RCalled a minister of utmost loyalty, but vied for power and set up Yuan ShangWei 10 §29Wei 6 §60
NSlandered the imprisoned Tian Feng twice, inventing that he had laughed, and got him killedCh. 30 §1Ch. 31 §3
Feng Ji 逢紀
| Occupation | RNStrategist | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | R? Unverified | Native place | |
| Died | R202 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Cause of death | RExecuted NExecuted Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R11 |
Profile
Feng Ji was a retainer of Yuan Shao. The Records has no separate biography of him; he appears in the Biography of Yuan Shao, the Biography of Xun Yu and the Biography of Guo Jia. When Yuan Shao planned to attack Xu, he oversaw military affairs together with Shen Pei. After Yuan Shao's death he and Shen Pei set up Yuan Shang, and on Yuan Shang's orders he went with Yuan Tan, only to be killed by Yuan Tan. Records, Wei 6 §49 · 60–61
Assessing Yuan Shao's retainers, Xun Yu said that 'Feng Ji is decisive but goes his own way'. The Records does not give his courtesy name or origin. Records, Wei 10 §30Records, Wei 6 §49 · 60–61
In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 7 as Yuan Shao's adviser and appears in 5 of its 120 chapters, though his name is not in any chapter title. He devises a plan for Yuan Shao to take Ji Province, slanders the imprisoned Tian Feng, and is beheaded by Yuan Tan in Chapter 32. Guo Tu calls him by his courtesy name, 'Feng Yuantu'. Romance, Ch. 7 §2–3Romance, Ch. 31 §3Romance, Ch. 32 §7 · 12
In the Records
After Yuan Shao defeated Gongsun Zan at Yijing and absorbed his followers, he put his eldest son Yuan Tan in charge of Qing Province, his second son Yuan Xi of You Province, and his nephew Gao Gan of Bing Province. His host numbered several hundred thousand; Yuan Shao had Shen Pei and Feng Ji oversee military affairs, made Tian Feng, Xun Chen and Xu You his chief strategists and Yan Liang and Wen Chou his generals, and picked 100,000 elite troops and 10,000 cavalry, intending to attack Xu. Records, Wei 6 §49
According to the Biography of Xun Yu, Kong Rong told Xun Yu that Yuan Shao would be hard to defeat, saying that 'Shen Pei and Feng Ji, ministers who give their utmost loyalty, are in charge of his affairs'. Xun Yu answered, 'Shen Pei is high-handed and lacks strategy, and Feng Ji is decisive but goes his own way. These two will stay behind to manage affairs in the rear, and if Xu You's family breaks the law, they will surely be unable to let it pass; and if they do not, Xu You will surely turn against him.' Later, when Shen Pei seized Xu You's wife and children on the grounds that his family had broken the law, Xu You in anger betrayed Yuan Shao, and the Biography of Xun Yu records that this was just as Xun Yu had reckoned. Records, Wei 10 §29–30 · 32
Yuan Shao loved his youngest son Yuan Shang and wanted to make him his heir, but had not yet made this known. Shen Pei and Feng Ji vied for power with Xin Ping and Guo Tu; Shen Pei and Feng Ji sided with Yuan Shang, and Xin Ping and Guo Tu with Yuan Tan. When Yuan Shao died in the 7th year of Jian'an (202), people wanted to set up Yuan Tan as the eldest. But Shen Pei and the others, fearing that if Yuan Tan were set up Xin Ping and the others would harm them, used Yuan Shao's long-held wishes as a pretext and installed Yuan Shang to succeed to Yuan Shao's position. Yuan Tan, failing to be set up, styled himself General of Chariots and Cavalry, and from this a rift arose between Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang. Records, Wei 6 §58 · 60
When Taizu marched north against Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, Yuan Tan garrisoned Liyang. Yuan Shang gave Yuan Tan only a few troops and sent Feng Ji along with him. When Yuan Tan asked for more troops, Shen Pei and the others conferred and refused, and Yuan Tan in anger killed Feng Ji. The Annals of Emperor Wu records that after Yuan Shao died in the 5th month of summer in the 7th year of Jian'an, Yuan Tan garrisoned Liyang, and in the 9th month of autumn that year Taizu attacked him. Records, Wei 6 §61Records, Wei 1 §74 · 76
The Biography of Guo Jia records that when Taizu had won repeated victories over Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang at Liyang and his generals wanted to press the attack, Guo Jia urged him to wait, saying, 'Yuan Shao loved these two sons and could not settle on either as heir; with Guo Tu and Feng Ji as their advisers, they are sure to set them against each other, and they will split apart.' Records, Wei 14 §36
In the Romance
In Chapter 7 of the Romance, when Yuan Shao, garrisoned at Henei and short of provisions, receives grain from Han Fu, Governor of Ji Province, his adviser Feng Ji urges him to take Ji Province, saying, 'How can a real man wait for others to send him food to eat?' His plan is that if Yuan Shao secretly sends a letter to Gongsun Zan proposing a joint attack on Ji Province, the witless Han Fu will ask Yuan Shao to take charge of the province's affairs. Yuan Shao follows it, and on entering Ji Province he divides the province's affairs among Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Xu You and Feng Ji, stripping Han Fu of his power. Romance, Ch. 7 §2–3 · 7
