RPresumed on his old ties and was disrespectful to TaizuWei 12 §19
NDeclined a generous reward and leftCh. 59 §4
Lou Gui 婁圭
| Occupation | RStrategist NOther · Recluse | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Jingzhao Commandery | |
| Cause of death | RExecuted Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R18 |
Profile
Lou Gui was an old acquaintance of Cao Cao. In the main text of Chen Shou's Records his name appears only once, in the biography of Cui Yan. It records that Cao Cao was jealous by nature and would not spare anyone he could not tolerate, and that, together with Kong Rong of Lu State and Xu You of Nanyang, Lou Gui was put to death for presuming on their old ties and showing disrespect. Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, origin, offices or year of death, and there is no assessment of him. Records, Wei 12 §19 · 99
In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 59, where his name is given as Lou Zibo, and his name is not in the chapter title. He is portrayed as a recluse who, when Cao Cao cannot build a camp on the sandy ground in the fighting at Tong Pass, has him pour water on the earth while the weather is freezing and build an earthen wall in a single night. Romance, Ch. 59 §3–5
In the Records
In Chen Shou's main text Lou Gui appears in only one passage, in the biography of Cui Yan. Chen Shou first says that Cao Cao was jealous by nature and would not spare anyone he could not tolerate, and records that Kong Rong of Lu State, Xu You of Nanyang and Lou Gui were all put to death for presuming on their old ties and showing disrespect. He then adds that, of these, the death of Cui Yan was the most lamented and regretted by the people of the time, and that it is still regarded as an injustice to this day. Records, Wei 12 §19
Chen Shou's main text does not record when or why Lou Gui died, or what he had done before that. The assessment at the end of Records of Wei 12 likewise assesses only Cui Yan, Mao Jie and others and does not deal with Lou Gui. Records, Wei 12 §19 · 99
In the Romance
In Chapter 59 of the Romance, Cao Cao tries to set up camp south of the Wei River, but Ma Chao sets fire to it and burns all his carts and pontoon bridges. Even when, as Xun You suggests, they carry the sandy soil of the Wei River to build an earthen wall, Ma Chao sends Pang De and Ma Dai to raid back and forth, and since the soil is not firm, the wall collapses as fast as it is built. Romance, Ch. 59 §1–2
At the end of the 9th month, when the weather suddenly turns cold and thick clouds do not clear for days, an old man comes saying he wishes to present a plan. The Romance introduces him as a man of Jingzhao with the bones of a crane and the bearing of a pine, who lives in seclusion on Mount Zhongnan, with the surname Lou, the given name Zibo and the Daoist name Layman Dreaming of Plum Blossoms (Mengmei Jushi). Cao Cao treats him with the courtesy due a guest. Romance, Ch. 59 §3
Zibo says that since thick clouds have covered the sky for days, a single north wind will surely bring a hard freeze, and that if, once the wind rises, the soldiers are made to carry earth and pour water on it, the earthen wall will be finished by daybreak. Cao Cao, suddenly enlightened, offers him a generous reward, but Zibo refuses it and leaves. Romance, Ch. 59 §4
That night a strong north wind rises; Cao Cao's soldiers, having no vessels to hold water, fill silk bags with water and pour it out, and the earth freezes as fast as it is piled up. Seeing the completed earthen wall in the morning, Ma Chao wonders whether a god has helped, and Cao Cao calls on Ma Chao to surrender, saying that Heaven has built it for him in a single night. The Romance does not bring Zibo on stage again after this. Romance, Ch. 59 §5–6
Where the Romance differs
Name: Chapter 59 of the Romance gives his surname as Lou and his given name as Zibo. Chen Shou's main text records his name as Lou Gui. Romance, Ch. 59 §3Records, Wei 12 §19
Status: In Chapter 59 of the Romance he appears as a recluse, a man of Jingzhao living in seclusion on Mount Zhongnan who calls himself the Layman Dreaming of Plum Blossoms, and meets Cao Cao for the first time. In Chen Shou's main text he appears, together with Kong Rong and Xu You, as one who presumed on his old ties with Cao Cao, and his origin and offices are not stated. Romance, Ch. 59 §3Records, Wei 12 §19
The ice wall: In Chapter 59 of the Romance, an earthen wall of ice is built in a single night on Zibo's advice. The account of the fighting at Tong Pass in the Annals of Emperor Wu in Chen Shou's main text says only that Cao Cao secretly put troops on boats, entered the Wei River, laid pontoon bridges and divided his troops at night to set up camp south of the Wei, and that in the 9th month he advanced his army across the Wei; neither the ice wall nor Lou Gui appears. Romance, Ch. 59 §4–5Records, Wei 1 §110–114
The end: In Chapter 59 of the Romance, Zibo leaves without accepting a reward and never appears again, and his death is not recorded. In Chen Shou's main text, Lou Gui was put to death for showing disrespect to Cao Cao. Romance, Ch. 59 §4Records, Wei 12 §19
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
Records total368 / 1000Rank 802 of 996 · Top 81%Romance total463 / 1000Rank 185 of 1,113 · Top 17%
Romance adaptation index+95Romance total − Records total
- LEA4035−5
- STR3531−4
- INT4574+29
- POL3838±0
- CHA4042+2
- VIR3262+30
- ADP2248+26
- SCH4050+10
- DIP3845+7
- DIS3838±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his old ties with TaizuWei 12 §19
NTaking advantage of the cold, had water poured to build an earthen wall in a single nightCh. 59 §4
RPresumed on his old ties, behaved disrespectfully and was put to deathWei 12 §19
NNo direct record — estimated as a recluse who gave only his plan and leftCh. 59 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his being named alongside Xu YouWei 12 §19
NNo direct record — estimated as a recluse with a Daoist nameCh. 59 §3
6 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his old ties with TaizuWei 12 §19
NNo direct record — estimated as a recluseCh. 59 §3
RNo direct record — estimated from his old ties with TaizuWei 12 §19
NNo direct record — estimated as a recluseCh. 59 §3
RNo direct record — estimated from his old ties with TaizuWei 12 §19
NNo direct record — estimated as a recluseCh. 59 §3
RNo direct record — estimated from his old ties with TaizuWei 12 §19
NNo direct record — estimated as a recluseCh. 59 §3
RNo direct record — estimated from his old ties with TaizuWei 12 §19
NNo direct record — estimated from his presenting a plan to Cao CaoCh. 59 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his old ties with TaizuWei 12 §19
NNo direct record — estimated as a recluseCh. 59 §3
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (1)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Wei · Records · Records vol. 12 「太祖以爲大將，不使典兵」