RNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortShu 4 §3
NExplained to the enraged Zhang Fei why Guan Yu had taken refuge with the Cao familyCh. 28 §32
Empress Gan (Xianzhu) 先主甘皇后
| Occupation | RNConsort · Lady | Faction | Shu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Shu |
| Born | Native place | Pei Commandery | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R3 |
| Notes | 정사 참고: 이름(諱) 미기록 — 정사 표제(시호·배우자 호칭)로 표기. 연의 호칭: 甘夫人 (Records) | ||
Profile
Empress Gan was a native of Pei State, taken in as a concubine by Liu Bei when he governed Yu Province and was stationed at Xiaopei. The Records do not give her personal name; in the heading of the Biographies of Empresses and Consorts she is called Empress Gan of the First Sovereign, and in the biography of Zhao Yun, Lady Gan. Because Liu Bei had lost his principal wife several times, she always managed the affairs of the household; she followed Liu Bei to Jing Province and gave birth to Liu Shan. Records, Shu 4 §2–3Records, Shu 6 §39
At Changban in Dangyang she was abandoned by Liu Bei but escaped harm thanks to Zhao Yun's protection. She later died and was buried in Nan Commandery, and in the 2nd year of Zhangwu (222) she was posthumously titled Lady Huangsi. After Liu Bei died, on a memorial from Zhuge Liang she was elevated to Empress Zhaolie and buried together with Liu Bei. Records, Shu 4 §3–7
In his assessment at the end of the volume, Chen Shou said only that he recorded these lives because husband and wife are the beginning of human relations, and did not assess her separately. In the Romance she first appears in Chapter 22 as Lady Gan, a native of Xiaopei, and appears in 9 of its 120 chapters; no chapter title bears her name. She is portrayed as one of the two sisters-in-law whom Guan Yu escorted, and she dies in Chapter 54. Records, Shu 4 §27Romance, Ch. 22 §51–52Romance, Ch. 28 §32–33Romance, Ch. 54 §12
In the Records
Empress Gan was a native of Pei State. When Liu Bei governed Yu Province and was stationed at Xiaopei, he took her in as a concubine. Because Liu Bei had lost his principal wife several times, she always managed the affairs of the household. The Biography of the First Sovereign records that Tao Qian memorialized for Liu Bei to be made Inspector of Yu Province and had him garrison Xiaopei. Records, Shu 4 §3Records, Shu 2 §9
She followed Liu Bei to Jing Province and there gave birth to Liu Shan. The Biography of the Later Sovereign records that when Liu Shan succeeded to the throne at Chengdu in the 5th month of the 3rd year of Zhangwu (223), he was seventeen years old. Records, Shu 4 §3Records, Shu 3 §3
When Cao Cao's army caught up with Liu Bei at Changban in Dangyang, the situation was so desperate that Liu Bei abandoned her and Liu Shan. Thanks to Zhao Yun's protection, she was able to escape harm. The biography of Zhao Yun records that Zhao Yun himself carried the infant son, who was the Later Sovereign, and protected Lady Gan, who was the Later Sovereign's mother, so that both escaped harm. The Biography of the First Sovereign records that at this time Liu Bei abandoned his wife and children and fled with a few dozen horsemen, including Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun. Records, Shu 4 §3Records, Shu 6 §39Records, Shu 2 §22
She later died and was buried in Nan Commandery. The Records do not give the year or cause of her death. In the 2nd year of Zhangwu (222) she was posthumously granted the title Lady Huangsi and her remains were ordered moved to Shu for reburial, but Liu Bei passed away before her coffin arrived. Records, Shu 4 §3
The Chancellor Zhuge Liang submitted a memorial saying that Lady Huangsi had conducted herself rightly and cultivated benevolence, and was pure and prudent in her person; that when the late Emperor was formerly a senior general, she had been joined to him as a consort and bore and raised His Majesty, but her allotted span was not long. While the late Emperor lived, thinking of how her coffin drifted in a distant place, he had specially sent envoys to bring it back; now her coffin had arrived, the late Emperor's own coffin was also on the road, the imperial tomb was nearly complete, and the day of interment had been set. Records, Shu 4 §4
Zhuge Liang deliberated with the Minister of Ceremonies Lai Gong and others, citing the principle of the Spring and Autumn Annals that a mother is honored through her son, and the precedents of Emperor Gao of Han, who posthumously honored Lady Zhaoling as Empress Zhaoling, and of Emperor He and Emperor Min, who each reburied their mothers and conferred honorific titles on them. Having consulted the rules for posthumous names, they asked that she be called Empress Zhaolie and buried together with the late Emperor, and an edict approved it. Records, Shu 4 §5–7
