RNo direct record — estimated from the record of his being killed after fleeing in defeatWei 1 §160
NJudging he could not hold out, led his unit over in surrenderCh. 64 §11
Wu Lan 吳蘭
Profile
Wu Lan was a general of Liu Bei. He has no biography of his own in the Records, and his name appears in the Annals of Emperor Wu, the Biography of the First Sovereign, and the biographies of Cao Xiu, Zhang Ji and Zhou Qun. In the 22nd year of Jian'an (217), Liu Bei stationed him at Xiabian together with Zhang Fei, Ma Chao and others, but he was heavily defeated by Cao Hong, whom Cao Cao had sent. Records, Wei 1 §156 · 158Records, Wei 9 §55–56Records, Wei 15 §43Records, Shu 12 §12
In the 3rd month of the 23rd year of Jian'an (218), Qiang Duan, a Di chieftain of Yinping, beheaded Wu Lan and sent his head. The Biography of the First Sovereign and the biography of Zhou Qun record that the generals Wu Lan, Lei Tong and others who entered Wudu were all lost. Records, Wei 1 §159–160Records, Shu 2 §37Records, Shu 12 §12
In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 62 as a man recommended as a lieutenant general by Wu Yi, the brother-in-law of Liu Zhang, and he appears in 6 of the 120 chapters, though no chapter has his name in its title. After fighting Liu Bei's army at Luo, he surrenders together with Lei Tong in Chapter 64, becomes Ma Chao's vanguard, and in Chapter 72 is stabbed by Cao Zhang's halberd and falls from his horse. Romance, Ch. 62 §49Romance, Ch. 64 §11Romance, Ch. 69 §45Romance, Ch. 72 §24
In the Records
In the 22nd year of Jian'an (217), Liu Bei sent Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Wu Lan and others to be stationed at Xiabian, and Cao Cao sent Cao Hong to resist them. According to the biography of Cao Xiu, Taizu made Cao Xiu Chief Commandant of Cavalry and had him take part in Cao Hong's army, saying, 'Though you are an adviser to the army, you are in fact its commander.' Records, Wei 1 §156 · 158Records, Wei 9 §55
When Liu Bei stationed Zhang Fei at Gushan, intending to cut off the rear of the army, the others hesitated in their deliberations. Cao Xiu said that if the enemy really meant to cut the road, they ought to lay ambushes and move in secret, yet they were first trumpeting their strength, which showed that they could not do it, and he urged them to strike Wu Lan quickly before the enemy could gather. If Wu Lan were defeated, he said, Zhang Fei would flee of his own accord; Cao Hong followed this advice, attacked Wu Lan and routed him, and Zhang Fei did indeed flee. The biography of Zhang Ji also records that Zhang Ji defeated Wu Lan at Xiabian together with Cao Hong. Records, Wei 9 §55–56Records, Wei 15 §43
The Annals of Emperor Wu record that Cao Hong defeated Wu Lan and beheaded his general Ren Kui and others. In the 3rd month of the 23rd year of Jian'an (218), Zhang Fei and Ma Chao fled to Hanzhong, and Qiang Duan, a Di chieftain of Yinping, beheaded Wu Lan and sent his head. Records, Wei 1 §159–160
The Biography of the First Sovereign records this under the 23rd year of Jian'an (218): as the First Sovereign led his generals forward to Hanzhong, he sent the generals Wu Lan, Lei Tong and others separately into Wudu, but all of them were wiped out by Lord Cao's army. Records, Shu 2 §37
According to the biography of Zhou Qun, when the First Sovereign, intending to contend with Lord Cao for Hanzhong, asked his opinion, Zhou Qun answered that he would gain the land but not its people, and that if he sent out a detached force it would surely fare badly. When Wu Lan, Lei Tong and others entered Wudu and were all lost and did not return, everything was as Zhou Qun had said, and so Zhou Qun was recommended as Flourishing Talent (maocai). Records, Shu 12 §11–12
In the Romance
In Chapter 62 of the Romance, Wu Yi, the brother-in-law of Liu Zhang, sets out to relieve Luo, recommends Wu Lan and Lei Tong as his lieutenant generals, musters 20,000 troops and reaches Luo. When Leng Bao proposes breaching the Fu River to drown Liu Bei's soldiers, Wu Yi has Leng Bao breach the river and has Wu Lan and Lei Tong lead troops to support him from behind. In Chapter 63, Leng Bao is captured by Wei Yan, and Wu Lan and Lei Tong, coming to his rescue, are driven back by Huang Zhong's troops. Romance, Ch. 62 §49–50Romance, Ch. 63 §4
In the same chapter, after Pang Tong dies by Zhang Ren's arrows and Wei Yan charges toward Luo, Wu Lan and Lei Tong, the generals defending Luo, block his way in front while Zhang Ren pursues from behind, surrounding Wei Yan in the middle. While the two generals turn back to help when their rear troops fall into disorder of their own accord, Huang Zhong rushes up and, together with Wei Yan, routs the two generals. When Liu Bei's army returns to its camp, Wu Lan, together with Liu Gui and Lei Tong, again leads the pursuit. Romance, Ch. 63 §19–21
In Chapter 64, Zhang Ren has Wu Lan and Lei Tong go out by the north gate and swing round to the east gate to meet Huang Zhong and Wei Yan, and the two generals, together with Wu Yi and Liu Gui from inside the city, attack Huang Zhong and Wei Yan and drive them east. But, intent only on pursuing Huang Zhong and Wei Yan, they have their way back cut off by Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, and judging that they cannot hold out, they bring the troops of their own units and surrender. In Chapter 65, Liu Bei, having made himself Governor of Yi Province, promotes and employs all of the more than 60 civil and military officials who surrendered, including Wu Lan and Lei Tong. Romance, Ch. 64 §6–7 · 10–11Romance, Ch. 65 §46
