Zhou Yu

Zhou Yu (175–210), style name Gongjin, was a military general and strategist serving under the warlord Sun Ce in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He continued serving under Sun Quan (Sun Ce's younger brother and successor) after Sun Ce died in 200 CE. Around late 208, the northern warlord Cao Cao led his forces south with the intention of conquering the Jiangdong region (where Sun Quan's territories were based), but was defeated by Sun's forces under Zhou Yu's command at the decisive Battle of Red Cliffs. Zhou Yu served as the frontline commander of Sun Quan's forces at the Battle of Jiangling (a follow-up to Red Cliffs) and defeated Cao Cao's forces again. Zhou Yu's victories helped to solidify the survivability of Sun Quan's regime, which would serve as the foundation of the state of Eastern Wu in the Three Kingdoms period (220–280). He died in 210 at a relatively young age of 35 while preparing for a conquest of the Bashu region (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing).

Family background
Zhou Yu was a native of Shu (舒), Lujiang (廬江), which is in present-day Shucheng County, Lu'an, Anhui. Two of his relatives — his father's elder cousin, Zhou Jing (周景); Zhou Jing's son, Zhou Zhong (周忠) — served as the "Grand Commandant" (太尉) in the Han imperial court. Zhou Yu's father, Zhou Yi (周異), was the Prefect (令) of the imperial capital Luoyang.

Befriending Sun Ce
Around 190, when Sun Jian raised an army to join the campaign against Dong Zhuo, he relocated his family from Changsha (長沙; covering present-day Changsha and parts of Hunan) to Shu, Lujiang. In Shu, Zhou Yu met and befriended Sun Jian's eldest son Sun Ce, who was about the same age as him. Zhou Yu offered to let Sun Ce and his family stay with him, and he paid respects to Sun Ce's mother Lady Wu as though she was his real mother. Zhou Yu and Sun Ce became very close friends.

Assisting Sun Ce in conquering Jiangdong
Zhou Yu later travelled to Danyang (丹楊; covering parts of present-day Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui) to join his uncle Zhou Shang (周尚), who was serving as the Administrator (太守) of the commandery. Around 194, Sun Ce, under a commission from the warlord Yuan Shu, entered Yang Province to aid his relatives, Wu Jing and Sun Ben, who were under attack by another warlord Liu Yao. When Sun Ce was at Liyang (歷陽; present-day He County, Anhui) and was preparing to cross the Yangtze River to attack Liu Yao, he sent a messenger to inform Zhou Yu about his plans. Zhou Yu led some troops to assist Sun Ce. Sun Ce was delighted and he said to Zhou Yu, "With you, greatness can be attained!"

Zhou Yu then joined Sun Ce in his conquests of Hengjiang (橫江; southeast of present-day He County, Anhui, on the northern shore of the Chang River) and Dangli (當利; east of present-day He County, Anhui) and achieved success. They crossed the Yangtze River and captured Moling (秣陵; in present-day Nanjing, Jiangsu), defeating Ze Rong and Xue Li. They also conquered Hushu (湖孰; southeast of present-day Jiangning, Jiangsu), Jiangcheng (江乘; north of present-day Jurong, Jiangsu), and Qu'e (曲阿; present-day Danyang, Jiangsu). Liu Yao fled after his defeats, and by then, the strength of Sun Ce's forces had reached tens of thousands.

Later service under Sun Ce
Sun Ce told Zhou Yu, "I now have sufficient military power to conquer Wu and pacify the Shanyue. You can return to Danyang and defend there." Zhou Yu then made his way back to Danyang. Around 196, Yuan Shu had sent his cousin Yuan Yin to replace Zhou Shang as the Administrator of Danyang, so Zhou Shang and Zhou Yu headed towards Shouchun (壽春; present-day Shou County, Lu'an, Anhui), the capital of Yuan Shu's territories, to meet Yuan. Yuan Shu wanted to recruit Zhou Yu to serve under him, but Zhou felt that Yuan would not become successful eventually, so he pretended to request for the post of Chief (長) of Juchao (居巢; present-day Juchao District, Chaohu, Anhui) while secretly planning to escape to join Sun Ce. After Yuan Shu agreed to his request, Zhou Yu headed towards Wu via Juchao.

