Battle
Battle of Jiameng Pass 葭萌關之戰
About this event
The Battle of Jiameng Pass was the battle in the Romance in which Liu Bei, bringing Zhang Fei, hurried to meet Ma Chao, sent by Zhang Lu, when he attacked Jiameng Pass, held by Huo Jun and Meng Da. Zhang Fei and Ma Chao fought more than a hundred bouts twice by day and fought again by torchlight at night without either winning, and when Zhuge Liang bribed Zhang Lu's adviser Yang Song to drive Ma Chao into a corner, Li Hui persuaded Ma Chao to go over to Liu Bei. The Romance depicts this battle at the end of Chapter 64 and in Chapter 65 without giving the year. Romance, Ch. 64 §48–50Romance, Ch. 65 §1 · 7–36
Chen Shou's text has no battle in which Ma Chao attacked Jiameng Pass. The Biography of Ma Chao in Records of Shu 6 records that Ma Chao, who had been relying on Zhang Lu, secretly sent a letter asking to surrender to Liu Bei, who was besieging Liu Zhang in Chengdu, and the Biography of Huo Jun in Records of Shu 11 records that Huo Jun, holding the city of Jiameng, was besieged by Liu Zhang's generals for nearly a year. Records, Shu 6 §29Records, Shu 11 §2–3
In the Romance
In Chapter 64 of the Romance, Ma Chao, who had taken refuge with Zhang Lu, failed to become Zhang Lu's son-in-law because of Yang Bai's opposition. When Liu Zhang sent Huang Quan to ask for help, offering to cede twenty districts, Zhang Lu accepted in spite of Yan Pu's attempt to dissuade him, and in Chapter 65 Ma Chao volunteered to attack Jiameng Pass and capture Liu Bei, received 20,000 troops and set out with his younger brother Ma Dai under Yang Bai's supervision. Romance, Ch. 64 §48–50Romance, Ch. 65 §1
On news that Jiameng Pass was in danger, Zhuge Liang goaded Zhang Fei into signing a pledge under military law and made him the vanguard, and Liu Bei followed in person. Wei Yan, arriving first, drove off Yang Bai and chased Ma Dai but was struck in the left arm by an arrow, and Zhang Fei came down from the pass and drove Ma Dai off. Romance, Ch. 65 §7–14
The next day Liu Bei, admiring Ma Chao's bearing, held Zhang Fei back and let him go out only in the afternoon, and Zhang Fei and Ma Chao fought twice, more than a hundred bouts each time, without a decision. While they were fighting again by torchlight at night, Ma Chao feigned flight and hurled a copper mace, Zhang Fei answered with his bow, and Liu Bei, saying he would not press his advantage and pursue, had Ma Chao withdraw his troops. Romance, Ch. 65 §15–22
Zhuge Liang had Sun Qian take gold and pearls to bribe Zhang Lu's adviser Yang Song, and swayed by Yang Song's false rumors, Zhang Lu told Ma Chao to take Xichuan, deliver Liu Zhang's head and drive off the Jing Province army, while having Zhang Wei block the pass. Caught in a dilemma, Ma Chao listened to Li Hui, who had come to see him, beheaded Yang Bai and surrendered to Liu Bei with his head, and Liu Bei entrusted the pass to Huo Jun and Meng Da again and headed for Chengdu. Romance, Ch. 65 §23–36
Where the Romance differs
Who attacked Jiameng: In Chapter 65 of the Romance, it was Ma Chao, Ma Dai and Yang Bai, sent by Zhang Lu, who attacked Jiameng Pass, held by Meng Da and Huo Jun. In the Biography of Huo Jun in the Records, Zhang Lu sent his general Yang Bai (楊帛) to entice Huo Jun by proposing that they hold the city together, and then withdrew him; those who besieged the city of Jiameng for nearly a year were more than 10,000 men under Liu Zhang's generals Fu Jin, Xiang Cun and others, and Huo Jun held out with a few hundred men, then sallied out, attacked and beheaded Xiang Cun. Romance, Ch. 65 §7Records, Shu 11 §2–3
Ma Chao's submission: In Chapter 65 of the Romance, Ma Chao, having fallen under Zhang Lu's suspicion and into a dilemma, surrendered after being persuaded by Li Hui. In the Biography of Ma Chao in the Records, Ma Chao, gloomy at heart because Zhang Lu was not a man with whom he could plan affairs, secretly sent Liu Bei a letter asking to surrender, and the Biography of Li Hui records that Liu Bei, at Luo, sent Li Hui to Hanzhong to establish friendly relations with Ma Chao. Romance, Ch. 65 §28–35Records, Shu 6 §29Records, Shu 13 §13
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.
Belligerents
| Item | A | B |
|---|---|---|
| Factions | Zhang Lu faction | Shu |
| Commanders | Ma Chao, Ma Dai, Yang Bai | Zhang Fei, Liu Bei, Wei Yan(魏延), Meng Da, Huo Jun |
Factions, commanders, strength and casualties are checked against the source texts (3KDEX). Strength and casualties show only figures stated in the sources.