REscorted grain with more than 10,000 men and was defeated by Cao CaoWei 1 §69Wei 1 §70
NDrank every day at Wuchao and lost the grain through lack of defenceCh. 30 §21Ch. 30 §39Ch. 30 §47
Chunyu Qiong 淳于瓊
| Occupation | RGeneral NGeneral · Colonel of the Left Army | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | R? Unverified | Native place | |
| Died | R200 Unverified | Place of death | RWuchao |
| Cause of death | RExecuted NExecuted Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R16 |
Profile
Chunyu Qiong was a general of Yuan Shao. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears only in the passages on the battle of Guandu in the Annals of Emperor Wu, the Biography of Yuan Shao, and the biographies of Xun Yu, Xun You, Yue Jin and Zhang He. In the 2nd month of the 5th year of Jian'an (200) he set out with Guo Tu and Yan Liang to attack Liu Yan, Administrator of Dong Commandery, at Baima, and in the 10th month of that winter he led more than 10,000 troops escorting Yuan Shao's grain wagons and camped at Wuchao. Records, Wei 1 §58 · 60 · 68Records, Wei 6 §53Records, Wei 10 §32 · 59Records, Wei 17 §21 · 42
When Xu You, who had fled from Yuan Shao, urged Cao Cao to attack Chunyu Qiong and the others, Cao Cao personally led 5,000 infantry and cavalry against Wuchao. Chunyu Qiong was defeated while holding his camp and was beheaded, and at this news Zhang He and Gao Lan surrendered to Cao Cao, and Yuan Shao's army collapsed. Records, Wei 1 §69–70
In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 3 as Colonel of the Left Army and appears in 3 of its 120 chapters; his name is in no chapter title. In Chapter 30 the Romance portrays him as a hard-tempered general fond of wine, who drinks all day at Wuchao and is lying drunk when Cao Cao's attack comes. Romance, Ch. 3 §22Romance, Ch. 30 §21 · 39
In the Records
In the 2nd month of the 5th year of Jian'an (200), Yuan Shao sent Guo Tu, Chunyu Qiong and Yan Liang to attack Liu Yan, Administrator of Dong Commandery, at Baima, while he himself led his troops to Liyang, intending to cross the Yellow River. In the 4th month Cao Cao came north to relieve Liu Yan, and following Xun You's plan he made a surprise attack on Baima, beheaded Yan Liang and lifted the siege. Records, Wei 1 §58 · 60–61
Yuan Shao advanced to Guandu with his camps linked one to another and confronted Cao Cao for several months. In the 10th month of that winter, Yuan Shao had grain carried by wagon and ordered five men, Chunyu Qiong among them, to escort it with more than 10,000 troops; they camped 40 li north of Yuan Shao's camp. The Biography of Yuan Shao records that at this time Ju Shou proposed sending the general Jiang Qi to form a separate detachment on the outer flank to cut off raids by Lord Cao, but Yuan Shao did not follow this advice, and that the place where Chunyu Qiong camped was Wuchao, 40 li from Yuan Shao's camp. Records, Wei 1 §64 · 68Records, Wei 6 §53
Yuan Shao's strategist Xu You fled to Cao Cao and urged him to attack Chunyu Qiong and the others. According to Xun You's biography, Xu You said that Yuan Shao had given Chunyu Qiong and the others more than 10,000 troops to meet the grain being transported, but that the general was arrogant and the soldiers idle, so they could be intercepted and attacked. Those around Cao Cao had doubts, but when Xun You and Jia Xu urged him on, Cao Cao left Cao Hong to hold the camp, personally led 5,000 infantry and cavalry, set out at night and arrived at about dawn. Records, Wei 1 §69Records, Wei 10 §59–60
Seeing that Cao Cao's troops were few, Chunyu Qiong and the others came out and drew up their ranks outside the gate of their camp. When Cao Cao attacked swiftly, Chunyu Qiong withdrew to hold the camp, and Cao Cao assaulted it. On Yuan Shao's side, Zhang He argued that Lord Cao's troops were elite and would surely defeat Chunyu Qiong and the others, and that the great enterprise would then be finished, so they must hurry to the rescue; but Guo Tu countered that it would be better to attack Cao Cao's main camp. Yuan Shao told his eldest son Yuan Tan that if they took the enemy's camp while the enemy was attacking Chunyu Qiong and the others, the enemy would have nowhere to return to; he sent only light cavalry to rescue Chunyu Qiong and had Zhang He and Gao Lan attack Cao Cao's camp. Records, Wei 1 §69–70Records, Wei 17 §43