In 198, Zhou Yu arrived in Wu, where he was personally received and welcomed by Sun Ce. Sun Ce appointed Zhou Yu as "General of the Household Who Establishes Might" (建威中郎將) and put him in command of 2,000 troops and granted him 50 horses. Sun Ce said, "Zhou Gongjin is an extraordinary hero and talent. He's very close to me and we're like brothers. I still remember that time when he brought his troops and supplies from Danyang to assist me in my campaign. I can never repay him for his help and contributions."

Zhou Yu was 23 years old at that time, and he was nicknamed "Zhou Lang" (周郎; literally: "Zhou the Youth") by the people in Wu. He garrisoned in Lujiang (廬江) and moved to Niuzhu (牛渚) later before taking up the appointment of "Chief (長) of Chungu (春穀)". Sun Ce later planned to attack Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei and Hunan), so he appointed Zhou Yu as "Central Protector of the Army" (中護軍) and "Administrator (太守) of Jiangxia (江夏)". Zhou Yu accompanied Sun Ce in the conquest of Huan (皖; in present-day Anqing, Anhui). Zhou Yu then joined Sun Ce in attacking Xunyang (尋陽; present-day Huangmei County, Hubei), where they defeated a minor warlord Liu Xun. They then invaded Jiangxia (江夏; present-day Yunmeng County, Xiaogan, Hubei) and subsequently pacified Yuzhang (豫章; in present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi) and Luling (廬陵; in present-day Ji'an, Jiangxi). Zhou Yu later returned to Baqiu (巴丘; present-day Xiajiang County, Ji'an, Jiangxi) and garrisoned there.

Advising Sun Quan not to send a hostage
Sun Ce was assassinated in 200 CE by the followers of Xu Gong, a commandery administrator whom he killed earlier. He was succeeded by his younger brother Sun Quan. Zhou Yu rushed back to Wu (吳; in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu) to attend Sun Ce's funeral and he remained in Wu after that. Holding the appointment of "Central Protector of the Army" (中護軍), Zhou Yu and the Chief Clerk (長史) Zhang Zhao were placed in charge of the affairs in Sun Quan's territories.

Around that time, the warlord Cao Cao (who had become the de facto head of government in China) had recently defeated a rival warlord Yuan Shao at the Battle of Guandu and was achieving success in his campaigns to unify northern China. In 202, Cao Cao wrote a letter to Sun Quan, demanding that Sun send a son to the imperial capital Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan) as a hostage, so as to secure Sun's allegiance towards him. Sun Quan gathered all his subjects, including Zhang Zhao and Qin Song, for a discussion, but they could not arrive at a conclusion.

On a personal level, Sun Quan was not in favour of sending one of his sons to be a hostage in the capital, so he had another discussion with only his mother Lady Wu and Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu said, "In the past, when the Chu state first came into existence, its territory covered only part of the Jingshan Mountains and was less than 100 li. Later, due to the competency of its rulers, it was able to expand its boundaries and build its foundation at Ying, and then conquer the provinces of Jing and Yang until Nanhai. Its legacy was passed down for more than 900 years. Now, you've inherited the remaining resources of your father and your elder brother. You control six commanderies, have many troops and much supplies, and your men are willing to fight for you with their lives. You extract copper from the mountains to manufacture coins and you obtain salt from seawater. Your domain is prosperous and your people are at peace. When your people raise the sails on their boats, they venture out in the morning and return only in the evening. Your army is strong and has high morale so it is invincible. Why should you send a hostage just because you've received a threat? Once you send a hostage, you'll establish a connection between you and the Caos, and when they use the emperor's authority to command you, you'll have no choice but to follow their orders. This will result in you falling under their control. When that happens, you become no more than just a vassal lord with dozens of servants, carriages and horses, and is this any better as compared to being a major power in southern China? I suggest you don't send a hostage, and observe how the situation changes. If the Caos really do succeed in unifying the Empire by righteous means, it's still not too late for you to submit to them after that. If they resort to violence, they will end up destroying themselves if they do not give up because starting a war is equivalent to lighting a fire. You should conceal your bravery but continue to resist their aggression and wait for your destiny. So, why should you send a hostage?" Lady Wu agreed with Zhou Yu and she said, "What Gongjin said is true. Gongjin was around the same age as Bofu as he was only a month younger (than the latter). I regard Gongjin as a son, so you should treat him like an elder brother." Sun Quan heeded their advice and did not send a hostage.

