Yueying

Yue Ying first appeared in the series in Dynasty Warriors 4 as the first female Shu character. She is Zhuge Liang's wife. Wanting to prove her own worth, she invented Shu's Juggernauts and wooden oxen.

In the Dynasty Warriors series, she is 23 years old and her height is 169 cm (5'6 1/2"). She is 165 cm (about 5'5") tall in Kessen II.

Role in Games

 * "A most impressive young woman."
 * "Yes, so she is."
 * ―Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang.

Dynasty Warriors
In Dynasty Warriors 4 and its Xtreme Legends expansion, Yue Ying is introduced as Zhuge Liang's wife. Her husband's Legend mode depicts their first meeting and manner of courtship. Her own Legend mode shows her inventing the Juggernaut. In order to test its effectiveness, she and a group of her Juggernauts duel the Five Tiger Generals. The five generals are defeated due to her ingenuity and Yue Ying succeeds in creating her own legacy.

Before her marriage to Zhuge Liang in Dynasty Warriors 5, she was a puppeteer whose wooden-puppet shows were amazingly life-like. Her in-story monologue explains that, although she may have been unattractive, her husband chose her as his wife due to her well-known intelligence. Her experience in her craft assists her contributions for Shu. In the Nanman Campaign, she opposes the beast units with her Juggernauts. At Tian Shui, she personally tests and confirms Zhuge Liang's suspicions concerning Jiang Wei's greatness. In Wu Zhang Plains, she opposes the enemy front lines with her wooden oxen and secures the ally supply line. Her husband survives the final campaign in her ending and they enjoy the new era of peace.

Yue Ying has a minor role in Dynasty Warriors 6 as she participates in a small number of battles (most notably, Han Zhong and Wu Zhang Plains).

In her own story mode in Special, Yue Ying and her father notice Liu Bei struggling to escape at Chang Ban. Though told by her father that she may "find something there", Yue Ying volunteers to aid them out of good will. She leaves after her deed is done and has an arranged marriage with Zhuge Liang prior to Chi Bi. Though it was her father's decision, she admits that she didn't protest. When her husband explains his goal to shield Liu Bei from criticism, she willingly decides to share his burden. In subsequent battles, the couple become closer and more intimate. She becomes worried when she notices her husband straining himself and increases her efforts to support him. When the land is under Shu's reign, her husband laments not doing more; she assures that he has done more than enough for their home and bids him to rest. Pleased with her reply, Zhuge Liang shares his belief that they were fated to be together since their first meeting.

She makes minor appearances during the Three Kingdoms Story Modes in Dynasty Warriors 7. Yue Ying often brings an invention to aid her allies in battle. Her first chronological appearance in the Shu ranks would be Mt. Ding Jun during Wei's Story Mode. She follows her husband to Yi Ling and Wu Zhang Plains. To honor the memory of her husband, she continues to defend Shu during Jin's Story Mode. Like other defenders for Shu's later years, Yue Ying dies in battle during their final defense at Cheng Du.

Her marriage to Zhuge Liang is noted to have happened sometime during his time of heritage in her first Legendary Mode. However, she is irked by the three men who are persistent in gaining her husband's service. To test their skills and alleviate her own irritation, Yue Ying decides to challenge the oath brothers herself. Her second Legendary Mode takes place during Wu Zhang Plains. Her ailing husband has collapsed and cannot lead the troops. Therefore, Yue Ying commands in her husband's stead.

Warriors Orochi
In Warriors Orochi, Yue Ying joins the resistance movement against Orochi with Ma Chao, Jiang Wei and Ranmaru. She is captured and held prisoner within a wooden carriage. While her transport was passing through Hasedo, Zhao Yun's army and Magoichi hurry to her rescue. Once she is freed, Da Ji notices them and orders a pursuit. During their flight, Zhuge Liang attempts to stop them by force and confuses his wife with his new allegiance. She continues to act as the voice of reason for many of Shu's battles.

