fan Qiang, who defected to Eastern Wu with his head. He passed away at the age of over 50, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most terrifying and loyal warriors in Chinese history.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In Luo Guanzhong’s epic historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Fei is immortalized as the quintessential archetype of the fierce, impulsive, yet fiercely loyal warrior. His narrative dominates the entire epic from Chapter 1 through Chapter 81. Major novelistic highlights include the iconic Oath of the Peach Garden, single-handedly challenging Lu Bu at Hulao Gate, roaring in terror on Changban Bridge to halt Cao Cao’s army, outsmarting Yan Yan in Sichuan, and his tragic, untimely assassination by his own men.
Notable Quotes & Famous Sayings
- “Though we are born on different days, we die together on the same.” — Zhang Fei reciting the Oath of the Peach Garden.
- “I am Zhang Yide of Yan! Who dares to fight me to the death?!” — Zhang Fei’s thunderous war cry at Changban Bridge.
- “My lord, righteousness binds us together; how could we ever part?” — Zhang Fei expressing his absolute devotion to Liu Bei.
Zhang Fei (张飞) — Historical & Literary Timeline
Oath of the Peach Garden
Meets Liu Bei and Guan Yu in Zhuozhou; swears lifelong brotherhood in a peach orchard and forms a volunteer militia to suppress the Yellow Turbans.
Duel with Lu Bu at Hulao Gate
Engages in a fierce, furious duel against the invincible warrior Lu Bu outside Hulao Gate, fighting him to a standstill before Guan Yu and Liu Bei join in.
The Roar at Changban Bridge
Stands alone at Changban Bridge with twenty horsemen, letting out a thunderous roar that terrifies Cao Cao’s army into retreating without daring to cross.
Conquest of Yi Province & Capturing Yan Yan
Marches through Sichuan; captures the veteran Shu general Yan Yan through a clever ambush, subsequently treating him with great respect and winning his lifelong loyalty.
Defeating Zhang He at Baxi
Outwits Cao Cao’s veteran general Zhang He at Baxi through clever tactical planning and simulated drunkenness, securing a decisive victory for Shu.
Assassination in Sleep
Grieving deeply over Guan Yu’s death and drinking heavily, he harshly beats his subordinates Zhang Da and Fan Qiang, who assassinate him in his sleep.
Items
- Eight-foot Serpent Spear
- Wuyun Taxue (Wang Zhui Ma)
Key Relationships
Family
- Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) — Sworn brother through the Oath of the Peach Garden; Zhang Fei served him as a loyal general and sovereign for his entire career.
- Lady Xiahou (夏侯氏, Hạ Hầu thị) — Wife and noblewoman of the Xiahou clan, whom Zhang Fei encountered during the chaotic period of the late Han dynasty.
- Zhang Bao (张苞, Trương Bào) — Eldest son who followed in his father’s footsteps as a valiant general for the state of Shu Han.
- Zhang Shao (张绍, Trương Thiệu) — Younger son who served as a civil official in the Shu Han government.
- Empress Zhang (张皇后, Trương Hoàng hậu) — Daughter who became the Empress of Shu Han as the wife of Liu Shan.
Friends
- Guan Yu (关羽, Quan Vũ) — Sworn brother and fellow martial pillar of the Shu Han state; they fought side-by-side from the Yellow Turban Rebellion until Guan Yu’s death in 219 AD.
- Zhao Yun (赵云, Triệu Vân) — Fellow Five Tiger General and trusted comrade who fought alongside Zhang Fei in numerous campaigns, including the defense of Jing Province.
- Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng) — Prime Minister of Shu Han who directed Zhang Fei’s military movements during the conquest of Yi Province.
Enemies
- Lu Bu (吕布, Lữ Bố) — Fierce rival and peerless warrior whom Zhang Fei challenged to a duel at Hulao Gate in 190 AD.
- Cao Cao (曹操, Tào Tháo) — Primary political and military adversary whose cavalry vanguard was famously halted by Zhang Fei at Changban Bridge in 208 AD.
- Zhang He (张郃, Trương Cáp) — Wei general whom Zhang Fei outmaneuvered and defeated at the Battle of Baxi in 219 AD.
- Yan Yan (严颜, Nghiêm Nhan) — Initially an enemy general captured by Zhang Fei in 211 AD; after being treated with magnanimity, he became a loyal subordinate.
- Zhang Da (张达, Trương Đạt) and Fan Qiang (范强, Phạm Cương) — Disgruntled subordinates who assassinated Zhang Fei in his sleep in 221 AD before defecting to Eastern Wu.
Other
- No information
Comrades
In Novel
Chapter 1
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Brave warrior from Zhuo Commandery, courtesy name Yide (翼德), who formed the Oath of the Peach Garden with Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) and Guan Yu (关羽, Quan Vũ) and speared Deng Mao (邓茂, Đặng Mậu) to death with his eighteen-foot serpent spear.
Chapter 2
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Slew Yellow Turban commander Gao Sheng (高升, Cao Thăng) at Yangcheng and furiously flogged the corrupt imperial inspector at Anxi with willow branches.
