Shan Tao 山濤
| Occupation | ROfficial · Supervisor of the Imperial Secretariat | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Henei Commandery | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R11 |
Profile
Shan Tao's name does not appear in Chen Shou's main text. The Annals of the Three Young Emperors in Records of Wei 4 record that on the day jimao of the 3rd month of the 1st year of Xianxi (264) the Duke of Jin was raised in rank to king, and that on the day bingwu in winter of the same year Sima Yan was made Heir of Jin, but they do not record who said what in deciding the heir. Records, Wei 4 §128–129 · 139 · 144
In the Romance he appears in only one of its 120 chapters, Chapter 119, and his name is not in any chapter title. When Sima Zhao, having been made King of Jin, wishes to make his second son Sima You his heir, Shan Tao is the first to remonstrate that deposing the eldest and setting up a younger son is contrary to propriety and inauspicious. The Romance does not state his office or origin. Romance, Ch. 119 §31–32
In the Records
Shan Tao's name does not appear in Chen Shou's main text. Regarding the question of the Heir of Jin, on which he remonstrates in the Romance, the Annals of the Three Young Emperors in Records of Wei 4 record only that on the day jimao of the 3rd month of the 1st year of Xianxi (264) the Duke of Jin was raised in rank to king and enfeoffed with ten commanderies; that in the 8th month of the same year the General of the Central Pacifying Army Sima Yan was made to assist in the affairs of the Chancellor of State, and in the 9th month was made General-in-Chief Who Pacifies the Army; and that on the day bingwu in winter, Sima Yan, General-in-Chief Who Pacifies the Army and Marquis of Xinchang District, was ordered to become Heir of Jin. Chen Shou's main text contains no words of remonstrance from the officials about the heir. Records, Wei 4 §128–130 · 134 · 139 · 144
In the Romance
In Chapter 119 of the Romance, the high ministers at court, saying that Sima Zhao has the merit of taking Xichuan, submit a memorial to Cao Huan, ruler of Wei, proposing to raise him to king, and Cao Huan, Son of Heaven in name only, enfeoffs Sima Zhao, Duke of Jin, as King of Jin. Sima Zhao's wife, the daughter of Wang Su, had borne two sons. The elder, Sima Yan, was of imposing and fine appearance, intelligent and exceptionally bold, while the younger, Sima You, was gentle and filial by nature and greatly loved by Sima Zhao, who had made him heir to his elder brother Sima Shi, who had no sons. Romance, Ch. 119 §31
Because Sima Zhao always said, 'The realm is my elder brother's realm', when he is enfeoffed as King of Jin he wishes to make Sima You his heir. At this point Shan Tao remonstrates, 'Deposing the eldest and setting up a younger son is contrary to propriety and inauspicious.' Next, Jia Chong, He Zeng and Pei Xiu remonstrate that the eldest son does not have the look of one who will be another's subject, and when Sima Zhao hesitates, the Grand Commandant Wang Xiang (王祥) and the Minister of Works Xun Yi also remonstrate that setting up a younger son in former ages mostly brought disorder to the state. Sima Zhao finally makes his eldest son Sima Yan his heir. Romance, Ch. 119 §32–33
Where the Romance differs
Who remonstrated about the heir: In Chapter 119 of the Romance, when Sima Zhao wishes to make Sima You his heir, Shan Tao is the first to remonstrate, Jia Chong, He Zeng and Pei Xiu and then Wang Xiang and Xun Yi follow, and Sima Yan becomes heir. The Annals of the Three Young Emperors in the Records state only that Sima Yan was made Heir of Jin on the day bingwu in winter of the 1st year of Xianxi (264), and no remonstrating officials, Shan Tao included, appear. Romance, Ch. 119 §32–33Records, Wei 4 §144
How he became heir: In Chapter 119 of the Romance, the debate over the heir begins as soon as Sima Zhao is enfeoffed as King of Jin. In the Records, after Sima Zhao became King of Jin on the day jimao of the 3rd month of the 1st year of Xianxi, Sima Yan assisted in the affairs of the Chancellor of State in the 8th month, became General-in-Chief Who Pacifies the Army in the 9th month, and then became heir on the day bingwu in winter. Romance, Ch. 119 §31–33Records, Wei 4 §129–130 · 134 · 144
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
- INT48
- POL42
- CHA40
- VIR55
- ADP42
- SCH45
- DIP50
- DIS40
Evidence by ability
NNo direct record — no military recordCh. 119 §32
NNo direct record — no record of martial prowessCh. 119 §32
NNo direct record — estimated from his remonstrance on the question of the heirCh. 119 §32
NNo direct record — estimated as a subject of the King of JinCh. 119 §32
NNo direct record — only his name appearsCh. 119 §32
NRemonstrated that deposing the eldest and setting up a younger son was contrary to proprietyCh. 119 §32
NNo direct record — only a single remonstranceCh. 119 §32
NNo direct record — estimated from his remonstrance citing proprietyCh. 119 §32
NWas the first to remonstrate with Sima Zhao on the question of the heirCh. 119 §32
NNo direct record — no record concerning judging talentCh. 119 §32
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. 119 「山涛谏曰」 · Q124732261