While Liu Bei chases Da Ji in Warriors Orochi 2, she and her husband defend Shu in their lord's absence. However, while Taigong Wang and Lu Xun chase Da Ji and Himiko at Odani Castle, the couple appear to aid them. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, they agree to help with the front lines. In her dream mode, she teams up with Ling Tong and Mitsuhide to calmly defend Ieyasu at Shikoku.

Kessen
Huang Yue Ying is Zhuge Liang's peppy and upbeat wife in Kessen II. Although she never personally takes to the field, she is often presenting several inventions for Liu Bei's consideration. She dances, poses, and practically sings whilst she talks which sometimes embarrasses her husband. She usually ends her sentence with "yeah".

Personality
Yue Ying is a mature and collected individual. Intelligent and elegant, she appreciates the value of patience and planning. Though their marriage was arranged, she genuinely loves her husband and will do everything in her power to help shoulder his burden. To her friends and loved ones, she is quite generous and can be quite nurturing to younger people. Despite her composure, Yue Ying has been shown to be quite sarcastic at times and will openly chastise those whom act selfishly or insensitively. She also has little patience for those whom underestimate her and chauvinistic attitudes in general. Yue Ying takes great pride in her skills and learned abilities.

Character Symbolism
Most of Yue Ying's weapons in the Dynasty Warriors series are named after a moon motif, likely due to her name meaning "Flower Moon" (alternatively "Heroic Moon"). The original name for her level 11 weapon depicts an image of a drifting moon, which may be tied to a moon's reflection from a body of water. It may also relate to the archaic belief of the sun and moon following preset paths in the sky. When a period of absolute chaos emerges, these astronomical objects are often said to veer "off course" in Chinese legends.

Her third weapon and Skill weapon in Special are named after the blue moon, which is considered a somewhat new feature in East Asian symbolism and mythology due to the gradual introduction of the solar calendar. Its meanings is similar to its Western counterpart as a symbol for rarity and uniqueness. The original names to her other weapons in Special depict a crimson moon (Strength) and jade moon (Standard).

Yue Ying's fourth weapon is literally translated as "Water Bottom Blue Moon". Within Chinese mythology, dragons are often said to dwell within bodies of water. Some are eternally bound to live in their underwater dwellings and are never destined to rise to the heavens. The idea of looking up at the moon has been romanticized throughout Chinese literature as an act of appreciating beauty, the moon being a soothing presence in most tales. Legends of Houyi and Chang'e also have femininity tied with the moon. Taking these ideas into account, the weapon's name is a probable allusion to Zhuge Liang (the Sleeping Dragon) gazing at Yue Ying (the extraordinary blue moon).

Her skill chart in Dynasty Warriors 6 is roughly shaped in the form of a wooden ox, an invention that Zhuge Liang is said to have used in his Northern Campaigns. Yue Ying's personal item in Warriors Orochi may refer to the same creation or Yue Ying's origins as a crafty inventor in several legends and folklore.

Voice Actors

 * Christina Martini - Dynasty Warriors 4~5 (English)
 * Lara Cody - Dynasty Warriors 6~7, Warriors Orochi series (English)
 * Melissa Fahn - Kessen II (English)
 * Yang Jeong Hwa - Dynasty Warriors 4~5 (Korean)
 * Rumi Kasahara - Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi series (Japanese)
 * Junko Noda - Kessen II (Japanese)

Quotes

 * See Also: Yue Ying/Quotes


 * "Our marriage was my father's decision, but... I could not say it was entirely against my will. In this battle, I will watch over Shu... no, I will watch over you, yourself."
 * Speaking to her husband; Dynasty Warriors 6: Special


 * "I do not understand it myself. But I know that he is a great man. There is a good reason for everything that he does. His behavior on this battlefield must have a convincing explanation too, I am sure."
 * Explaining Zhuge Liang's strange behavior; Warriors Orochi


