57 Facts About Guo Huai

Guo Huai, courtesy name Boji, was a Chinese military general of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China.

Guo Huai started his career towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty under the warlord Cao Cao as a subordinate of Cao Cao's generals Xiahou Yuan and Zhang He.

Guo Huai was from Yangqu County, Taiyuan Commandery, which is located southwest of present-day Yangqu County, Shanxi.

Guo Huai started his career in the middle of the Jian'an era of Emperor Xian's reign in the late Eastern Han dynasty.

Guo Huai was nominated as a xiaolian and was appointed as an assistant official in Pingyuan Commandery.

When Cao Pi held the position of General of the Household for All Purposes between 211 and 220, he recruited Guo Huai to serve as an officer in the law enforcement bureau under his charge.

Guo Huai was later reassigned to be a clerk in the military affairs bureau of the office of the Imperial Chancellor, the position held by Cao Pi's father Cao Cao, the warlord who controlled the Han central government and the figurehead Emperor Xian since 196.

In 215, Guo Huai accompanied Cao Cao on a campaign against a rival warlord, Zhang Lu, in Hanzhong Commandery.

Guo Huai remained in Hanzhong and served as a Major under Xiahou Yuan's command.

Guo Huai did not participate in the initial battles as he was ill.

Guo Huai managed to restore order and stability within Cao Cao's forces in two ways: First, he gathered and regrouped the soldiers who scattered when Xiahou Yuan was killed.

Guo Huai ordered his troops to strengthen their defences and show Liu Bei's forces that they were prepared to hold their ground.

Guo Huai approved Zhang He's command and ordered Guo Huai to continue serving as a Major under Zhang He.

Later that year, Cao Pi appointed Guo Huai as acting Army Protector Who Attacks the Qiang and ordered him to join Zhang He and Yang Qiu in leading imperial forces to attack Zheng Gan's bandit forces and the Lushui barbarians in the Guanzhong region.

Guo Huai was officially commissioned as the Inspector of Yong Province about five years later.

Sometime between 220 and 226, Guo Huai led Wei forces to suppress a rebellion by the Qiang chieftain Biti in Anding Commandery.

Guo Huai paid close attention to, and showed understanding towards the concerns they had.

Guo Huai then sent Ma Su to lead the Shu vanguard to attack Jieting and Gao Xiang to lead another force to station at Liucheng as backup for Ma Su.

Guo Huai then followed up by attacking Tangti, a rebellious Qiang tribal chief from Longxi Commandery, and defeated him at Fuhan County.

Guo Huai turned to the local Qiang and Di tribes for aid and managed to convince them to donate food supplies to the Wei army.

Guo Huai then allocated them accordingly such that all units had sufficient food supplies.

In 234, Guo Huai joined Sima Yi in leading Wei forces to resist another Shu invasion led by Zhuge Liang.

When Sima Yi and his troops were stationed at the south of the Wei River, Guo Huai urged them to move to the plains on the north bank of the river as he foresaw that Zhuge Liang would attempt to seize the plains.

Several days later, when Guo Huai received news that Zhuge Liang was planning to launch an attack in the west, his subordinates wanted to strengthen the defences in the west.

Guo Huai was the only one who recognised that it was a ruse, and that Zhuge Liang was actually planning to attack Yangsui.

Guo Huai was proven right later as the Shu forces attacked Yangsui at night.

However, as Guo Huai had set up defences earlier, the Shu forces failed to capture Yangsui.

Guo Huai led Wei forces to repel the invaders at Longxi Commandery and forced them into the territory of the Qiang tribes.

Guo Huai managed to pacify more than 3,000 Di clans in the region and resettled them in the Guanzhong region.

Guo Huai wrote to the Wei government, requesting permission for the Xiuchu clans to be resettled in Gaoping County, Anding Commandery.

Guo Huai established the office of the Commandant of Xichuan to oversee their safety.

In 244, Guo Huai served as the vanguard commander when Xiahou Xuan led Wei forces to attack Shu.

Guo Huai was conferred imperial authority by the Wei government after returning from the campaign.

Guo Huai predicted that Jiang Wei would attack Xiahou Ba's position, so he headed south to reinforce Xiahou Ba.

Guo Huai then moved on to attack the Qiang rebels, killed Ehe and Shaoge, and forced the thousands of Qiang clans to surrender.

Guo Huai pretended that he was going to attack from upstream, but actually secretly ordered his troops to cross the river downstream to attack Baitu.

When Guo Huai learnt about it, he led his troops to attack Xihai Commandery, but encountered Zhiwudai and his forces, who were on their way back from Wuwei Commandery.

Guo Huai left Liao Hua behind in Chengzhong Mountain to build a fortress and gather the remaining Qiang forces and keep them as hostages in the fortress.

When Guo Huai heard about Jiang Wei's advances, he wanted to divide his forces into two groups to attack the enemy.

In 249, Guo Huai was promoted to General Who Attacks the West and put in charge of supervising military operations in Yong and Liang provinces.

Guo Huai contacted the Qiang tribes and requested assistance from them in harassing the Wei-controlled commanderies in Yong Province.

Guo Huai did so and led his forces across the Tao River in preparation for attacking Mount Niutou.

Guo Huai then led his troops further west to attack the restless Qiang tribes and forced them to surrender.

Guo Huai promoted Guo Huai to General of Chariots and Cavalry, granted him full imperial authority, and ordered him to be accorded treatment equivalent to that accorded to the Three Ducal Ministers.

Guo Huai remained in charge of supervising military operations in Yong and Liang provinces.

Guo Huai was promoted from a district marquis to a county marquis under the title "Marquis of Yangqu", with a marquisate comprising 2,780 taxable households.

Guo Huai was posthumously appointed as General-in-Chief and granted the posthumous title "Marquis Zhen".

Guo Huai married a younger sister of the Wei general Wang Ling.

Guo Huai committed suicide while being escorted as a prisoner to Luoyang.

Guo Huai, moved by his sons' filial piety, changed his mind and ordered his subordinates to bring his wife back.

Thousands of Guo Huai's men pursued the imperial censors on horseback, caught up with them, and brought back Guo Huai's wife within a few days.

Guo Huai served under the Wei government and the highest appointment he held was Inspector of Jing Province.

Guo Pei had at least two daughters: one of them married Pei Xiu; the other, named Guo Huai, married Jia Chong.

Guo Huai Zhan performed well in office and rose to the position of Minister Coachman ; Guo Huai Yu served as a military adviser to the Chancellor of State, but died early.

One of his descendants, Guo Huai Zuo, served as an official under the Northern Wei dynasty.

Guo Huai is a minor character in the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which romanticises the historical figures and events before and during the Three Kingdoms period of China.

Guo Huai is a playable character in the seventh and eighth instalments of Koei's Dynasty Warriors video game series.