| Occupation | RScholar · Grand Palace Grandee NScholar · Academician | Faction | Shu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Shu |
| Born | Native place | Guanghan Commandery Fu County | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R7 |
Yin Mo, courtesy name Siqian, was a man of Fu County in Zitong Commandery. In Yi Province people prized the new-text learning and did not esteem the study of chapter and verse, but Yin Mo, regarding this as not broad enough, traveled far to study in Jing Province, learned the old-text learning, and became expert in Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals. Records, Shu 12 §43
When the First Sovereign (Liu Bei) pacified Yi Province, Yin Mo became Attendant Officer for Encouraging Learning, and as Supervisor of the Crown Prince's Household he taught the Zuo Commentary to the Later Sovereign (Liu Shan). When the Later Sovereign ascended the throne he became Grandee Remonstrant, and when the Chancellor Zhuge Liang was stationed in Hanzhong he was summoned to serve as Army Libationer. After Zhuge Liang's death he returned to Chengdu, became Grand Palace Grandee, and died. Records, Shu 12 §44
His biography is in Records of Shu 12, the Biographies of Du, Zhou, Du, Xu, Meng, Lai, Yin, Li, Qiao and Xi. In his assessment Chen Shou said that Yin Mo was versed in the Zuo Commentary, and that, together with Xu Ci, Meng Guang, Lai Min and Li Zhuan whom he named alongside him, although they were not praised for virtuous conduct or achievement, they were truly all scholars of their age. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 80 as 'the Scholar Yin Mo' among the officials who ask the King of Hanzhong to take the imperial throne, and he appears in 2 of its 120 chapters; no chapter has his name in its title. Records, Shu 12 §102Romance, Ch. 80 §37Romance, Ch. 91 §40
Yin Mo, courtesy name Siqian, was a man of Fu County in Zitong Commandery. In the region of Yi Province most people prized the new-text learning and did not esteem the study of chapter and verse, but Yin Mo knew that this was not broad enough. So he traveled far to study in Jing Province and received the old-text learning from Sima Decao (Sima Hui), Song Zhongzi (Song Zhong) and others. Records, Shu 12 §43
Yin Mo was versed in all the classics and histories, and he also devoted himself to Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals, in which he became expert. From Liu Xin's Tiaoli to the commentaries and explanations of Zheng Zhong, Jia Kui and his father, Chen Yuan and Fu Qian, he could recite and expound nearly all of them, so that he no longer had to open the books. Records, Shu 12 §43
Li Ren, a man of the same county, also went to study in Jing Province together with Yin Mo and learned from Sima Hui, Song Zhong and others. Li Ren's son Li Zhuan received his learning in full, and also discussed principles under Yin Mo, reading widely in the Five Classics and the works of the philosophers. Records, Shu 12 §46
When the First Sovereign (Liu Bei) pacified Yi Province and took the post of Governor of Yi Province, he made Yin Mo Attendant Officer for Encouraging Learning. In the 25th year of Jian'an (220), after Emperor Wen of Wei (Cao Pi) took the imperial title and word spread that the Han emperor had been killed, reports of auspicious omens came in from many places one after another, and the Lieutenant Generals Zhang Yi (張裔) and Huang Quan, the Attendant Officers for Encouraging Learning Zhang Shuang, Yin Mo and Qiao Zhou, and others submitted a document. It cited passages from the prophetic texts of the Luo Writing and the Classic of Filial Piety and the signs of heaven, and asked that the Great King respond to heaven and accord with the people, ascend to the great enterprise without delay, and bring peace to the realm. Records, Shu 12 §44Records, Shu 2 §55–56 · 59
When the crown prince was established, the First Sovereign made Yin Mo Supervisor of the Crown Prince's Household and had him teach the Zuo Commentary to the Later Sovereign (Liu Shan). When the Later Sovereign ascended the throne, Yin Mo was appointed Grandee Remonstrant. Records, Shu 12 §44
When the Chancellor Zhuge Liang was stationed in Hanzhong, he requested Yin Mo and made him Army Libationer. When Zhuge Liang died in the 12th year of Jianxing (234), Yin Mo returned to Chengdu, was appointed Grand Palace Grandee, and died. The Records do not give the year of his death. His son Yin Zong inherited his learning and became an Academician. Records, Shu 12 §44Records, Shu 5 §38
In the assessment at the end of the volume, Chen Shou wrote that Xu Ci, Meng Guang, Lai Min and Li Zhuan were widely read and had heard much, and that Yin Mo was versed in the Zuo Commentary; although they were not praised for virtuous conduct or achievement, they were truly all scholars of their age. Records, Shu 12 §102
