Yuan Shu
*This article is about the warlord during the Eastern Han Dynasty. A more recent Yuan Shu exists (1911-1987), who is a Communist revolutionary and the creator of the Chinese government's intelligence system.
Yuan Shu (袁"/袁术;
style name Gonglu 公路) (? –
199) was a major warlord of the late
Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to prominence following the collapse of the Han court in 189. He was the younger half-brother of
Yuan Shao. After the death of
He Jin, he led a force to slay the eunuchs as the Imperial Corps Commander of the Imperial Tiger Guard, which was located just outside the capital. Later, he participated in an alliance against
Dong Zhuo led by
Yuan Shao. After the dissension of this alliance, he was never on good terms with Yuan Shao again.
Yuan Shu fled to Shouchun (modern day Shouxian,
Anhui province) after repeated defeats by the combined armies of
Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. He declared himself emperor under the short-lived Cheng Dynasty in 195, using the Imperial Jade Seal given to him by
Sun Ce as an excuse. This audacious action made him hated by the other warlords. His extravagant lifestyle and arrogance caused many of his officers to desert him, including Sun Ce. Following crushing defeats by the armies of Cao Cao,
Liu Bei, and
Lü Bu, Yuan Shu attempted to flee north to join Yuan Shao but died of illness before he could reach his half-brother.
