Red Hare

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Red Hare (Traditional Chinese: 赤兔馬; Simplified Chinese: 赤兔马; pinyin: Chìtù mǎ) was the mount of Lü Bu during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Historical records only mention the horse when Lü Bu temporary became a subordinate of Yuan Shao, where he charged and defeated the armies of Zhang Yan while riding the Red Hare. Additionally, the annotated Cao Cao's biography in Sanguo Zhi also contained the phrase: "Of men, Lü Bu; of horses, Red Hare" (人中呂布，馬中赤兔) when describing Lü Bu's prowess in battle.

[edit] In Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, the life of the Red Hare was fleshed out. It was originally a treasured horse of Dong Zhuo, but at Li Su's suggestion, he gave it to Lü Bu to persuade him to murder his stepfather Ding Yuan, and join Dong Zhuo. Red Hare was said to be able to run one thousand li (or roughly 330 miles) in a day.

After Lü Bu was executed by Cao Cao in Xiapi, Cao Cao presented this horse to Guan Yu as a gift. Cao Cao allowed him to keep the horse even after Guan Yu left Cao Cao's service and hospitality.

Later, when Guan Yu was captured by Lu Meng during Eastern Wu's invasion of Jingzhou, the Red Hare was given to Ma Zhong by Sun Quan. However, following the execution of Guan Yu, Red Hare refused to eat and died of starvation.

[edit] Name

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It may have received its name from the blood spots that cover its entire body, which were a fresh red, along with its mane and tail, which were compared to fire. Red Hare is presumed to have been a blood-sweating Dayuan horse from the Ferghana region in modern-day Turkestan.

Another possible reason it was called chi tu ma, Red Hare Steed, was not for the color red, but because the horse is used to hunt the hare. (chi is almost a rhyme to she, which means to shoot in Chinese) If it was to see a hare, it would stop running and hold its ground without the application of the reins. This training was to give the hunter a more steady shot. For this reason, the Chinese would call it Red Hare or Hare Hunter. This would, however, apply to a group of horses, while in this case, the name is given to only one, bringing about the conclusion that the color is a more accurate source for its title.

Red Hare was the most famous of these horses, but was not the only of its kind around in the period. Cao Cao owned a beloved Ferghana steed that was killed during the rout at Wancheng by an arrow. He loved it so much, he annually made sacrifices in mourning for Dian Wei, Cao Ang, Cao Anmin, and the horse. Also, in some translations, a Nanman rebel was said to have been riding a Ferghana steed; however, the translation is questionable and inconclusive.