Battles against Huang Zu
In 206, Zhou Yu and Sun Quan's cousin Sun Yu attacked bandits at Ma (麻) and Bao (保) and killed their chiefs and captured thousands of enemies. Later that year, Huang Zu, the Administrator (太守) of Jiangxia (江夏; present-day Yunmeng County, Xiaogan, Hubei), sent his subordinate Deng Long (鄧龍) to lead a few thousand troops to attack Sun Quan's territory in Chaisang (柴桑; near present-day Jiujiang, Jiangxi). Zhou Yu led his forces to attack Deng Long and captured the latter alive and had him sent to Wu (吳; in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu).

In the spring of 208, Sun Quan ordered an attack on Jiangxia, which was defended by Huang Zu. Zhou Yu was assigned as the Chief Commander of the Front Army (前部大督) and he, along with Lü Meng, Ling Tong and others, scored a major victory over the enemy. Huang Zu was killed when attempting to escape.

Advising Sun Quan to go to war with Cao Cao
In the ninth lunar month of 208, Cao Cao started a campaign aimed at wiping out all opposition in southern China. When his forces arrived at Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei and Hunan), the provincial governor Liu Cong surrendered without putting up any resistance. When Sun Quan's men heard that Cao Cao had obtained tens of thousands of Jing Province's land and marine troops, they were all very afraid because they knew Cao Cao's next target was Sun Quan's Jiangdong. Cao Cao wrote a letter to Sun Quan, which read: "Recently, I'm following an imperial decree to start a punitive campaign, and Liu Cong has surrendered when I led the army south. Now, I'm in command of 800,000 naval troops, and I wish to participate in a hunting expedition in Wu with you, General." Sun Quan summoned all his subjects for a meeting to discuss how to deal with Cao Cao, and many of them turned pale when he showed them the letter.

Some of Sun Quan's followers suggested to surrender to Cao Cao on the grounds that the strength of their military was not comparable to Cao Cao's. However, Zhou Yu demurred, "No. Even though Cao Cao is the Han chancellor in name, he's actually a villain who wants to usurp state power. General, with your brilliance and your father and brother's military prowess, you've carved out for yourself a domain in Jiangdong which stretches over thousands of li. Your soldiers are well trained and capable, and you've heroes who're glad to serve under you. You should go to war and help the Han Dynasty eliminate its threats. Cao Cao has thrust himself into the gates of death, so why should we surrender to him? General, please consider carefully: Assuming northern China has been pacified and Cao Cao has no internal threats, can he last long in battle, and can he compete with us in naval warfare? Now, the north is not completely peaceful; Ma Chao and Han Sui in Guanxi (west of Hangu Pass) remain as thorns in Cao Cao's flesh. Besides, the people of central China are used to fighting land battles and do not specialise in naval warfare, so can they still hope to compete with us, the people of Wuyue? Winter is approaching. Cao Cao's warhorses lack fodder, his army has travelled a long distance across central China, and his men will certainly fall sick because they are not accustomed to the changes in the climate. He has committed four serious mistakes, according to military strategy, but he still persists in his ways. General, you will be able to capture Cao Cao soon. I request for 30,000 elite troops to garrison at Xiakou, and I assure you, General, that I will defeat the enemy." Sun Quan responded, "The old villain has harboured the intention of usurping the Han Dynasty for a long time, but he feared the two Yuans (Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu), Lü Bu, Liu Biao and me. Now, all the others have been destroyed and I'm the only one left. The old villain and me cannot coexist together. Your idea of going to war coincides closely with my thoughts. This is a sign that Heaven has granted you to me."

