Kong Zhou 孔伷

RecordsRomance Courtesy name 公緒 Gongxu공주공서

Profile
OccupationRNRuler · Inspector of Yu ProvinceFaction
AppearsRNBiography in
BornNative placeChenliu Commandery
ExistenceHistoricalMentionsR10

Profile

Kong Zhou, courtesy name Gongxu, was a man of Chenliu. When Dong Zhuo held power, Kong Zhou became Inspector of Yu Province on the recommendation of Zhou Bi, Wu Qiong and others whom Dong Zhuo trusted, but on reaching his post he raised troops together with Han Fu, Liu Dai and others, intending to attack Dong Zhuo. Records, Shu 8 §3Records, Wei 6 §10Records, Wei 7 §37

In the 1st month of the 1st year of Chuping (190) he raised troops at the same time as Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao and others, acclaimed Yuan Shao as leader of the alliance, and garrisoned Yingchuan. Xu Jing, who had fled for fear of execution, took refuge with him. He later died, but Chen Shou's text does not record the year or the circumstances. Records, Wei 1 §7–8Records, Shu 8 §4

He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears in the Biography of Dong Zhuo, the Annals of Emperor Wu, the Biography of Zang Hong and the Biography of Xu Jing. In the Romance his name is listed just once, in Chapter 5, as the Inspector of Yu Province, the third contingent among the lords who answer Cao Cao's call to arms; he appears in only this one of the 120 chapters, and no chapter has his name in its title. Records, Wei 6 §10Records, Wei 1 §7Records, Wei 7 §37–38Records, Shu 8 §3–4Romance, Ch. 5 §7

In the Records

According to the Biography of Xu Jing, when Emperor Ling died and Dong Zhuo took power, Zhou Bi of Hanyang became Master of Writing for Personnel and, together with Xu Jing, promoted and dismissed the scholars of the realm. At this time the Master of Writing Han Fu was appointed Governor of Ji Province, the Palace Attendant Liu Dai Inspector of Yan Province, Zhang Zi of Yingchuan Administrator of Nanyang, Kong Zhou of Chenliu Inspector of Yu Province, and Zhang Miao of Dong Commandery Administrator of Chenliu. On reaching their posts, Han Fu and the others each raised troops and instead turned toward the capital, intending to kill Dong Zhuo. Records, Shu 8 §2–3

The Biography of Dong Zhuo likewise records that Dong Zhuo trusted the Master of Writing Zhou Bi, the Colonel of the City Gates Wu Qiong and others, and sent out Han Fu, Liu Dai, Kong Zhou, Zhang Zi, Zhang Miao and others whom they recommended to govern provinces and commanderies. When Han Fu and the others, on reaching their posts, all joined forces to attack Dong Zhuo, Dong Zhuo concluded that Zhou Bi, Wu Qiong and the others had colluded with them and betrayed him, and beheaded them all. Records, Wei 6 §10

In the Biography of Xu Jing, Dong Zhuo angrily told Zhou Bi, 'The men you gentlemen appointed turned around and came to plot against me on the very day they took office,' and had him beheaded outside. Since Xu Jing's elder cousin Xu Yang, Chancellor of Chen, had also plotted together with Kong Zhou, Xu Jing, fearing execution, fled to Kong Zhou. Records, Shu 8 §4

According to the Annals of Emperor Wu, in the 1st month of spring in the 1st year of Chuping (190), the General of the Rear Yuan Shu, the Governor of Ji Province Han Fu, the Inspector of Yu Province Kong Zhou, the Inspector of Yan Province Liu Dai, the Administrator of Henei Wang Kuang, the Administrator of Bohai Yuan Shao, the Administrator of Chenliu Zhang Miao, the Administrator of Dong Commandery Qiao Mao, the Administrator of Shanyang Yuan Yi and the Chancellor of Jibei Bao Xin raised troops at the same time, each with tens of thousands of men, and acclaimed Yuan Shao as leader of the alliance. In the 2nd month, when Dong Zhuo moved the Son of Heaven to Chang'an and burned the palaces of Luoyang, Yuan Shao was garrisoned at Henei, Zhang Miao, Liu Dai, Qiao Mao and Yuan Yi at Suanzao, and Yuan Shu at Nanyang, while Kong Zhou was garrisoned at Yingchuan. Because Dong Zhuo's army was strong, none of Yuan Shao and the others dared to advance first. Records, Wei 1 §7–8

According to the Biography of Zang Hong, when they gathered at Suanzao, Zhang Miao summoned Zang Hong, the Officer of Merit of his younger brother Zhang Chao, and, greatly impressed after meeting him, introduced him to Liu Gongshan of Yan Province and Kong Gongxu of Yu Province, both of whom became close to Zang Hong. When an altar was set up for the oath, the various provinces and commanderies deferred to one another and together put Zang Hong forward, and Zang Hong mounted the altar and, drinking the blood, swore that the Inspector of Yan Province Liu Dai, the Inspector of Yu Province Kong Zhou, the Administrator of Chenliu Zhang Miao, the Administrator of Dong Commandery Qiao Mao, the Administrator of Guangling Zhang Chao and others had gathered righteous troops to hasten together to the aid of the state in its peril. Records, Wei 7 §35 · 37–38

Kong Zhou's death appears only in a single line of the Biography of Xu Jing: 'When Kong Zhou died, Xu Jing went to rely on the Inspector of Yang Province Chen Yi.' Chen Shou's text does not record the year or the cause of Kong Zhou's death. Records, Shu 8 §4

