The portrayal of Liu Bei in Chapters 54 and 55 of the Three Kingdoms decreases his stature as a hero, a leader, as well as a man. In fact, it is his advisors who overshadow Liu much of the time. This essay will analyze these ideas in greater detail.

Liu Bei is not a man of integrity. After pledging not to remarry after the death of his wife Lady Gan who is “still warm in her grave,” he immediately breaks his pledge when Lu Su describes Sun Quan’s younger sister as “both beautiful and worthy” (pg. 291). Liu is aroused with such an offer, and instead of rebuking Lu’s offer, he asks Lu whether Sun Quan has been notified of the arrangement. Liu’s sudden shift in stance reveals his character as one with weak moral integrity.

Lord Guan is a sharp contrast to Liu Bei. When Cao Cao entraps Lord Guan (Chapter 25) and arranges Guan to share the same room with Liu Bei’s two wives, while attempting to win his trust by offering him ten female servants, Lord Guan to does not succumb to his sexual desires. Hence, Cao’s plans of pampering Guan with luxuries come to naught, for Guan’s sense of honour exceeds Cao’s expectations, and instead of submitting to lust, he sends the ten females to his two sister-in-laws as servants.

In contrast, Liu Bei does not have such uprightness, for he falls into Sun Quan’s trap, so much so that he “began to lose his sense of purpose among the enchantments of song and dance and gradually put returning Jingzhou from his mind” during his stay in the Southlands (pg. 416). When Liu finally returns to Jingzhou, he has “tears of sadness” because he still yearns for his life of comfort. Hence, this reveals Liu’s inadequacy as a leader of a state.

As a leader, Liu Bei is a pathetic comparison to Zhuge Liang. Chapter 54 portrays Liu as an ineffectual character who prefers to relay the decision-making to his subordinates. Unlike Liu Bei, Zhuge as a leader exhibits an uncanny ability to foresee into the future and outwit his opponents. Hence, he assures Liu Bei that “I have little ‘plan’ of my own to make sure Zhou Yu gets nowhere while you make Sun Quan’s sister your wife” (pg. 292). Not only does his enemies recognize Liu’s weaknesses, even Zhuge foresees that Liu will be too occupied with his life of luxury than to worry about his role as a king. Because he knows that Liu would succumb to Sun’s plan, Zhuge’s first instruction is for Zhao mislead Liu into believing that Jingzhou is being invaded by Cao Cao in order to lure him away from his opulent life in the Southland.

Chapter 55 as well portrays the blemishes of Liu Bei’s character. In particular, when Liu turns pale as he is “glancing around Lady Sun’s chamber” which is stocked with spears and swords, he is not only exposed as a feeble man, but also as a rather pathetic soldier for his fear of weapons. In fact, the roles of Liu and his wife are reversed, for Lady Sun is portrayed as the strong individual while Liu is the more effeminate of the two. Even his wife is amused by his fear, chiding “A man half a lifetime on the battlefield, and afraid of these?” (pg. 415).

Liu Bei’s escape from Sun Quan also portrays his shortcomings. Even when he decides to leave for Jingzhou, he first consults with his wife rather than making the decision himself. Against Zhao’s pleas, Liu insists that he “must discuss this with my wife” (pg. 416). Moreover, it is she who saves Liu’s life, as she calms Liu, telling him “husband, you proceed. Zilong and I will hold the rear” (pg. 419). Hence, the scene portrays Liu as the feeble man who needs his assertive wife to rescue him. Instead, Lady Sun cunningly uses her mother as her shield, as she affirms “My mother has sanctioned our trip back to Jingzhou,” and further threatening her pursuers, “even my brother has to conform to what ritual enjoins” (pg. 418).

As a result, the portrayal of Liu Bei in Chapters 54 and 55 of the Three Kingdoms diminishes his standing as a hero, a leader, and a man. Interestingly, in comparisons to the people around him, Zhuge Liang, Lady Sun, and Lord Guan, they often overshadow Liu Bei in terms of integrity and courage.