English

Yuan Wei 袁隗

RecordsRomance 원외

Profile
OccupationRNOfficial · Grand TutorFaction
AppearsRNBiography in
BornNative placeRunan Commandery Ruyang County Unverified
Cause of deathRExecuted NExecuted Unverified
ExistenceHistoricalMentionsR4

Profile

Yuan Wei was the paternal uncle of Yuan Shao. When Dong Zhuo sought to depose the emperor and set up the Prince of Chenliu, he was Grand Tutor. He has no biography of his own in the Records; his name appears in the biographies of Yuan Shao and Zhang Fan. Records, Wei 6 §37Records, Wei 11 §16

After Yuan Shao raised troops in Bohai, Dong Zhuo, hearing that Yuan Shao had won the lands east of the passes, put to death all of Yuan Shao's clan, including the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei. Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, his place of origin or the year of his death. Records, Wei 6 §39 · 47

In the Romance his name first appears in Chapter 2, in the passage introducing Yuan Shao as 'the son of the Minister over the Masses Yuan Feng and nephew of Yuan Wei'; he appears in 4 of the 120 chapters, Chapters 2 to 5, and no chapter title bears his name. In Chapter 4 he answers Dong Zhuo's question about the deposition with 'The Grand Commandant's view is right', and in Chapter 5 he is killed together with his whole household by Li Jue and Guo Si. Romance, Ch. 2 §41Romance, Ch. 4 §1Romance, Ch. 5 §40

In the Records

After Emperor Ling died, Dong Zhuo summoned Yuan Shao to discuss deposing the emperor and setting up the Prince of Chenliu. Since Yuan Shao's uncle Yuan Wei was then Grand Tutor, Yuan Shao pretended to agree and said, 'This is a great matter; I must go out and consult the Grand Tutor.' When Dong Zhuo said, 'The seed of the Liu clan is not worth preserving any longer,' Yuan Shao made no reply, and holding his sword crosswise he bowed with clasped hands, left, and fled to Ji Province. Records, Wei 6 §34 · 37

The Palace Attendant Zhou Bi, the Colonel of the City Gates Wu Qiong, the Gentleman Consultant He Yong and others persuaded Dong Zhuo that, since the Yuan clan had bestowed favors for four generations and its disciples and former subordinates were spread throughout the realm, pursuing Yuan Shao hotly would provoke an uprising, and that he should pardon Yuan Shao and make him Administrator of a commandery. Dong Zhuo did as they said, made Yuan Shao Administrator of Bohai and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Kangxiang. Records, Wei 6 §37–38

Yuan Shao raised troops in Bohai intending to put Dong Zhuo to death, and later took over Ji Province from Han Fu. Hearing that Yuan Shao had won the lands east of the passes, Dong Zhuo put to death all of Yuan Shao's clan, including the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei. At this time many bold men and knights-errant attached themselves to Yuan Shao, all of them wishing to take revenge on his behalf, and the provinces and commanderies rose up like swarms of bees, none of them failing to borrow Yuan Shao's name. Chen Shou's main text does not record the year or the place of Yuan Wei's death. Records, Wei 6 §39 · 43 · 47

The biography of Zhang Fan records one other episode. Zhang Fan's grandfather Zhang Xin (張歆) had been Minister over the Masses of the Han and his father Zhang Yan (張延) Grand Commandant; when the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei wished to give his daughter to Zhang Fan in marriage, Zhang Fan declined and did not accept. Records, Wei 11 §16

In the Romance

In Chapter 2 of the Romance, when He Jin sets out to strike at the eunuchs after Emperor Ling's death, Yuan Shao, who steps forward asking for the loan of 5,000 picked troops, is introduced as 'the son of the Minister over the Masses Yuan Feng and nephew of Yuan Wei'. This is the first time Yuan Wei's name appears. Romance, Ch. 2 §40–41

In Chapter 3, at Li Ru's urging, Dong Zhuo holds a banquet in the palace to gather the high ministers and has Lü Bu guard him on both sides with more than a thousand armored soldiers. That day the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei also comes along with the hundred officials. When Dong Zhuo, hand on sword, declares that he will depose the emperor, make him Prince of Hongnong and set up the Prince of Chenliu, the Colonel of the Central Army Yuan Shao steps forward to oppose him and draws his sword. Romance, Ch. 3 §48–49

In Chapter 4, after Yuan Shao hangs his tally of office on the East Gate and flees to Ji Province, Dong Zhuo tells Yuan Wei, 'Your nephew was insolent, but for your sake I will pardon him for now,' and asks what he thinks of the deposition. Yuan Wei answers, 'The Grand Commandant's view is right,' and Dong Zhuo declares that anyone who obstructs the great decision will be dealt with by military law. Romance, Ch. 4 §1

