Appraisal states:
Lǚ Bù had a roaring tiger’s valor, but was without exceptional or unusual strategy, recklessly sly over and over, only profit in his sight. Since antiquity to now, there has never been one like this who was not destroyed.
In the past Hàn Guāng-Wǔ was deceived by Páng Méng, more recently Wèi Tàizǔ also was deceived by Zhāng Miǎo. ‘To know men is wisdom, even Emperors find it difficult,” believable!
Chén Dēng and Zāng Hóng both had imposing aura and strong integrity, Dēng in his allotted years early perished, his achievement and enterprise not yet fulfilled, Hóng as his troops were weak and the enemy strong, his ardent ambition was not established, a pity!
評曰:呂布有虓虎之勇,而無英奇之略,輕狡反覆,唯利是視。自古及今,未有若此不夷滅也。昔漢光武謬於龐萌,近魏太祖亦蔽于張邈。知人則哲,唯帝難之,信矣!陳登、臧洪並有雄氣壯節,登降年夙隕,功業未遂,洪以兵弱敵彊,烈志不立,惜哉!