| NAME | |
|---|---|
| Chinese Name | 武安国, 武安國, Wǔ Ānguó |
| Other name | Võ An Quốc, Vũ An Quốc |
| INFORMATION | |
| Birth Place | Beihai Commandery, Qing Province (青州北海国; quốc Bắc Hải, Thanh Châu) |
| Death Reason | Severe injury / wrist severed by Lu Bu |
| CAREER | |
| Allegiance | Kong Rong |
| Battles | Battle of Hulao Pass |
Biography & Historical Record
Wu Anguo is a fictional military officer appearing in Luo Guanzhong’s classic 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In strict historical reality, Wu Anguo does not appear in Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms (Sanguozhi) or any authentic Eastern Han historical records. He is an entirely fictional creation invented by Luo Guanzhong to serve as a formidable martial bridge during the famous Battle of Hulao Pass in 190 AD. His defeat in single combat serves to showcase Lu Bu’s supreme martial terror, setting the dramatic stage for the iconic showdown ‘Three Heroes Combat Lu Bu’ featuring Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei.
In Chapter 5 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Wu Anguo serves as a senior general under Kong Rong, the Governor of Beihai Commandery and a prominent member of the grand coalition of eighteen regional warlords assembled to overthrow the tyrannical prime minister Dong Zhuo. Known for his tremendous physical strength, Wu Anguo wielded an iron mace (Iron Hammer) in battle and was regarded as the finest martial champion in Kong Rong’s regional army.
When the coalition forces encamped outside Hulao Pass, Dong Zhuo’s champion Lu Bu rode out to challenge the allied warlords, quickly slaying Fang Yue and Mu Shun in swift succession. As demoralized silence fell over the allied camp, Kong Rong stepped forward and offered Wu Anguo to face the dread warrior. Wu Anguo mounted his warhorse, gripped his heavy iron mace, and galloped out to confront Lu Bu outside the gates. The two warriors clashed in an intense duel that lasted for more than ten bouts. Wu Anguo displayed remarkable resilience, becoming one of the very few warriors to survive multiple passes against Lu Bu. However, on the tenth bout, Lu Bu’s strength proved overwhelming; with a ferocious sweep of his Sky-Piercing Halberd, Lu Bu severed Wu Anguo’s wrist. Dropping his iron mace in agony, Wu Anguo turned his horse and fled back toward the coalition lines. Seeing his general in mortal danger, the warlords combined their forces to rush forward and rescue Wu Anguo, forcing Lu Bu to withdraw temporarily back into Hulao Pass. Following his injury at Hulao Pass, Wu Anguo retired from battle and fades from the novel’s narrative.
Role in Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In Luo Guanzhong’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Wu Anguo’s character arc is featured in Chapter 5. Serving as Kong Rong’s champion general, he steps forward to duel Lu Bu at Hulao Pass after several coalition generals are slain. Wielding his heavy iron mace, Wu Anguo fights valiantly for over ten bouts before Lu Bu severs his wrist with a halberd stroke. Rescued by the allied lords, his dramatic defeat underscores Lu Bu’s invincible prowess just before Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei step onto the field.
Wu Anguo (武安國) — Literary Timeline
Deployment at Hulao Pass
Marches as Kong Rong’s chief general within the eighteen-warlord coalition force encamped outside Hulao Pass to campaign against Dong Zhuo.
Single Combat with Lu Bu and Maiming
Sallies out with his iron mace to duel Lu Bu; fights courageously for over ten bouts before Lu Bu severs his wrist with his Sky-Piercing Halberd, forcing him to flee.
For detailed historical records, archives, and official chronicles, explore Wu Anguo on Wikipedia.
Key Relationships
Family
- No information
Friends
- Kong Rong (孔融, Khổng Dung): The Governor of Beihai Commandery whom Wu Anguo served as his chief martial champion during the 190 AD coalition campaign.
- Yuan Shao (袁绍, Viên Thiệu): The supreme commander of the eighteen-warlord coalition against Dong Zhuo, under whose banner Wu Anguo served at Hulao Pass.
- Fang Yue (方悦, Phương Duyệt): A fellow coalition general who fought alongside Wu Anguo against the forces of Dong Zhuo at Hulao Pass in 190 AD.
- Mu Shun (穆顺, Mục Thuận): A fellow coalition general who, like Wu Anguo, served the anti-Dong Zhuo alliance at Hulao Pass in 190 AD.
Enemies
- Lu Bu (吕布, Lã Bố): The formidable champion of Dong Zhuo who defeated Wu Anguo in single combat at Hulao Pass in 190 AD, severing his wrist with the Sky-Piercing Halberd.
- Dong Zhuo (董卓, Đổng Trác): The tyrannical prime minister and primary antagonist of the 190 AD coalition, against whom Wu Anguo fought at Hulao Pass.
Other
- No information
Appearance
In Novel
Chapter 5
- Wu Anguo (武安国, Vũ An Quốc): Wu Anguo is a commander under Kong Rong who joins the coalition against Dong Zhuo. After Lu Bu defeats several challengers at Hulao Pass, Wu Anguo rides out with an iron hammer to fight him. They exchange blows for more than ten rounds before Lu Bu cuts through Wu Anguo's wrist with his halberd. Wu Anguo drops his weapon and retreats; the coalition soldiers rescue him. His survival contrasts with the deaths of Fang Yue and Mu Shun.
In History
Summary
- Wu Anguo (武安国, Vũ An Quốc) is a minor warrior from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Historical Record
- The novel describes Wu Anguo as a commander under Kong Rong who fights Lu Bu and loses his arm.
- This episode is not securely documented in the standard historical sources. Wu Anguo is therefore best classified as a literary/novel character rather than a securely historical general.
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