Huang Wan 黃琬
| Occupation | RNOfficial · Grand Commandant | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R6 |
Profile
Huang Wan served as Minister over the Masses and Grand Commandant at the Later Han court. He has no biography of his own in the Records; in Chen Shou's main text his name appears in the accounts of Shi Yi, younger brother of Shi Xie, and of Hua Tuo. When Ding Gong was dismissed, Huang Wan replaced him as Minister over the Masses and treated Shi Yi with great courtesy, and as Grand Commandant he summoned Hua Tuo, who did not come. Records, Wu 4 §36Records, Wei 29 §2
Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, his origin or his death. A Huang Wan also appears in the Biography of Lai Min in the Records of Shu, as the husband of the elder sister of Lai Min and the nephew of Liu Zhang's grandmother, but the text does not say whether he is the same man. Records, Wu 4 §36Records, Wei 29 §2Records, Shu 12 §39
In the Romance he first appears as Grand Commandant in Chapter 6 and appears in 3 of its 120 chapters; his name is in no chapter title. In Chapter 6 he opposes Dong Zhuo's move of the capital to Chang'an and is dismissed and made a commoner together with Yang Biao and Xun Shuang, and in Chapter 9, as Colonel-Director of Retainers, he discusses with Wang Yun and Shisun Rui how to kill Dong Zhuo. In Chapter 57 his son Huang Kui says that his father Huang Wan died in the disorder of Li Jue and Guo Si. Romance, Ch. 6 §6–7Romance, Ch. 9 §14–15Romance, Ch. 57 §45
In the Records
The story of Shi Yi, younger brother of Shi Xie, is in Records of Wu 4, the Biographies of Liu Yao, Taishi Ci and Shi Xie. Shi Yi was at first Investigator of his commandery. When the Inspector Ding Gong was summoned back to the capital, Shi Yi attended him and saw him off diligently and sincerely, and at parting Ding Gong said that if he rose to one of the Three Excellencies he would summon Shi Yi to office. Later Ding Gong became Minister over the Masses and summoned Shi Yi, but by the time Shi Yi arrived Ding Gong had already been dismissed, and Huang Wan, who had replaced him as Minister over the Masses, treated Shi Yi with great courtesy. When Dong Zhuo later brought disorder, Shi Yi fled back to his home district. Records, Wu 4 §36
According to the Biographies of Technicians in Records of Wei 29, Hua Tuo, a man of Qiao County in Pei State, studied in the region of Xu and became versed in several classics. The Chancellor of Pei, Chen Gui, recommended him as Filial and Incorrupt and the Grand Commandant Huang Wan summoned him, but Hua Tuo accepted neither. Records, Wei 29 §2
A man named Huang Wan also appears in the Biography of Lai Min in Records of Shu 12. When great disorder broke out at the end of the Han, Lai Min fled to Jing Province with his elder sister's husband. Because this brother-in-law, Huang Wan, was the nephew of Liu Zhang's grandmother, Liu Zhang sent men to bring Huang Wan's wife to him, and Lai Min entered Shu together with his sister. Chen Shou's main text does not say whether this Huang Wan is the same man as the Huang Wan who served as Minister over the Masses and Grand Commandant. Records, Shu 12 §39
Chen Shou's main text does not record Huang Wan's courtesy name, his home district, or what became of him afterwards and how he died, and his name is absent from the assessments to the Biography of Shi Xie and the Biographies of Technicians. Records, Wu 4 §36 · 51Records, Wei 29 §2 · 86
In the Romance
In Chapter 6 of the Romance, Dong Zhuo gathers the civil and military officials in the court hall and says that Luoyang's fortunes are already spent, so he will escort the emperor's carriage to Chang'an; the Minister over the Masses Yang Biao objects, fearing that the people will be alarmed and unsettled. When Dong Zhuo grows angry, the Grand Commandant Huang Wan steps forward to say that Minister Yang is right. Huang Wan says that in the past, when Wang Mang usurped the throne and the Gengshi Emperor and the Red Eyebrows rose, Chang'an was burned until it was nothing but rubble and not one or two in a hundred of its people remained, and that it is not fitting to abandon the palaces and go to a ruined land. Romance, Ch. 6 §5–6
