Guo Jia
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Missing image Guo_Jia_Portrait.jpg Portrait of Guo Jia from a Qing Dynasty edition of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms | |
| Names | |
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| Simplified Chinese: | 郭嘉 |
| Traditional Chinese: | 郭嘉 |
| Pinyin: | Guō Jiā |
| Wade-Giles: | Kuo Chia |
| Zi: | Fengxiao (奉孝) |
Guo Jia (170 – 207) was a strategist and advisor to the powerful warlord Cao Cao during the late Eastern Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Period in ancient China. During his eleven years of service, Guo Jia's brilliance had greatly aided Cao Cao in his victories over Lü Bu, Yuan Shao, and Ta Dun. As such, he was one of the most trusted and favored subjects of Cao Cao. After Cao Cao suffered a huge defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, he lamented, "If Guo Fengxiao were alive, I would not be in this state."
Life
Guo Jia was born in the county of Yangdi (阳翟, present day Yuzhou, Henan). He initially sought a position under Yuan Shao, the most powerful warlord in northern China at that time. However, he soon realized that Yuan Shao was an undecisive man who did not know how to exploit talents. Seeing that the warlord had little hope of achieving great things, Guo Jia then left.
In 196, Guo Jia was recommended to Cao Cao by Xun Yu, another advisor to the warlord who would soon contest Yuan Shao's dominance in the north. After discussing about the times, both favored each other deeply. Cao Cao then made Guo Jia his military advisor.
During the campaign against Lü Bu in 198, Cao Cao's force won three consecutive battles, forcing his enemy to retreat and hole up in Xiapi (下邳). By then the troops were exhausted from fighting, and Cao Cao intended to withdraw. However, Guo Jia persuaded Cao Cao to press on and not allow Lü Bu time to recuperate. Cao Cao took the advice and prevailed.
In 200, Cao Cao confronted Yuan Shao's force at Guandu, leaving his base city Xuchang little guarded. Seeing an opportunity, Sun Ce, a warlord active in the south, then planned to move north to attack Xuchang. Everyone despaired at the news, but Guo Jia believed that Sun Ce, proud and impulsive, would soon die in the hands of assassins. True enough, Sun Ce was assassinated before he could even cross the Yangtze River.
After losing the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao soon passed away. His legacy was contested between two of his sons, Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang (袁尚). Many urged Cao Cao to seize the opportunity to root out the heirs. However, Guo Jia advised Cao Cao to turn his attention south to attack Liu Biao in the province of Jing (荆州) and let the brothers battle themselves out.
Cao Cao accepted Guo Jia's council and the development of events again proved the advisor right. Yuan Tan, outmatched by his younger brother, sought Cao Cao's help. Cao Cao moved his force north again and easily defeated Yuan Shang, who escaped to Chief Ta Dun (蹋顿) of the Wuhuan tribes. Cao Cao then conquered Yuan Tan in Nanpi (南皮) and took control of Jizhou (冀州).
At this time, Cao Cao intended to launch an expedition deep into the north to eradicate Yuan Shang and the Wuhuan tribes, but many feared that Liu Biao would attack from the south. Guo Jia encouraged Cao Cao to take up the expedition to prevent a resurgence of Yuan Shang's power. Under Guo Jia's council, the army travelled light, leaving behind the bulk of supplies. The resulting swift strike caught the Wuhuan unprepared. Ta Dun was killed and Yuan Shang went into exile in what is in the present day the province of Heilongjiang.
However, Guo Jia died of a sickness in 207, at the young age of 37. He was conferred the posthumous title of Marquis Zhen (贞侯), literally meaning the moral marquis. A year later, after Cao Cao suffered a huge defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, he lamented, "If Fengxiao were alive, I would not be in this state."