Lu Xun, Scholar General

Lu Xun, Scholar General was released in 1999 as part of Portal Three Kingdoms, a Magic: The Gathering set designed to introduce the game's mechanics to a broader audience in the Asian market. The set is notable for its thematic focus on the historical events of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a 14th-century Chinese historical novel. By adapting these legendary figures into the game's mechanics, the developers aimed to bridge Western card game conventions with Eastern literary traditions, creating a distinct aesthetic that departed from the high-fantasy tropes of contemporary sets.

The card's design features artwork by the illustrator Gao Yan, who was tasked with rendering the historical strategist in a style that balanced the grit of warfare with the intellect of a scholar. Lu Xun’s ability, which renders him unblockable, serves as a mechanical reflection of his historical reputation for tactical brilliance and his decisive victory at the Battle of Xiaoting. Although the Portal Three Kingdoms set initially saw limited distribution in English-speaking territories, it eventually gained significant status among players for its unique gameplay interactions and the cultural significance of its character roster.