RSurrendered to Cao Cao as the Yuan collapsed and was enfeoffed as a full marquisWei 1 §88
NVolunteered for a battle on the water, staking himself on military law despite Cao Cao's cautionCh. 48 §24
Zhang Nan 張南
| Occupation | RNGeneral | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | N? Unverified | Native place | |
| Died | N208 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Cause of death | NKilled in battle Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R2 |
Profile
Zhang Nan was a senior general of Yuan Xi. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears once each, together with Jiao Chu, in the Annals of Emperor Wu in Records of Wei 1 and the Biographies of Dong, the Two Yuans and Liu in Records of Wei 6. In the 1st month of the 10th year of Jian'an (205), the same month in which Cao Cao beheaded Yuan Tan and pacified Ji Province, he rebelled together with Jiao Chu and others and attacked Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang, and the two fled to the Wuhuan. The Annals of Emperor Wu record that Jiao Chu and the others surrendered with their counties and were enfeoffed as full marquises. Records, Wei 1 §88Records, Wei 6 §68
Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name or origins, or his later deeds and death, and the assessments of Records of Wei 1 and 6 do not deal with him either. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 33 as a commander who had surrendered from the Yuan side, and he appears in 3 of its 120 chapters; no chapter has his name in its title. At Changban in Chapter 41 he blocks Zhao Yun's way together with Jiao Chu, and in Chapter 48 he sets out with Jiao Chu in small boats against the naval camp on the south bank of the Yangtze and is cut down by Zhou Tai's blade. Records, Wei 1 §88 · 173Records, Wei 6 §68 · 96–97Romance, Ch. 33 §22Romance, Ch. 41 §60Romance, Ch. 48 §29
In the Records
While Cao Cao was besieging Ye, Yuan Tan attacked Yuan Shang at Zhongshan, and Yuan Shang fled to Gu'an and took refuge with Yuan Xi. In spring, in the 1st month of the 10th year of Jian'an (205), Cao Cao attacked Nanpi and beheaded Yuan Tan, and Ji Province was pacified. Records, Wei 6 §67Records, Wei 1 §88
The Annals of Emperor Wu record that in that month Yuan Xi's senior generals Jiao Chu, Zhang Nan and others rebelled and attacked Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang, who fled to the Wuhuan of the Three Commanderies. The Biographies of Dong, the Two Yuans and Liu record the same event as Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang being attacked by their generals Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan and fleeing to the Wuhuan of Liaoxi. Records, Wei 1 §88Records, Wei 6 §68
The Biographies of Dong, the Two Yuans and Liu go on to record that Jiao Chu styled himself Inspector of You Province and drove the Administrators of the commanderies and the Prefects and Chiefs of the counties to turn against the Yuan family and toward the Cao family, and that he drew up tens of thousands of troops and had them swear an oath over a slaughtered white horse. When the Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage Han Heng, citing the favor of Lord Yuan and his sons, said that he could not face north and serve the Cao family, Jiao Chu proposed letting Han Heng fulfill his resolve, to encourage those who serve their lords. Zhang Nan's name does not appear in this passage. Records, Wei 6 §68–69
The Annals of Emperor Wu record that Jiao Chu and the others surrendered with their counties and were enfeoffed as full marquises. These two passages are the only places in Chen Shou's main text where Zhang Nan appears. His courtesy name and origins, his later deeds and his death are not recorded, and the assessments of the Annals of Emperor Wu and the Biographies of Dong, the Two Yuans and Liu do not deal with him either. Records, Wei 1 §88 · 173Records, Wei 6 §68 · 96–97
In the Romance
In Chapter 33 of the Romance, when Cao Cao asks for a plan to attack Yuan Shang, who has taken refuge with Yuan Xi, Guo Jia advises him to have Jiao Chu, Zhang Nan and the other surrendered commanders of the Yuan attack them themselves. Following this advice, Cao Cao has Jiao Chu, Zhang Nan, Lü Kuang, Lü Xiang, Ma Yan and Zhang Yi each lead the troops of his own command and attack You Province by three routes. Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi, knowing that Cao Cao's army will soon arrive, abandon their city and flee to the Wuhuan of Liaoxi. Romance, Ch. 33 §22–23
At the battle of Changban in Chapter 41, he and Jiao Chu, wielding two kinds of weapons, block the way in front of Zhao Yun as he gallops off. Behind, Ma Yan and Zhang Yi are in pursuit, and the Romance says that all four were commanders who had surrendered from Yuan Shao's service. Zhao Yun fights the four generals with all his strength, and when Cao Cao's troops swarm in he draws the Qinggang Sword, cuts his way about him and breaks through the layered encirclement. Romance, Ch. 41 §60–61