In Chapter 80 of the Romance, after Cao Pi usurps the Han throne, Kongming (Zhuge Liang) repeatedly urges the King of Hanzhong to take the imperial throne and, when he is not heeded, stays away claiming illness. When the King of Hanzhong comes to visit him and says he will do it once the Military Adviser has recovered, Kongming strikes the screen once, and the civil and military officials waiting outside come in, prostrate themselves on the ground and ask that a day be chosen to perform the grand ceremony. The Romance names 'the Scholar Yin Mo' among them, together with the Grand Tutor Xu Jing, the Director of Studies Qiao Zhou and others. Romance, Ch. 80 §31–37
In Chapter 91, after pacifying the south, Kongming submits a memorial to the Later Sovereign and sets out to attack the north, leaving a number of officials in Chengdu to govern the affairs of Shu together. At this time Yin Mo stays behind as an Academician together with Li Zhuan. These two scenes are the only ones in which Yin Mo appears in the Romance. Romance, Ch. 91 §39–40
Learning: Chapters 80 and 91 of the Romance name Yin Mo only by the titles 'Scholar' and 'Academician'. In the Records, regarding the scholarly tradition of Yi Province as not broad enough, he traveled to Jing Province to learn the old-text learning, and he was so expert in Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals that he could recite its many commentaries without the books. Romance, Ch. 80 §37Romance, Ch. 91 §40Records, Shu 12 §43
Urging him to the throne: In Chapter 80 of the Romance, 'the Scholar Yin Mo' is among the officials who come in and prostrate themselves when Kongming (Zhuge Liang) strikes the screen. In the Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records, in the 25th year of Jian'an (220), Yin Mo, as Attendant Officer for Encouraging Learning, submitted together with Zhang Yi (張裔), Huang Quan, Zhang Shuang, Qiao Zhou and others a document that cited passages from the prophetic texts and urged accession to the imperial throne. Romance, Ch. 80 §34–37Records, Shu 2 §55 · 59
Tutor to the Later Sovereign: The Romance does not have Yin Mo teaching the crown prince. In the Records, when the crown prince was established he became Supervisor of the Crown Prince's Household and taught the Zuo Commentary to the Later Sovereign (Liu Shan), and when the Later Sovereign ascended the throne he became Grandee Remonstrant. Romance, Ch. 80 §37Romance, Ch. 91 §40Records, Shu 12 §44
During Zhuge Liang's northern campaigns: In Chapter 91 of the Romance, Yin Mo becomes an Academician together with Li Zhuan and stays in Chengdu. In the Records, when Zhuge Liang was stationed in Hanzhong he requested Yin Mo and made him Army Libationer, and Yin Mo returned to Chengdu only after Zhuge Liang's death. In the Records, the one who became an Academician was Yin Mo's son Yin Zong. Romance, Ch. 91 §40Records, Shu 12 §44
Death: In the Romance Yin Mo no longer appears after Chapter 91, and his death is not recorded. In the Records he returned to Chengdu and was appointed Grand Palace Grandee before he died, but the year of his death is not recorded. Romance, Ch. 91 §40Records, Shu 12 §44
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.
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.
RLearned the old-text learning, mastered the classics and histories and recited all the Zuo Commentary glosses; the assessment also acknowledges his expertiseShu 12 §43Shu 12 §102
NJoined in urging the King of Hanzhong to the throne as a Scholar and stayed behind as an AcademicianCh. 91 §40
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a scholarShu 12 §44
NNo direct record — estimatedCh. 80 §37
RNo direct record — estimatedShu 12 §44
NNo direct record — estimatedCh. 80 §37
RNo direct record — estimatedShu 12 §43
NNo direct record — estimatedCh. 80 §37
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as Attendant Officer for Encouraging Learning and Grandee RemonstrantShu 12 §44
NNo direct record — estimatedCh. 80 §37
RNo direct record — estimatedShu 12 §44
NNo direct record — estimatedCh. 80 §37
RChen Shou's assessment says he was not praised for virtuous conduct or achievementShu 12 §102
NNo direct record — estimatedCh. 80 §37
RNo direct record — estimatedShu 12 §44
NNo direct record — estimatedCh. 80 §37
RNo direct record — estimatedShu 12 §44
NNo direct record — estimatedCh. 80 §37
RNo direct record — estimated from his discussing principles with Li ZhuanShu 12 §46
NNo direct record — estimatedCh. 80 §37
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.
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