RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 8 §68
NRecommended Pang De as the man to take on Cao Cao's generalsCh. 67 §14
Yan Pu 閻圃
| Occupation | RStrategist · Officer of Merit NStrategist | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Baxi Commandery | |
| Cause of death | RIllness Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R6 |
Profile
Yan Pu was a man of Baxi and the Officer of Merit of Zhang Lu, who held Hanzhong. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears in the account of Zhang Lu in the Biographies of the Two Gongsuns, Tao and the Four Zhangs in Records of Wei 8. When Zhang Lu's subordinates wished to exalt him as King of Hanning, Yan Pu admonished him not to call himself king, and in the 20th year of Jian'an (215), when Cao Cao broke through Yangping Pass, he urged Zhang Lu not to surrender at once but to go to Bazhong and submit only later. After Zhang Lu surrendered, Yan Pu was made a full marquis together with Zhang Lu's five sons. Records, Wei 8 §64–68
Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name or the year of his death, and his name does not appear in the assessment of Records of Wei 8 either. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 59 at a council held by Zhang Lu and appears in 4 of the 120 chapters, with no chapter title bearing his name. At Zhang Lu's side he speaks up again and again, urging him to take Xichuan first before calling himself king, admonishing him not to help Liu Zhang, and recommending Pang De. Records, Wei 8 §64–68 · 71Romance, Ch. 59 §49Romance, Ch. 64 §50Romance, Ch. 67 §14
In the Records
Zhang Lu held Hanzhong and taught the people with the Way of the Ghosts. At the end of the Han, the court, no longer able to subdue him by force, instead favoured Zhang Lu by making him General of the Household Who Pacifies the People and concurrently Administrator of Hanning, and Zhang Lu did no more than send tribute. When one of the people found a jade seal in the ground, his subordinates wished to exalt Zhang Lu as King of Hanning. Records, Wei 8 §62 · 64
Zhang Lu's Officer of Merit, Yan Pu of Baxi, admonished him: 'The people of the Han River valley number more than 100,000 households; its wealth is abundant, its land fertile, and it is rugged and secure on all four sides. If you set the Son of Heaven to rights above, you will be like Duke Huan and Duke Wen; failing that, if you become like Dou Rong, you will still not lose wealth and honour. Now you appoint officials in the name of the emperor's authority, and your power is ample to decide matters on your own; there is no need for the trouble of becoming a king. I beg you not to take the title for now, and not to be the first to invite disaster.' Zhang Lu followed his advice. Records, Wei 8 §64–65
In the 20th year of Jian'an (215), Cao Cao came out from San Pass to Wudu to attack Zhang Lu and reached Yangping Pass. Zhang Lu wished to surrender with Hanzhong, but his younger brother Zhang Wei refused and, leading a host of tens of thousands, blocked the pass and held it firmly; Cao Cao attacked and broke through. When Zhang Lu heard that Yangping Pass had already fallen and was about to bow his head and submit, Yan Pu spoke again: 'If you go now, driven into a corner, your merit will surely be slight. If you rely on Du Hu and go to Pu Hu to resist, and only then submit, your merit will surely be great.' Records, Wei 8 §66–67
So Zhang Lu fled into the Southern Mountains and entered Bazhong. When those around him wished to burn all the treasures, goods and storehouses, Zhang Lu said that he had always intended to submit to the state but had not yet been able to make his intent known, that he was fleeing now only to avoid the sharp edge of the blade, and that the treasures and storehouses belonged to the state; he sealed them up and left them intact. Cao Cao entered Nanzheng, praised this highly, and sent men to comfort and reassure Zhang Lu. Records, Wei 8 §67–68
