Zhao Fan 趙範
| Occupation | RNOfficial · Administrator of Guiyang | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Changshan Commandery Zhending County | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R2 |
Profile
Zhao Fan was Administrator of Guiyang Commandery in Jing Province. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears only in a single line of the Biography of the First Sovereign, which says that after the battle of Red Cliffs, when Liu Bei campaigned south against four commanderies, he surrendered together with Jin Xuan, Administrator of Wuling, Han Xuan, Administrator of Changsha, and Liu Du, Administrator of Lingling. Chen Shou's main text records neither his courtesy name nor his origins, nor what happened to him after his surrender or how he died. Records, Shu 2 §23–24
In the Romance he appears only once in its 120 chapters, in Chapter 52. No chapter has his name in its title, but the title of that chapter, 'Zhao Zilong Takes Guiyang by a Ruse', is his story. After surrendering to Zhao Yun and swearing brotherhood with him, he tries to marry his widowed sister-in-law Lady Fan to Zhao Yun and is refused, and when his plan of a feigned surrender is exposed he is captured, but Liu Bei releases him and keeps him on as Administrator of Guiyang. Romance, Ch. 52 §31–32 · 34–36 · 38–41 · 43
In the Records
When Cao Cao reached Xiangyang with a lightly equipped army and, pursuing with 5,000 elite cavalry, caught up with Liu Bei at Changban in Dangyang, Liu Bei abandoned his wife and children and fled with a few dozen horsemen, including Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun. At Hanjin Liu Bei met Guan Yu's boats and crossed the Mian, and together with the following of Liu Qi, Administrator of Jiangxia and eldest son of Liu Biao, he reached Xiakou and sent Zhuge Liang to join hands with Sun Quan. Together with the naval forces of Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu and others sent by Sun Quan, he crushed Cao Cao at Red Cliffs and pursued him as far as Nan Commandery, and as an epidemic broke out and many of the northern troops died, Cao Cao led his army back. Records, Shu 2 §22–23
Liu Bei submitted a memorial making Liu Qi Inspector of Jing Province, and also campaigned south against four commanderies. Jin Xuan, Administrator of Wuling, Han Xuan, Administrator of Changsha, Zhao Fan, Administrator of Guiyang, and Liu Du, Administrator of Lingling, all surrendered. When Liu Qi died of illness, the officials acclaimed Liu Bei as Governor of Jing Province, and Liu Bei made Gong'an his seat. Records, Shu 2 §24
The Biography of Zhuge Liang records that after Cao Cao was defeated at Red Cliffs and returned to Ye, Liu Bei took over Jiangnan and made Zhuge Liang Military Adviser General of the Household, having him supervise the three commanderies of Lingling, Guiyang and Changsha and collect their taxes to supply the army. Records, Shu 5 §17
In Chen Shou's main text, this single section of the Biography of the First Sovereign is the only place where Zhao Fan's name appears. When he became Administrator of Guiyang and what became of him after his surrender are not recorded, and the Biography of Zhao Yun does not mention the events at Guiyang either. Records, Shu 2 §24Records, Shu 6 §38–42
In the Romance
In Chapter 52 of the Romance, when Liu Bei, having taken Lingling, asks who will take Guiyang Commandery, Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei both volunteer, and Zhuge Liang has them draw lots, and Zhao Yun is chosen. Zhao Yun, saying he will accept military punishment if he fails to take the city, sets out for Guiyang with 3,000 troops. When Zhao Fan, Administrator of Guiyang, receives the report and gathers his followers to deliberate, Chen Ying and Bao Long, Colonels in command of troops who were once hunters from Lingshan village in Guiyang, offer to go out and fight. Romance, Ch. 52 §25–27
Zhao Fan says that Liu Xuande is an Imperial Uncle of the great Han, Kongming is full of schemes, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are exceedingly brave, and that Zhao Zilong, who is coming, went in and out among the million-strong army at Changban in Dangyang as if no one were there, so there is nothing for it but to surrender. When Chen Ying says it will not be too late to surrender if he fails to capture Zhao Yun, Zhao Fan, unable to overrule his stubbornness, gives his consent. Chen Ying flees after four or five bouts, is captured alive by Zhao Yun, and is then sent back. Zhao Fan rebukes Chen Ying and dismisses him, and taking up his seal and cord goes to Zhao Yun's main camp and surrenders. Romance, Ch. 52 §28–31
Zhao Yun receives him with the courtesy due a guest and sets out wine. Zhao Fan says that since the general and he are both named Zhao, five hundred years ago they must have been one family, and that since the general and he are both men of Zhending, they are from the same district, and asks to swear brotherhood. Comparing their ages, they find they were born in the same year, but Zhao Yun is four months older, so Zhao Fan bows to Zhao Yun and takes him as his elder brother. The next day Zhao Fan invites Zhao Yun into the city to reassure the people, holds a banquet, and then invites him deep into the rear hall and pours wine for him again. Romance, Ch. 52 §32–33
Zhao Fan calls out his sister-in-law Lady Fan, dressed in white mourning clothes, and has her offer wine to Zhao Yun. He then says that his elder brother has been dead for three years, and that his sister-in-law has said she will remarry only a man who is accomplished in both letters and arms with a name known throughout the realm, of imposing appearance, and with the same surname as her late husband; Zhao Yun fits exactly, so he would give her to him as his wife. Zhao Yun is enraged, saying that since they have already sworn brotherhood, Zhao Fan's sister-in-law is his own sister-in-law, so how could he throw the bonds of human relations into disorder? Zhao Fan, ashamed, glances at his attendants with the intention of harming him, and Zhao Yun knocks him down with a single blow of his fist and leaves the city. Romance, Ch. 52 §34–37