Sun Quan drew his sword, slashed the table in front of him and said, "Any of you who dares to speak of surrendering to Cao Cao shall end up like this table!" Later that night, Zhou Yu came to see Sun Quan and said, "This morning, those gentlemen became afraid when they read Cao Cao's letter, in which Cao said that he had 800,000 land and marine troops. They did not bother to assess whether (Cao Cao's claim) was true or not, and immediately advocated surrender. That was totally absurd. Now, based on my estimations, Cao Cao's forces from central China could not be more than 150,000 to 160,000, and they are already weary from travelling over long distances. Even though he has obtained Liu Biao's forces, their numbers could not be over 70,000 to 80,000, and there is a significant number of them who are suspicious (of Cao Cao). Although Cao Cao may have superiority in numbers, the troops under him are tired and not united in spirit, so there's nothing to fear about him. We only need 50,000 elite troops to defeat him. General, please have no worries and hesitate no more." Sun Quan placed his hand on Zhou Yu's shoulder and replied, "Gongjin, what you've said is exactly what I'm thinking of. People like Zibu and Yuanbiao are only concerned about their families and their personal interests. They greatly disappoint me. Only you and Zijing share the same thoughts as me. Heaven has granted both of you as assistants to help me. It's not easy to gather 50,000 troops at one time, but I've already selected 30,000 men, and the boats, supplies and equipment are all ready. You, Zijing, and Elder Cheng can go ahead with the army first. I'll provide backup by continuing to manage the manpower and send more supplies and equipment to you. If you can defeat Cao Cao, that will be good. But if you suffer any setback, you can return to my side and I'll engage Cao Cao in a final battle."

Pei Songzhi, who annotated Zhou Yu's biography in the Sanguozhi, commented that Lu Su was actually the first person who urged Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao. Zhou Yu was at Poyang (鄱陽) before Sun Quan held the discussion with his subjects, and Lu Su suggested to Sun to recall Zhou back for the meeting. Zhou Yu and Lu Su gave similar advice to Sun Quan, which resulted in Sun arriving at his decision to go to war with Cao Cao. Pei Songzhi felt that it was unfair to Lu Su because Zhou Yu's biography gave full credit to Zhou for being the only person to urge Sun Quan to resist Cao Cao, and failed to mention that Lu Su had already advocated resisting Cao Cao before Zhou Yu did.

Battle of Red Cliffs
Around that time, Liu Bei had recently been defeated by Cao Cao at the Battle of Changban, and he planned to lead his followers south across the Yangtze River. Liu Bei met Lu Su at Dangyang, where they discussed the formation of an alliance between Liu and Sun Quan. Liu Bei then moved to Xiakou (夏口; present-day Hankou, Wuhan, Hubei) and garrisoned there, while sending Zhuge Liang to follow Lu Su to meet Sun Quan and affirm the Liu-Sun alliance. Sun Quan then ordered Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu to lead his forces to join Liu Bei in resisting Cao Cao, and they rendezvoused at Red Cliffs (赤壁). A plague had broken out in Cao Cao's army, so Cao lost to the allies in an early skirmish between both sides. Cao Cao then moved his camp to the northern bank of the Yangtze River while the allies remained at the south.

Zhou Yu's subordinate Huang Gai told him, "The enemy are superior in numbers in comparison with our side. I fear that we cannot last long. However, I observe that Cao Cao's ships are linked to each other. We can destroy them by fire." Huang Gai then prepared about ten mengchongs and doujians (鬬艦; a type of warship) and filled them with the ingredients necessary for starting a fire. He then wrote a letter to Cao Cao, pretending that he wanted to surrender and defect to the latter's side.

Huang Gai then prepared some zouges (走舸; a smaller type of boat), which would follow behind the mengchongs and doujians, and his small fleet sailed towards Cao Cao's base. The wind was blowing strongly from the southeast. When Huang Gai's fleet reached the middle of the river, the ships all raised their sails, and Huang Gai lifted a torch and instructed his men to shout "We surrender!" Cao Cao's troops came out of the camp to look and they said Huang Gai was coming to join them. When Huang Gai was about 20 li away from the enemy base, he ordered his men to set the ships on fire and they boarded the smaller boats behind. As the wind was very strong, the flaming ships sailed towards Cao Cao's warships at fast speed and caused them to catch fire as well. Cao Cao's ships were all burnt down and the flames also spread quickly to his camps on land. Zhou Yu then ordered an attack on Cao Cao's base and scored a major victory. Cao Cao retreated north with his surviving troops after his defeat. Zhou Yu and Liu Bei led their respective forces in pursuit of Cao Cao, but Cao had already fled.