In his assessment at the end of the volume, Chen Shou said that the Book of Changes states that only when there are husband and wife are there father and son, so that nothing surpasses this as the beginning of human relations and the height of kindness and order; therefore he recorded these lives in order to examine the structure of a state. Records, Shu 4 §27
In the Romance
In Chapter 22 of the Romance, on Sun Qian's advice Liu Bei had Guan Yu guard Xiapi and also had his two wives, Lady Gan and Lady Mi, reside at Xiapi. The Romance introduces Lady Gan as a native of Xiaopei and Lady Mi as the younger sister of Mi Zhu. Romance, Ch. 22 §51–52
In Chapter 25, Guan Yu, trapped on the Earthen Hill, agreed on three conditions through Zhang Liao and then entered the city of Xiapi to ask the wishes of his two sisters-in-law. Lady Gan said that even after Cao Cao's soldiers entered the city they had not touched a single hair, and asked why he needed to consult the two of them when he had already given his consent; her only worry was that Cao Cao might later not allow him to go in search of the Imperial Uncle. In Xuchang she dreamed that the Imperial Uncle had fallen into a pit of earth, and she and Lady Mi clung to each other and wept. Romance, Ch. 25 §15–18 · 26–27
In Chapter 26 the two ladies heard from an old soldier that Liu Bei was with Yuan Shao in Hebei, and the lady summoned Guan Yu and rebuked him for not telling them the truth. Lady Gan urged him to make haste. In Chapter 28, when Zhou Cang offered to follow with his band, Lady Gan said that Guan Yu had turned away Liao Hua when he had earlier wished to join them, so why should he accept only Zhou Cang's band, and told her brother-in-law to weigh the matter and decide; when Zhou Cang said he would follow alone even on foot, she said that one or two men following would do no harm. Romance, Ch. 26 §25–27Romance, Ch. 28 §24 · 26
In the same chapter at Gucheng, when Zhang Fei called Guan Yu a man who had betrayed his oath and tried to stab him with his spear, Lady Gan told him not to misunderstand: Guan Yu had taken temporary refuge with the Cao family only because he did not know where Liu Bei was, and once he learned that Liu Bei was in Runan he had escorted them there without shrinking from the dangers of the road. Romance, Ch. 28 §31–33
In Chapter 34, in the spring of the 12th year of Jian'an (207), while Liu Bei was staying at Xinye, Lady Gan gave birth to Liu Shan. That night a white crane alighted on the roof of the county office, cried more than forty times and flew off to the west, and at the time of the birth a strange fragrance filled the room. Because Lady Gan had conceived after dreaming one night that she looked up and swallowed the Northern Dipper, the child was given the childhood name A Dou. Romance, Ch. 34 §13–14
In the battle of Changban in Chapter 41, Lady Gan and Lady Mi abandoned their carriage and walked mingled among the common people until they were scattered, and Lady Gan, her hair loose and her feet bare, went south following a group of common women. Zhao Yun found her, then stabbed Chunyu Dao from his horse and rescued Mi Zhu, set Lady Gan on a horse and escorted her to Changban Slope, and had Mi Zhu take her on ahead. In Chapter 42 Guan Yu took Liu Bei, Lady Gan and A Dou aboard his boats at Hanjin. Romance, Ch. 41 §44–49Romance, Ch. 42 §20
In Chapter 54 a spy sent by Zhou Yu reported that cloth banners had been hung inside the city of Jing Province and a new grave was being built outside the city, saying that Liu Bei had lost Lady Gan and was preparing her funeral. Taking advantage of this, Zhou Yu devised a plan to marry Sun Quan's younger sister to Liu Bei, and Sun Quan sent Lü Fan to Jing Province to act as matchmaker. In Chapter 85, when Liu Shan took the throne, Lady Gan was given the posthumous title Empress Zhaolie. Romance, Ch. 54 §12–13 · 15–16Romance, Ch. 85 §29
Where the Romance differs
Origin: Chapter 22 of the Romance introduces Lady Gan as a native of Xiaopei. The Biography of Empress Gan in the Records calls her a native of Pei State and records that Liu Bei took her in when he governed Yu Province and was stationed at Xiaopei. Romance, Ch. 22 §52Records, Shu 4 §3
