There is a saying that "there is no tiger in the mountain, and the monkey is the king", which means that a certain group lacks savvy and capable people and has to let people of average ability take up important positions. Another sentence with similar meaning is "There is no general in Shu, Liao Hua is the vanguard", it is said that at the end of the Three Kingdoms, the talents of the Shu Han were in short supply, so Liao Hua had to be the vanguard.
What kind of person is Liao Hua in history? Is he suitable to be a pioneer?
There are not many records of Liao Hua in The History of the Three Kingdoms. Liao Hua’s biography is only a short one hundred and sixty characters. In "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" the author played more with him.
Liao Hua, Zi Yuanjian, a native of Xiangyang. His appearance was in Guan Yu riding a thousand miles alone, on the way to pass five levels and cut six generals. Liu Bei was defeated in Xuzhou and went to Yuan Shao. Guan Yu escorted Liu Bei's two wives to surrender Cao Cao. Guan Yu learned of Liu Bei's location, put a gold seal, said goodbye to Cao Cao, and let the two sisters-in-law go first. Unexpectedly, Liu Bei's two wives were captured by the bandit Du Yuan, and he planned to divide it up with Liao Hua.
At this time, Liao Hua and Du Yuan are the two bandit leaders, and they lead Xiaoyou to fight the house and rob them in embarrassment. However, Liao Hua has ideals in his heart. He hopes to join Liu Bei and build a career instead of being a thief.
When Liao Hua learned that the two beauties captured by Du Yuan were Liu Bei’s wives, he advised Du Yuan to join him to join Liu Bei, but Du Yuan stayed thief and killed Liao Hua He escorted Liu Bei's two wives down the mountain to Guan Yu. Liao Hua hopes to follow Guan Yu, a well-known hero in the world, and make contributions under his command. Unfortunately, Guan Yu believes that he has been a Yellow Turban army and a bandit, and refuses to take him in.
Later Liu Bei occupied Yizhou, Liao Hua took this opportunity to defect to the Shuhan camp. Liu Bei arranged for him to guard Jingzhou with Guan Yu, and Liao Hua finally got his wish and followed his hero. Later, when Guan Yu led the hero to break through Xiangyang, Liao Hua rushed forward and fought bravely to kill the enemy.
Soon after, Lv Meng crossed the river in white clothing to capture Jingzhou, and Guan Yu was defeated. At this time, Liao Hua's deeds are recorded in the "Three Kingdoms" and "Three Kingdoms".
"The Three Kingdoms" records that Liao Hua was defeated and captured, and had to surrender to the State of Wu. However, he "is in Wu Ying and his heart is in Han". One way-pretended to be dead and deceived all the Wu people at that time. Then he took his old mother to Shuhan day and night. From then on, it can be guessed that Liao Hua surrendered to a large extent to protect his old mother. If he did not surrender, his mother would be killed in all likelihood. The ancients placed great emphasis on filial piety, and the Han Dynasty and even the Three Kingdoms period adopted the filial piety system. Liao Hua and his mother waded through mountains and rivers, and finally came to Zigui. They met Liu Bei's army who had avenged Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.
In The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Guan Yu was surrounded. Liao Hua asked Ying to go to Shangyong for help. He broke through the siege and hoped to get Liu Feng’s assistance. However, Liu Feng stood on the sidelines and watched his death. In desperation, Liao Hua faced Liu. Liu Feng was still unmoved by the fact that "knocking his head, bleeding, and begging." In desperation, Liao Hua was worried about Guan Yu and ruthlessly angry with Liu Feng. He went back to Xishu alone to ask for help. Unfortunately, the distant water could not save the nearby fire. Soon Guan Yu was defeated and his father and son were captured and killed.
No matter how many real and fictitious elements are in Liao Hua's deeds, his loyalty to Shu is beyond doubt.
After Liu Bei met Liao Hua, he was moved by his sincerity. Liao Hua followed Liu Bei to conquer Wu. As everyone knows, in the battle of Yiling, Liu Bei was burned by Lu Xun's camp and was defeated. Liao Hua retreated to Shu with the defeated army. The main responsibility for the strategic error of the Yiling War lies in the will of the leader Liu Bei. As for Liao Hua, he can only execute orders to do things correctly. He does his own thing with all his heart and responsibility, and there is nothing to be harsh.
In 223 AD, Liu Bei died, Liu Chan succeeded, Zhuge Liang assumed the prime minister, Liao Hua was entrusted by Zhuge Liang to join the army, his ability was recognized by Zhuge Liang, which shows that Liao Hua's talent is not low.
诸葛亮Northern Expedition, Liao Hua first served as the leader of the left army to transport grains, and then six Northern Expeditions, the older generation of generals fell one after another, but in the end Liao Hua persisted. When he was out of Qishan, he chased Sima Yi, took the sword and fell on the tree. Although he let Sima Yi escape, he seized the opponent's helmet, so Zhuge Liang gave him the head merit.
After Zhuge Liang died, Liao Hua followed Jiang Wei in the Northern Expedition and served as the vanguard several times. At this time, Liao Hua was already in his late seventies. "There is no general in Shu, and Liao Hua is the vanguard." It is this period when the talents of the Shu Han were withered very seriously, the old group of generals died one after another, and the new generation of talents did not rise. The position of vanguard, charged into the battle, went to battle, attacked the city, and frustrated the enemy's spirit. It was supposed to be played by a young man, but now it has to be filled by a seventy-year-old man. The embarrassing situation of the shortage of talents in the later period of the Shu Han Dynasty, there was no general in the state of Shu, and it was really emotional that Liao Hua, a sixtieth man, had to fight on the battlefield.
How does Liao Hua end? In 263, Deng Ai and Zhonghui launched a general offensive against the Shu Han, and the building would fall. Although Liao Hua and Jiang Wei tried their best to support them, they were helpless. Liu Chan surrendered and the Kingdom of Shu perished. In 264, Liao Hua was moved to Luoyang and died on the way.
Liao Huayi has lived in more than eighty years and is a rare figure who has survived the entire Three Kingdoms period. He has witnessed the turbulence throughout the Three Kingdoms period. His whole life witnessed Guan Yu's power and the fall of China, witnessed Liu Bei's proclaiming emperor and Tuogu, witnessed Zhuge Liang's "dedication and death", and witnessed the establishment of the Kingdom of Shu to its demise. He spent his whole life fighting for the Shu Kingdom he yearned for, loyal and unswerving until he died.