 * "Do you really wish to marry me? I'm just a strange girl who likes playing around with inventions. Am I really a worthy match for Zhuge Liang?"
 * "I should ask that question of you. I'm just a strange man who likes tinkering with inventions. Please marry me."
 * "Y-Yes, of course I will marry you!"
 * Yue Ying and Zhuge Liang; Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI


 * "Yue Ying, won't you stop with the 'yeah?'"
 * "I'll try be more careful and not embarrass you in public anymore, I swear. I promise, yeah."
 * Zhuge Liang and Yue Ying, Kessen II

Ground Moveset

 * undefined (undefined, undefined, undefined): Throws her scythe out, making it spin in mid-air in a single position for a set time.
 * , undefined: Turns and jabs upwards with the blunt of her scythe.
 * ,, undefined (undefined, undefined, undefined): Stabs forward while twirling her scythe, shredding up her opponent, then ending with a left-to-right reaping motion.
 * ,, , undefined: Spins around with the reaching edge of the scythe from right to left.
 * ,, , , undefined: Yue Ying swirls her blade upwards, creating a thin whirlwind in front of her.
 * ,, , , , undefined (undefined): Spins around with an extended weapon, for a total of three times.
 * Continuously spins around with an extended scythe. In her True Musou version, she throws her weapon into the air, which creates a circular shockwave around her.


 * , : Jump, then spins around at an angle.
 * , undefined (undefined, undefined, undefined, undefined): Yue Ying jumps, then sweeps up enemies in range, and assaults them in the air.

Horse Moveset

 * undefined: Yue Ying leans to each side, and swings her weapon.
 * ,, , , , : Three attacks to the right side, three to the left.
 * Repeating slashes to all sides until the Musou gauge empties.


 * Warriors Orochi
 * R1: Casts a spell to fire a slow-moving ball of lightning from her hand.
 * R1 (Counter): Does a quick rightward reap.

Dynasty Warriors 6
She shares her moveset with Sun Shang Xiang in the first release. See Dynasty Warriors 6/Weapon Movesets for more details. The following moves are for her new moveset in Special.

Ground Moveset

 * string (Renbu ∞): Five quick horizontal slashes, each having Yue Ying take quick and energetic leaps and turns to her left and right. She leaps into a slash and turns into a high kick. She tumbles forward for two more kicks and slides forward for two more slashes. She stands upright and turns her upper body six times as she walks forward, shooting her ammo in a 160 degree scattered spary.
 * undefined string (Renbu ∞): a rising slash before she follows a string of arrows. While balancing herself on one leg, she kicks four times and follows with a spinning roundhouse kick. She hops into the air and fires a final shot, creating an explosion where the arrow lands.
 * undefined (held): Charges her weapon a moment before punching the ground for a shockwave. Higher Renbu levels add a lightning property to her attack.
 * Series of attacks based on Renbu level. Finishes by hopping into the air, spinning upside down like a top as she fires a frenzied barrage. She lands by punching the ground, emitting a shockwave around her.


 * , : two aerial slashes, hitting right once and then to the left.
 * , undefined: levitates into the air for a moment and spins while keeping her body upright. As she spins, she aims her weapon towards the ground and shoots several shots at once.
 * Dashing : a running horizontal cut.
 * Dashing undefined: slides on her knees, shooting a fan of burning arrows forward.


 * Grapple attack : a high kick. If it connects, she follows with eight rapid shots at her opponent's torso.
 * Grapple attack undefined: fires a high shot. If it connects and she is close to her foe, she rolls forward. She aims her weapon at her opponent's throat, waiting for a moment before firing.
 * Deadlock attack: locks her knees around opponent's neck and leans her upper body backwards. Her added weight flips her foe flat on their back and has her on top of them. While they lay on the ground, she slices their neck with her weapon's blade.


 * Special attack: Volley: releases waves of arrows surrounding the player to annihilate enemies. Yue Ying's version does not include an element, but it can be strengthen with other skills in her Skill Tree.

