Yan Liang
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Yan Liang 顔良 | |
|---|---|
 A Qing dynasty illustration of Yan Liang | |
| Born | Unknown |
| Died | 200 |
| Occupation | Military General |
| Yan Liang | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 顔良 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 颜良 | ||||||||
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Yan Liang (ⓘ) (died 200) was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He was slain by Guan Yu at the Battle of Boma.
Little is known about Yan Liang's life. The only historical records about him could be found in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, in the biographies of Yuan Shao,[2] Guan Yu,[3] Xun Yu[4] and Cao Cao.[5] By the time he becomes focus of any attention in the records, he had made a name along with Wen Chou as a figure celebrated for his bravery.[5]
In 200, the alliance between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao had turned to war with Yuan Shao led a major army against Cao Cao for the campaign of Guandu. Some in Cao Cao's camp where concerned about the war, the scholar and critic Kong Rong listing Yan Liang and Wen Chou's bravery as reasons to worry but Xun Yu dismissed it as bravery of a common sort that could easily be dealt with.[4] As Yuan Shao's forces marched to Liyang, to ensure a safe crossing of the Yellow River, he intended to send forces across to the south bank to attack Boma (northeast of present-day Hua County, Henan), under Administrator of Dong Liu Yan, to set a foothold on the southern bank of the river. His adviser Ju Shou warned him that Yan Liang was valiant yet too narrow-minded to handle the responsibility alone while more senior commanders Guo Tu and Chunyu Qiong were sent,[5] possibly to supervise Yan Liang's operation [citation needed]
Early in the summer,[6] Cao Cao took Xun You's advice and moved his main force westwards along the Yellow River to Yan Crossing, diverting Yuan Shao's army in the same direction. Cao Cao led a light force to Boma in a forced march, catching Yan Liang by surprise. Yan Liang led his forces to meet Cao Cao over 10 li (over 4 km) from Boma and Cao Cao sent Zhang Liao and Guan Yu as vanguard to fight. During the ensuing battle, Guan Yu identified Yan Liang in the enemy ranks, rode into the midst of Yan Liang's army and killed him then fought his way back out. With Yan Liang dead, the army at Boma collapsed.
Cao Cao would withdraw from Boma, taking the resources off the area back to Guandu and would be pursued by the cavalry forces of Wen Chou and Liu Bei. The ambush and killing of Wen Chou in the resulting battle meant that in the first skirmishes, two of Yuan Shao's famed officers were killed and it was noted to have a demoralizing impact on the morale of Yuan's army.