Zhuge Yuan 諸葛原
| Occupation | RNOfficial · Administrator of Xinxing | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R10 |
Profile
Zhuge Yuan was the man who, when he was being transferred from Prefect of Guantao to Administrator of Xinxing and Guan Lu came to his farewell banquet, put a swallow's egg, a wasps' nest and a spider into vessels and had Guan Lu guess them. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears only in this one scene, in the account of Guan Lu in the Biographies of Technicians. Apart from his offices, Chen Shou's main text records nothing of his origins or his death. Records, Wei 29 §68–69
In the Romance he appears in Chapter 69, within the story of Guan Lu's divination that Xu Zhi, Assistant to the Grand Astrologer, tells Cao Cao; he appears in 1 of the 120 chapters, and his name is in no chapter title. The Romance portrays him as doubting Guan Lu's skill and secretly placing the three objects in separate boxes. Romance, Ch. 69 §2–3 · 8
In the Records
When Zhuge Yuan, Prefect of Guantao, was transferred to be Administrator of Xinxing, Guan Lu went to the farewell banquet, where the guests had all gathered. Zhuge Yuan rose in person, took a swallow's egg, a wasps' nest and a spider, put them in vessels, and had Guan Lu perform shefu (guessing objects kept covered). Records, Wei 29 §68
When the hexagram was formed, Guan Lu said that the first object held breath and awaited transformation, depended on the eaves of a house, and, male and female taking shape, would spread its wings: it was a swallow's egg. The second object had its dwelling hanging upside down with many doorways, stored essence and nurtured poison, and transformed when autumn came: it was a wasps' nest. The third object trembled and had long legs, spun silk to make a net, sought food along its web, and found its advantage in the dark night: it was a spider. The whole gathering was astonished and delighted. This one scene is the only place in Chen Shou's main text where Zhuge Yuan appears. Records, Wei 29 §68–69
In the Romance
In Chapter 69 of the Romance, when Cao Cao has fallen ill and has Xu Zhi, Assistant to the Grand Astrologer, divine by the Changes, Xu Zhi asks whether he knows of the divine diviner Guan Lu and recounts his stories one after another. In one of them, when Zhuge Yuan, Prefect of Guantao, is being transferred to be Administrator of Xinxing, Guan Lu goes to see him off, and the guests say that Guan Lu can guess hidden objects. Romance, Ch. 69 §2–3 · 8
Zhuge Yuan does not believe it and secretly takes three things, a swallow's egg, a wasps' nest and a spider, places them separately in three boxes and has Guan Lu divine them. When the hexagram is formed, Guan Lu writes four lines on each box and correctly names the swallow's egg, the wasps' nest and the spider, and the whole company is astonished and awed. Romance, Ch. 69 §8–9
Where the Romance differs
Why he had the objects guessed: In Chapter 69 of the Romance, when the guests say that Guan Lu can guess hidden objects, Zhuge Yuan does not believe it and secretly hides the objects. The Records say only that Zhuge Yuan rose in person, put the objects in vessels and had Guan Lu perform shefu, and say nothing of his disbelief. Romance, Ch. 69 §8Records, Wei 29 §68
Where the objects were put: In Chapter 69 of the Romance, the three objects are placed separately in three boxes, and Guan Lu writes four lines on each box. In the Records, the three objects were put in vessels, and when the hexagram was formed Guan Lu named them aloud. Romance, Ch. 69 §8–9Records, Wei 29 §68–69
The gathering's reaction: In Chapter 69 of the Romance, the whole company is astonished and awed. In the Records, the whole gathering was astonished and delighted. Romance, Ch. 69 §9Records, Wei 29 §69
The frame of the story: In Chapter 69 of the Romance, this episode is part of the story Xu Zhi tells the ailing Cao Cao when recommending Guan Lu. In the Records, it is a passage in the account of Guan Lu in the Biographies of Technicians, and Xu Zhi does not appear in the account of Guan Lu. Romance, Ch. 69 §2–3Records, Wei 29 §55–84
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
- INT4240−2
- POL5048−2
- CHA4040±0
- VIR4242±0
- ADP4242±0
- SCH4040±0
- DIP4040±0
- DIS4040±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
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as Prefect of Guantao and Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his offices as county prefect and commandery administratorCh. 69 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as Prefect of Guantao and Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his offices as county prefect and commandery administratorCh. 69 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as Prefect of Guantao and Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NDoubted Guan Lu's divination and tested him by secretly hiding three objectsCh. 69 §8
RTransferred from Prefect of Guantao to Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his offices as county prefect and commandery administratorCh. 69 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as Prefect of Guantao and Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his offices as county prefect and commandery administratorCh. 69 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as Prefect of Guantao and Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his offices as county prefect and commandery administratorCh. 69 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as Prefect of Guantao and Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his offices as county prefect and commandery administratorCh. 69 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as Prefect of Guantao and Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his offices as county prefect and commandery administratorCh. 69 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as Prefect of Guantao and Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his offices as county prefect and commandery administratorCh. 69 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as Prefect of Guantao and Administrator of XinxingWei 29 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his offices as county prefect and commandery administratorCh. 69 §8
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
- Wei · Records · Records vol. 29 「館陶令諸葛原遷新興太守」