| NAME | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 孟优, 孟優, Mèng Yōu |
| Other name | Mạnh Ưu |
| INFORMATION | |
| Death Reason | Fate after submission unrecorded in the novel; survives into Shu administration of the south (literary) |
| FAMILY | |
| Relatives | |
| CAREER | |
| Allegiance | Nanman (Meng Huo); later Shu Han (after seventh capture) — novel |
| Battles | Southern Campaign vs Zhuge Liang — false surrender / drugged wine; Tulong Cave with King Duosi (Ch.89); later Nanman coalition — all novel |
Biography & Literary Record
Meng You (孟优, Mạnh Ưu) is the younger brother of Nanman king Meng Huo (孟获, Mạnh Hoạch) in Luo Guanzhong’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms (southern campaign, roughly Chapters 87–91). He is novel-only: Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms never names a brother of Meng Huo. In the story he is a loyal subordinate, occasional counsellor, and the agent of the classic false-surrender / drugged-wine capture that fills one of Zhuge Liang’s “seven captures.”
Traditional tellings also place an eldest brother Meng Jie (孟节, Mạnh Tiết) (Wanan Yinshi) as a mountain hermit who later aids Shu with medicinal springs—family drama invented for the campaign arc, not history.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
False surrender (third-capture cycle): Meng You is sent to the Shu camp under pretence of negotiation or defection, intending to open the camp from within while Meng Huo strikes from outside. Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng) sees through the ruse, drugs the wine served to Meng You and his men, and has them incapacitated. When Meng Huo arrives he finds his brother unconscious; both are captured and later released again.
Refuge with King Duosi: After further defeats, Meng You urges his brother to seek aid from King Duosi (朵思大王, Đóa Tư Đại Vương) of Tulong Cave and the four poisonous springs (Ch.89)—not to be confused with Dailai Dongzhu (带来洞主, Đái Lai Động Chủ), a separate Nanman cave-lord and Meng Huo’s brother-in-law.
Later coalition & submission: Meng You fights on through the King Mulu / later Nanman stages. When Meng Huo finally submits after the seventh capture, Meng You also pledges allegiance to Shu and remains to help govern the southern tribes under Shu authority.
Meng You (孟优, Mạnh Ưu) — Literary Timeline
Drugged wine plot
Sent as pretended defector to open Shu’s camp; Zhuge Liang drugs Meng You’s party. Meng Huo is captured when he arrives; both brothers are released.
Counsel to join King Duosi
Advises refuge with King Duosi (朵思大王) and the poisonous springs; later captured drunk with Meng Huo when Yang Feng (Nanman) defects.
Pledges to Shu with Meng Huo
After the seventh capture, submits with his brother and stays to help administer the Nanman under Shu.
Meng You is fictional; the historical 225 Nanzhong campaign does not record this brother.
Key Relationships
Family
- Meng Jie (孟节, Mạnh Tiết) — Eldest brother (novel); hermit of the Ten Thousand Ravines who later aids Zhuge Liang with medicinal springs.
- Meng Huo (孟获, Mạnh Hoạch) — Second brother; Nanman king whose resistance Meng You supports throughout the southern campaign (novel only).
- Zhurong (祝融夫人, Chúc Dung Phu Nhân) — Sister-in-law; Meng Huo’s consort and fire-weapon queen (novel).
- Dailai Dongzhu (带来洞主, Đái Lai Động Chủ) — Clan ally / brother-in-law of Meng Huo’s house (novel). Not King Duosi.
Friends
- King Duosi (朵思大王, Đóa Tư Đại Vương) — Close Nanman ally; Meng You recommends Tulong Cave and the four poisonous springs as refuge after Meng Huo’s fourth defeat (Ch.89). Chinese name is 朵思, not 带来.
- King Mulu (木鹿大王, Mộc Lộc Đại Vương) — Beast-controlling sorcerer king who later joins Meng Huo’s coalition; fellow southern ally in the prolonged resistance.
Enemies
- Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng) — Architect of the southern campaign; drugs Meng You’s false-surrender party and repeatedly outmanoeuvres the Meng brothers.
- Zhao Yun (赵云, Triệu Vân) — Shu strike general who routs Nanman arrays in the same chapters.
- Wei Yan (魏延, Ngụy Diên) — Shu vanguard commander battling Nanman forces through the campaign.
- Ma Dai (马岱, Mã Đại) — Shu commander who seizes Nanman grain roads (e.g. Jiashan) and pressures Meng Huo’s host.
Other
- Dailai Dongzhu (带来洞主, Đái Lai Động Chủ) vs King Duosi (朵思大王, Đóa Tư Đại Vương) — Distinct Nanman figures. Wiki/CSV mix-ups sometimes paste 带来洞主 onto Duosi; correct Friends link is always
/king-duosi/for 朵思大王. - Yang Feng (Nanman) (杨锋, Dương Phong) — Defects to Shu at Tulong and captures Meng Huo and King Duosi while drunk (Ch.89); Meng You is in that refuge arc.
- History: No attested brother of Meng Huo — all bonds above are novel (or later folk) only.
In Novel
Chapter 87–88 (false-surrender cycle)
- Meng You (孟优, Mạnh Ưu): Younger brother of Meng Huo (孟获, Mạnh Hoạch). Sent to the Shu camp as a pretended negotiator or defector so he can open the gates from within while Meng Huo attacks outside. Zhuge Liang (诸葛亮, Gia Cát Lượng) anticipates the plot, serves drugged wine, and incapacitates Meng You and his escort. Meng Huo finds his brother unconscious and is captured with him; both are released after the “capture,” continuing the seven-captures pattern.
Chapter 89
- Meng You (孟优, Mạnh Ưu): After further defeats he urges Meng Huo to take refuge with close ally King Duosi (朵思大王, Đóa Tư Đại Vương) at Tulong Cave, relying on four poisonous springs and miasma. Shu forces neutralize the springs; defected Nanman chief Yang Feng (Nanman) (杨锋, Dương Phong) seizes Meng Huo and Duosi while drunk. Distinguish Duosi (朵思) from brother-in-law Dailai Dongzhu (带来洞主, Đái Lai Động Chủ).
Chapter 90–91
- Meng You (孟优, Mạnh Ưu): Continues to support Meng Huo through later Nanman coalitions (including contact with King Mulu (木鹿大王, Mộc Lộc Đại Vương)). When Meng Huo finally submits after the seventh capture, Meng You also pledges to Shu and remains to help govern the southern tribes. Sister-in-law Zhurong (祝融夫人, Chúc Dung) belongs to the same Nanman royal household.
In History
Summary
- Meng You (孟优, Mạnh Ưu) is a fictional Nanman prince created for Romance of the Three Kingdoms. No brother of Meng Huo appears in the Sanguozhi or early southern notices.
- The year 225 AD frames Zhuge Liang’s Nanzhong expedition in both history and novel; Meng You’s personal career (false surrender, Tulong counsel, final pledge) exists only in the novel.
Historical Record
- Records of the Three Kingdoms (Shu: Zhuge Liang; southern campaign tradition) discusses Nanzhong pacification and later legend of Meng Huo, but does not record Meng You, Meng Jie as brothers, the drugged-wine false surrender, or King Duosi’s Tulong springs.
- Treat all kinship and battlefield detail as literary. Do not merge King Duosi (朵思大王) with Dailai Dongzhu (带来洞主).
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