According to the Annals of Emperor Wu, in the 9th month of that year Pu Hu, King of the Seven Surnamed Yi of Ba, and Du Hu, Marquis of the Cong Settlement, came and submitted, bringing the Yi of Ba and the Cong people, and in the 11th month Zhang Lu surrendered from Bazhong with the remainder of his followers. Cao Cao received Zhang Lu, appointed him General Who Guards the South and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Langzhong, and made Zhang Lu's five sons, Yan Pu and others all full marquises. Records, Wei 1 §150 · 152Records, Wei 8 §68
Chen Shou's main text does not record Yan Pu's courtesy name or the year of his death. The assessment of Records of Wei 8 says only that Zhang Yan, Zhang Xiu and Zhang Lu abandoned their bands of brigands, joined the ranks of meritorious officials, escaped danger and destruction and preserved the sacrifices of their ancestral temples, and does not discuss Yan Pu separately. Records, Wei 8 §64–68 · 71
In the Romance
In Chapter 59 of the Romance, Zhang Lu, hearing that Cao Cao has crushed the forces of Xiliang and his might is shaking the realm, asks his followers for their views, saying that he wishes to call himself King of Hanning and lead troops to resist Cao Cao. Yan Pu says that the people of the Han River valley number more than 100,000 households, that its wealth and grain are plentiful and it is rugged and secure on all four sides, and moreover that Ma Chao has just been defeated and tens of thousands of the people of Xiliang have come into Hanzhong by way of the Ziwu Valley. He then advises that since Liu Zhang of Yi Province is foolish and weak, it would not be too late to call himself king after first taking the forty-one districts of Xichuan as his base. Zhang Lu is overjoyed and discusses raising troops with his younger brother Zhang Wei. Romance, Ch. 59 §48–49
In Chapter 64, when Huang Quan, sent by Liu Zhang, asks for help and offers twenty districts in thanks, Zhang Lu, pleased by the gain, means to agree. Yan Pu, a man of Baxi, admonishes him that Liu Zhang has been his lord's enemy for generations and is now asking for help only because matters are urgent, falsely promising to cede land, so he must not agree. At the opening of Chapter 65, just as Yan Pu is urging Zhang Lu not to help Liu Zhang, Ma Chao steps forward and asks to attack Jiameng Pass and capture Liu Bei alive, and Zhang Lu gives Ma Chao 20,000 troops. Romance, Ch. 64 §49–50Romance, Ch. 65 §1
In Chapter 67, when Cao Cao reaches Nanzheng and pitches camp, Zhang Lu in alarm gathers his civil and military officials. Yan Pu recommends Pang De of Nan'an, saying that Pang De had earlier come over with Ma Chao, but when Ma Chao went to Xichuan he was lying ill and could not go, and that he is now being cared for by his lord's kindness; he proposes sending him out to take on Cao Cao's generals. Romance, Ch. 67 §14
When Yang Song, who has received the golden armour and secret letter sent by Cao Cao, tells Zhang Lu that Pang De has taken Cao Cao's bribe and sold out the battle, Zhang Lu summons Pang De, rebukes him and means to behead him. When Yan Pu earnestly dissuades him, Zhang Lu says that if Pang De goes out to fight the next day and does not win, he will certainly be beheaded. In the next day's battle Pang De falls into a pit, is captured and surrenders to Cao Cao. Romance, Ch. 67 §21–23
After Zhang Lu withdraws to Bazhong and his younger brother Zhang Wei is cut down by Xu Chu, Yang Song says that he himself will hold the city and that Zhang Lu should go out in person to fight a decisive battle. Yan Pu admonishes Zhang Lu not to go out, but Zhang Lu does not listen and goes out; his rear army flees first and Yang Song will not open the city gate for him, so he dismounts and surrenders to Cao Cao. Cao Cao makes Zhang Lu General Who Guards the South and also enfeoffs Yan Pu and others as full marquises. Romance, Ch. 67 §26–28
Where the Romance differs
Calling himself king: In Chapter 59 of the Romance, Zhang Lu, hearing that Cao Cao has crushed Xiliang, says that he will call himself King of Hanning and resist Cao Cao. In the Records, when one of the people found a jade seal in the ground, his subordinates wished to exalt Zhang Lu as King of Hanning. Romance, Ch. 59 §48Records, Wei 8 §64
