Yang Chou 楊醜
| Occupation | RNGeneral | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Cause of death | RKilled NKilled Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R4 |
Profile
Yang Chou was a general under Zhang Yang of Henei. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears in the Annals of Emperor Wu in Records of Wei 1, in the account of Zhang Yang in the Biographies of the Two Gongsuns, Tao and the Four Zhangs in Records of Wei 8, and in the account of Dong Zhao in the Biographies of Cheng, Guo, Dong, Liu, Jiang and Liu in Records of Wei 14. When Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu, Zhang Yang sent troops out to Dongshi to lend Lü Bu support from afar, but Yang Chou killed Zhang Yang and went over to Cao Cao. Records, Wei 8 §34
Yang Chou was then killed in turn by Zhang Yang's general Sui Gu. The Biography of Dong Zhao records Zhang Yang's death at Yang Chou's hands in its passage on the 3rd year of Jian'an (198), while the Annals of Emperor Wu record the events up to Sui Gu's killing of Yang Chou in the passage on the 2nd month, in spring, of the 4th year of Jian'an (199). Records, Wei 8 §34Records, Wei 14 §56Records, Wei 1 §51
In his assessment in Records of Wei 8, Chen Shou said that Zhang Yang yielded his head to his own subordinates, but did not name Yang Chou. In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 19, and no chapter has his name in its title. The Romance records him, in a report brought to Cao Cao as he besieges Xiapi, as a man who killed Zhang Yang and was about to present his head to the Chancellor when he was killed by Sui Gu. Records, Wei 8 §71Romance, Ch. 19 §42
In the Records
Zhang Yang had long been on good terms with Lü Bu. When Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu, Zhang Yang wished to rescue him but could not, so he sent troops out to Dongshi to lend Lü Bu support from afar. His subordinate general Yang Chou killed Zhang Yang and went over to Cao Cao. When Zhang Yang's subordinate general Sui Gu killed Yang Chou and, leading his followers, intended to go north and join Yuan Shao, Cao Cao sent Shi Huan to intercept him on the way; Shi Huan defeated him at Quancheng, beheaded Sui Gu and took over all his followers. Records, Wei 8 §34
The Biography of Dong Zhao records this in its passage on Dong Zhao's transfer to Intendant of Henan in the 3rd year of Jian'an (198). At that time, when Zhang Yang had been killed by his subordinate general Yang Chou, Zhang Yang's Chief Clerk Xue Hong and the Administrator of Henei Miao Shang held the city and waited for relief from Yuan Shao. Cao Cao sent Dong Zhao into the city alone to talk Xue Hong, Miao Shang and the others round, and they surrendered with all their followers that same day. Records, Wei 14 §56
The Annals of Emperor Wu, after the entry on the capture and execution of Lü Bu and Chen Gong, record in the passage on Cao Cao's return to Changyi in the 2nd month, in spring, of the 4th year of Jian'an (199) that Zhang Yang's general Yang Chou killed Zhang Yang, that Sui Gu in turn killed Yang Chou, and that Sui Gu then led the followers to attach themselves to Yuan Shao and stationed himself at Shequan. In the 4th month, in summer, Cao Cao had Shi Huan and Cao Ren cross the Yellow River to attack Sui Gu, and the two of them routed Sui Gu at Quancheng and beheaded him. Records, Wei 1 §49 · 51
These three passages are the places where Yang Chou appears in Chen Shou's main text. His courtesy name, origin and age are not recorded. In his assessment in Records of Wei 8, Chen Shou said that Zhang Yang yielded his head to his own subordinates, but said nothing separately about Yang Chou. Records, Wei 8 §34 · 71Records, Wei 14 §56Records, Wei 1 §51
In the Romance
In Chapter 19 of the Romance, when Cao Cao has been attacking the city of Xiapi for two months without taking it, a report comes in. Zhang Yang, Administrator of Henei, sent troops out to Dongshi to rescue Lü Bu, but his subordinate general Yang Chou killed him and was about to present his head to the Chancellor when he was killed in turn by Sui Gu, a general in Zhang Yang's confidence, and Sui Gu has gone off to Quancheng. Cao Cao at once sends Shi Huan to pursue Sui Gu and behead him. Romance, Ch. 19 §42