The two sisters-in-law with Guan Yu: In Chapters 25–28 of the Romance, Lady Gan and Lady Mi placed themselves with Guan Yu in Cao Cao's hands at Xiapi, and under Guan Yu's escort traveled from Xuchang to Gucheng. The Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records records only that in the 5th year of Jian'an (200) Cao Cao captured Liu Bei's wife and children and also captured Guan Yu and returned, without saying who the wife and children were. Guan Yu's biography records only that he sealed up all the gifts he had been given, submitted a letter of farewell and fled to Liu Bei in Yuan Shao's camp, with no word of his escorting the two ladies, and the Biography of Empress Gan does not mention this either. Romance, Ch. 25 §16–17Romance, Ch. 28 §32–33Records, Shu 2 §16Records, Shu 6 §6Records, Shu 4 §2–7
The birth of Liu Shan: Chapter 34 of the Romance says she gave birth at Xinye in the spring of the 12th year of Jian'an (207), and depicts the white crane, the strange fragrance and the dream of swallowing the Northern Dipper. The Biography of Empress Gan in the Records says only that she followed Liu Bei to Jing Province and gave birth to the Later Sovereign. Romance, Ch. 34 §13–14Records, Shu 4 §3
Changban: In Chapter 41 of the Romance, Lady Gan was separated from Lady Mi and A Dou and escaped with her life alone, and Zhao Yun rescued Lady Gan first and then went back to search for Lady Mi and A Dou. In the Records, Liu Bei abandoned Empress Gan and the Later Sovereign, and Zhao Yun himself carried the infant son and protected Lady Gan, so that both escaped harm. Lady Mi does not appear in the biography of Zhao Yun. Romance, Ch. 41 §46 · 49Records, Shu 4 §3Records, Shu 6 §39
Her death and Sun Quan's sister: In Chapter 54 of the Romance, when Lady Gan died, Zhou Yu took advantage of it to devise the plan for a marriage with Sun Quan's younger sister. The Biography of Empress Gan in the Records says only that she later died and was buried in Nan Commandery, without giving the year of her death, and the Biography of the First Sovereign records only that Sun Quan, gradually coming to fear Liu Bei, gave him his younger sister in marriage to strengthen their friendship, without connecting this to Lady Gan's death. Romance, Ch. 54 §12–13Records, Shu 4 §3Records, Shu 2 §24
Posthumous title: In Chapter 85 of the Romance, after Liu Shan took the throne, Lady Gan was given the posthumous title Empress Zhaolie. In the Records, in the 2nd year of Zhangwu (222) Liu Bei first posthumously titled her Lady Huangsi and ordered her remains moved to Shu, and when Liu Bei passed away before her coffin arrived, Zhuge Liang memorialized to elevate her to Empress Zhaolie and have her buried together with the late Emperor. Romance, Ch. 85 §29Records, Shu 4 §3–7
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 total421 / 1000Rank 489 of 996 · Top 50%Romance total466 / 1000Rank 179 of 1,113 · Top 17%
Romance adaptation index+45Romance total − Records total
- LEA3131±0
- STR3131±0
- INT3850+12
- POL4538−7
- CHA5055+5
- VIR7876−2
- ADP4045+5
- SCH3838±0
- DIP3552+17
- DIS3550+15
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortShu 4 §3
NSaid to turn away Zhou Cang's band and let only one or two men followCh. 28 §24Ch. 28 §26
RNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortShu 4 §3
NPointed out the inconsistency of accepting Zhou Cang's bandCh. 28 §24
7 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortShu 4 §3
NNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortCh. 22 §52
RNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortShu 4 §3
NNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortCh. 22 §52
RAlways managed the household affairs of the First Sovereign, who had lost his principal wife several timesShu 4 §3
NNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortCh. 22 §52
RNo direct record — estimated from the content of the memorial for her posthumous honorsShu 4 §4
NXuande grieved day and night after losing her, and Zhao Yun risked his life to find herCh. 54 §16Ch. 41 §41
RConducted herself rightly, cultivated benevolence, and was pure and prudent in her personShu 4 §4
NDefended Guan Yu's position and spoke truthfully of the courtesy shown by Cao Cao's armyCh. 28 §32Ch. 25 §17
RNo direct record — estimated from the record of her flight at ChangbanShu 4 §3
NAbandoned her carriage and fled on foot mingled among the common peopleCh. 41 §46
RNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortShu 4 §4
NNo direct record — estimated from her role as a consortCh. 34 §13
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 (10)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Shu · Records · Records vol. 34 「先主臨豫州，住小沛，納以為妾」
Related events (2)
- Zhao Yun Rescues His Lord Single-Handed 208 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Cai Yang Slain, the Brothers Reconciled Romance ch. 28 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).