Yan Xiang 閻象
| Occupation | RNOfficial · Registrar | Faction | Yuan Shu faction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Yan Xiang (閻象) was Registrar to Yuan Shu. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears once, in Yuan Shu's biography. In winter of the 2nd year of Xingping (195), when the Son of Heaven was defeated at Caoyang, Yuan Shu gathered his subordinates and asked their opinion, saying that he wished to respond to Heaven and follow the people; when no one in the assembly dared answer, Yan Xiang stepped forward and dissuaded him, pointing out that even Zhou, holding two of the three parts of the realm, still served Yin. Yuan Shu fell silent and was displeased, and in the end usurped the title of emperor. Records, Wei 6 §78–79
In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 17, and no chapter has his name in its title. That chapter opens with Yuan Shu, holding the imperial seal that Sun Ce had left with him as a pledge, preparing to proclaim himself emperor; Yan Xiang, as Registrar, tries to stop him with the same comparison, but Yuan Shu angrily declares that anyone who says more will be beheaded. Romance, Ch. 17 §1–3
In the Records
In winter of the 2nd year of Xingping (195), the Son of Heaven was defeated at Caoyang. Yuan Shu gathered his subordinates and said that now the Liu clan was weak and feeble and the whole realm was seething like a boiling cauldron, while his own family had served as the Three Excellencies supporting the throne for four generations and was the one to which the people turned; he therefore wished to respond to Heaven and follow the people, and asked what they all thought. No one in the assembly dared answer. Records, Wei 6 §78
At this the Registrar Yan Xiang stepped forward and said that in former times Zhou, from Hou Ji down to King Wen, had accumulated virtue and piled up merit, and held two of the three parts into which the realm was divided, yet still served Yin. He went on to say that although Yuan Shu's house had flourished for generations, it did not match the greatness of Zhou, and although the Han house was weak, it did not match the tyranny of King Zhou of Yin. Yuan Shu fell silent and was displeased. Records, Wei 6 §78–79
Using a mandate token (fuming) presented by Zhang Jiong (張烱) of Henei, Yuan Shu at last usurped the title of emperor, appointed ministers and excellencies, and sacrificed at the southern and northern suburban altars. In Yuan Shu's biography, Yan Xiang's name appears only in this one passage. Records, Wei 6 §71–80
In the Romance
In Chapter 17 of the Romance, Yuan Shu in Huainan, with broad lands and abundant grain and also the imperial seal that Sun Ce had left with him as a pledge, thinks of presumptuously proclaiming himself emperor. He gathers his subordinates in a great assembly and says that Emperor Gaozu of Han was no more than a mere neighborhood head on the Si River yet came to possess the realm, and that the Han has now lasted four hundred years and its allotted fortune is exhausted; his own family, which has produced the Three Excellencies for four generations, will respond to the will of Heaven, follow the hearts of men and ascend the throne of the Son of Heaven, and he asks what they think. Romance, Ch. 17 §1
The Registrar Yan Xiang says, 'It must not be,' and states that Hou Ji of Zhou accumulated virtue and piled up merit, and by the time of King Wen Zhou held two of the three parts of the realm, yet still served Yin. Though Yuan Shu's house is noble, it does not match the greatness of Zhou, and though the Han imperial house has declined, it does not match the tyranny of King Zhou of Yin, so this must on no account be done, he says. Romance, Ch. 17 §2
Yuan Shu angrily replies that the Yuan clan descends from Chen and Chen from the great Shun, so succeeding Fire with Earth accords with their destiny; that the prophecy 'He who replaces the Han is Dangtugao' matches his own courtesy name, Gonglu; and that he even has the heirloom imperial seal. Declaring that his mind is already made up and that anyone who says more will be beheaded, he establishes the reign title Zhongshi and sacrifices at the southern and northern suburban altars. Yan Xiang does not appear in the Romance after this. Romance, Ch. 17 §2–3
Where the Romance differs
When the discussion took place: In Chapter 17 of the Romance, Yuan Shu gathers his subordinates in Huainan for the discussion after obtaining the imperial seal that Sun Ce had left with him as a pledge. The Records state that he gathered his subordinates in winter of the 2nd year of Xingping (195), prompted by the Son of Heaven's defeat at Caoyang, and the seal does not appear in this passage. Romance, Ch. 17 §1Records, Wei 6 §78
How he remonstrated: In Chapter 17 of the Romance, Yan Xiang says 'It must not be' as soon as Yuan Shu asks, and adds at the end that this must on no account be done. In the Records, Yan Xiang merely steps forward while no one in the assembly dares answer and speaks by analogy with Zhou and Yin; the words 'it must not be' do not appear. Romance, Ch. 17 §2Records, Wei 6 §78–79
Yuan Shu's response: In Chapter 17 of the Romance, Yuan Shu angrily cites the Yuan clan's descent from Shun, the Dangtugao prophecy and the heirloom imperial seal, and says that anyone who says more will be beheaded. In the Records, Yuan Shu fell silent and was displeased, and afterwards proclaimed himself emperor using a mandate token presented by Zhang Jiong (張烱) of Henei. Romance, Ch. 17 §2–3Records, Wei 6 §79
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.
- LEA3131±0
- STR3131±0
- INT6562−3
- POL4545±0
- CHA3838±0
- VIR6565±0
- ADP3838±0
- SCH5250−2
- DIP5048−2
- DIS3838±0
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
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
- Yuan Shu faction (197~199) · Novel & History · Records vol. 6 「主簿閻象進曰」 · Romance ch. 17