Battles of Jiangling
After his defeat at Red Cliffs, Cao Cao returned to Xu (許; present-day Xuchang, Henan) and left Cao Ren and others behind to defend Jiangling (江陵; present-day Jingzhou, Hubei). Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu led their troops towards Nan commandery (南郡) and were separated from Cao Ren's forces by the river. Liu Bei said to Zhou Yu, "Cao Ren is defending Jiangling and he has much supplies in the city. He poses a big threat to us. I'll send Zhang Yide with 1,000 men to accompany you, while you despatch 2,000 troops to follow me. We'll then cross the Xia River (夏水; a tributary of the Yangtze River starting from southeast of Shashi District and ending at north of Jianli County in Hubei) and attack Cao Ren's rear. When Cao Ren hears that we've infiltrated his rear, he'll definitely retreat." Zhou Yu agreed to Liu Bei's suggestion.

Zhou Yu later ordered Gan Ning to station at Yiling (夷陵; present-day Yichang, Hubei). Cao Ren sent a separate cavalry force to besiege Yiling, so Gan Ning sent an urgent request to Zhou Yu for reinforcements. Zhou Yu followed Lü Meng's advice and left Ling Tong to defend his current position while leading Lü Meng and others to help Gan Ning. After the siege at Yiling was lifted, Zhou Yu and his troops crossed the Yangtze River and attacked Jiangling, with Zhou personally participating in battle. He was hit on his right side by a stray arrow and had to retreat due to the severity of the wound. When Cao Ren heard that Zhou Yu was wounded and was lying in bed, he led his troops to outside Zhou's camp and taunted the enemy. Zhou Yu got out of bed and personally inspected his men and encouraged them to raise their morale. Cao Ren saw that and retreated.

By 209, Zhou Yu and Cao Ren had held up against each other for a long time and both sides had sustained heavy casualties. Cao Ren was eventually ordered to abandon Jiangling.

Advice to Sun Quan on how to deal with Liu Bei
After the victory at the Battle of Jiangling, Sun Quan appointed Zhou Yu as a Lieutenant-General (偏將軍) and Administrator (太守) of Nan commandery (南郡). Zhou Yu's headquarters were at Jiangling while he was in charge of Xiajun (下雋), Hanchang (漢昌), Liuyang (瀏陽) and Zhouling (州陵).

Liu Bei took up the appointment of Governor (牧) of Jing Province with his capital at Gong'an (公安; present-day Gong'an County, Hubei). When Liu Bei later met Sun Quan at Jing (京; present-day Zhenjiang, Jiangsu), Zhou Yu wrote to Sun Quan: "Liu Bei possesses characteristics of a fierce and ambitious hero. Besides, he also has under him generals with the might of bears and tigers, such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. He's definitely not someone who will remain subservient to another lord. I suggest moving Liu Bei to Wu (吳; in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu), build a palace for him there, and present him with women and gifts to entertain him. We'll then put the two men (Guan Yu and Zhang Fei) each in a different location. If I can use Liu Bei as a hostage and attack (his men) at the same time, our goal (take over Jing Province) will be accomplished. And now yet we carve out land for them as resources, and allow the three men to be together? I'm afraid once the dragon encounters clouds and rain, it'll no longer remain in a pond."

Sun Quan considered that Cao Cao was still a threat in the north, so he thought it would be better for him to have more allies (instead of creating hostility between him and his allies), and besides, he was also worried that Liu Bei's men might not submit to him, so he rejected Zhou Yu's idea.

Death
Around 210, Liu Zhang was serving as the Governor (牧) of Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing, and he faced the threat of his rival Zhang Lu in Hanzhong. Zhou Yu went to see Sun Quan and proposed, "Cao Cao is still recovering from his defeats and he faces internal threats, so he will not go to war with you any time soon. I ask for you to allow me and Sun Yu to invade Shu (Yi Province) and attack Zhang Lu after that. Sun Yu will then remain behind to defend the captured territories and form an alliance with Ma Chao. I'll join you in attacking Cao Cao at Xiangyang, and we can conquer the north." Sun Quan agreed.

Zhou Yu then headed back to Jiangling (江陵; present-day Jingzhou, Hubei) to make preparations for the campaign, but he died of illness at Baqiu (巴丘; present-day Yueyang, Hunan) on the way back. He was 36 years old (by East Asian age reckoning) at the time of his death.

