Volta
FictionWinter 208 (novel)

The Self-Inflicted Wound

Also called: Huang Gai’s ruse

A scene invented by a historical novel. It differs from the recorded history.

A scene from chapters 46–47 of the Romance: the Wu veteran Huang Gai has Zhou Yu flog him so that Cao Cao will believe his letter of surrender. The feigned surrender and the fire attack are in the history; the flogging is the novel’s.

A scene invented by the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Seeking a ruse to deceive Cao Cao, Zhou Yu and Huang Gai stage a quarrel in council, and Zhou Yu has the old general beaten a hundred strokes until his flesh splits. Hearing of it, Cao Cao believes the aggrieved Huang Gai’s letter of surrender — the "self-inflicted wound" that deceives the enemy.

Zhou Yu’s biography in the official Records also tells how Huang Gai sent a false letter of surrender and set fire to Cao’s fleet with boats of oil-soaked kindling — but says nothing of a flogging.

Show on the map

The map in AD 208

Open the full map

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

Places
Red Cliffs (Chibi)

People

  • Huang GaiAD 215

    key figure · Veteran Wu general who feigned surrender at the Red Cliffs and burned Cao Cao’s fleet with fire ships

  • Zhou YuAD 175 – AD 210

    participant · Sun Quan’s commander, who led the Wu forces that defeated Cao Cao at Red Cliffs in 208

  • Cao CaoAD 155 – AD 220

    related figure · Chancellor and King of Wei in the late Han, who controlled Emperor Xian, defeated Yuan Shao at Guandu and unified the north, laying the foundation of Wei

Before and after

Earlier
AD 208 Guan Yu at Huarong Road