RNo direct record — estimated from his being a garrison generalWu 4 §5
NTried to stab Sun Ce from behind, but was startled by his shout, fell from his horse and diedCh. 15 §38Ch. 15 §39
Fan Neng 樊能
| Occupation | RNGeneral | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Died | Place of death | NNiuzhu | |
| Cause of death | NKilled in battle Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R6 |
Profile
Fan Neng was a general of Liu Yao, Inspector of Yang Province. When Yuan Shu attacked and seized a number of commanderies and counties, Liu Yao stationed him with Zhang Ying along the Yangtze to resist, and Wu Jing and Sun Ben, sent by Yuan Shu, could not dislodge him for more than a year. Later Sun Ce crossed the Yangtze eastward and defeated Zhang Ying, Fan Neng and others. Records, Wu 4 §5Records, Wu 6 §26
He has no biography of his own in the Records; his name appears in the Biographies of Sun Jian and Sun Ce (Records of Wu 1), the Biographies of Liu Yao, Taishi Ci and Shi Xie (Records of Wu 4), the Biographies of Consorts (Records of Wu 5) and the Biographies of the Imperial Clan (Records of Wu 6). Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, his origin or what became of him after his defeat by Sun Ce. Records, Wu 1 §28Records, Wu 4 §5Records, Wu 5 §3 · 11Records, Wu 6 §26
In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 15, and his name is in no chapter title. In the battle at Niuzhu he pursues Sun Ce to rescue the captured Yu Mi and is about to stab him with his spear, but when Sun Ce turns and gives a great shout he is so startled that he falls from his horse, splits his head and dies. The Romance records that because of this people called Sun Ce 'the Little Conqueror'. Romance, Ch. 15 §38–39
In the Records
According to the Biography of Liu Yao in Records of Wu 4, when Yuan Shu, plotting usurpation and rebellion, attacked and seized a number of commanderies and counties, Liu Yao sent Fan Neng and Zhang Ying to be stationed along the Yangtze to resist him. Liu Yao pressed Wu Jing and Sun Ben, whom Yuan Shu had appointed, and drove them out, and Yuan Shu named his own Inspector of Yang Province and attacked Zhang Ying, Fan Neng and the others with the combined strength of Wu Jing and Sun Ben, but could not dislodge them for more than a year. Records, Wu 4 §5
The Biography of Sun Ce in Records of Wu 1 records that Liu Yao sent Fan Neng and Yu Mi east to be stationed at the Hengjiang ford and stationed Zhang Ying at Danglikou to resist Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu made his former subordinate Hui Qu, a man of Langya, Inspector of Yang Province and made Wu Jing General of the Household Who Supervises the Army, and had him attack Zhang Ying and the others together with Sun Ben, but they could not win for more than a year. The passage on Wu Jing in the Biographies of Consorts in Records of Wu 5 likewise records that Wu Jing, together with Sun Ben, attacked Fan Neng and Yu Mi at Hengjiang. Records, Wu 1 §28Records, Wu 5 §3
Sun Ce persuaded Yuan Shu to let him help Wu Jing and the others pacify the lands east of the Yangtze, and as Colonel Who Breaks Assaults he crossed the Yangtze and fought battle after battle, defeating every enemy he met. According to the passage on Sun Ben in the Biographies of the Imperial Clan in Records of Wu 6, when Sun Ce crossed the river eastward he helped Sun Ben and Wu Jing defeat Zhang Ying, Fan Neng and the others and then advanced to attack Liu Yao. Liu Yao fled to Yuzhang. Records, Wu 1 §29Records, Wu 6 §26
According to the passage on Lady Xu in the Biographies of Consorts in Records of Wu 5, Lady Xu's father Xu Kun followed Sun Ce in attacking Fan Neng, Yu Mi and others at Hengjiang and in attacking Zhang Ying at Danglikou. When there were too few boats and the army halted to seek more, Xu Kun's mother, who was with the army, told him to cut reeds and make rafts to help the boats carry the troops across. Sun Ce did as she advised, the whole host crossed the river, and they at last defeated Zhang Ying and attacked Ze Rong and Liu Yao and put them to flight. Records, Wu 5 §11–13
Chen Shou's main text does not record Fan Neng's courtesy name, his home district, or what became of him after his defeat by Sun Ce and how he died. Records, Wu 4 §5Records, Wu 6 §26
In the Romance
In Chapter 15 of the Romance, while Sun Ce is attacking Xue Li at Moling, word comes that Liu Yao has joined forces with Ze Rong to attack Niuzhu. Sun Ce, in a great rage, leads the main army himself straight to Niuzhu, and Liu Yao and Ze Rong ride out to meet him. From behind Liu Yao the lieutenant general Yu Mi rides out with his spear levelled, but before three bouts with Sun Ce are over he is taken alive. Romance, Ch. 15 §37–38