Yan Pu's advice: In Chapter 59 of the Romance, Yan Pu advises that it would not be too late to call himself king after first taking the forty-one districts of Xichuan as his base, and Zhang Lu then discusses raising troops. In the Records, Yan Pu admonished him not to call himself king and not to be the first to invite disaster, and Zhang Lu followed his advice. There is no talk of attacking Xichuan. Romance, Ch. 59 §49Records, Wei 8 §64–65
The people west of the passes: In Chapter 59 of the Romance, the statement that tens of thousands of the people of Xiliang came into Hanzhong by way of the Ziwu Valley is part of Yan Pu's speech. In the Records, after Yan Pu's admonition ends and Zhang Lu follows his advice, Chen Shou separately records that during the rebellion of Han Sui and Ma Chao, tens of thousands of households of the people west of the passes fled to Zhang Lu through the Ziwu Valley. Romance, Ch. 59 §49Records, Wei 8 §65
The plan to go to Bazhong: In Chapter 67 of the Romance, it is Zhang Wei who proposes burning the storehouses and fleeing to the Southern Mountains to hold Bazhong, while Yang Song proposes opening the city gates and surrendering. In the Records, it was Yan Pu who, when Zhang Lu wished to submit immediately after Yangping Pass fell, advised him to rely on Du Hu, go to Pu Hu to resist, and only then submit. It was those around Zhang Lu who wished to burn all the storehouses. Romance, Ch. 67 §24Records, Wei 8 §67
Zhang Lu's surrender: In Chapter 67 of the Romance, Yan Pu admonishes Zhang Lu not to go out and fight, but Zhang Lu goes out on Yang Song's advice, finds the city gate shut and surrenders to Cao Cao. In the Records, Zhang Lu surrendered from Bazhong with the remainder of his followers in the 11th month of the 20th year of Jian'an (215), and Yang Song does not appear in the account of Zhang Lu. Romance, Ch. 67 §27Records, Wei 1 §152Records, Wei 8 §60–69
Aid to Liu Zhang and recommending Pang De: In Chapters 64 and 67 of the Romance, Yan Pu admonishes Zhang Lu not to help Liu Zhang, recommends Pang De, and dissuades Zhang Lu when he means to behead Pang De. None of these events appear in the account of Zhang Lu in the Records. Romance, Ch. 64 §50Romance, Ch. 67 §14 · 22Records, Wei 8 §60–69
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 total475 / 1000Rank 305 of 996 · Top 31%Romance total454 / 1000Rank 227 of 1,113 · Top 21%
Romance adaptation index−21Romance total − Records total
- LEA3131±0
- STR3131±0
- INT6860−8
- POL4540−5
- CHA4040±0
- VIR4855+7
- ADP7052−18
- SCH4035−5
- DIP6245−17
- DIS4065+25
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RStopped a cornered surrender and had Zhang Lu choose his moment, becoming a full marquisWei 8 §67Wei 8 §68
NAdvised against going out to fight, and was made a full marquis after the surrenderCh. 67 §27Ch. 67 §28
RPersuaded Zhang Lu to give up the title of King of HanningWei 8 §64Wei 8 §65
NHis admonitions were repeatedly rejectedCh. 64 §50Ch. 67 §27
7 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Officer of MeritWei 8 §64
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as an adviserCh. 59 §49
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Officer of MeritWei 8 §64
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as an adviserCh. 59 §49
RSaw that taking the title of king would invite disaster, and delayed the surrender to enlarge its meritWei 8 §64Wei 8 §67
NSaw through Liu Zhang's promise to cede land as false, and tried to stop Zhang Lu from going out to fightCh. 64 §50Ch. 67 §27
RNo direct record — estimated from the duties of an Officer of MeritWei 8 §64
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 59 §49
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 8 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 67 §28
RNo direct record — estimated from his dissuading Zhang Lu from taking the title of kingWei 8 §65
NEarnestly dissuaded Zhang Lu from beheading Pang DeCh. 67 §22
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Officer of MeritWei 8 §64
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 59 §49
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 →
Allegiance history
- Zhang Lu faction (~215) · Records · 「魯功曹巴西閻圃諫魯」
Related events (1)
- Cao Cao Pacifies Hanzhong 215 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).