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Zhuge Lian


Zhuge Lian, one of the most renowned strategist of the three kingdoms era. The author of novel Romance of the Three Kingdom treat him like a god in that book. He wrote the whole book around Zhuge Lian. How Liu Bei have to begs Zhuge Lian three times before Zhuge Lian finally agreed to became the strategist for the Shu Kingdom. How Zhuge Lian uses the Empty Castle Tactic to scare his rival, Sima Yi, away. How he died and turn into to ghost and scare Sima Yi for the second time during Zhuge Lian's last battle. However, some parts about Zhuge Lian in the novel was all made up to boost up his popularity. The real Zhuge Lian was more a great politician than a strategist. Yes, he come up some good tactic, but it is not effective as his political decision he made for Shu. He's political influence in Shu was so powerful that even the Liu Bei fear him before he died. Liu Bei fear that Zhuge Lian will use his political influence to take control of Shu from Liu Bei's son after Liu Bei died. So Liu Bei give a position of grand minster to Zhuge Lian, the second most power position, right after king to Zhuge Lian to keep Zhuge Lian. So in the true story behind three kingdoms, Zhuge Lian was more a politician than a strategist.