Dong Zhuo replies that Chang'an has the natural defences of Mount Xiao and the Hangu Pass and lies near Longyou, so that building palaces there will take less than a month, and tells them not to talk wildly again. When the Minister over the Masses Xun Shuang also remonstrates, Dong Zhuo flies into a rage, that same day dismisses Yang Biao, Huang Wan and Xun Shuang and makes them commoners, and then beheads the Master of Writing Zhou Bi and the Colonel of the City Gates Wu Qiong, who have come to remonstrate. Romance, Ch. 6 §6–8
In Chapter 9, after Lü Bu pricks his arm to draw blood and swears to kill Dong Zhuo, Wang Yun at once invites the Supervisor Shisun Rui and the Colonel-Director of Retainers Huang Wan to consult. When Shisun Rui proposes sending a good talker to the Mei Fortress to lure Dong Zhuo to court, and giving Lü Bu a secret edict of the Son of Heaven so that armoured soldiers can be hidden inside the palace gate, Huang Wan asks who would dare to go. Shisun Rui proposes sending Li Su, Chief Commandant of Cavalry and a man of the same commandery as Lü Bu, who resents Dong Zhuo for not promoting him, and Wang Yun agrees. Romance, Ch. 9 §14–15
In Chapter 57, Huang Kui, Attendant Gentleman of the Gate, who has gone to Ma Teng's camp on Cao Cao's orders, says when he is half drunk that his father Huang Wan died in the disorder of Li Jue and Guo Si and that he has always borne a bitter grudge, and that he never expected to meet today another traitor who slights his sovereign. Huang Kui reveals that this traitor is Cao Cao and plots with Ma Teng to kill him. Romance, Ch. 57 §44–46
Where the Romance differs
Offices: In the Romance, Huang Wan appears as Grand Commandant in Chapter 6 and as Colonel-Director of Retainers in Chapter 9. Chen Shou's main text says only that he replaced Ding Gong as Minister over the Masses and treated Shi Yi, younger brother of Shi Xie, with courtesy, and that as Grand Commandant he summoned Hua Tuo; it does not say that he was Colonel-Director of Retainers. Romance, Ch. 6 §6Romance, Ch. 9 §14Records, Wu 4 §36Records, Wei 29 §2
The debate on moving the capital: In Chapter 6 of the Romance, Huang Wan opposes moving the capital to Chang'an and that same day is dismissed and made a commoner together with Yang Biao and Xun Shuang. The Biography of Dong Zhuo in the Records records only that in the 2nd month of the 1st year of Chuping (190) Dong Zhuo, alarmed that the heroes east of the mountains had risen all at once, moved the Son of Heaven and made Chang'an the capital; Huang Wan does not appear in such a debate in Chen Shou's main text. Romance, Ch. 6 §6–7Records, Wei 6 §11
The plot to kill Dong Zhuo: In Chapter 9 of the Romance, Huang Wan discusses killing Dong Zhuo with Wang Yun and Shisun Rui. In the Biography of Dong Zhuo in the Records, those who plotted together to kill Dong Zhuo were the Minister over the Masses Wang Yun, the Supervisor of the Imperial Secretariat Shisun Rui and Dong Zhuo's general Lü Bu; Huang Wan does not appear. Romance, Ch. 9 §14–15Records, Wei 6 §16
His death and his son: In Chapter 57 of the Romance, his son Huang Kui says that his father Huang Wan died in the disorder of Li Jue and Guo Si. Chen Shou's main text does not record Huang Wan's death, and Huang Kui does not appear in it. Romance, Ch. 57 §45Records, Wu 4 §36Records, Wei 29 §2
Hua Tuo: In Chapter 15 of the Romance, Hua Tuo first appears when he comes to Sun Ce on Yu Fan's recommendation and heals Zhou Tai's wounds, and Yu Fan introduces him only as a man of Qiao in Pei State. The Biographies of Technicians in the Records give his earlier history: Chen Gui recommended him as Filial and Incorrupt and the Grand Commandant Huang Wan summoned him, but he accepted neither. Romance, Ch. 15 §67–68Records, Wei 29 §2
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 total425 / 1000Rank 476 of 996 · Top 48%Romance total470 / 1000Rank 171 of 1,113 · Top 16%
Romance adaptation index+45Romance total − Records total
- LEA3131±0
- STR3131±0
- INT4258+16
- POL4850+2
- CHA4845−3
- VIR5076+26
- ADP4040±0
- SCH4242±0
- DIP3855+17
- DIS5542−13
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
6 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct recordWu 4 §36
NNo direct record — after his dismissal he died in the disorder of Li Jue and Guo SiCh. 6 §7Ch. 57 §45
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 →
Family
| Children | Huang Kui Romance |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.