RShowed merit and ability and was meticulous and diligent, but fell short of Ma ZhongShu 13 §33
NNo direct recordCh. 115 §21
Yan Yu 閻宇
| Occupation | RGeneral · General-in-Chief of the Right NGeneral · General of the Right | Faction | Shu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Nan Commandery | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R7 |
Profile
Yan Yu was a general of Shu Han. At the end of the Biography of Ma Zhong, Chen Shou names him together with Zhang Biao as one of those who succeeded Ma Zhong, writing that he had long shown merit and ability and was meticulous and diligent in his affairs, but fell short of Ma Zhong in commanding presence and achievement. Records, Shu 13 §33
When Shi Ji of Wu secretly allied with Shu, Yan Yu, as General of the Right, led 5,000 troops to reinforce the garrison at Baidi. Around the 5th year of Jingyao (262), as General-in-Chief of the Right, he was in league with the eunuch Huang Hao, and Huang Hao secretly sought to remove Jiang Wei and put Yan Yu in his place. Records, Wu 11 §29Records, Shu 14 §43
He has no biography of his own in the Records, and Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, origin or death. In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 115, and his name does not appear in the chapter title. The Romance portrays him as a General of the Right who, with no merit of his own, gained high rank by flattering Huang Hao, and casts him as the man who prompts Huang Hao to have Jiang Wei recalled from Mount Qi. Records, Shu 13 §33Records, Shu 14 §43Records, Wu 11 §29Romance, Ch. 115 §21 · 23
In the Records
Ma Zhong established both awe and kindness in the south, so that the non-Han peoples both feared and loved him, and he died in the 12th year of Yanxi (249). At the end of the Biography of Ma Zhong, Chen Shou wrote that Zhang Biao was a renowned figure of his day whose reputation for integrity surpassed Ma Zhong's, and that Yan Yu had long shown merit and ability and was meticulous and diligent in his affairs. The two succeeded one after the other as Ma Zhong's successors, but in commanding presence and achievement neither matched Ma Zhong. Records, Shu 13 §32–33
When Sun Chen took power in Wu, the high ministers grew suspicious and divided in loyalty. Shi Ji, General of Agile Cavalry of Wu, feared that Wu would surely fall into turmoil and that the state of the Central Plains would take advantage of the opening, and so secretly sent letters to ally with Shu. Shu had the General of the Right Yan Yu lead 5,000 troops to reinforce the garrison at Baidi and await Shi Ji's further instructions. Records, Wu 11 §29
In the 5th year of Jingyao (262) Jiang Wei led his forces out of Hanzhong and advanced to Houhe, was defeated by Deng Ai, and returned to garrison Tazhong. Chen Shou wrote that Jiang Wei was originally a wanderer who had entrusted himself to this state, that though he had fought for many years he had achieved nothing, and that the eunuch Huang Hao and others wielded power within the court. At this time the General-in-Chief of the Right Yan Yu was in league with Huang Hao, and Huang Hao secretly sought to remove Jiang Wei and set up Yan Yu. Jiang Wei, too, suspected this, and so, feeling himself in danger and afraid, he never returned to Chengdu again. Records, Shu 14 §40 · 43
In Chen Shou's main text Yan Yu's name appears only in these three places. Chen Shou recorded neither his courtesy name nor his origin, nor his actions when Wei attacked Shu, nor his death. Records, Shu 13 §33Records, Shu 14 §43Records, Wu 11 §29
In the Romance
In Chapter 115 of the Romance, while Jiang Wei is surrounding and attacking Deng Ai at Mount Qi, the Later Sovereign in Chengdu heeds the words of the eunuch Huang Hao, sinks into wine and women, and neglects the affairs of court. After Liu Yan is beheaded over the matter of his wife, many among the officials come to suspect and resent the Later Sovereign, so that worthy men gradually withdraw and petty men advance by the day. Romance, Ch. 115 §19–21
