Guo Jia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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|
| Names | |
|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese: | 郭嘉 |
| Traditional Chinese: | 郭嘉 |
| Pinyin: | Guō Jiā |
| Wade-Giles: | Kuo Chia |
| Zi: | Fengxiao (奉孝) |
Guo Jia (170 – 207), styled Fengxiao (奉孝), was a strategist and advisor to the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. During his eleven years of service, Guo Jia's brilliance greatly aided Cao Cao in his victories over rival warlords Lü Bu and Yuan Shao, as well as chief of the Wuhuan tribe Ta Dun. As a result of this, he was one of the most trusted and favored subjects of Cao Cao.
[edit] Life
Guo Jia was born in the county of Yangdi (阳翟, present day Yuzhou, Henan). He initially sought a position under Yuan Shao, the most powerful warlord in northern China at that time. However, he judged Yuan Shao to be an indecisive man who did not know how to fully exploit talented people. Thinking that the warlord had little hope of achieving great things, Guo Jia then left.
In 196, Guo Jia was recommended to Cao Cao by Xun Yu. After a discussion about the state of China at that time, both found each other likable. Cao Cao then made Guo Jia his military advisor.
During the campaign against Lü Bu in 198, Cao Cao's force won three consecutive battles, forcing his enemy to retreat and fortify itself in Xiapi. By then Cao Cao's troops were exhausted from fighting, and he intended to withdraw. However, Guo Jia persuaded Cao Cao to press on and not give Lü Bu time to recuperate. Cao Cao took the advice and ultimately prevailed against his opponent.
In 200, Cao Cao confronted Yuan Shao's force at Guandu, leaving his base city Xuchang sparsely guarded. Seeing this opportunity, Sun Ce, a warlord in the south, planned to move north and attack Xuchang. Everyone despaired at the news, but Guo Jia foretold that Sun Ce, being proud and impulsive, would be killed by his own people before reaching Xuchang. True to his prediction, Sun Ce was assassinated before he could even cross the Yangtze River. Cao Cao then scored a great victory against Yuan Shao, solidifying his position as the strongest warlord in the north.
After losing the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao soon died. His legacy was contested between two of his sons, Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang (袁尚). Many urged Cao Cao to seize the opportunity to root out the heirs. However, Guo Jia advised Cao Cao to turn his attention south to attack Liu Biao in Jingzhou (荆州) and let the brothers wear themselves out in battle.
Cao Cao accepted Guo Jia's counsel and prepared for a campaign against Liu Biao. The Yuan brothers did wear themselves out, resulting in the overmatched Yuan Tan seeking Cao Cao's help. Cao Cao moved his force north again and easily defeated Yuan Shang, who escaped to Chief Ta Dun (蹋顿) of the Wuhuan tribes. Cao Cao then conquered Yuan Tan in Nanpi (南皮) and took control of Jizhou (冀州).
At this time, Cao Cao intended to launch an expedition deep into the north to eradicate Yuan Shang and the Wuhuan tribes, but many feared that Liu Biao would attack from the south. Guo Jia encouraged Cao Cao to quickly take up the expedition to prevent a resurgence of Yuan Shang's power. Under Guo Jia's counsel, the army travelled light, leaving behind the bulk of supplies. The resulting swift strike caught the Wuhuan unprepared. Ta Dun was killed and Yuan Shang went into exile in Northeast, which is now the province of Heilongjiang and Jilin..
According to Romance of the Three Kingdom the fiction, Guo Jia also advised Cao Cao (posthumously) on how to tackle Yuan Shang after he fled to Northeast, with a brilliant coup[1].
Guo Jia died of a sickness in 207, at the young age of 37. He was conferred the posthumous title of Marquis Zhen (贞侯), literally meaning the moral marquis. A year later, after Cao Cao suffered a huge defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, he lamented, "If Fengxiao (Guo Jia's styled name) were alive, I would not be in this state."
[edit] Reference
- Chen Shou (2002). San Guo Zhi. Yue Lu Shu She. ISBN 7-80665-198-5.
[edit] See also
- Three Kingdoms
- Personages of the Three Kingdoms
- Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms
- Romance of the Three Kingdoms
