Su Yue 蘇越
| Occupation | RNOther | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Su Yue is a Luoyang craftsman who appears in Chapter 78 of the Romance. When Cao Cao, who has seen Guan Yu every night since burying him, wishes to build a new hall, the Jianshi Hall, Jia Xu recommends him as the most ingenious of the skilled craftsmen of Luoyang. Romance, Ch. 78 §5
Su Yue draws up and presents plans for a great hall nine bays wide, and points to a large pear tree beside the Yuelong Shrine as timber for its main beam. When Cao Cao hacks at the tree himself, blood spurts out, and that night, after the spirit of the pear tree appears, Cao Cao is seized by an unbearable headache. Romance, Ch. 78 §6–9
Of the 120 chapters of the Romance he appears only in Chapter 78, and no chapter has his name in its title. He does not appear in Chen Shou's main text and is recorded only in Pei Songzhi's commentary. The Annals of Emperor Wu in Chen Shou's main text record that in the 1st month of spring of the 25th year of Jian'an (220) the King (Cao Cao) arrived at Luoyang, and that on the gengzi day he died at Luoyang at the age of sixty-six. Romance, Ch. 78 §5Records, Wei 1 §171–172
In the Romance
In Chapter 78 of the Romance, Cao Cao, staying at Luoyang, has been seeing Guan Yu every night whenever he closes his eyes since burying him, and is greatly alarmed and afraid. When his officials say that the old halls of the Luoyang traveling palace are full of evil spirits and that he should build a new hall to live in, Cao Cao says that he would like to raise a hall and name it the Jianshi Hall, but regrets that there is no skilled craftsman. When Jia Xu says that among the skilled craftsmen of Luoyang there is one named Su Yue who is the most ingenious, Cao Cao summons him and has him draw up plans. Romance, Ch. 78 §5
Su Yue draws and presents a great hall nine bays wide, with corridors and towers front and back. When Cao Cao says the drawing suits his wishes very well but worries that there may be no timber for the pillars and beams, Su Yue reports that thirty li from the city there is a pool called the Yuelong Pool, and that beside the Yuelong Shrine in front of it stands a great pear tree more than ten zhang tall, fit to serve as the main beam of the Jianshi Hall. Romance, Ch. 78 §6
Cao Cao sends laborers to fell it, but the next day they report that a saw will not cut it and an axe will not bite into it. Cao Cao does not believe them and leads several hundred horsemen in person to the front of the Yuelong Shrine; flying into a rage at the village elders who try to stop him, saying that a divine being always dwells in the tree, he draws the sword at his side and hacks at the tree himself. It rings out with a clang and blood spurts out, spattering him all over; Cao Cao, aghast, throws down his sword and returns to the palace. Romance, Ch. 78 §7–8
That night a man in black clothes, with his hair hanging loose and a sword in his hand, appears and, declaring that he is the spirit of the pear tree, rebukes Cao Cao: in building the Jianshi Hall he harbors the intention of usurpation, and now he has even come to cut down the sacred tree. He then strikes at him with the sword. Cao Cao wakes with a start and is seized by an unbearable headache, and when it is not cured even though he seeks physicians far and wide, Hua Xin recommends Hua Tuo. In the Romance Su Yue's name appears only in this chapter's episode of the Jianshi Hall. Romance, Ch. 78 §9–10
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
There is no record in the main text of Chen Shou’s Records, so only the Romance score is given.
- LEA31
- STR31
- INT45
- POL40
- CHA35
- VIR40
- ADP40
- SCH38
- DIP38
- DIS33
Evidence by ability
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Luoyang craftsmanCh. 78 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Luoyang craftsmanCh. 78 §5
NPointed out the pear tree at the Yuelong Shrine as timber for the beam of the Jianshi HallCh. 78 §6
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Luoyang craftsmanCh. 78 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Luoyang craftsmanCh. 78 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Luoyang craftsmanCh. 78 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Luoyang craftsmanCh. 78 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Luoyang craftsmanCh. 78 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Luoyang craftsmanCh. 78 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Luoyang craftsmanCh. 78 §5
Special — talents Romance +25
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Shipbuilding & engineering
NMaster +25 Jia Xu called him the most ingenious of the Luoyang craftsmen, and he drew up the plans for the hallCh. 78 §5Ch. 78 §6
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 →