Ep. 125 | Zhuge Liang
In this episode, we explore the life and times of Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD). He’s a very good example of a well-known name from Chinese history that many have heard of but aren’t quite sure why.
He lived during the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms periods. Zhuge Liang is mostly remembered for his cleverness and many consider him right up there with Sunzi (Sun Tzu) as far as the works of strategy and military science he left behind.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bai River | 白河 | The river that runs through the center of Nanyang |
| Baozi | 包子 | Steamed bun with some sort of filling |
| Cao Cao | 曹操 | The main guy up in the north who ran the Kingdom of Wei |
| Cao Pi | 曹丕 | Son of Cao Cao, founder of Cao Wei and served as first emperor |
| Cao Rui | 曹叡 | Successor to Cao Pi on throne in Cao Wei |
| Changban | 长板之战 | Site of a battle in 208 between Cao Cao and Liu Bei. Liu Bei lost |
| Chen Shou | 陈寿 | Author of the Record of the Three Kingdoms |
| Chengyu | 成语 | Chinese idiom, proverb. Check out Laszlo's Chinese Sayings Podcast |
| Deng Ai | 邓艾 | One of Cao Cao’s generals |
| Dong Zhuo | 董卓 | Warlord of Eastern Han, seized power, assasinated by Lü Bu |
| Du Fu | 杜甫 | Considered the greatest or one of the greatest poets in Chinese literature. Lived during the Tang |
| Emperor Ling | 汉灵帝 | Eastern Han Emperor 168-189 |
| Emperor Xian | 汉献帝 | Eastern Han Emperor, the last one, 189-220 |
| ershisishi | 二十四史 | The Twenty-four Histories |
| Guan Yu | 关羽 | See CHP episode number 81 for details, one of Liu Bei’s gang |
| Hao hao xiansheng | 好好先生 | Someone who always sounds like he’s agreeing with you |
| Henan | 河南 | Province in China where much of ancient Chinese history took place |
| Huang Chengyan | 黄承颜 | Local scholar in Nanyang. Later became the father in law to Zhuge Liang |
| Huang Yueying | 黄月英 | Daughter of Huang Chengyan, wife of Zhuge Liang, famous for many things, being particularly unattractive was one of them |
| Huang Zhu | 黄柱 | Shu Han politician |
| Jiangsu | 江苏 | Province in the east |
| Jingzhou | 荆州 | Jing Province, one of the ancient provinces of China, where Hunan-Hubei are mostly |
| Jun | 郡 | A prefect. Also called a commandery. An ancient administrative level going back to the Zhou Dynasty |
| Kongming | 孔明 | Zhuge Liang’s “style” or “courtesy” name |
| Liji | 礼记 | The Book of Rites from the Zhou Dynasty |
| Linyi | 临沂 | County seas of Yinan |
| Liu Bang | 刘邦 | Founder of the Han Dynasty, reigned as Han Gaozu |
| Liu Bei | 刘备 | The main guy in the west who ran the Kingdom of Shu. Zhuge Liang worked for him |
| Liu Biao | 刘表 | Jing Province governor, son of Han Jing Emperor, supported Liu Bei |
| Liu Shan | 刘禅 | Son of Liu Bei who succeeded his father as King of Shu Han |
| Longzhong | 隆中 | Area of Nanyang where Zhuge Liang lived in seclusion |
| Longzhong Dui | 隆中对 | The Longzhong Plan (to create the Kingdom of Shu and to unify China under their banner) |
| Luo Guanzhong | 罗贯中 | Author of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms |
| Luoyang | 洛阳 | Capital of many dynasties, located in Henan |
| Lü Bu | 吕布 | Capricious general of the Eastern Han, murdered Dong Zhuo (and others) |
| Man | 蠻 | Barbarian |
| Man | 馒 | Steamed bun |
| Mantou | 馒头 | Steamed bun |
| Meng Huo | 孟获 | Breakaway leader down in Yunnan who Zhuge Liang went down to subdue |
| muniu | 木牛 | The Wooden Ox (early transport vehicle, similar to a wheelbarrow it’s thought |
| Nanyang | 南阳 | Historic city in southern Henan |
| Sanguo Shidai | 三国时代 | The period of the Three Kingdoms |
| Sanguo Zhi | 三国志 | The Record of the Three Kingdoms |
| Sanshiliu Ji | 三十六计 | The Thirty-six Stratagems |
| Shandong | 山东 | Shandong province |
| Shi Ji | 史记 | The Record of the Grand Historian (by Sima Qian) |
| Shu | 蜀国 | The Kingdom of Shu to the west |
| Shu Han | 蜀汉 | The Kingdom of Shu, also called Shu Han |
| Shu Han Zhaolie | 蜀汉钊烈 | Title of Liu Bei |
| Shui Jing | 水镜 | Sima Hui’s pseudonym |
| Sima Hui | 司马绘 | Wise teacher in Nanyang, famous for being the one who helped arrange the intro of Liu Bei to Zhuge Liang |
| Sima Yan | 司马炎 | Grandson of Sima Yi, founded the Jin dynasty |
| Sima Yi | 司马懿 | One of Cao Cao’s generals, remembered for stopping Zhuge Liang in the north and bring the grandfather of Sima Yan |
| Sun Ce | 孙策 | Warlord of Eastern Wu, brother of Sun Quan |
| Sun Jian | 孙坚 | Eastern Wu warlord, father of Sun Quan and Sun Ce |
| Wancheng | 宛城 | Ancient name for Nanyang |
| Wei | 魏国 | The Kingdom of Wei in the north |
| Wolong | 卧龙 | Crouching Dragon, Zhuge Liang’s other name |
| Wu | 吴国 | The Kingdom of Wu to the east |
| Wu Xiang hou | 武鄉侯 | Marquis of Wu |
| Wuhan | 武汉 | Historic place in Hubei where the old Jing Province was |
| Wujing Zongyao | 武警总要 | Collection of the Most Important Military Techniques, written in 1044, first time gunpowder’s chemical makeup was revealed |
| xifan | 稀饭 | thin rice gruel |
| Yinan County | 沂南县 | County in southern Shandong |
| Yizhou | 益州 | One of the ancient provinces of China, where Sichuan is mostly |
| Yuan Shao | 袁绍 | Warlord, Half brother to Yuan Shu, tried to overthrow Cao Cao |
| Yuan Shu | 袁术 | Tried to set himself up as emperor in 197, another general of the Eastern Han |
| Yunnan | 云南 | Province in the south |
| Zhang Fei | 张飞 | One of Liu Bei’s gang |
| Zhang Jiao | 张角 | Rebel leader who led the Yellow Turbans |
| Zhongwu hou | 忠武侯 | Loyal & Warlike Marquis |
| Zhou Yu | 周瑜 | One of the heroes of the Battle of Red Cliffs, worked for Sun Quan |
| Zhuge Jin | 诸葛巾 | The kind of head dress that Zhuge Liang wore |
| Zhuge Xuan | 诸葛玄 | Uncle of Zhuge Liang |
| Zi | 字 | Courtesy or style name |
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