Novel scene
A Great Star Falls: the Han Chancellor Dies 隕大星漢丞相歸天
About this event
This scene belongs to the chapter title of Chapter 104 of the Romance, "A Great Star Falls: the Han Chancellor Dies," and is the passage in the Battle of Wuzhang Plains in which Zhuge Liang breathes his last in camp. The Romance says that Zhuge Liang, having passed his military writings to Jiang Wei, his plan for withdrawal to Yang Yi, and the affairs after his death to Li Fu, sent by the Later Ruler, died on the 23rd day of the 8th month, in autumn, of the 12th year of Jianxing at the age of fifty-four. Romance, Ch. 104 §3–4 · 11–15
Chen Shou recorded Zhuge Liang's death in the Biography of Zhuge Liang in Records of Shu 5 and the Biography of the Later Ruler in Records of Shu 3. The Biography of Zhuge Liang says that in the 8th month of the 12th year of Jianxing (234) Zhuge Liang fell ill and died in camp at the age of fifty-four, and the procedure for withdrawing the army after his death is in the biography of Wei Yan in the Biographies of Liu, Peng, Liao, Li, Liu, Wei and Yang, Records of Shu 10. Records, Shu 5 §38Records, Shu 3 §15Records, Shu 10 §61
In the Romance
Chapter 104 of the Romance begins with Wei Yan stamping out the lamp, whereupon Zhuge Liang, saying his time has come, restrains Jiang Wei, who has drawn his sword, and coughs up blood. Zhuge Liang passes to Jiang Wei a book of twenty-four sections recording all he has learned in his life and the method of making the Liannu repeating crossbow, and tells him to beware of the Yinping region. To Ma Dai he gives a secret plan in a whisper, and to Yang Yi a brocade pouch to be opened if Wei Yan rebels. Romance, Ch. 104 §1–5
To the Master of Writing Li Fu, sent by the Later Ruler, Zhuge Liang urges that the old institutions of the state not be changed, and, touring the camp in a small carriage, he sighs in the autumn wind that he will never again be able to attack the rebels. After telling Yang Yi to withdraw the army slowly and have Jiang Wei cut off pursuit, he writes a testamentary memorial in his own hand reporting that apart from 800 mulberry trees and fifteen qing of poor fields at Chengdu he has amassed no other property. After his death, he says, mourning is not to be announced; his body is to be seated in a shrine with seven grains of rice in his mouth and a lamp lit at his feet, and a wooden statue is to be shown to Sima Yi if he pursues. Romance, Ch. 104 §6–12
That night Zhuge Liang points to a dim star near the Northern Dipper as his own general's star, recites an incantation and loses consciousness. When Li Fu returns and asks who should succeed him, he names Jiang Wan and, after him, Fei Yi, and breathes his last without answering who should come next. The Romance gives the date as the 23rd day of the 8th month, in autumn, of the 12th year of Jianxing and his age as fifty-four, and adds that on hearing the news Liao Li shed tears and Li Yan wept bitterly, fell ill and died. As his testament directs, Jiang Wei and Yang Yi do not wail, place the body in the shrine, have Wei Yan cut off pursuit, and withdraw the camps one by one. Romance, Ch. 104 §13–15 · 17–18 · 20
Where the Romance differs
His successor: In Chapter 104 of the Romance, just before breathing his last, Zhuge Liang names Jiang Wan and then Fei Yi in answer to Li Fu's question. The Biography of Jiang Wan in the Records records that Zhuge Liang had earlier sent the Later Ruler a secret memorial saying that if misfortune befell him, the affairs after him should be entrusted to Jiang Wan. Romance, Ch. 104 §14–15Records, Shu 14 §5
The memorial reporting his property: In Chapter 104 of the Romance, Zhuge Liang, facing death, writes a testamentary memorial in bed reporting 800 mulberry trees and fifteen qing of fields. The Biography of Zhuge Liang in the Records records this memorial as one he had submitted to the Later Ruler himself "earlier," and says that when he died it proved to be just as he had said. Romance, Ch. 104 §9–11Records, Shu 5 §41
The general cutting off pursuit: In Chapter 104 of the Romance, Zhuge Liang tells Yang Yi to have Jiang Wei cut off pursuit and gives him a brocade pouch, saying Wei Yan will surely rebel. In the Biography of Wei Yan in the Records, Zhuge Liang secretly worked out the withdrawal procedure with Yang Yi, Fei Yi and Jiang Wei, having Wei Yan cut off pursuit with Jiang Wei next, and if Wei Yan did not obey, the army was simply to leave. Romance, Ch. 104 §5 · 8–9Records, Shu 10 §61
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.