King Wutugu
Encyclopedia
Wutugu is a fictional character in Luo Guanzhong
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
. He was the king of the Wuge (烏戈) kingdom in the southern part of Shu Han
, and an ally of the Nanman
chieftain Meng Huo
.
Wutugu was depicted as an extremely large man, "a giant of 12 spans". It was said that he did not eat grain, preferring to dine on venomous serpents. He wore scale armour described as impenetrable to blades and arrows, and rode on an elephant in battle. Wutugu commanded the elite spear troops of the Rattan Army (藤甲兵). This army wore armor made of dried and oiled rattan, which was light enough to allow them to float across water, yet hard enough that no blades could penetrate it.
After Meng Huo had been defeated and released six times by Zhuge Liang
during the Southern Campaign
, he turned to Wutugu for aid. Wutugu mustered his forces and marched against the Shu Han troops, winning an initial victory due to his army's impenetrable armor. He and his forces then pursued Wei Yan
, forcing the Shu Han forces to abandon 15 separate camps.
Wei Yan's retreat, however, had been part of Zhuge Liang's plan. He led Wutugu into Coiled Serpent Valley, where the Shu Han forces had planted gunpowder bombs beneath the ground. When the bombs were ignited, the valley became an inferno. The flammable rattan armour caught fire and Wutugu perished in the flames along with his army.
Luo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
. He was the king of the Wuge (烏戈) kingdom in the southern part of Shu Han
Shu Han
Shu Han was one of the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period, after the fall of the Han Dynasty. The state was based on areas around Sichuan, which was then known as Shu...
, and an ally of the Nanman
Nanman
Nanman were aboriginal tribes who lived in southwestern China. They may have been related to the Sanmiao, dated to around the 3rd century BC. The Nanman were multiple ethnic groups including the Miao, the Kinh, the Thai, and some Tibeto-Burman groups such as the Bai. There was never a single...
chieftain Meng Huo
Meng Huo
Meng Huo was popularly regarded as a local leader representing the gentries of the Nanzhong region during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
.
Wutugu was depicted as an extremely large man, "a giant of 12 spans". It was said that he did not eat grain, preferring to dine on venomous serpents. He wore scale armour described as impenetrable to blades and arrows, and rode on an elephant in battle. Wutugu commanded the elite spear troops of the Rattan Army (藤甲兵). This army wore armor made of dried and oiled rattan, which was light enough to allow them to float across water, yet hard enough that no blades could penetrate it.
After Meng Huo had been defeated and released six times by Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang was a chancellor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He is often recognised as the greatest and most accomplished strategist of his era....
during the Southern Campaign
Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign
Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign, also known as the War of Pacification in Nanzhong, refers to a military campaign led by Shu Han chancellor Zhuge Liang to suppress opposing forces in the south in 225 during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
, he turned to Wutugu for aid. Wutugu mustered his forces and marched against the Shu Han troops, winning an initial victory due to his army's impenetrable armor. He and his forces then pursued Wei Yan
Wei Yan
Wei Yan was a military general of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He became a soldier of Liu Bei when the latter fled Jing Province and seek protection from the eastern warlord, Sun Quan, in 208. In 211, Wei had climbed up the ranks and become a general in Liu Bei's...
, forcing the Shu Han forces to abandon 15 separate camps.
Wei Yan's retreat, however, had been part of Zhuge Liang's plan. He led Wutugu into Coiled Serpent Valley, where the Shu Han forces had planted gunpowder bombs beneath the ground. When the bombs were ignited, the valley became an inferno. The flammable rattan armour caught fire and Wutugu perished in the flames along with his army.
See also
- List of people of the Three Kingdoms
- List of fictional people of the Three Kingdoms