The General of the Left (左将军 zuǒ jiāngjūn) was one of the four directional general ranks. Liu Bei famously held this title under Emperor Xian, and it became his primary designation during the warlord period. Ma Chao later held this title under Shu Han.
Historical context
The four directional generals (前后左右将军) were among the most important military positions in the Han dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms period, these titles were used by all three kingdoms to designate their senior military commanders.
References
- Chen Shou, Records of the Three Kingdoms (三国志)
- Fan Ye, Book of the Later Han (后汉书)