Zhao Yun 赵云
Zhao Yun is remembered above all for saving Liu Bei's young son during the retreat at Changban. The chronicle tells of this briefly. In Romance of Three Kingdoms, a few lines grew into a large battle scene in which Zhao Yun searches for the child among Cao Cao's troops and carries him out of the encirclement. Cinema has turned both to this feat and to the legends of Zhao Yun's youth.
Zhao Yun (趙雲) hailed from Zhending in Changshan Commandery. His year of birth is unknown. His courtesy name was Zilong. Zhao Yun first served under Gongsun Zan, and later tied his fate to Liu Bei. In 208, at Changban, Cao Cao's troops caught up with Liu Bei's retreating people. Chen Shou writes that Zhao Yun saved the young Liu Shan and protected his mother, Lady Gan.
In the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhao Yun sets out alone to find his commander's family and fights his way with the child through the enemy troops. The chronicle gives no details of how he made his way through the enemy ranks, nor any account of a series of duels. It does, however, tell of his service and his posts after Changban. He took part in Shu's campaigns, including one of Zhuge Liang's northern expeditions, and died in 229.
In Romance of Three Kingdoms (1994), Zhao Yun at different ages is played by Zhang Shan, Yang Fan and Hou Yong-Sheng. In John Woo's two-part Red Cliff (2008–2009), Zhao Yun as played by Hu Jun is one of the commanders united against Cao Cao. And Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon (2008) tells above all of Zhao Yun himself. Zhao Yun as played by Andy Lau goes from young soldier to old general who still has to return to battle.
