Lü Kuang

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Lü Kuang (Chinese 呂嚝; also romanized Lu Kang; d. 207) was a distinguished general who served Yuan Shao during the Three Kingdoms Period in China. He had a brother Lü Xiang whom he always had accompany him on his missions.

After Yuan Shao died he served Yuan Shao's second son Yuan Shang.

When bad relations between Yuan Tan and Shang grew Tan attacked Shang, jealous of Shang becoming heir. Tan sent out his best warrior Cen Pi to challenge Shang's leaders to duels. Yuan Shang was going to accept but Lu Kuang went out and dueled with Cen Pi. The duel lasted for only three passes until Lu cut Cen Pi's throat with his sword. For this Shang awarded him and his brother the generals seal. Even after Lü's display of might, Shang treated him poorly. When Shang told Lü and his brother to attack Tan he went out. Tan then reminded him of his friendship to him and his position with Shang. The Lü brothers then defected to Tan's side.

Tan originally promised the Lu brothers good pay and treatment but Tan treated them no different than his brother Shang did. When Yuan Tan surrendered his southern army to Cao Cao, the founder of the Kingdom of Wei, Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang went with them to Cao Cao's side. Cao eagerly accepted them and rewarded them with silks and jewels. Cao then again went to war with the three Yuans — Shang, Xi, and Tan — again. Cao used the Lu brothers often with his accomplished generals. The two Lu's however caused many losses and defections to the Yuan's. Finally when Tan was killed, and Xi and Shang were on the verge of defeat, the Lü's requested to guard Ru'nan. From there the Lu's attacked Liu Bei's city of Xinye.

The attack on Xinye was flawed for the Lu's because they were outnumbered two-to one. Lu Kuang and his brother led 10,000 troops to Xinye's fields and challenged Liu's captains to a duel. The brave and well known general Zhao Yun went out to face him in a duel. When the sides were arrayed Lü Kuang rode right toward s his opponent as did Zhao, the two fought twenty passes neither getting an advantage, but then seeing the situation Zhao lured Lü farther towards him and as Lü was about to slash at him, he wheeled around and bore Lü Kuang right through the throat, Lü died seconds later. His brother Xiang fought bravely for several hours until he was forced to retreat and came across the famous Zhang Fei who slew him in the first encounter.