Chen Qian 陳騫
| Occupation | RGeneral · General of Chariots and Cavalry NGeneral · General of Chariots and Cavalry | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Guangling Commandery Dongyang County Unverified | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R7 |
Profile
Chen Qian was the son of Chen Jiao, Minister over the Masses of Wei, and the younger brother of Chen Ben. In the 2nd year of Ganlu (257), as Master of Writing, he attended the poetry composition the emperor held at the Biyong, and in the same year, as General Who Pacifies the East, he surrounded Zhuge Dan, who had raised troops at Shouchun, together with Wang Ji and others. In the 2nd year of Xianxi (265) he went from General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South to General of Chariots and Cavalry. Records, Wei 22 §65Records, Wei 4 §81 · 149Records, Wei 28 §37
The Records have no biography of him and no assessment; in Chen Shou's main text his name appears in the Biography of his father Chen Jiao, the Annals of the Three Young Emperors and the Biography of Zhuge Dan. Chen Shou did not record his age or his death. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 111 as deputy vanguard of Sima Zhao, who is marching against Zhuge Dan, and appears in 3 of its 120 chapters; his name is not in any chapter title. Records, Wei 22 §65Records, Wei 4 §81Records, Wei 28 §37Romance, Ch. 111 §35Romance, Ch. 112 §7Romance, Ch. 119 §35
In the Records
According to the Biography of Chen Jiao, Chen Jiao was a man of Dongyang County in Guangling Commandery; he died as Minister over the Masses in the 1st year of Jingchu (237) and was given the posthumous name Marquis Zhen. His son Chen Ben succeeded him and held posts in turn as commandery administrator and as one of the Nine Ministers; he was transferred to General Who Guards the North, given the tally of authority and put in command of the armies north of the Yellow River, and when he died his son Chen Can succeeded him. The Biography of Chen Jiao records that Chen Ben's younger brother Chen Qian became General of Chariots and Cavalry in the Xianxi era. Records, Wei 22 §58 · 64–65
On the day xinwei of the 5th month of the 2nd year of Ganlu (257), the emperor visited the Biyong, gathered his ministers and had them compose poems. When the Palace Attendant He You, the Master of Writing Chen Qian and others were slow in composing their poems, the officials in charge memorialized that they be dismissed from office. The emperor issued an edict saying that, loving literary refinement, he had sought poems and rhapsodies widely in order to learn what was right and wrong, yet such disorder had arisen, which truly left him uneasy; he had He You and the others pardoned, and had those in charge admonish the ministers that from then on they should all study the ancient meanings and cultivate and illuminate the classics. Records, Wei 4 §81
In the 5th month of the same year, Zhuge Dan, who had received an edict summoning him as Minister of Works, grew even more afraid and rebelled, and in the 6th month the imperial carriage set out east on campaign and reached Xiang County. The General-in-Chief Sima Zhao (Sima Wenwang), leading 260,000 men of the central and provincial armies, came to the Huai River and encamped at Qiutou. He had Wang Ji, Chen Qian, General Who Pacifies the East, and others surround Shouchun on all four sides, forming a double ring inside and out, with very steep trenches and ramparts. The Army Supervisor Shi Bao, Zhou Tai (州泰), Inspector of Yan Province, and others formed a mobile force of picked soldiers to guard against the enemy from outside, and when Wen Qin and the others repeatedly came out and struck at the siege lines, they were met and driven back. Records, Wei 28 §35 · 37
On the day xinmao of the 8th month, in autumn of the 2nd year of Xianxi (265), the Chancellor of State, the King of Jin (Sima Zhao), died, and the next day the Crown Prince of Jin, Sima Yan, succeeded to his fief and position. On the day guihai of the 9th month, Sima Wang, General of Agile Cavalry, was made Minister over the Masses, Shi Bao, General-in-Chief Who Conquers the East, was made General of Agile Cavalry, and Chen Qian, General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South, was made General of Chariots and Cavalry. Records, Wei 4 §148–149
Chen Shou's main text does not record Chen Qian's age or death, and neither gives him a separate biography nor assesses him. Chen Qian's name appears only once each in the Biography of Chen Jiao, the Annals of the Three Young Emperors and the Biography of Zhuge Dan. Records, Wei 22 §65Records, Wei 4 §81 · 149Records, Wei 28 §37
In the Romance
In Chapter 111 of the Romance, when Zhuge Dan raises troops in Huainan, Sima Zhao follows Jia Chong's advice and has the Empress Dowager and the Son of Heaven Cao Mao go on campaign with him. He then raises the entire army of the two capitals, 260,000 men, makes Wang Ji, General Who Guards the South, chief vanguard, Chen Qian, General Who Pacifies the East, deputy vanguard, the Army Supervisor Shi Bao commander of the left army, and Zhou Tai (州泰), Inspector of Yan Province, commander of the right army, and advances on Huainan protecting the imperial carriage. Romance, Ch. 111 §33–35
