RKnown for loyalty together with Han Hao, and was put in charge of the imperial guardWei 9 §12
NNo direct recordCh. 19 §42
Shi Huan 史渙
| Occupation | RGeneral · Central Commander of the Army | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Wei |
| Born | R? Unverified | Native place | Pei Commandery |
| Died | R209 Unverified | Place of death | NCangting |
| Cause of death | NKilled in battle Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R13 |
Profile
Shi Huan was a native of Pei and a general under Cao Cao. He has no biography of his own in the Records and is briefly recorded alongside Han Hao in the Biographies of the Xiahou and Cao Clans in Records of Wei 9. Together with Han Hao he became known for his loyalty and valor, rose to Central Commander of the Army in charge of the imperial guard, and was enfeoffed as a full marquis. Records, Wei 9 §11–12
In the 4th year of Jian'an (199) he crossed the Yellow River with Cao Ren, defeated Sui Gu at Quancheng and beheaded him. In the 5th year of Jian'an (200), when Cao Cao was facing Yuan Shao at Guandu, he intercepted Yuan Shao's grain wagons together with Xu Huang, attacked them and burned them all. Records, Wei 1 §51 · 68
Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name or when he died, and he does not appear in the assessment at the end of volume 9 either. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 19 and appears in 4 of its 120 chapters; no chapter title bears his name. He is depicted as Xu Huang's lieutenant, and in Chapter 31, in the battle at Cangting, he is killed by an arrow from Yuan Shang. Records, Wei 9 §12 · 132Romance, Ch. 19 §42Romance, Ch. 30 §16Romance, Ch. 31 §14
In the Records
Shi Huan was a native of Pei. He has no biography of his own in Chen Shou's main text and appears in the passage of the Biographies of the Xiahou and Cao Clans in Records of Wei 9 that records Han Hao and Shi Huan together. Chen Shou wrote that Han Hao, a native of Henei, and Shi Huan of Pei both became known for their loyalty and valor. Records, Wei 9 §11–12
In the 2nd month, in spring, of the 4th year of Jian'an (199), Zhang Yang's general Yang Chou killed Zhang Yang, and Sui Gu in turn killed Yang Chou, then led his followers to attach themselves to Yuan Shao and stationed himself at Shequan. In the 4th month, in summer, Cao Cao advanced his army to the Yellow River and had Shi Huan and Cao Ren cross the river to attack Sui Gu. Sui Gu left Zhang Yang's former Chief Clerk Xue Hong and the Administrator of Henei Miao Shang to hold his base, and was leading troops north in person to meet Yuan Shao and ask for help when he encountered Shi Huan and Cao Ren at Quancheng. They fought, routed him and beheaded Sui Gu. Records, Wei 1 §51
This battle is recorded in other biographies as well. The Biography of Zhang Yang records that Cao Cao sent Shi Huan to intercept him on the way, defeated him at Quancheng, beheaded Sui Gu and took over all his followers. The Biography of Yu Jin says that Yu Jin, on a separate mission, attacked Sui Gu at Shequan together with Shi Huan and Cao Ren, defeated him and beheaded him, and the Biography of Xu Huang records that Xu Huang beheaded Sui Gu in Henei together with Shi Huan. Records, Wei 8 §34Records, Wei 17 §32 · 58
In the 5th year of Jian'an (200), while Cao Cao was facing Yuan Shao at Guandu, his provisions were about to run out. Xun You said that Yuan Shao's supply wagons would soon arrive and that their commander Han Meng was keen but took the enemy lightly, so he could be defeated if attacked, and named Xu Huang as the man to send. Cao Cao therefore sent Xu Huang and Shi Huan to intercept them on the road; they defeated them, put them to flight and burned their baggage. The Annals of Emperor Wu record that Yuan Shao's grain wagons that arrived at this time numbered several thousand, and that Xu Huang and Shi Huan routed them and burned all the wagons. Records, Wei 10 §59Records, Wei 1 §68
The Biography of Xu Huang records that Xu Huang also attacked Yuan Shao's supply wagons at Gushi together with Shi Huan, and that Xu Huang's merit was the greatest, so he was enfeoffed as Marquis of a Chief Village. The Biography of Cao Ren also records that Cao Ren again plundered Yuan Shao's supply wagons together with Shi Huan and others and burned their grain. Records, Wei 17 §58Records, Wei 9 §34
Shi Huan rose to Central Commander of the Army. Together with Han Hao, who rose to Central Protector of the Army, he was in charge of the imperial guard, and both were enfeoffed as full marquises. Chen Shou's main text does not record Shi Huan's courtesy name, the year of his death or how he died. The assessment at the end of volume 9 assesses only the relatives of the Xiahou and Cao clans and does not deal with Shi Huan. Records, Wei 9 §12 · 132
In the Romance
In Chapter 19 of the Romance, while Cao Cao has been attacking the city of Xiapi for two months without taking it, word comes that Zhang Yang, Administrator of Henei, set out with troops to rescue Lü Bu but was killed by his subordinate general Yang Chou, that Yang Chou was in turn killed by Sui Gu, a general in Zhang Yang's confidence, and that Sui Gu has gone off to Quancheng. On hearing the report, Cao Cao at once sends Shi Huan to pursue Sui Gu and behead him. Romance, Ch. 19 §42
