Zhang Tao 張韜
| Occupation | NOther | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | N | Biography in | |
| Existence | Fictional | Mentions |
Profile
Zhang Tao is a favored courtier of Cao Pi, emperor of Wei, who appears in Chapter 91 of the Romance. After Cao Pi takes the daughter of Guo Yong as his Honored Consort and Lady Zhen loses his favor, Consort Guo schemes to become empress and consults Zhang Tao. When Cao Pi falls ill, Zhang Tao falsely reports that a paulownia-wood figurine inscribed with the year, month, day and hour of the Son of Heaven's birth has been dug up in Lady Zhen's palace and that she has laid a curse, and Cao Pi, in a great rage, has Lady Zhen put to death and makes Consort Guo empress. Romance, Ch. 91 §13–14
Of the Romance's 120 chapters, his name appears only in Chapter 91, in a single passage, and no chapter has his name in its title. He appears neither in Chen Shou's main text nor in Pei Songzhi's commentary. The Biographies of Consorts in Chen Shou's main text record that when Empress Guo and the Honored Ladies Li and Yin all enjoyed favor, Empress Zhen grew ever more disheartened and spoke resentful words, and that Cao Pi, in great anger, sent an envoy in the 6th month of the 2nd year of Huangchu (221) to order her death. The biography of Empress Guo likewise says only that Empress Zhen died because Empress Guo was favored, and has no story of Zhang Tao or the figurine. Romance, Ch. 91 §13Records, Wei 5 §20 · 33
In the Romance
Chapter 91 of the Romance, after recounting how Zhuge Liang returns to Chengdu having pacified the Southern Man, moves on to the 7th year of the reign of Cao Pi, ruler of Wei, that is, the 4th year of Jianxing of Shu-Han (226). The Romance says that Cao Pi had earlier, when he took Ye, received Lady Zhen, the wife of Yuan Xi, second son of Yuan Shao, and that she bore him a son, Cao Rui, but that although Cao Rui was clever from childhood, Cao Pi did not love him much. Romance, Ch. 91 §11–12
Later Cao Pi also takes as his Honored Consort the daughter of Guo Yong of Guangzong in Anping; she is exceedingly beautiful, and because her father once said, 'My daughter is a king among women,' she is called Nuwang, 'the Woman King'. When Lady Zhen loses favor, Consort Guo schemes to become empress and consults the favored courtier Zhang Tao. Then, when Cao Pi falls ill, Zhang Tao falsely reports that he has dug up a figurine carved from paulownia wood in Lady Zhen's palace, inscribed with the year, month, day and hour of the Son of Heaven's birth, and that she has laid a curse. Romance, Ch. 91 §13
Cao Pi, in a great rage, at last has Lady Zhen put to death and makes Consort Guo empress. Empress Guo, having borne no children, raises Cao Rui as her own son and loves him dearly, but he is not made heir. When Cao Rui, now fifteen, weeps at a hunt before Cao Pi, who has shot down a mother deer, asking how he could bear to kill the fawn when its mother has already been killed, Cao Pi throws his bow to the ground, declares him truly a ruler of benevolence and virtue, and enfeoffs Cao Rui as Prince of Pingyuan. Romance, Ch. 91 §14–16
In the 5th month, in summer, Cao Pi catches a chill; he summons Cao Zhen, Chen Qun and Sima Yi to his bedchamber and charges them to assist Cao Rui, gives the same charge to Cao Xiu as well, and dies at the age of forty. Cao Zhen and the others set Cao Rui on the throne as emperor and confer the posthumous titles Emperor Wen on Cao Pi and Empress Wenzhao on Cao Rui's mother, Lady Zhen. In the Romance, Zhang Tao's name appears only in this one passage in which he falsely accuses Lady Zhen, and nothing is recorded of him afterward. Romance, Ch. 91 §17–19 · 13
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
- POL33
- CHA35
- VIR12
- ADP48
- SCH35
- DIP42
- DIS31
Evidence by ability
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cao Pi's favored courtierCh. 91 §13
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cao Pi's favored courtierCh. 91 §13
NContrived a cursing figurine, leading to Lady Zhen being ordered to die and Consort Guo becoming empressCh. 91 §13Ch. 91 §14
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cao Pi's favored courtierCh. 91 §13
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cao Pi's favored courtierCh. 91 §13
NFramed Lady Zhen with a false report that he had dug up the figurineCh. 91 §13Ch. 91 §14
NJoined hands with the newly favored Consort Guo and schemed to make her empressCh. 91 §13
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cao Pi's favored courtierCh. 91 §13
NDeceived the ailing Cao Pi with a false report and made him believe itCh. 91 §13Ch. 91 §14
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cao Pi's favored courtierCh. 91 §13
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 →
Allegiance history
- Wei · Romance · Romance ch. 91 「却与幸臣张韬商议」 · Q124436162