RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 14 §30
NWhen suspected, opened the city gates to let the Shu army in and surrenderedCh. 93 §27Ch. 93 §28
Yin Shang 尹賞
| Occupation | ROfficial · Bearer of the Golden Mace NOfficial · Prefect of Jicheng | Faction | Shu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R2 |
Profile
Yin Shang was Registrar of Tianshui Commandery in Wei. When Zhuge Liang attacked Qishan in the 6th year of Jianxing (228), Yin Shang was accompanying the Administrator of Tianshui on a tour of inspection together with Jiang Wei, Liang Xu, Liang Qian and others; suspected by the Administrator, he could not get into the city and went over to Zhuge Liang. Records, Shu 5 §32Records, Shu 14 §29–30
In Shu he became Bearer of the Golden Mace, and he died before the fall of Shu. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears only in these two passages of the Biography of Jiang Wei. Records, Shu 14 §30 · 50
In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 92 as the Registrar who urges Ma Zun, Administrator of Tianshui, to rescue Xiahou Mao, and he appears in 2 of its 120 chapters; his name is in no chapter title. In Chapter 93, when Ma Zun suspects him of acting as an inside man, he proposes to Liang Xu that they surrender the city and submit to Shu, opens the city gates with him to let the Shu army in, and is then appointed Prefect of Jicheng by Zhuge Liang. Romance, Ch. 92 §45Romance, Ch. 93 §27 · 29
In the Records
Yin Shang was Registrar of Tianshui Commandery in Wei. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears twice in the Biography of Jiang Wei. The Records do not record his courtesy name or native place. Records, Shu 14 §30 · 50
In the spring of the 6th year of Jianxing (228), Zhuge Liang personally led the armies to attack Qishan, and the three commanderies of Nan'an, Tianshui and Anding rebelled against Wei and responded to Zhuge Liang. At this time the Administrator of Tianshui happened to be out on a tour of inspection of his jurisdiction, accompanied by Jiang Wei, the Officer of Merit Liang Xu, the Registrar Yin Shang, the Recorder Liang Qian and others. Records, Shu 5 §32Records, Shu 14 §29–30
On hearing that the Shu army was about to arrive and that the counties were responding to it, the Administrator suspected that Jiang Wei and the others all harbored disloyal intentions, and fled by night to hold Shanggui. Jiang Wei and the others realized that the Administrator had gone and pursued him, but were too late; when they reached the city gate, it was already shut and they were not admitted. They went back together to Ji County, but Ji too refused to let Jiang Wei in, and Jiang Wei and the others at last went together to Zhuge Liang. Records, Shu 14 §30
Just then Ma Su was defeated at Jieting, and Zhuge Liang gathered up more than a thousand households of Xi County together with Jiang Wei and the others and took them back with him. The Biography of Zhuge Liang records that Zhuge Liang then returned to Hanzhong. Records, Shu 14 §30–31Records, Shu 5 §33
At the end of the Biography of Jiang Wei, Chen Shou recorded that among those who had once come to Shu together with Jiang Wei, Liang Xu rose in office to Grand Herald, Yin Shang became Bearer of the Golden Mace and Liang Qian Grand Prolonger, and that all of them died before the fall of Shu. The Records do not record the year of Yin Shang's death. Records, Shu 14 §50
In the Romance
In Chapter 92 of the Romance, Ma Zun, Administrator of Tianshui, hears that Xiahou Mao is trapped inside the city of Nan'an and gathers his civil and military officials to consult. The Registrar Yin Shang, together with the Officer of Merit Liang Xu, the Recorder Liang Qian and others, says that the Imperial Son-in-Law Xiahou is a branch of gold and leaf of jade, and that if anything should happen to him they could hardly escape the charge of having sat by and watched, and urges that all the troops of the command be raised to rescue him. Romance, Ch. 92 §45
In Chapter 93, following Jiang Wei's plan, Ma Zun goes out of the city with Liang Qian and leaves only Liang Xu and Yin Shang to hold it. After driving off Zhao Yun, Jiang Wei says that Kongming will surely come in person and divides the troops into four groups: the Administrator Ma Zun, Liang Qian and Yin Shang each lead a unit to lie in ambush outside the city, while Liang Xu leads the townspeople in defending the walls. Romance, Ch. 93 §1–2 · 8
After Jiang Wei has surrendered to Shu, he tells Zhuge Liang that Yin Shang and Liang Xu inside the city of Tianshui are on very close terms with him, and that if two secret letters are written and shot into the city, there will be disorder within. Ma Zun, on receiving the letters, suspects that the two have joined hands with Jiang Wei to act as inside men and consults Xiahou Mao, who says the two should be killed. Romance, Ch. 93 §26–27