Before Zhou Yu's death, he recommended Lu Su to Sun Quan to be his successor.

Sun Quan deeply mourned Zhou Yu's death. He shed tears and said, "Gongjin possessed the calibre of a talented advisor to a ruler. Now that he has died at such a young age, who can I still rely on?" He even wore plain garments to express his sorrow, which touched many people. After a funeral was held for Zhou Yu at Baqiu, his body was transported back to Wu (吳; in present-day Suzhou, Jiangsu). Sun Quan received the procession at Wuhu and personally paid for all the expenses. He also later issued an order allowing Zhou Yu's family to keep retainers.

In 229, nearly two decades after Zhou Yu's death, when Sun Quan declared himself the emperor of the state of Eastern Wu, he told his subjects, "I wouldn't have become an emperor today if there wasn't Zhou Gongjin to assist me."

Family
Sometime between 198 and 199, Zhou Yu joined Sun Ce in the conquest of Huan (皖; in present-day Anqing, Anhui). In Huan, they met a certain Elder Qiao (橋公), who had two daughters who were famed for their beautiful looks. Sun Ce married the elder sister while Zhou Yu married the younger one. Sun Ce joked with Zhou Yu, "Elder Qiao and his two daughters have been roaming around, so I'm sure now he's glad to have us as his sons-in-law."

Zhou Yu had two sons and a daughter. It is not stated whether his three children were born to his wife Xiao Qiao or not.

Zhou Yu's daughter married Sun Quan's eldest son Sun Deng, who became crown prince when his father ascended the throne of Eastern Wu.

Zhou Yu's elder son, Zhou Xun (周循), had a personality that resembled his father's, but, like his father, he also died early. He married Sun Quan's daughter Sun Luban and served as a Cavalry Commandant (騎都尉) in Eastern Wu.

Zhou Yu's younger son, Zhou Yin (周胤), married a woman from Sun Quan's clan. He served as the Commandant of Xingye (興業都尉) and was placed in command of 1,000 troops and garrisoned at Gong'an (公安). In 229, after Sun Quan ascended the throne, he granted Zhou Yin the title of "Marquis of a Chief District" (都鄉侯). Zhou Yin later committed some offences and was exiled to Luling commandery (廬陵郡). In 239, Zhuge Jin and Bu Zhi submitted a memorial to Sun Quan, requesting for Zhou Yin to be pardoned and restored of his marquis title and appointment on account of Zhou Yu's contributions. Sun Quan was reluctant to do so, as he noted the severity of Zhou Yin's offences and said that Zhou Yin had not shown any sign of remorse. However, after much urging from Zhuge Jin and Bu Zhi, as well as Zhu Ran and Quan Cong, Sun Quan eventually agreed, but Zhou Yin had already died of illness in exile by then.

Zhou Jun (周峻), the son of Zhou Yu's elder brother, was appointed as a Lieutenant-General (偏將軍) and placed in command of 1,000 men by Sun Quan because of his uncle's meritorious service. After Zhou Jun died, Quan Cong requested for Sun Quan to commission Zhou Jun's son, Zhou Hu (周護), as a military officer but Sun declined. Sun Quan replied, "In the past, we managed to defeat Cao Cao and obtain Jing Province because of Gongjin's efforts. I've never forgotten his contributions. When I heard of Zhou Jun's death, I intended to recruit Zhou Hu into the civil service, but I've also heard that Zhou Hu is ruthless and treacherous in his ways. I was worried that he will cause trouble if he is given an official appointment so I decided not to recruit him. My memories of Gongjin are lasting."

Personal life
Zhou Yu was described to have a strong physique and handsome good looks. When Zhou Yu became close friends with Sun Ce, Sun Ce's mother Lady Wu told Sun Ce's younger brother Sun Quan to treat Zhou like an elder brother. After Sun Quan succeeded Sun Ce, his subordinates did not observe the full protocol when they paid their respects to him. Zhou Yu was the only and the first person to follow all the formalities and etiquette when he paid respect to Sun Quan.