Horse Moveset

 * string: series of swings to her right. Number of swings vary on Renbu level.
 * undefined: props herself off the saddle, her right leg onto the horse's back. Fires a strong blast to her right.
 * faster version of string followed by undefined.

Dynasty Warriors 7
Yue Ying is affiliated with the staff in this appearance. When she is equipped with it, she can perform a unique attack exclusive to her. When she performs her musous, she will automatically use the weapon in her attacks.


 * EX Attack: ,,,,,undefined,undefined: Raises her staff and is surrounded by an aura as lightning strikes those around her.
 * Musou 1: : Strikes the ground with her staff. The impact summons a large lotus-shaped boulder from underneath to strike those in front of her.
 * Musou 2: R1 + : Sends several miniaturized juggernauts forward to run over opponents; they explode after traveling a certain distance.

Dynasty Warriors
In previous installments, Yue Ying fights with a pike. She has a good crowd control however she didn't deal much damage to the opponent and it is hard to take on the whole crowd by one attack.

In Dynasty Warriors 6: Special, Yue Ying fights with a bladed bow that can shoot projectiles. Her attacks is based on both clearing crowds and fighting one-on-one. She is arguably on the same state as Sun Shang Xiang in terms of clearing crowds, however her projectiles only work against enemy soldiers. Players must work harder to fight enemy generals. Her fighting style includes some swift styles that can be seen on acrobatic feats.

Warriors Orochi
Yue Ying is largely the same from DW5, but her R1 special is ideal for more forms of crowd control.

Weapons

 * See also: Yue Ying/Weapons

Historical Information
Huang Yueying was Zhuge Liang's wife and is believed to be Huang Chengyan's daughter. "Huang Yueying" is one of her popularized names; her real name is unknown. She is also called Huang Furen (黄夫人), Huang Wanzhen (黄婉貞), or Huang Shou (黃綬). According to Record of Three Kingdoms, her father approached Zhuge Liang when he wanted to marry. He said, "I have an ugly daughter yet I heard you were looking for a wife. She is marred with red hair and dark skin, but I think her wit is well matched with yours." Zhuge Liang agreed to see her and married her.

Shortly after their meeting, her father made the light-hearted proverb, "Do not berate Zhuge Liang's wife or you'll make Chengyan's ugly daughter get you." The message of the statement is to "strive to wed a homely woman" regardless of their looks. Through their marriage, Zhuge Liang became Liu Qi and Liu Cong's cousin, due to Huang Chengyan's brotherly relation with Liu Biao. While Zhuge Liang is documented to have sons of his own, it's not clear if he had them with his wife.

Chinese Fiction
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Yueying is briefly mentioned in chapter 117. She was Zhuge Zhan's unnamed mother and was described as plain yet talented. An educated scholar, she studied everything she could, such as literature, strategy, and magic. Zhuge Liang sought to marry her for her good heart and they frequently studied together. She survived her husband for a short time and died soon after the Battle of Wuzhang Plains. Her last words to her son were "Be loyal and filial".

A popular story depicts that Yueying challenged her suitors to personally visit her by claiming that she was ugly. In the possibility that a suitor would visit, she would hide herself under viels as a quiet dare to test their resolve. When Zhuge Liang came to her, her figure was silouetted by the yellow full moon and her head was covered with two red veils. Unlike other men, he entered alone and didn't hesitate to remove her disguises. As he removed the first cloth from her face, he calmly stated that her ugliness was a misunderstanding by her father. He was rewarded by Yueying's joyful visage and gratification.

There are several folktales regarding their life and marriage but most sources indicate that she was intelligent in some manner. One such tale states that she was a talented inventor whose well made wooden puppets impressed Zhuge Liang enough to marry her. A few suggest that she was actually quite beautiful and that her tanned skin and red hair was actually dyed; the disguise was made to test Zhuge Liang's perceptive nature. Even more tales speculate that Yueying wasn't actually Chinese but from a different part of the world, such as Europe or Indonesia.