In Chapter 112, Sima Zhao follows Zhong Hui's plan, has Shi Bao and Zhou Tai lie in ambush at Shitoucheng, and has Wang Ji and Chen Qian stay in the rear with elite troops. While the lieutenant general Cheng Cui lures the enemy out and the southern troops scramble to seize the oxen, horses, donkeys and mules that fill the fields, Shi Bao and Zhou Tai charge in from left and right, and the elite troops of Wang Ji and Chen Qian bear down. Heavily defeated, Zhuge Dan flees to Shouchun, shuts the city gates and holds fast. Romance, Ch. 112 §1–3
In the same chapter, when Yu Quan, Quan Yi, Quan Duan, Wen Qin and others enter Shouchun through the south gate, Sima Zhao, judging that they mean to attack together with Zhu Yi from inside and outside, summons Wang Ji and Chen Qian and has them take 5,000 men to cut off Zhu Yi's line of approach and strike him from behind. With Wang Ji charging in from the left and Chen Qian from the right, the Wu army is heavily defeated, and Sun Chen beheads Zhu Yi for his repeated defeats. Romance, Ch. 112 §6–8
In Chapter 119, on the day xinmao of the 8th month when Sima Zhao dies, He Zeng says that the Crown Prince must first be made King of Jin, and Sima Yan takes the position of King of Jin that day and appoints He Zeng Chancellor of Jin, Sima Wang Minister over the Masses, Shi Bao General of Agile Cavalry and Chen Qian General of Chariots and Cavalry. Romance, Ch. 119 §34–35
Where the Romance differs
Family: The Biography of Chen Jiao in the Records describes Chen Qian as the son of Chen Jiao, Minister over the Masses, and the younger brother of Chen Ben. Chapters 111, 112 and 119 of the Romance do not mention Chen Qian's family. Records, Wei 22 §65Romance, Ch. 111 §35Romance, Ch. 112 §1Romance, Ch. 119 §35
His time as Master of Writing: The Annals of the Three Young Emperors in the Records relate that in the 2nd year of Ganlu (257) Chen Qian, then Master of Writing, was slow with his poem at the poetry composition at the Biyong and was nearly dismissed, but was pardoned by edict. The Romance does not have this episode. Records, Wei 4 §81Romance, Ch. 111 §35Romance, Ch. 112 §1Romance, Ch. 119 §35
His post in the Shouchun campaign: In Chapter 111 of the Romance, Chen Qian becomes deputy vanguard of the great army of 260,000. The Biography of Zhuge Dan in the Records says only that Sima Zhao had Wang Ji, Chen Qian, General Who Pacifies the East, and others surround Shouchun on all four sides, and does not record any appointment of a vanguard. Romance, Ch. 111 §35Records, Wei 28 §37
The battle in the field: In Chapter 112 of the Romance, following Zhong Hui's plan, Chen Qian charges in with elite troops together with Wang Ji and defeats Zhuge Dan. In the Biography of Zhuge Dan in the Records, Sima Zhao dug deep trenches, raised high ramparts and kept his troops still, and the attacks meant to break the siege were repelled by the armies on the siege lines. Zhuge Dan finally broke out through a small city gate and was cut down by the troops of Hu Fen, Major under the General-in-Chief. There is no record of Chen Qian defeating Zhuge Dan in the field. Romance, Ch. 112 §1–2Records, Wei 28 §37 · 39 · 42–44
Who stopped Zhu Yi: In Chapter 112 of the Romance, Wang Ji and Chen Qian cut off Zhu Yi's line of approach, strike him from behind and win a great victory. In the Biography of Zhuge Dan in the Records, it was Zhou Tai (州泰) and others who met Zhu Yi in battle after he crossed the Lijiang River and each time broke his spearhead. Romance, Ch. 112 §7Records, Wei 28 §38
His appointment as General of Chariots and Cavalry: In Chapter 119 of the Romance, Sima Yan, who becomes King of Jin on the very day xinmao of the 8th month when Sima Zhao dies, appoints Chen Qian General of Chariots and Cavalry. The Annals of the Three Young Emperors in the Records state that Chen Qian, General-in-Chief Who Conquers the South, was made General of Chariots and Cavalry later, on the day guihai of the 9th month. Romance, Ch. 119 §35Records, Wei 4 §148–149
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.
- LEA6058−2
- STR3845+7
- INT4240−2
- POL4238−4
- CHA4240−2
- VIR4545±0
- ADP5050±0
- SCH3233+1
- DIP3835−3
- DIS3835−3
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
RSurrounded Shouchun as General Who Pacifies the East and later became General of Chariots and CavalryWei 28 §37Wei 4 §149
NAs deputy vanguard attacked Zhuge Dan and cut off Zhu Yi's route in a pincer attackCh. 111 §35Ch. 112 §2Ch. 112 §7
RNo direct recordWei 28 §37
NNo direct recordCh. 112 §2
RNo direct recordWei 28 §37
NNo direct recordCh. 112 §1
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as Master of WritingWei 4 §81
NNo direct recordCh. 119 §35
RNo direct recordWei 4 §149
NNo direct recordCh. 119 §35
RNo direct recordWei 4 §149
NNo direct recordCh. 119 §35
RNo direct record — estimated from his rise to General of Chariots and Cavalry at the end of WeiWei 4 §149
NNo direct record — estimated from becoming General of Chariots and Cavalry after the founding of JinCh. 119 §35
RWas slow composing a poem at the Biyong and faced a call for his dismissalWei 4 §81
NNo direct recordCh. 111 §35
RNo direct recordWei 4 §81
NNo direct recordCh. 111 §35
RNo direct recordWei 28 §37
NNo direct recordCh. 111 §35
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 (3)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history Changed allegiance 1 times
Related events (1)
- Zhuge Dan's Rebellion 257~258 · Command
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).