In Chapter 5, after the senior general Hua Xiong is lost, Li Ru argues that since Yuan Shao is leader of the alliance and his uncle Yuan Wei is Grand Tutor, it would be very awkward if they worked together from inside and outside, and urges that Yuan Wei be removed first. Dong Zhuo has Li Jue and Guo Si lead 500 soldiers to surround the house of the Grand Tutor Yuan Wei and kill everyone, old and young alike, and first has Yuan Wei's head displayed before the pass as a warning. Romance, Ch. 5 §40

Where the Romance differs

Yuan Wei at the deposition: In Chapters 3 and 4 of the Romance, Yuan Wei attends Dong Zhuo's banquet and, after Yuan Shao has left, answers Dong Zhuo's question with 'The Grand Commandant's view is right.' In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, he is named only as Grand Tutor when Yuan Shao says, 'I must go out and consult the Grand Tutor,' and there are no words of Yuan Wei's about the deposition. Romance, Ch. 3 §48Romance, Ch. 4 §1Records, Wei 6 §37

Yuan Shao's opposition: In Chapter 3 of the Romance, Yuan Shao draws his sword at the banquet and confronts Dong Zhuo. In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, Yuan Shao pretends to agree, saying he will consult the Grand Tutor, and, making no reply to Dong Zhuo's words, holds his sword crosswise, bows with clasped hands and leaves. Romance, Ch. 3 §49Records, Wei 6 §37

Why he was killed: In Chapter 5 of the Romance, after Hua Xiong is lost, Li Ru, worried that Yuan Wei and Yuan Shao might work together from inside and outside, urges that Yuan Wei be removed first. The Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records says only that Dong Zhuo, hearing that Yuan Shao had won the lands east of the passes, put to death all of Yuan Shao's clan, including Yuan Wei. Romance, Ch. 5 §40Records, Wei 6 §47

Who killed him and how: In Chapter 5 of the Romance, Li Jue and Guo Si surround the house with 500 soldiers, kill everyone, old and young alike, and display Yuan Wei's head before the pass. The Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records does not say who killed him or how. Romance, Ch. 5 §40Records, Wei 6 §47

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 total352 / 1000Rank 880 of 1,113 · Top 80%
Romance adaptation index−48Romance total − Records total
LEASTRINTPOLCHAVIRADPSCHDIPDIS
Records (solid) vs Romance (dashed)
  • LEA3331−2
  • STR3131±0
  • INT4035−5
  • POL5045−5
  • CHA4542−3
  • VIR4230−12
  • ADP3630−6
  • SCH4540−5
  • DIP3833−5
  • DIS4035−5
Records · Romance scores and difference (Romance − Records · left = lowered by the Romance · right = raised)

Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more

VirtueR42UnverifiedN30 −12

RNo direct record — no record of his conduct apart from wishing to give his daughter to Zhang FanWei 11 §16

NSided with Dong Zhuo's demand for the deposition, saying 'The Grand Commandant's view is right'Ch. 4 §1

9 similar abilities — show evidence
  • LeadershipR33UnverifiedN31Unverified −2

    RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand TutorWei 6 §37

    NNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand TutorCh. 3 §48

  • StrengthR31UnverifiedN31Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his being a civil official, Grand TutorWei 6 §37

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being a civil official, Grand TutorCh. 3 §48

  • IntelligenceR40UnverifiedN35Unverified −5

    RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand TutorWei 6 §37

    NNo direct record — estimated from his merely going along with the deposition debateCh. 4 §1

  • PoliticsR50UnverifiedN45Unverified −5

    RNo direct record — estimated from his serving as Grand Tutor while Dong Zhuo held powerWei 6 §37

    NNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand TutorCh. 3 §48

  • CharismaR45UnverifiedN42Unverified −3

    RNo direct record — estimated from his being an elder of Yuan Shao's clanWei 6 §47

    NNo direct record — estimated from his being an elder of the eminent Yuan familyCh. 2 §41

  • AdaptabilityR36UnverifiedN30 −6

    RNo direct record — put to death by Dong Zhuo after Yuan Shao raised troopsWei 6 §47

    NSubmitted to Dong Zhuo, but was wiped out with his whole family after his nephew raised troopsCh. 4 §1Ch. 5 §40

  • ScholarshipR45UnverifiedN40Unverified −5

    RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand TutorWei 6 §37

    NNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand TutorCh. 3 §48

  • DiplomacyR38UnverifiedN33Unverified −5

    RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand TutorWei 6 §37

    NNo direct record — went along without objection at the depositionCh. 4 §1

  • DiscernmentR40UnverifiedN35Unverified −5

    RNo direct record — estimated from his seeking Zhang Fan as a son-in-lawWei 11 §16

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 4 §1

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 (4)

AppearsNot present Chapter list →

Family

SiblingsYuan Feng Records

Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.