Seeing Yu Mi captured, Liu Yao's general Fan Neng levels his spear and gives chase. Just as his spear is about to pierce Sun Ce's back, the soldiers in Sun Ce's ranks shout that someone is attacking him treacherously from behind, and Sun Ce turns his head, sees Fan Neng's horse upon him and gives a great shout like a thunderclap. Fan Neng, startled, falls headlong from his horse, splits his head and dies. Romance, Ch. 15 §38–39
When Sun Ce reaches the foot of his banner and throws Yu Mi to the ground, Yu Mi has already died, crushed under his arm. The Romance records that because in a single moment he had crushed one general to death under his arm and shouted another to death, from then on everyone called Sun Ce 'the Little Conqueror'. That day Liu Yao's army is badly defeated and more than half his men and horses surrender to Sun Ce, and Liu Yao and Ze Rong flee to Yuzhang to take refuge with Liu Biao. Romance, Ch. 15 §39–40
Where the Romance differs
His post: In the Records, on Liu Yao's orders Fan Neng was stationed with Yu Mi at the Hengjiang ford, or with Zhang Ying along the Yangtze, to resist Yuan Shu, and Wu Jing and Sun Ben, sent by Yuan Shu, could not dislodge him for more than a year. This standoff does not appear in Chapter 15 of the Romance, where Fan Neng appears only in the battle at Niuzhu. Records, Wu 1 §28Records, Wu 4 §5Romance, Ch. 15 §38–39
Where he fought: In Chapter 15 of the Romance, the battle in which Fan Neng dies takes place when Liu Yao and Ze Rong go to attack Niuzhu. The place Chen Shou's main text names as where Fan Neng faced Sun Ce's side is Hengjiang, and Fan Neng and Niuzhu do not appear together. Romance, Ch. 15 §37–38Records, Wu 5 §3 · 11
His death: In Chapter 15 of the Romance, Fan Neng is startled by Sun Ce's shout, falls from his horse and dies, and the Romance says that because of this Sun Ce was called 'the Little Conqueror'. Chen Shou's main text in the Records says only that Sun Ce crossed the river and defeated Zhang Ying, Fan Neng and the others, and does not record Fan Neng's death; nor does the name 'Little Conqueror' appear in the Biography of Sun Ce. Romance, Ch. 15 §39Records, Wu 4 §5Records, Wu 6 §26Records, Wu 1 §23–39
His tie to Yu Mi: In Chapter 15 of the Romance, Fan Neng pursues Sun Ce to rescue the captured Yu Mi. In the Records, Fan Neng and Yu Mi were stationed together at the Hengjiang ford on Liu Yao's orders, and appear as men attacked together by Wu Jing and Sun Ben and by Sun Ce's army. Romance, Ch. 15 §38Records, Wu 1 §28Records, Wu 5 §3 · 11
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 total388 / 1000Rank 690 of 996 · Top 70%Romance total324 / 1000Rank 1,034 of 1,113 · Top 93%
Romance adaptation index−64Romance total − Records total
- LEA5538−17
- STR4020−20
- INT3833−5
- POL3331−2
- CHA4035−5
- VIR4542−3
- ADP3830−8
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3331−2
- DIS3533−2
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RHeld off Yuan Shu's army at Hengjiang for over a year, but was defeated by Sun CeWu 4 §5Wu 1 §28
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a general of Liu YaoCh. 15 §38
8 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWu 4 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 15 §38
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWu 4 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalCh. 15 §38
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWu 4 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 15 §38
RNo direct record — estimated from his garrisoning on Liu Yao's ordersWu 1 §28
NNo direct record — estimated from his pursuit to rescue Yu MiCh. 15 §38
RNo direct record — estimated from his defeat by Sun CeWu 6 §26
NNo direct record — estimated from his dying in an instantCh. 15 §39
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWu 4 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalCh. 15 §38
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWu 4 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalCh. 15 §38
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalWu 4 §5
NNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalCh. 15 §38
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
- Liu Yao faction · Records · 「繇遣樊能、張英屯江邊以拒之」 · 「繇遣樊能、于麋東屯橫江津」
Related events (1)
- Battle of Que 195 · Command
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).