Gan Ning

Illustration from a Qing edition of the Three Kingdoms Story .

Gan Ning (甘寧), majority name Xingba (興 覇; * 175 ; † 222 ), was a general of the Wu Dynasty at the time of the Three Kingdoms in ancient China.

He was born in Linjiang, Ba Prefecture (then under Governor Liu Biao ). He was later considered rough, but decent and deliberate. He was very tolerant and gifted for combat; his lack of respect for material goods was offset by his respect for talented men.

In his youth, Gan Ning joined a youth gang who wore bells as a sign. He looted, robbed and murdered with them until he was in his twenties. It was then that Gan Ning began reading the writings of many intellectuals. As a result, he decided to leave his lawless life behind and resigned from serving Liu Biao, and later joined Sun Quan .

In 204 he killed Ling Cao , Ling Tong's father . Ling Tong hated him so much for it that Gan Ning avoided him. During a party the two clashed and fought. Another time, Gan Ning was having practice bouts with some officers when Ling Tong interfered. After this incident, Sun transferred Quan Gan Ning to the Banzhou Garrison.

At the Second Battle of Hefei (216), Ling Tong and Gan Ning were reconciled after Gan Ning saved Ling Tong from Wei General Zhang Liao .

Gan Ning died of illness in 222.

Popular culture

According to the game Dynasty Warriors , he died in the war from an arrow from Sha Moke , an officer of Shu . He was dying on a tree and thousands of crows flew over him as if they were protecting him. After Zhou Tai saw him, he pursued, stabbed and beheaded Sha Moke.