Huo Jun

Huo Jun (177 - 216), style name Zhongmiao (仲邈), was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Biao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served Liu Bei after Liu Biao's death. In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of Three Kingdoms, when Liu Bei began his rule over Jing Province, Huo Jun left Liu Biao and joined under Liu Bei. Huo Jun followed in the defense of Jiameng Pass along with Meng Da, who recommended Huo Jun to Liu Bei. In reality, however, Huo Jun served with Liu Biao all the way to the end, only after Liu Biao's death, did Huo Jun went to serve under Liu Bei. Also, in reality, Huo Jun was stationed at Jiameng City (Jia Meng Cheng, 葭萌城) at Jiameng Pass for most of the time by himself, it was only much later when he was joined by Meng Da. Since Huo Jun and Meng Da served in different masters and only came in contact with each other after Meng Da had joined Liu Bei, it is highly unlikely that they would know each other well and Meng Da would recommand Huo Jun to Liu Bei, especially when considering Liu Bei would need some one outside who had just came to him to recommand somebody who was already serve under him for long time.

During Liu Bei's conquest of Sichuan, Huo Jun was tasked to guard the important Jiameng City (Jia Meng Cheng, 葭萌城) at Jiameng Pass by himself with only a few hundred soldiers under his command. When Liu Zhang joined forces with Zhang Lu, Huo Jun refused to surrender to Zhang Lu when asked and prepared for the upcoming battle. Liu Zhang sent two generals, Fu Jin (扶禁) and Xiang Cun (向存) leading over ten thousand men to attack Huo Jun, but could not take the city after besieging the city for more than a year. Huo Jun then launched a surprise counterattack and soundly defeated Liu Zhang's force, killing Xiang Cun (向存) in the process and Liu Zhang could not launch anymore attacks after the disastrous defeat. Huo Jun subsequently held out against Zhang Lu's general Ma Chao successfully for another year, checking Zhang Lu's advance to Sichuan.

In the following years, Huo Jun was joined by Meng Da and during the initial stage of the struggles for Hanzhong, Huo Jun correctly predicted that the right strategy Shu Han should take must be a defensive one, instead of going out to actively engaging attacking Cao Wei forces. Meng Da failed to take this warning and went out to engage Zhang He anyway, and was defeated as a result.

It is also known that Huo Jun was the father of the moderately reputed officer of the Kingdom of Shu, Huo Yi. After his death, Huo Jun was buried in Chengdu and Liu Bei personally attended his funeral, and stay overnight at Huo Jun's tomb.