Wu Yi 吳懿

Wu Yi, courtesy name Ziyuan, was a man of Chenliu. The Records write his given name with the character 壹 (Yi). He lost his father when young, and because his father had long been on friendly terms with Liu Yan, the whole family followed Liu Yan into Shu. Liu Yan, who harbored ambitions of his own, heard that a skilled physiognomist had said Wu Yi's sister had the looks of one destined for great honor, and took her as wife for his son Liu Mao, whom he kept with him. When Liu Mao died, the sister lived as a widow. Records, Shu 15 §54Records, Shu 4 §9

Under Liu Zhang, Wu Yi became a General of the Household and led troops to resist Liu Bei at Fu County, but went over and surrendered. When Liu Bei pacified Yi Province, he made Wu Yi Protector of the Army and General Who Attacks Rebels. The Biography of the First Sovereign records that Liu Bei placed in prominent posts and made full use of the talents of all of them: Dong He, Huang Quan, Li Yan and others whom Liu Zhang had appointed, Wu Yi, Fei Guan and others who were tied to Liu Zhang by marriage, and even Peng Yang, whom Liu Zhang had rejected. Records, Shu 15 §54Records, Shu 2 §34

After Liu Bei pacified Yi Province and Lady Sun returned to Wu, his ministers urged him to take Wu Yi's sister as his wife. When Liu Bei hesitated because he was of the same clan as Liu Mao, Fa Zheng cited the example of Duke Wen of Jin and Ziyu and asked how the matter stood if one weighed closeness of kinship, and Liu Bei took the sister as his consort. The sister, Empress Mu, became Queen of the King of Hanzhong in the 24th year of Jian'an (219) and empress in the 5th month of the 1st year of Zhangwu (221). Records, Shu 4 §9–10Records, Shu 15 §54

Wu Yi became Area Commander of Guanzhong in the 1st year of Zhangwu (221). When Zhuge Liang led the army toward Mount Qi in the 6th year of Jianxing (228), commentators said that veteran generals such as Wei Yan and Wu Yi should be made the vanguard, but Zhuge Liang went against the general opinion and promoted Ma Su. In the 8th year of Jianxing (230) he entered the border of Nan'an together with Wei Yan and defeated the Wei general Fei Yao; he was moved from a village marquisate and raised to Marquis of Gaoyang District, and promoted to General of the Left. Records, Shu 15 §54Records, Shu 9 §17

In the autumn of the 12th year of Jianxing (234), after Zhuge Liang died and Wei Yan was beheaded, Wu Yi, General of the Left, became General of Chariots and Cavalry, received the Tally (jiajie) and supervised Hanzhong. He concurrently held the post of Inspector of Yong Province and was raised to Marquis of Jiyang, and Wang Ping was stationed in Hanzhong as his deputy. Wu Yi died in the 15th year of Jianxing (237). According to the Biography of Wang Ping, in the same year Wang Ping was raised to Marquis of Anhan and supervised Hanzhong in place of Wu Yi. The Biography of Empress Mu records that Wu Yi's office reached General of Chariots and Cavalry and that he was enfeoffed as a county marquis. Records, Shu 3 §15Records, Shu 15 §55Records, Shu 13 §38Records, Shu 4 §11

Chen Shou wrote that he did not compose a biography for Wu Yi because his deeds had not been handed down. The Eulogies of the Supporting Ministers of Ji Han, written by Yang Xi in the 4th year of Yanxi (241), praised him: 'The General of Chariots and Cavalry was lofty and firm, and above all loved people broadly; with weakness he restrained the strong, and he did not fall into peril.' His younger clansman Wu Ban always held office and rank second only to Wu Yi. Records, Shu 15 §55 · 33 · 54 · 56