Chen Ying and Bao Long, having consulted with Zhao Fan, lead 500 troops to surrender falsely to Zhao Yun, planning to capture Zhao Yun on the battlefield when Zhao Fan challenges him to fight. The two generals tell him that Zhao Fan meant to trick and kill him with the ploy of a beautiful woman, but Zhao Yun, seeing through the lie, gets them thoroughly drunk, ties them up, questions their men to confirm that the surrender was false, and beheads the two. He then has the 500 troops lead the way and, at night beneath the walls of Guiyang, has them shout that the two generals Chen and Bao have killed Zhao Yun and returned, and he captures Zhao Fan when he hastily comes out of the city. Romance, Ch. 52 §38–41
When Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang come to Guiyang, Zhao Yun drags Zhao Fan to the foot of the steps, and Zhao Fan relates in full how he tried to marry off his sister-in-law. When Zhuge Liang asks why he acted so, since this too would have been a fine thing, Zhao Yun gives three reasons: taking the sister-in-law of his sworn brother would bring people's scorn on him, the lady would lose her great virtue of chastity, and Zhao Fan had only just surrendered, so his true intentions were hard to gauge. Liu Bei says that Zilong is truly a real man, releases Zhao Fan and keeps him on as Administrator of Guiyang. Romance, Ch. 52 §42–43
Where the Romance differs
Who attacked Guiyang: In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Zhao Yun takes Guiyang with 3,000 troops. The Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records says only that Zhao Fan and others surrendered when Liu Bei campaigned south against four commanderies, and the Biography of Zhao Yun does not mention the events at Guiyang. Romance, Ch. 52 §26Records, Shu 2 §24Records, Shu 6 §38–42
How he surrendered: In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Zhao Fan surrenders after Chen Ying is defeated by Zhao Yun, then tries to resist again through the feigned surrender of Chen Ying and Bao Long and is captured. The Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records has only the single phrase that the administrators of the four commanderies 'all surrendered'. Romance, Ch. 52 §31 · 38–41Records, Shu 2 §24
Same home district: In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Zhao Fan, saying that he too is a man of Zhending, swears brotherhood with Zhao Yun. In Chen Shou's main text Zhao Yun is a man of Zhending County in Changshan State, but Zhao Fan's origins are not recorded, and there is no swearing of brotherhood. Romance, Ch. 52 §32Records, Shu 6 §39Records, Shu 2 §24
Sister-in-law Lady Fan: In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Zhao Fan tries to marry his widowed sister-in-law Lady Fan to Zhao Yun, and Zhao Yun rejects it. This episode is absent from the Biography of the First Sovereign and the Biography of Zhao Yun in Chen Shou's main text. Romance, Ch. 52 §34–36Records, Shu 2 §24Records, Shu 6 §38–42
Chen Ying and Bao Long: Chen Ying and Bao Long, who in Chapter 52 of the Romance appear as Colonels in command of troops under Zhao Fan, fight Zhao Yun and are beheaded after plotting a feigned surrender, do not appear in Chen Shou's main text. Romance, Ch. 52 §27 · 40Records, Shu 2 §24
Afterward: In Chapter 52 of the Romance, Liu Bei releases Zhao Fan and keeps him on as Administrator of Guiyang. Chen Shou's main text does not record what happened to him after his surrender; the Biography of Zhuge Liang records only that Liu Bei made Zhuge Liang Military Adviser General of the Household and had him supervise the three commanderies of Lingling, Guiyang and Changsha. Romance, Ch. 52 §43Records, Shu 2 §24Records, Shu 5 §17
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.
- LEA4035−5
- STR3530−5
- INT3838±0
- POL4545±0
- CHA3835−3
- VIR4035−5
- ADP5052+2
- SCH3533−2
- DIP3542+7
- DIS3530−5
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 post as Administrator of GuiyangShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangCh. 52 §28
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangShu 2 §24
NWas knocked down by a single blow of Zhao Yun's fistCh. 52 §37
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangShu 2 §24
NJudged that Zhao Yun could not be withstood, but his plan of a feigned surrender was seen throughCh. 52 §28Ch. 52 §39
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangCh. 52 §27
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangCh. 52 §28
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangShu 2 §24
NWhen put to shame by his sworn brother Zhao Yun, he signaled his attendants with a glance to harm himCh. 52 §37
RSurrendered as Administrator of Guiyang when the First Sovereign campaigned against the four southern commanderiesShu 2 §24
NChose surrender, saying he could not fight, and was later restored as administratorCh. 52 §28Ch. 52 §31Ch. 52 §43
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangShu 2 §24
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangCh. 52 §28
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangShu 2 §24
NSwore brotherhood with Zhao Yun, but his proposal to marry off his sister-in-law was refusedCh. 52 §32Ch. 52 §35
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Administrator of GuiyangShu 2 §24
NGave in to Chen Ying's stubbornness and allowed a battle, which was lostCh. 52 §29Ch. 52 §31
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 →
Related events (1)
- Zhao Yun Takes Guiyang by Stratagem Romance ch. 52 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).