Zhou Yu was known to be a magnanimous and generous man who won the hearts of many people with his straightforward attitude. However, there was one person he could not get along well with — Cheng Pu. Cheng Pu was much older than Zhou Yu, and he often insulted and belittled the latter, but Zhou tolerated him. Cheng Pu was so impressed with Zhou Yu that he eventually changed his attitude towards the latter and started treating the latter more respectfully. He even remarked, "Befriending Zhou Yu is like appreciating fine wine. You get so absorbed and intoxicated without even realising it."

Sometime early in Zhou Yu's career, Cao Cao heard of Zhou's talent and wanted to recruit the latter to serve under him, so he sent Jiang Gan to persuade Zhou to defect to his side. However, Zhou Yu indirectly affirmed his loyalty to the Sun family in front of Jiang Gan, and hinted to Jiang that he cannot be persuaded to switch his allegiance. When Jiang Gan later returned to Cao Cao, he told the latter that "Zhou Yu's magnanimity was too great to be described in words".

Around 209, after visiting Sun Quan at Jing (京; present-day Zhenjiang, Jiangsu), Liu Bei was on his journey back to Jing Province when Sun Quan, along with Zhang Zhao, Qin Song, Lu Su and others, rushed to catch up with Liu Bei to see him off. Sun Quan then held a farewell banquet for Liu Bei. After the feast, the others left while only Liu Bei and Sun Quan remained behind. When they spoke of Zhou Yu, Liu Bei said, "Gongjin's talents and abilities are far greater than those of thousands of others. He possesses great ambitions and he may not be willing to remain as a subordinate for long." In another incident, after his defeat at the hands of Zhou Yu at the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao remarked, "I'm not ashamed of having lost the battle." He later wrote to Sun Quan: "At the Battle of Red Cliffs, my men were affected by a plague, so I had my warships burnt and I retreated of my own accord. That resulted in Zhou Yu claiming the glory (of winning the battle)." Zhou Yu's widespread fame incurred much jealousy towards him, which was why Cao Cao and Liu Bei attempted to slander him and sow discord between him and Sun Quan.

Zhou Yu was known to be very experienced in music. Even when he was not sober, he could still detect a mistake or a wrong note when a musical piece was being played. When that happened, he would look up at the person playing the music. There was a saying at that time to describe this: "If there is a mistake in the tune, Zhou Yu will look up."

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Zhou Yu is featured as a character in the historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong, which romanticises the historical events before and during the Three Kingdoms period. In the novel, Zhou Yu is depicted as a rival of Zhuge Liang. He was extremely jealous of Zhuge Liang's talent and relentlessly attempted to outwit the latter on several occasions but never succeeded. His roles in the events leading to, and during the Battle of Red Cliffs, were largely overshadowed by Zhuge Liang's. Furthermore, his death was largely dramatised in the novel and was caused intentionally by Zhuge Liang. Zhou Yu had earlier sustained an arrow wound at the Battle of Jiangling against Cao Ren's forces, and his condition deteriorated after he was infuriated by Zhuge Liang, who foiled his plans on three different occasions later. On the third time, Zhou Yu coughed blood and died.

See the following for some fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms involving Zhou Yu:
 * List of fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
 * Jiang Gan
 * List of fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
 * Huang Gai
 * List of fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
 * List of fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
 * List of fictitious stories in Romance of the Three Kingdoms

In Chinese opera
In Chinese opera, Zhou Yu is cast as a xiaosheng (小生; young character) or wusheng (武生; character in military dress), even when he appears together with Zhuge Liang, who was actually younger than he was. In Kun opera, Zhou Yu appears as a zhiweisheng, as in the scene The Swaying Reeds, in which he is captured and later released by Zhang Fei.

Modern references
Notable actors who have portrayed Zhou Yu in film and television include Hong Yuzhou (Romance of the Three Kingdoms), Tony Leung (Red Cliff), and Victor Huang (Three Kingdoms).

Zhou Yu is a playable character in Koei's Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi video game series. He also appears in Koei's Romance of the Three Kingdoms strategy game series.

In the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering there is a card named "Zhou Yu, Chief Commander" in the Portal Three Kingdoms set.

The anime Ikki Tousen and Koutetsu Sangokushi make references to Zhou Yu, in which he is known by his Japanese name "Shuuyu Koukin".