Red Hare (赤兔 Chìtù) was one of the most famous horses of the Three Kingdoms period. It was associated with Lü Bu and later, in both history and Romance, with Guan Yu. The phrase ‘Among men, Lü Bu; among horses, Red Hare’ (人中吕布，马中赤兔) paired the era’s most feared warrior with its most celebrated steed.
Historical record
The Records of the Three Kingdoms (SGZ) state that Lü Bu rode a horse called Red Hare (赤兔) and that he was renowned for his archery and horsemanship. After Lü Bu’s defeat at Xiapi and execution by Cao Cao, the horse is said to have been given to Guan Yu when Guan Yu submitted to Cao Cao. When Guan Yu later left to rejoin Liu Bei, he left behind Cao Cao’s gifts except for Red Hare, which he took. The horse’s later fate is not clearly recorded; Romance has it refuse food and die after Guan Yu’s death.
In Romance
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Red Hare is presented as a treasured gift from Dong Zhuo to Lü Bu to win his loyalty, and later from Cao Cao to Guan Yu. Its speed and loyalty are emphasised, and its death after Guan Yu’s execution is portrayed as a sign of devotion. The novel cemented Red Hare’s place in popular culture alongside Lü Bu and Guan Yu.
Legacy
Red Hare remains a byword for an exceptional warhorse in Chinese idiom and in modern media (games, film, and fiction) set in the Three Kingdoms period.