Zhu Ran

Zhu Ran is a military general for the Kingdom of Wu. Praised for his skills as a general, he took part in many important military campaigns including the Battle of Yi Ling and the defense of Jiangling. Zhu Ran also played a part in the capture of the mighty Shu general, Guan Yu. Before his death, he was given full command of the armies of Wu.

Role in Games
In the Dynasty Warriors series, he appears at Yi Ling to conduct the fire attack against Shu.

Background
Originally from Guzhang (故鄣) county of Danyang (丹陽)Shire (modern Anji County 安吉県 of Huzhou 湖州 prefecture city), Zhu Ran entered the service of Sun Ce from a very young age, and was greatly praised for his abilities. Although born with the surname Shi (施), he was a nephew of Zhu Zhi, a veteran general under the Sun family. Because of his recognized talents, and through the efforts of Sun Ce, he was adopted by Zhu Zhi as a son. In addition, he studied together with Sun Quan as a young man. Because of this, after Sun Ce died and was succeeded by Sun Quan, Zhu Ran was given command of Yuyao Prefecture (余姚県) at the young age of 19. Being praised highly by Sun Quan for his abilities, he was quickly promoted to commander (令) of Shanyin Prefecture (山陰県) prefecture and then again to regional governor (太守) of Linchuan (臨川郡) and given command over 2,000 soldiers.

As a general
In this new position, his abilities as a general would soon be tested. Members of the Shanyue ethnic group rebelled, and he was able to suppress them in less than a month. Zhu Ran participated in the defense against Cao Cao at the Battle of Ruxukou (濡須). In the year 219, he participated in Lu Meng's campaign against Guan Yu. Together with Pan Zhang, he succeeded in capturing Guan Yu alive. As Lu Meng lay on his death bed shortly after the campaign against Guan Yu, he highly praised the abilities of Zhu Ran, and recommended him as his replacement.

Together with Lu Xun, Zhu Ran fought against the forces of Liu Bei at the Battle of Yiling. Leading a separate force, he cut off the escape route of the enemy and was able to inflict severe losses against them.

Afterwards, he defended Jiangling against an invasion from the Kingdom of Wei led by Cao Pi, where he faced the generals Zhang He, Cao Zhen, and Xiahou Shang. Reinforcements from the Kingdom of Wu were defeated by Zhang He, and Zhu Ran was surrounded in his castle. In addition to this, an outbreak of disease greatly reduced the soldiers in his army. In spite of this, however, he was able to bolster the morale of his troops and on two occasions he led his soldiers out of the castle and successfully pushed back the enemy. After a siege of about 6 months, the Wei army withdrew, unable to take the castle. Because of this, Zhu Ran's name became known throughout the Kingdom of Wei as a powerful enemy general.

In the year 241 he led an assault on Fancheng and surrounded it. However, the army of Wei under the command of Sima Yi defeated him, and he retreated. In 246 he again invaded Wei and attacked Zhazhong (柤中), and when his escape route was cut off by Li Xing (李興) of Wei, he defeated Li Xing's forces and withdrew.

In 245, Lu Xun died and Zhu Ran was given command over the armies of Wu by Sun Quan. He died three years later in 248, and at his funeral service, Sun Quan is said to have wept greatly for him. His funeral was the third largest in the history of Eastern Wu.

Romance of the Three Kingdoms
In the novel, Zhu Ran was killed by Zhao Yun while pursuing Liu Bei's defeated force in Battle of Yiling in the year 222.