As Yuan Shao's cavalry drew near, those around Cao Cao proposed dividing the troops to hold them off, but Cao Cao said angrily that they should report only when the enemy was at their backs. The soldiers all fought to the death, routed Chunyu Qiong and the others, and beheaded them all. Yue Jin's biography records that Yue Jin fought hard at Guandu and beheaded Yuan Shao's general Chunyu Qiong. Records, Wei 1 §69–70Records, Wei 17 §21
Hearing that Chunyu Qiong had been defeated, Zhang He and the others came and surrendered, and Yuan Shao's army collapsed; Yuan Shao and Yuan Tan abandoned their troops and fled across the Yellow River. Xun Yu's biography records that when Cao Cao's grain was running out and he wanted to return to Xu, Xun Yu kept him there, saying that now was the time to use an unorthodox stratagem; in the end a surprise force raided Yuan Shao's detached camp and beheaded his general Chunyu Qiong and the others, and Yuan Shao withdrew in flight. Records, Wei 1 §70Records, Wei 6 §54Records, Wei 10 §31–32
In the Romance
In Chapter 3 of the Romance, when Min Gong leaves Cui Yi's farmstead with the Emperor and the Prince of Chenliu, Chunyu Qiong, as Colonel of the Left Army, comes to meet the imperial carriage together with the Minister over the Masses Wang Yun, the Grand Commandant Yang Biao, the Colonel of the Right Army Zhao Meng, the Colonel of the Rear Army Bao Xin, the Colonel of the Centre Army Yuan Shao and others. In Chapter 22, when Cao Cao is discussing the war with Yuan Shao, Kong Rong urges him to make peace, saying that Gao Lan, Zhang He, Chunyu Qiong and others are all generals famous throughout the realm. Romance, Ch. 3 §22Romance, Ch. 22 §29–30
At the battle of Guandu in Chapter 30, Chunyu Qiong stands with Zhang He, Gao Lan, Han Meng and others to the left and right before Yuan Shao's battle line. After Han Meng is defeated while guarding grain, Shen Pei says that Wuchao is where the grain is stored and must be guarded by a large force, and Yuan Shao has his senior general Chunyu Qiong lead Sui Yuanjin and other commanders with 20,000 men to guard Wuchao. The Romance describes Chunyu Qiong as hard-tempered and fond of wine, so that many of the soldiers feared him, and says that on reaching Wuchao he gathered with the other generals and drank all day. Romance, Ch. 30 §5 · 20–21
Xu You, who has defected to Cao Cao, tells him that Chunyu Qiong is fond of wine and keeps no guard, and urges him to go there pretending that Yuan Shao's general Jiang Qi has come to guard the grain, and to burn the grain and baggage. In Yuan Shao's camp Ju Shou observes the heavens and advises preparing a defence of Wuchao, but Yuan Shao angrily rebukes him. Cao Cao hoists the banners of Yuan Shao's army and passes through by claiming to be Jiang Qi's troops, reaching Wuchao when the fourth watch has already ended. Romance, Ch. 30 §32 · 35–37 · 39
When Cao Cao's troops set fires all around and storm in beating their drums, Chunyu Qiong is lying drunk in his tent after drinking with the other generals; while he is still asking what the commotion is about, he is caught with a hook and dragged down. When he is brought before Cao Cao as a captive, Cao Cao has his ears, nose and fingers cut off, ties him onto a horse and sends him back to Yuan Shao's camp as an insult. Romance, Ch. 30 §39–41
While gathering the troops and horses that have come back defeated from Wuchao, Yuan Shao sees Chunyu Qiong with his ears and nose gone and his hands and feet cut off. When he asks how Wuchao was lost and the defeated soldiers report that Chunyu Qiong was lying drunk and so could not resist the enemy, Yuan Shao angrily has him beheaded on the spot. Romance, Ch. 30 §46–47
Where the Romance differs