In the Romance

In Chapter 5 of the Romance, when Cao Cao, invoking a forged edict, sends a call to arms against Dong Zhuo to the commanderies, the lords of every contingent raise troops in response. Kong Zhou is listed as the Inspector of Yu Province of the third contingent, after Yuan Shu of the first and Han Fu, Inspector of Ji Province, of the second, and the forces of the seventeen contingents, some of 30,000 men and some of ten or twenty thousand, each with its civil and military officers, head for Luoyang. Romance, Ch. 5 §6–9

When the lords have gathered, Cao Cao slaughters oxen and horses and discusses plans for the advance, and when Wang Kuang says that a leader of the alliance must be chosen, Yuan Shao becomes its leader on Cao Cao's recommendation. After Yuan Shao mounts a three-tiered altar, reads the oath and smears his lips with blood, the lords sit in two rows according to rank and age. The Romance does not mention Kong Zhou's name again at this gathering or in the battles that follow, nor does it record his death. Romance, Ch. 5 §13–15

Where the Romance differs

How he raised troops: In Chapter 5 of the Romance, Kong Zhou raises troops in response to the call to arms that Cao Cao sends out on the strength of a forged edict. In the Records, Dong Zhuo sent Kong Zhou out as Inspector of Yu Province on the recommendation of Zhou Bi and Wu Qiong, but Han Fu and the others, on reaching their posts, joined forces to attack Dong Zhuo, and for that reason Dong Zhuo beheaded Zhou Bi and Wu Qiong. Romance, Ch. 5 §6–7Records, Wei 6 §10Records, Shu 8 §3–4

The lords who rose with him: In Chapter 5 of the Romance, Kong Zhou is listed as the third of the seventeen contingents of lords. In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, those who raised troops at the same time in the 1st month of the 1st year of Chuping (190) were ten men, from Yuan Shu to Bao Xin, and Kong Zhou is listed third among them. Romance, Ch. 5 §7–9Records, Wei 1 §7

Where he was garrisoned: In Chapter 5 of the Romance, the forces of the various contingents head for Luoyang, and Cao Cao assembles the lords in a great gathering and has a leader of the alliance chosen. In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, Kong Zhou was garrisoned not at Suanzao, where Zhang Miao, Liu Dai and others gathered, but at Yingchuan. Romance, Ch. 5 §9 · 13Records, Wei 1 §8

Who took the oath: In Chapter 5 of the Romance, Yuan Shao, having become leader of the alliance, mounts the altar and reads an oath in which those swearing are named as 'We, Yuan Shao and the others.' In the Biography of Zang Hong in the Records, the various provinces and commanderies deferred to one another and put Zang Hong forward, and Zang Hong's oath includes the name of the Inspector of Yu Province, Kong Zhou. Romance, Ch. 5 §14Records, Wei 7 §38

His courtesy name and what followed: The Romance gives only his name and office, in Chapter 5. In the Records, his courtesy name, Gongxu, appears in the Biography of Zang Hong and his origin in Chenliu in the Biography of Xu Jing, which records that Xu Jing took refuge with Kong Zhou and, when Kong Zhou died, went to the Inspector of Yang Province Chen Yi. Romance, Ch. 5 §7Records, Wei 7 §37Records, Shu 8 §3–4

Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.

Abilities

The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.

LEASTRINTPOLCHAVIRADPSCHDIPDIS
Records (solid) vs Romance (dashed)
  • LEA3838±0
  • STR3131±0
  • INT3838±0
  • POL4242±0
  • CHA4540−5
  • VIR4545±0
  • ADP3838±0
  • SCH4240−2
  • DIP3838±0
  • DIS3836−2
Records · Romance scores and difference (Romance − Records · left = lowered by the Romance · right = raised)

Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more

No ability differs by 10 or more — the Romance portrays this person much as the Records do.

10 similar abilities — show evidence
  • LeadershipR38N38Unverified ±0

    RRaised troops and garrisoned Yingchuan, but no one dared to advance firstWei 1 §7Wei 1 §8

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being Inspector of Yu Province of the third contingentCh. 5 §7

  • StrengthR31UnverifiedN31Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his being a civil-official inspectorWei 1 §7

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being Inspector of Yu Province of the third contingentCh. 5 §7

  • IntelligenceR38UnverifiedN38Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Inspector of Yu ProvinceWei 1 §8

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being Inspector of Yu Province of the third contingentCh. 5 §7

  • PoliticsR42UnverifiedN42Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his being chosen as a scholar for Inspector of Yu ProvinceWei 6 §10Shu 8 §3

    NNo direct record — estimated from his post as Inspector of Yu ProvinceCh. 5 §7

  • CharismaR45N40Unverified −5

    RXu Jing, fleeing execution, ran to him and took refugeShu 8 §4

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being Inspector of Yu Province of the third contingentCh. 5 §7

  • VirtueR45UnverifiedN45Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his moving against Dong Zhuo once at his postWei 6 §10

    NNo direct record — estimated from his answering the call to armsCh. 5 §7

  • AdaptabilityR38UnverifiedN38Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Inspector of Yu ProvinceWei 6 §10

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being Inspector of Yu Province of the third contingentCh. 5 §7

  • ScholarshipR42UnverifiedN40Unverified −2

    RNo direct record — estimated from his being chosen as a scholarShu 8 §3

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being Inspector of Yu Province of the third contingentCh. 5 §7

  • DiplomacyR38UnverifiedN38Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his plotting together with Xu YangShu 8 §4

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being Inspector of Yu Province of the third contingentCh. 5 §7

  • DiscernmentR38UnverifiedN36Unverified −2

    RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Inspector of Yu ProvinceWei 1 §7

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being Inspector of Yu Province of the third contingentCh. 5 §7

Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)

3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.

Romance chapters (1)

AppearsNot present Chapter list →

Related events (1)

Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).