Cao Cao gathers his generals and says that, although Zhang Yang has fortunately destroyed himself, there is the threat of Yuan Shao in the north and trouble in the east as well, so he intends to leave Lü Bu and return to the capital, but Xun You hastily stops him. When Guo Jia says that he has a plan to break the city of Xiapi at once, Cao Cao breaches the Yi and Si rivers and floods Xiapi. Romance, Ch. 19 §42–44
Where the Romance differs
When it was recorded: In Chapter 19 of the Romance, the news about Yang Chou comes in as a report while Cao Cao is besieging Xiapi and has not yet captured Lü Bu. The Biography of Zhang Yang in the Records also places it at the time Cao Cao was besieging Lü Bu, but the Annals of Emperor Wu record it, after the entry on the execution of Lü Bu and Chen Gong, in the passage on Cao Cao's return to Changyi in the 2nd month, in spring, of the 4th year of Jian'an (199). Romance, Ch. 19 §42Records, Wei 8 §34Records, Wei 1 §49 · 51
Why he killed Zhang Yang: In Chapter 19 of the Romance, Yang Chou is said to have meant to present Zhang Yang's head to the Chancellor. The Biography of Zhang Yang in the Records says only that Yang Chou killed Zhang Yang and went over to Cao Cao, with no mention of his meaning to present the head. Romance, Ch. 19 §42Records, Wei 8 §34
What became of Sui Gu: In Chapter 19 of the Romance, Sui Gu, having killed Yang Chou, goes off to Quancheng, and Cao Cao sends Shi Huan to pursue and behead him. In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, Sui Gu led Yang Chou's followers to attach themselves to Yuan Shao and stationed himself at Shequan, and then, while going north to ask Yuan Shao for help, encountered Shi Huan and Cao Ren at Quancheng and was beheaded. Romance, Ch. 19 §42Records, Wei 1 §51
Zhang Yang's remaining followers: In the Biography of Dong Zhao in the Records, after Zhang Yang was killed by Yang Chou, his Chief Clerk Xue Hong and the Administrator of Henei Miao Shang held the city and waited for relief from Yuan Shao, but on hearing Dong Zhao's counsel they surrendered that same day. This is not in the report in Chapter 19 of the Romance. Records, Wei 14 §56Romance, Ch. 19 §42
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.
- LEA4038−2
- STR4242±0
- INT3635−1
- POL3131±0
- CHA3635−1
- VIR1512−3
- ADP3532−3
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3635−1
- DIS3635−1
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
No ability differs by 10 or more — the Romance portrays this person much as the Records do.
10 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangWei 8 §34
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangCh. 19 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangWei 8 §34
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangCh. 19 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangWei 8 §34
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangCh. 19 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangWei 8 §34
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangCh. 19 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangWei 8 §34
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangCh. 19 §42
RKilled his commander Zhang Yang and went over to TaizuWei 8 §34Wei 1 §51
NKilled Zhang Yang and meant to present his head to Cao CaoCh. 19 §42
RKilled Zhang Yang to join Taizu but was soon killed by Sui GuWei 8 §34Wei 14 §56
NKilled Zhang Yang to join Cao Cao but was killed by Sui GuCh. 19 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangWei 8 §34
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangCh. 19 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangWei 8 §34
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangCh. 19 §42
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangWei 8 §34
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a subordinate general of Zhang YangCh. 19 §42
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 (1)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Zhang Yang faction (~199) · Records · 「其將楊醜，殺楊以應太祖」 · 「張楊將楊醜殺楊」