First appearance: In Chapter 3 of the Romance, Chunyu Qiong appears as Colonel of the Left Army among the officials who welcome the imperial carriage. In Chen Shou's main text he first appears in the attack on Baima in the 5th year of Jian'an (200), and no office of his is recorded. Romance, Ch. 3 §22Records, Wei 1 §60 · 68–70Records, Wei 6 §53–54Records, Wei 10 §32 · 59–60Records, Wei 17 §21 · 42–44
Baima: In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, Yuan Shao sends Guo Tu, Chunyu Qiong and Yan Liang to Baima. In Chapter 25 of the Romance, Yuan Shao merely makes his senior general Yan Liang the vanguard to attack Baima, and Chunyu Qiong does not appear. Records, Wei 1 §60Romance, Ch. 25 §39
The troops at Wuchao: In Chapter 30 of the Romance, Chunyu Qiong guards Wuchao with 20,000 men, leading Sui Yuanjin and other commanders. The Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records say that five men including Chunyu Qiong escorted the grain wagons with more than 10,000 troops, and the Biography of Yuan Shao also gives more than 10,000. Romance, Ch. 30 §20Records, Wei 1 §68Records, Wei 6 §53
Wine: Chapter 30 of the Romance portrays Chunyu Qiong as fond of wine, drinking all day at Wuchao and lying drunk when Cao Cao attacks. Chen Shou's main text says nothing about wine. In Xun You's biography Xu You says that the general was arrogant and the soldiers idle, and in the Annals of Emperor Wu, Chunyu Qiong and the others came out and drew up their ranks outside the camp gate, then withdrew to hold the camp. Romance, Ch. 30 §21 · 39Records, Wei 10 §59Records, Wei 1 §69 · 68–70Records, Wei 6 §53–54Records, Wei 17 §21 · 42–44
The relief force and Jiang Qi: In Chapter 30 of the Romance, Yuan Shao sends Jiang Qi with 10,000 troops to relieve Wuchao, and Jiang Qi is cut down by Zhang Liao. In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, Jiang Qi is merely the general whom Ju Shou named to command a separate detachment, and Yuan Shao did not follow that advice. What Yuan Shao sent to rescue Chunyu Qiong was cavalry, and Zhang He's biography records that he sent only light cavalry. Romance, Ch. 30 §43–44Records, Wei 6 §53–54Records, Wei 17 §43
Death: In Chapter 30 of the Romance, Cao Cao cuts off Chunyu Qiong's ears, nose and fingers and sends him back, and Yuan Shao beheads him, holding him responsible for the loss of Wuchao. In Chen Shou's main text, Cao Cao's troops defeated Chunyu Qiong and the others and beheaded them all, and Yue Jin's biography records that Yue Jin beheaded Chunyu Qiong. Nothing is said of Yuan Shao killing Chunyu Qiong. Romance, Ch. 30 §41 · 47Records, Wei 1 §70Records, Wei 6 §54Records, Wei 10 §60Records, Wei 17 §21
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.
Records total366 / 1000Rank 810 of 996 · Top 82%Romance total305 / 1000Rank 1,061 of 1,113 · Top 96%
Romance adaptation index−61Romance total − Records total
- LEA4525−20
- STR4248+6
- INT3522−13
- POL3331−2
- CHA3828−10
- VIR4228−14
- ADP3830−8
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3131±0
- DIS3131±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWei 1 §70
NFond of wine, drinking all day at the post entrusted to himCh. 30 §21
RNo direct record — recorded as camping 40 li from the main campWei 6 §53
NLay drunk and failed to notice the attackCh. 30 §32Ch. 30 §39
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWei 1 §68
NHis hard temper made many soldiers fear himCh. 30 §21
6 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — a general sent to attack BaimaWei 1 §60
NNamed by Kong Rong as a general famous throughout the realmCh. 22 §30
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWei 1 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a generalCh. 30 §20
RNo direct record — drew up outside the camp, then withdrew to hold itWei 1 §69
NNo direct record — executed by Yuan Shao after the defeatCh. 30 §47
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWei 1 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a generalCh. 30 §20
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 (3)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Related events (4)
- Battle of Wuchao 200 · Command
- Battle of Baima 200 · Command
- Battle of Guandu 200 · Command
- Cao Cao Raids Wuchao and Burns the Grain 200 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).