In Chapter 30, at Guandu, when Yuan Shao's army falls back some thirty li, Cao Cao sends generals out to patrol beyond the camp. Then Shi Huan, Xu Huang's lieutenant, captures a spy from Yuan Shao's army and brings him before Xu Huang, and the spy confesses that the great general Han Meng is coming with provisions and has sent them ahead to scout the road. When Xu Huang reports this to Cao Cao, Xun You proposes cutting off the provisions and fodder halfway with swift cavalry and says that Xu Huang should be sent. Romance, Ch. 30 §16–17
Cao Cao has Xu Huang set out first, taking Shi Huan and his own troops, and then sends Zhang Liao and Xu Chu after them in support. That night, in a mountain valley, Xu Huang and Shi Huan block the way of Han Meng, who is escorting several thousand grain wagons. While Xu Huang engages Han Meng in combat, Shi Huan attacks and scatters the laborers, sets fire to the grain wagons and burns them. Romance, Ch. 30 §17–18
In Chapter 31, when the two armies face each other at Cangting, Yuan Shao's third son Yuan Shang, wishing to show off his prowess before his father, gallops in front of the lines brandishing a pair of swords. Shi Huan, spear leveled, is the first to charge out, and within three bouts Yuan Shang wheels away at an angle and flees, but as Shi Huan pursues him, an arrow that Yuan Shang shoots, turning in the saddle, strikes Shi Huan squarely in the left eye, and Shi Huan falls from his horse and dies. At the start of Chapter 32, Yuan Shang, trusting in his own valor after cutting down Shi Huan, sets out for Liyang and is heavily defeated by Zhang Liao. Romance, Ch. 31 §13–14Romance, Ch. 32 §1
Where the Romance differs
Who attacked Sui Gu: In Chapter 19 of the Romance, Cao Cao sends Shi Huan to pursue Sui Gu and behead him. In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, Cao Cao had Shi Huan and Cao Ren cross the Yellow River to attack Sui Gu, and the Biographies of Yu Jin and Xu Huang also record Yu Jin and Xu Huang attacking Sui Gu together with Shi Huan. Romance, Ch. 19 §42Records, Wei 1 §51Records, Wei 17 §32 · 58
When Sui Gu was attacked: In Chapter 19 of the Romance, this happens while Cao Cao has been unable to take the city of Xiapi for two months. The Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records place it after Lü Bu and Chen Gong had been captured and killed: in the 2nd month, in spring, of the 4th year of Jian'an (199) Yang Chou killed Zhang Yang, and in the 4th month, in summer, Cao Cao sent Shi Huan and Cao Ren. Romance, Ch. 19 §42Records, Wei 1 §49 · 51
Xu Huang's lieutenant: Chapters 30 and 31 of the Romance call Shi Huan Xu Huang's lieutenant. The Annals of Emperor Wu and the Biographies of Xun You and Xu Huang in the Records only record that Xu Huang and Shi Huan were sent side by side and do not call him a lieutenant, and Shi Huan rose to Central Commander of the Army in charge of the imperial guard and was enfeoffed as a full marquis. Romance, Ch. 30 §16Romance, Ch. 31 §14Records, Wei 1 §68Records, Wei 10 §59Records, Wei 17 §58Records, Wei 9 §12
The spy: In Chapter 30 of the Romance, Han Meng's grain transport comes to light through the words of a spy from Yuan Shao's army whom Shi Huan has captured. In the Biography of Xun You in the Records, Xun You tells Cao Cao that Yuan Shao's supply wagons will soon arrive and that their commander Han Meng takes the enemy lightly, and no spy appears. Romance, Ch. 30 §16Records, Wei 10 §59
His death: In Chapter 31 of the Romance, Shi Huan is struck in the left eye by Yuan Shang's arrow at Cangting, falls from his horse and dies. The Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records state only that in the 4th month, in summer, of the 6th year of Jian'an (201) Cao Cao attacked and defeated Yuan Shao's army at Cangting, and Shi Huan does not appear; Chen Shou's main text does not record how Shi Huan died. Romance, Ch. 31 §14Records, Wei 1 §73Records, Wei 9 §12
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 total463 / 1000Rank 333 of 996 · Top 34%Romance total389 / 1000Rank 596 of 1,113 · Top 54%
Romance adaptation index−74Romance total − Records total
- LEA6450−14
- STR6045−15
- INT4045+5
- POL3531−4
- CHA4538−7
- VIR7250−22
- ADP4535−10
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3331−2
- DIS3833−5
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RBecame known for loyalty and valorWei 9 §12
NFought Yuan Shang and pursued him, but was killed by an arrow shot as Yuan Shang turned in the saddleCh. 31 §14
RDefeated Sui Gu at Quancheng and burned Yuan Shao's supply train at GuanduWei 8 §34Wei 1 §68Wei 17 §58
NBlocked Han Meng's grain wagons together with Xu Huang and burned themCh. 30 §17
RNo direct recordWei 9 §12
NNo direct recordCh. 31 §14
6 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a general who carried out Xun You's planWei 1 §68
NCaptured a spy from Yuan Shao's army and obtained information on the supply trainCh. 30 §16
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a military officerWei 9 §12
NNo direct record — estimated from his career as a lieutenantCh. 30 §16
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a commander of the imperial guardWei 9 §12
NNo direct recordCh. 30 §16
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a military officerWei 9 §12
NNo direct record — estimated from his career as a lieutenantCh. 30 §16
RNo direct recordWei 9 §12
NNo direct recordCh. 30 §16
RNo direct recordWei 9 §12
NNo direct recordCh. 30 §16
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
- Wei · Records · Records vol. 9 「渙至中領軍」
Related events (2)
- Battle of Guandu 200 · Command
- Cao Cao Defeats Yuan Shao at Cangting 201 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).