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Guo Jia 郭嘉

Jan 8, 2016 © Ulrich Theobald

Guo Jia 郭嘉 (170-207), courtesy name Fengxiao 奉孝, was a high official of the warlord Cao Cao 曹操 during the late Eastern Han period 東漢 (25-220 CE).

He came from Yangzhai 陽翟 in the commandery of Yingchuan 穎川 (today's Yuxian 禹縣, Henan) and sided with the warlord Yuan Shao 袁紹 during the turmoils of the Yellow Turban rebellion 黃巾起意. Yet the tyrant was not receptive to the suggestions of Guo Jia, so he left and became a retainer first of Xun Yu 荀彧, then of Cao Cao, who greatly admired Guo's ideas about the world and rulership. Cao thereupon made Guo Jia XXX (sikong jun jijiu 司空軍祭酒).

In three campaigns, Guo Jia participated in the fight against Lü Bu 呂布. When the latter withdrew to his stronghold, Cao Cao intended to withdraw his troops, but Guo suggested the pursuit of the enemy, and in fact, Lü Bu was captured. Guo analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of Cao Cao and his enemies, mostly Yuan Shao, and came to the result that Cao had a good chance against Yuan. In the battle of Guandu 官渡 the latter was defeated. Guo later fought battles with Yuan Tan 袁譚 and Yuan Shang 袁尚 at Liyang 黎楊, and suggested to carry out an attack on Liu Biao 劉表, who controlled central China.

Based on the military strategy of Guo Jia, Cao Cao was able to crush the power of Yuan Shao and his supporters. Guo died when back from a campaign against the steppe federation of the Wuhuan 烏丸. His posthumous title was Neighbourhood Marquis Zhen of Weiyang 洧陽亭貞侯.

Sources:
Huang Banghe 黃邦和, Pi Mingxiu 皮明庥, ed. (1987). Zhong-wai lishi renwu cidian 中外歷史人物詞典 (Changsha: Hunan renmin chubanshe), 395.
Yang Qingwang 楊慶旺, Ha Hua 哈鏵, eds. (1987). Zhongguo junshi zhishi cidian 中國軍事知識辭典 (Beijing: Huaxia chubanshe), 750.
Wang Songling 王松齡, ed. (1991). Shiyong Zhongguo lishi zhishi cidian 實用中國歷史知識辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 436.
Wang Tianxing 王天興, Wang Xingya 王興亞, Wang Zongyu 王宗虞, eds. (1991). Henan lidai renming cidian 河南歷代名人辭典 (Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou guji chubanshe), 75.
Yi Xingguo 衣興國, ed. (1988). Shiyong Zhongguo renming cidian 實用中國名人辭典 (Changchun: Jilin wenshi chubanshe), 211.
Zhang Shunhui 張舜徽, ed. (1992). Sanguozhi cidian 三國志辭典 (Jinan: Shandong jiaoyu chubanshe), 436.