At that time the General of the Right Yan Yu is presented as a man who, though without the slightest merit to speak of, has gained high rank solely by fawning on Huang Hao. Hearing that Jiang Wei is at Mount Qi with the army, he prompts Huang Hao to tell the Later Sovereign that Jiang Wei has fought many times without success and that Yan Yu should be ordered to replace him. The Later Sovereign follows this advice and sends an envoy bearing an edict to recall Jiang Wei. Romance, Ch. 115 §21
When edicts arrive three times in a single day, Jiang Wei withdraws his army to Hanzhong and goes in person to Chengdu. When the Later Sovereign does not hold court for ten days, Jiang Wei meets the Gentleman of the Palace Library Xi Zheng at the Donghua Gate and asks the reason. Xi Zheng replies that Huang Hao, wishing to let Yan Yu win merit, had memorialized the court to have the general recalled by edict, but has now dropped the matter on hearing that Deng Ai is skilled at handling troops. Jiang Wei, enraged, asks the Later Sovereign in the rear garden to put Huang Hao to death, but the Later Sovereign merely calls Huang Hao out and makes him bow to Jiang Wei and beg forgiveness. The Romance does not mention Yan Yu after this. Romance, Ch. 115 §22–26
Where the Romance differs
The attempt to replace Jiang Wei: In Chapter 115 of the Romance, Yan Yu prompts Huang Hao to petition the Later Sovereign, and the Later Sovereign sends three edicts to recall Jiang Wei, who is fighting at Mount Qi. In the Biography of Jiang Wei in the Records, Huang Hao secretly sought to remove Jiang Wei and set up Yan Yu, and Jiang Wei, suspecting this, stayed at Tazhong and never returned to Chengdu. The Biography of Jiang Wei records no recall of Jiang Wei by edict. Romance, Ch. 115 §21–22Records, Shu 14 §43
Yan Yu's merit: Chapter 115 of the Romance portrays him as a man without the slightest merit to speak of who gained high rank by fawning on Huang Hao. In the Records, Chen Shou says that he had long shown merit and ability and was meticulous and diligent in his affairs, while noting that he fell short of Ma Zhong in commanding presence and achievement. Romance, Ch. 115 §21Records, Shu 13 §33
His office: In Chapter 115 of the Romance Yan Yu is General of the Right. In the Records he was General of the Right around the time Sun Chen took power in Wu, and around the 5th year of Jingyao (262) the Biography of Jiang Wei describes him as General-in-Chief of the Right. Romance, Ch. 115 §21Records, Wu 11 §29Records, Shu 14 §43
The south and Baidi: In the Records, Yan Yu succeeded Ma Zhong and, in keeping with the arrangement with Shi Ji of Wu, reinforced the garrison at Baidi with 5,000 troops. None of this appears in the Romance. Records, Shu 13 §33Records, Wu 11 §29Romance, Ch. 115 §21–23
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 total404 / 1000Rank 585 of 996 · Top 59%Romance total319 / 1000Rank 1,046 of 1,113 · Top 94%
Romance adaptation index−85Romance total − Records total
- LEA5028−22
- STR3835−3
- INT4032−8
- POL5835−23
- CHA4030−10
- VIR3015−15
- ADP4548+3
- SCH3331−2
- DIP3535±0
- DIS3530−5
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RAs General of the Right led 5,000 men to reinforce the defense of BaidiWu 11 §29Shu 13 §33
NHad no merit to speak of, and dropped the plan to replace Jiang Wei on hearing of Deng AiCh. 115 §21Ch. 115 §23
RAs General-in-Chief of the Right, was in league with Huang HaoShu 14 §43
NGained rank by fawning on Huang Hao and sought to push Jiang Wei asideCh. 115 §21
RSucceeded Ma Zhong but fell short of him in commanding presenceShu 13 §33
NNo direct recordCh. 115 §21
6 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct recordWu 11 §29
NNo direct recordCh. 115 §21
RNo direct recordShu 13 §33
NNo direct recordCh. 115 §21
RNo direct recordShu 14 §43
NGained high rank through flattery and avoided a dangerous campaignCh. 115 §21Ch. 115 §23
RNo direct recordShu 13 §33
NNo direct recordCh. 115 §21
RNo direct recordWu 11 §29
NNo direct recordCh. 115 §21
RNo direct recordShu 13 §33
NNo direct recordCh. 115 §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 (1)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Shu · Records · Records vol. 41 「右大將軍閻宇都督巴東」