Learning of this, Yin Shang says to Liang Xu, 'We had better surrender the city and submit to Shu, and seek advancement there.' That night, when Xiahou Mao sends for the two several times, they judge that matters have become urgent, put on their armor, mount their horses, lead the troops of their own units and throw open the city gates to let the Shu army in. Xiahou Mao and Ma Zun leave by the west gate and flee to Qianghu City, and Liang Xu and Yin Shang welcome Kongming into the city. Romance, Ch. 93 §27–28
Kongming rewards them generously and makes Liang Xu Administrator of Tianshui, Yin Shang Prefect of Jicheng and Liang Qian Prefect of Shanggui. The Romance records nothing further about Yin Shang after this. Romance, Ch. 93 §29
Where the Romance differs
How he went over to Shu: In Chapter 93 of the Romance, Yin Shang stays behind in the city of Tianshui, and when Ma Zun suspects him of acting as an inside man, he urges Liang Xu to surrender and opens the city gates with him to let the Shu army in. In the Records, he accompanied the Administrator on a tour of inspection, and when the Administrator, suspecting Jiang Wei and the others, fled by night to Shanggui, he could not get into the city and went to Zhuge Liang together with Jiang Wei and the others. Romance, Ch. 93 §27Records, Shu 14 §30
Relationship with Jiang Wei: In Chapter 93 of the Romance, Jiang Wei, having surrendered to Shu first, shoots secret letters into the city, saying that Yin Shang and Liang Xu are on very close terms with him. In the Records, Yin Shang merely accompanied the Administrator together with Jiang Wei and went to Zhuge Liang together with him; there is no story of secret letters. Romance, Ch. 93 §26Records, Shu 14 §30
Administrator of Tianshui: Chapter 92 of the Romance names the Administrator of Tianshui as Ma Zun. The Biography of Jiang Wei in Chen Shou's main text says only 'the Administrator' and does not give his name. Romance, Ch. 92 §45Records, Shu 14 §29–30
Xiahou Mao: In Chapters 92 and 93 of the Romance, Yin Shang urges the rescue of Xiahou Mao, and Xiahou Mao says he should be killed. Xiahou Mao does not appear in this passage of the Biography of Jiang Wei in the Records. Romance, Ch. 92 §45Romance, Ch. 93 §27Records, Shu 14 §29–31
Office: In Chapter 93 of the Romance, Zhuge Liang makes Yin Shang Prefect of Jicheng. In the Records, Yin Shang became Bearer of the Golden Mace in Shu. Romance, Ch. 93 §29Records, Shu 14 §50
Afterwards: In the Romance, Yin Shang does not appear after Chapter 93, and his death is not recorded. The Records state that he died before the fall of Shu. Romance, Ch. 93 §29Records, Shu 14 §50
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 total400 / 1000Rank 611 of 996 · Top 62%Romance total410 / 1000Rank 439 of 1,113 · Top 40%
Romance adaptation index+10Romance total − Records total
- LEA3340+7
- STR3135+4
- INT4245+3
- POL5045−5
- CHA3838±0
- VIR4532−13
- ADP5060+10
- SCH3838±0
- DIP3842+4
- DIS3535±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RSuspected and shut out by the Administrator, he went to Zhuge Liang with Jiang WeiShu 14 §30
NSeeing he faced execution, resolved first to surrender the cityCh. 93 §27
8 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Registrar and civil officialShu 14 §30
NNo direct record — estimated from his leading a unit in ambushCh. 93 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a civil officialShu 14 §30
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a civil officialCh. 93 §27
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 14 §30
NAdvised that failing to rescue Xiahou Mao would bring a charge hard to escapeCh. 92 §45
RRose from Registrar of Tianshui Commandery to Bearer of the Golden Mace in ShuShu 14 §30Shu 14 §50
NHeld the city, and after surrendering was appointed Prefect of JichengCh. 93 §2Ch. 93 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 14 §30
NNo direct record — estimated from his close ties with Jiang WeiCh. 93 §26
RNo direct record — estimated from his officesShu 14 §50
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a Registrar and civil officialCh. 93 §29
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 14 §30
NNo direct record — estimated from his persuading Liang XuCh. 93 §27
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 14 §50
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 93 §29
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 (2)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history Changed allegiance 1 times
Related events (1)
- Jiang Wei Submits to Zhuge Liang 228 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).