As an important figure in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei has always been regarded as the lord of benevolence and righteousness. However, it was this benevolence that made him repeatedly miss opportunities on the road to unifying the three kingdoms. He has under his command the Five Tiger Generals and the Wolong Phoenix Chick, as well as Jingzhou, Yizhou and Hanzhong with a broad base of strength. According to Longzhong's strategy, Liu Bei was only one step away from unifying the Three Kingdoms, but he made the wrong decision at the most critical moment. The Battle of Yiling became a key battle for Shu Han from prosperity to decline, completely depriving Liu Bei of the opportunity for unification.
Why did Liu Bei fall into a dead end?This can be attributed to Guan Yu's mistake in losing Jingzhou. If Zhuge Liang had not been transferred to Yizhou, but had stayed in Jingzhou for support, Guan Yu's defeat would not have involved Jingzhou. However, in the process of taking Yizhou, Pang Tong was unfortunately killed by an ambush. In order to support Yizhou, Zhuge Liang had no choice but to go, leaving Guan Yu alone to guard Jingzhou, which eventually led to the tragedy. The source of all these changes is in Pang Tong and Yizhou.
Liu Bei was fully capable of directly annexing Yizhou at that time, and his strength was sufficient. However, out of family affection and respect for Liu Zhang's foundation, he was unwilling to occupy his brother's territory. However, Liu Bei longed for Yizhou. In order to satisfy Liu Bei's wishes, Pang Tong chose to sacrifice himself and leave a legitimate name for Liu Bei's capture of Yizhou. In fact, Pang Tong did not need to be sacrificed, and these changes could have been completely avoided. However, the premise is that Liu Bei himself has to make changes, and while looking at the world, he must also go beyond benevolence and righteousness. In troubled times, it is not an easy task to complete the task of unifying the three countries.
Liu Bei's personal reasons also had an impact on his failure to unify the Three Kingdoms. First, he lacks judgment about the political situation. Liu Bei was often hesitant and unable to seize the opportunity. He missed several opportunities and did not use his advantage to weaken the enemy, thus making the path to the unification of the Three Kingdoms even more tortuous.
Secondly, Liu Bei also had some problems in military command. Although he had excellent generals such as the Five Tiger Generals, he lacked the ability to weigh the pros and cons and be flexible. He often makes decisions based on personal feelings and subjective judgment, ignoring the interests of the whole. This one-man style puts him in a passive position in the war, unable to achieve victory at critical moments.
In addition, Liu Bei did not give full play to his wisdom and talent. Despite having a strategist like Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei did not make full use of his wisdom. He tends to follow his own wishes and ignore the advice and strategies that could bring him success.
Looking back at Liu Bei's failure to unify the Three Kingdoms, we can draw some lessons from it. First of all, although the goal of a unified world is noble, in the process of achieving it, it must be judged according to the actual situation and one's own ability. Although Liu Bei was ambitious, he did not make the right decision due to personal reasons and other factors.
In addition, in the process of chasing dreams, people must not only have courage and courage, but also wisdom and a clear mind. Liu Bei lacked the ability to be flexible and adaptable on the road to unification, relied too much on the advice and support of others, and did not form his own unique decision-making style. This makes him lack the ability to cope with difficulties and challenges.
Finally, in order to achieve great things, it is necessary to adhere to principles and take into account reality. In the process of unifying the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei sometimes upheld the heart of benevolence and righteousness, and sometimes indulged in the struggle for power. His respect for Liu Zhang and his desire for Yizhou formed a contradiction that put him in a difficult situation. To achieve unity, it is necessary to seek balance and find a suitable balance between principle and reality.
In general, there are many reasons why Liu Bei failed to unify the Three Kingdoms, both for his personal reasons and the influence of the external environment. His pursuit of benevolence and respect for others is the foundation of his life, but in the turbulent times of competition for the world, these good qualities often do not bear fruit immediately. When we evaluate Liu Bei in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, we should pay attention to his personal characteristics and circumstances, and look at his life from a more objective and comprehensive perspective.