Liao Hua

Liao Hua
A statue of Liao Hua in Zhuge Liang's temple in Chengdu. It was made in 1849.
General of Shu Han
Born	(Unknown)
Died	264
Names
Traditional Chinese	廖化
Simplified Chinese	廖化
Pinyin	Liào Huà
Wade–Giles	Liao Hua
Courtesy name	Yuanjian (traditional Chinese: 元儉; simplified Chinese: 元俭; pinyin: Yuánjiǎn; Wade–Giles: Yüan-chien)
Other names	Liao Chun (Chinese: 廖淳; pinyin: Liào Chún; Wade–Giles: Liao Ch'un)

Liao Hua (died 264),courtesy name Yuanjian, originally named Liao Chun, was a military general of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period.

Liao Hua was from Xiangyang Commandery (襄陽郡), Jing Province, which is around present-day Xiangyang, Hubei. He was a Registrar (主簿) under Guan Yu, a general who served under the warlord Liu Bei and guarded Liu's territories in Jing Province. In late 219, while Guan Yu was away at the Battle of Fancheng, Liu Bei's ally, Sun Quan, broke the Sun–Liu alliance by launching an invasion on Jing Province and conquering most of Liu's territories in the province. Guan Yu was captured and executed by Sun Quan's forces. Liao Hua became a prisoner-of-war of Sun Quan, but he constantly thought of returning to Liu Bei's side, so he faked his own death and succeeded in deceiving his captors and escaping. He brought his elderly mother with him and headed west towards Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing), where Liu Bei's domain was based.

In 221, Liu Bei declared himself emperor and established the state of Shu Han. Later that year, he launched a military campaign against Sun Quan to retake his lands in Jing Province and avenge Guan Yu. Liao Hua and his mother encountered the Shu armies at Zigui County. Liu Bei was very pleased to see Liao Hua and he appointed the latter as the Administrator (太守) of Yidu Commandery (宜都郡; around present-day Yidu, Hubei). After Liu Bei died in 223, Liao Hua became an Army Advisor (參軍) under Zhuge Liang, the chancellor-regent of Shu. He was later assigned to be in charge of Guangwu Commandery (廣武郡; around present-day Yongdeng County, Gansu) and was subsequently promoted to Right General of Chariots and Cavalry (右車騎將軍). He was also appointed as the Inspector (刺史) of Bing Province – even though Bing Province was not under Shu's jurisdiction – and enfeoffed as a Marquis of a Central District (中鄉侯). He was known for his fiery personality and determination. His position in the Shu military was equivalent to those of Zhang Yi and Zong Yu.