In Chapter 48, when Cao Cao says that the troops of Qing, Xu, Yan and Dai are not used to boats, Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan, former generals under Yuan Shao, step forward and say that although they are men of You and Yan they can handle boats, and that if lent twenty patrol boats they will go and seize the flags and drums at the river mouth. When Cao Cao warns them not to treat their lives as a children's game, the two cry out that if they do not win they will gladly submit to military law. Jiao Chu says that he and Zhang Nan will each command half, and Cao Cao gives them twenty boats and five hundred picked troops and has Wen Pin meet them on their way back with thirty patrol boats. Romance, Ch. 48 §23–25
The next day Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan lead twenty scouting boats toward the south bank, and the Romance says that, trusting only in the courage of the moment, the two rowed their small boats as if flying. When Zhou Yu asks who will go, Han Dang and Zhou Tai step forward and come out with five scouting boats each. When Jiao Chu, arriving first, is killed by a thrust of Han Dang's spear, Zhang Nan comes after them with a great shout. As Zhang Nan stands at the bow with his spear levelled, Zhou Tai, coming out obliquely from the side, leaps across onto Zhang Nan's boat when the two boats are some seven or eight feet apart, brings down his blade, and cuts Zhang Nan down into the water. Romance, Ch. 48 §26–29
Where the Romance differs
How Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang were attacked: In Chapter 33 of the Romance, Zhang Nan is a commander who has already surrendered to Cao Cao and, following Guo Jia's plan, marches on You Province by three routes, while Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang flee before Cao Cao's army arrives. In the Records, Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan, senior generals of Yuan Xi, rebelled and attacked Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang, and afterward Jiao Chu and the others surrendered with their counties and were enfeoffed as full marquises. Romance, Ch. 33 §22–23Records, Wei 1 §88Records, Wei 6 §68
Changban: In Chapter 41 of the Romance, Zhang Nan blocks the way in front of Zhao Yun together with Jiao Chu. The record of Zhang Nan in the Records contains no battle of Changban. Romance, Ch. 41 §60Records, Wei 1 §88Records, Wei 6 §68
Setting out against the naval camp south of the river: In Chapter 48 of the Romance, Zhang Nan, together with Jiao Chu, says that although they are men of You and Yan they can handle boats, and sets out toward the south bank with small boats. The record of Zhang Nan in the Records contains nothing of this, and Chen Shou's main text does not record his origins either. Romance, Ch. 48 §23–26Records, Wei 1 §88Records, Wei 6 §68
Death: In Chapter 48 of the Romance, Zhang Nan is cut down by Zhou Tai's blade and falls into the water. The Records do not record Zhang Nan's deeds or death after he was enfeoffed as a full marquis. Romance, Ch. 48 §29Records, Wei 1 §88Records, Wei 6 §68
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 total374 / 1000Rank 763 of 996 · Top 77%Romance total339 / 1000Rank 965 of 1,113 · Top 87%
Romance adaptation index−35Romance total − Records total
- LEA5042−8
- STR4245+3
- INT3825−13
- POL3131±0
- CHA3535±0
- VIR2538+13
- ADP6030−30
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3131±0
- DIS3131±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 6 §68
NTrusting only in the courage of the moment, rushed at the naval camp south of the river in small boatsCh. 48 §28Ch. 48 §24
RAs Yuan Xi's senior general, turned against his master and attacked himWei 1 §88
NServed as a subordinate general of Yuan Xi and then surrendered to Cao CaoCh. 33 §19
7 similar abilities — show evidence
RAttacked Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang with Jiao Chu and drove them to the WuhuanWei 6 §68Wei 1 §88
NAs a surrendered general, led the troops of his own command to attack You ProvinceCh. 33 §22
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a general of the YuanWei 6 §68
NBlocked and fought Zhao Yun, and was cut down by Zhou Tai in a battle on the waterCh. 41 §60Ch. 48 §29
RNo direct record — no record of administrationWei 1 §88
NNo direct record — no record of administrationCh. 33 §22
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 6 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 33 §19
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a military commanderWei 1 §88
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a military commanderCh. 48 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 1 §88
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 48 §23
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 1 §88
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 48 §23
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 (3)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Related events (1)
- The Northern Army Chains Its Warships 208 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).