In Chapter 69, Ma Chao reaches Xiabian and sends Wu Lan out as his vanguard to reconnoiter. When they run into Cao Hong's troops and Wu Lan wants to withdraw, his lieutenant Ren Kui asks with what face they could face Mengqi and goes forward, only to be cut down by Cao Hong, and Wu Lan returns badly defeated. When Ma Chao rebukes him for underestimating the enemy and losing without orders, Wu Lan answers that they lost because Ren Kui would not listen to him, and Ma Chao tells him to hold the narrow passes firmly. Romance, Ch. 69 §45–46
In Chapter 72, after Cao Zhang drives off Liu Feng, the two forces of Ma Chao and Wu Lan charge in and Cao Cao's troops flee in defeat. At this moment Cao Zhang encounters Wu Lan and within a few bouts stabs him once with his halberd, knocking him from his horse. Romance, Ch. 72 §23–24
Where the Romance differs
First appearance: In Chapter 62 of the Romance, Wu Lan comes to Luo as a lieutenant general recommended by Wu Yi, the brother-in-law of Liu Zhang, and fights Liu Bei's army. The Records have neither a record of Wu Lan serving under Liu Zhang nor any record of the fighting at Luo, and he appears from the start as a general sent by Liu Bei. Romance, Ch. 62 §49Records, Wei 1 §158Records, Wei 9 §55Records, Shu 2 §37
Surrender: In Chapter 64 of the Romance, with his way back cut off, Wu Lan surrenders to Liu Bei together with Lei Tong, and he is promoted in Chapter 65. The Records do not state when or how Wu Lan came to serve under Liu Bei. Romance, Ch. 64 §11Romance, Ch. 65 §46Records, Wei 1 §158Records, Shu 2 §37
The battle at Xiabian: In Chapter 69 of the Romance, Ma Chao sends Wu Lan out from Xiabian as his vanguard to reconnoiter, and when his lieutenant Ren Kui is cut down by Cao Hong, Wu Lan is defeated and rebuked by Ma Chao. Zhang Fei is holding Baxi together with Lei Tong. In the Records, Liu Bei stationed Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Wu Lan and others together at Xiabian, and when Cao Hong, following Cao Xiu's advice, routed Wu Lan and beheaded his general Ren Kui and others, Zhang Fei fled. Romance, Ch. 69 §45–46Records, Wei 1 §158 · 160Records, Wei 9 §55–56
Death: In Chapter 72 of the Romance, Wu Lan is stabbed by Cao Zhang's halberd during the fighting for Hanzhong and falls from his horse. In the Records, after his defeat at Xiabian, Qiang Duan, a Di chieftain of Yinping, beheaded him in the 3rd month of the 23rd year of Jian'an (218) and sent his head. The account of Cao Zhang in the Biographies of the Princes of Rencheng, Chen and Xiao (Records of Wei 19) has no fight with Wu Lan. Romance, Ch. 72 §24Records, Wei 1 §159–160Records, Wei 19 §1–10
Zhou Qun's prediction: In the biography of Zhou Qun in the Records, Zhou Qun said that sending out a detached force would surely fare badly, and his words came true when Wu Lan, Lei Tong and others who entered Wudu were all lost. In the Romance, Zhou Qun appears only by name in Chapter 65 among the surrendered officials who are promoted, and this prediction is absent. Records, Shu 12 §11–12Romance, Ch. 65 §46
Position: The Records call him 'the general Wu Lan'. In the Romance he appears as Wu Yi's lieutenant general, a general defending Luo, and Ma Chao's vanguard. Records, Shu 2 §37Records, Shu 12 §12Romance, Ch. 62 §49Romance, Ch. 63 §20Romance, Ch. 69 §45
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 total354 / 1000Rank 879 of 996 · Top 89%Romance total379 / 1000Rank 681 of 1,113 · Top 62%
Romance adaptation index+25Romance total − Records total
- LEA4045+5
- STR4045+5
- INT3538+3
- POL3131±0
- CHA3535±0
- VIR4540−5
- ADP3552+17
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3131±0
- DIS3131±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
9 similar abilities — show evidence
REntered Wudu and was wiped out, and was routed by Cao Hong at XiabianShu 2 §37Wei 1 §160
NCaught Wei Yan in a pincer, but had his retreat cut off while pursuing and was badly defeated at XiabianCh. 63 §20Ch. 64 §11Ch. 69 §45
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a generalWei 1 §158
NClashed with Cao Zhang and was stabbed from his horse within a few boutsCh. 72 §24
RNo direct record — estimated from the record of his defeat while stationed at XiabianWei 9 §56
NIntent only on pursuing Huang Zhong and Wei Yan, had his retreat cut offCh. 64 §11
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a generalWei 1 §158
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant generalCh. 62 §49
RNo direct record — estimated from the record of his being beheaded by the Di chieftain Qiang DuanWei 1 §160
NHis lieutenant Ren Kui disregarded his words and went out to fightCh. 69 §45
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a generalWei 1 §158
NSurrendered to Liu Bei and blamed the defeat on Ren KuiCh. 64 §11Ch. 69 §46
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a generalWei 1 §158
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant generalCh. 62 §49
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a generalWei 1 §158
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant generalCh. 62 §49
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a generalWei 1 §158
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant generalCh. 62 §49
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 (6)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Related events (2)
- Hanzhong Campaign 217~219 · Command
- Cao Cao Withdraws through Xie Valley 219 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).