Chapter 5
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Charged into battle at Hulao Pass to challenge Lü Bu (吕布, Lã Bố), denouncing him as the ‘bastard with three fathers’ and fighting him for fifty bouts before Guan Yu and Liu Bei joined the fray.
Chapter 11
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Assisted Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) in lifting the siege of Xuzhou, routing Cao Cao’s (曹操, Tào Tháo) vanguard under Yu Jin (于禁, Vu Cấm).
Chapter 14
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Left in charge of Xiapi by Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị); while intoxicated, he flogged Cao Bao (曹豹, Tào Báo), precipitating Lü Bu’s (吕布, Lã Bố) night raid that captured the city.
Chapter 15
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Entrenched at Mangdang Mountain after losing Xuzhou, subsequently reuniting with Liu Bei.
Chapter 18
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Attacked Lü Bu’s (吕布, Lã Bố) horse convoys outside Xiaopei and fought Lü Bu to a hundred-bout standstill.
Chapter 19
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Participated in the siege and capture of Xiapi, witnessing the execution of Lü Bu (吕布, Lã Bố).
Chapter 21
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Coordinated with Guan Yu (关羽, Quan Vũ) to ambush and slay Che Zhou (车胄, Xa Trụ) to reclaim Xuzhou for Liu Bei.
Chapter 22
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Executed a brilliant night counter-ambush at Xiapi, capturing Cao Cao’s (曹操, Tào Tháo) general Liu Dai (刘岱, Lưu Đại) alive.
Chapter 24
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Launched a nighttime raid against Cao Cao’s (曹操, Tào Tháo) main camp in Xuzhou, but fell into an ambush and escaped to Mount Mangdang.
Chapter 28
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Seized Gucheng and demanded Guan Yu (关羽, Quan Vũ) prove his loyalty by slaying Cai Yang (蔡阳, Sái Dương) before joyfully reuniting the sworn brothers.
Chapter 31
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Protected Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) during the retreat from Runan, fighting off the pursuit of Cao Cao’s elite forces.
Chapter 39
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Ambushed Xiahou Dun’s (夏侯惇, Hạ Hầu Đôn) rear supply train at the Battle of Bowang Slope.
Chapter 40
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Set ambushes and burned Cao Ren’s (曹仁, Tào Nhân) troops during the Battle of Xinye.
Chapter 42
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Held Changban Bridge with twenty horsemen, raising dust clouds and bellowing with such thunderous ferocity that Cao Cao’s (曹操, Tào Tháo) officer Xiahou Jie’s gall ruptured, halting Cao Cao’s entire army.
Chapter 51
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Captured southern commanderies in Jingzhou following the Battle of Red Cliffs.
Chapter 52
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Pacified Wuling Commandery, compelling administrator Jin Xuan (金旋, Kim Toàn) to surrender.
Chapter 60
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Mobilized troops in Jingzhou to reinforce Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) in the Riverlands.
Chapter 61
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Intercepted Eastern Wu’s fleet along the Yangtze with Zhao Yun (赵云, Triệu Vân) to recover the young prince Liu Shan (刘禅, Lưu Thiện).
Chapter 63
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Marched through the Riverlands, outsmarted veteran general Yan Yan (严颜, Nghiêm Nhan) at Jiangzhou, and treated him with great honor, prompting all remaining passes to surrender without resistance.
Chapter 65
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Fought Ma Chao (马超, Mã Siêu) in a legendary torchlight duel at Jiameng Pass to a complete draw.
Chapter 70
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Defended Wakou Pass, outwitted Zhang He (张郃, Trương Cáp) through feigned drunkenness, and drove him to abandon his mountain strongholds.
Chapter 73
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Enfeoffed as General of the Right and one of Shu Han’s Five Tiger Generals.
Chapter 81
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi): Grief-stricken and enraged over the death of Guan Yu (关羽, Quan Vũ), he severely whipped his subordinate officers Fan Jiang and Zhang Da while preparing for the Wu campaign, and was subsequently assassinated in his sleep at Langzhong.
In History
Summary
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi), courtesy name Yide, was a major military commander of Liu Bei (刘备, Lưu Bị) and one of the most important generals of Shu Han.
Year: 208 AD
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi) helped Liu Bei escape Cao Cao’s advance and played a major role in the retreat from Jing Province.
Year: 221 AD
- After Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor, Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi) was appointed a senior commander for the planned campaign against Wu.
Year: 221 AD
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi) was assassinated by his own subordinates, Fan Qiang (范强) and Zhang Da (张达), before the campaign against Wu began.
Historical Record
- Zhang Fei (张飞, Trương Phi) was a real historical general. The novel preserves his broad historical role but heavily dramatizes his personality and exploits.
Gallery
Famous Allusion
Zhao Yun Rescues A'Dou at Dangyang
The Peach Garden Oath - 桃园结义 - Tao Yuan Jie Yi
温酒斩华雄, Wēn Jiǔ Zhǎn Huá Xióng, Ôn Tửu Trảm Hoa Hùng