In Chapter 22, when Yuan Shao raises troops to attack Cao Cao, Feng Ji becomes an army commander together with Shen Pei. In the same chapter, Kong Rong calls Xu You, Guo Tu, Shen Pei and Feng Ji all men of wisdom and strategy, while Xun Yu judges that 'Feng Ji is decisive but useless'. Romance, Ch. 22 §9 · 30
In Chapter 30, when Yuan Shao is about to march to Guandu and Tian Feng submits a letter from prison to dissuade him, Feng Ji slanders him, saying, 'My lord is raising an army of benevolence and righteousness; how can Tian Feng say such ill-omened words?' In Chapter 31, when Yuan Shao, returning in defeat, says he cannot face Tian Feng, Feng Ji slanders Tian Feng, claiming that he clapped his hands and laughed aloud in prison, and Yuan Shao gives an envoy his treasured sword to have Tian Feng killed. Romance, Ch. 30 §1Romance, Ch. 31 §2–3
In Chapter 31, when Yuan Shao discusses the succession, Shen Pei and Feng Ji side with Yuan Shang, and Yuan Shao entrusts military affairs to Yuan Shang together with Shen Pei and Feng Ji. In Chapter 32, when Yuan Shao vomits blood and falls critically ill, Lady Liu calls Shen Pei and Feng Ji to his bedside to discuss what is to come, and after Yuan Shao dies the two set up Yuan Shang as Grand Marshal General. Romance, Ch. 31 §7 · 20Romance, Ch. 32 §2 · 5
When Guo Tu, coming as Yuan Tan's envoy, asks for 'Shen Zhengnan and Feng Yuantu' as advisers, Yuan Shang has the two draw lots, and Feng Ji, chosen, goes to Yuan Tan's camp bearing the seal and ribbon. Seeing that Yuan Tan is not ill, Feng Ji grows uneasy and hands over the seal and ribbon; Yuan Tan means to behead him but on Guo Tu's advice keeps him there. When the 5,000 troops sent by Yuan Shang are wiped out on the way, Yuan Tan rebukes Feng Ji, and Feng Ji writes to Yuan Shang asking him to come to the rescue in person. But when Yuan Shang, on Shen Pei's advice, sends no relief troops, Yuan Tan beheads Feng Ji on the spot. Romance, Ch. 32 §7–9 · 11–12
Where the Romance differs
How Ji Province was won: In Chapter 7 of the Romance, on Feng Ji's plan Yuan Shao sends a letter to Gongsun Zan to get him to attack Ji Province, and the frightened Han Fu hands over Ji Province. In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, after Han Fu was defeated by Gongsun Zan at Anping and Gongsun Zan entered Ji Province, Yuan Shao had Gao Gan, Xun Chen and others persuade Han Fu to hand over Ji Province. Neither Feng Ji's plan nor Yuan Shao's letter appears. Romance, Ch. 7 §2–3Records, Wei 6 §39–40
Xun Yu's assessment: In Chapter 22 of the Romance, Xun Yu says that 'Feng Ji is decisive but useless'. In the Biography of Xun Yu in the Records, Xun Yu said that 'Feng Ji is decisive but goes his own way', and Kong Rong called Shen Pei and Feng Ji not men of wisdom and strategy but ministers who give their utmost loyalty. Romance, Ch. 22 §30Records, Wei 10 §29–30
The death of Tian Feng: In Chapters 30 and 31 of the Romance, Feng Ji slanders Tian Feng twice and gets Yuan Shao to have him killed. In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, Yuan Shao returned, said to those around him, 'I did not heed Tian Feng's words, and sure enough I have become a laughingstock,' and killed Tian Feng; the name of anyone who slandered him does not appear. Romance, Ch. 30 §1Romance, Ch. 31 §3Records, Wei 6 §56–57
Setting up Yuan Shang: In Chapter 32 of the Romance, Lady Liu calls Shen Pei and Feng Ji to Yuan Shao's bedside, and Yuan Shao nods to settle on Yuan Shang as heir. In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, Yuan Shao died without making known his wish to make Yuan Shang his heir, and Shen Pei and the others set up Yuan Shang using Yuan Shao's long-held wishes as a pretext. Romance, Ch. 32 §2 · 5Records, Wei 6 §60
How he went to Yuan Tan: In Chapter 32 of the Romance, when Guo Tu asks for advisers, Yuan Shang has lots drawn and Feng Ji is chosen. The Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records records only that Yuan Shang gave Yuan Tan only a few troops and sent Feng Ji along with him. Romance, Ch. 32 §7–8Records, Wei 6 §61
Why he died: In Chapter 32 of the Romance, after the 5,000 troops sent by Yuan Shang are wiped out and Yuan Shang sends no relief troops, Yuan Tan beheads Feng Ji. In the Biography of Yuan Shao in the Records, Yuan Tan asked for more troops, Shen Pei and the others conferred and refused, and Yuan Tan in anger killed Feng Ji. The annihilation of the 5,000 troops and the letter Feng Ji wrote do not appear. Romance, Ch. 32 §11–12Records, Wei 6 §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.
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 total391 / 1000Rank 669 of 996 · Top 68%Romance total363 / 1000Rank 783 of 1,113 · Top 71%
Romance adaptation index−28Romance total − Records total
- LEA5245−7
- STR3131±0
- INT4858+10
- POL4542−3
- CHA3530−5
- VIR4215−27
- ADP3035+5
- SCH3535±0
- DIP3842+4
- DIS3530−5
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RCounted among the Yuan family's advisers, but judged to go his own wayWei 14 §36Wei 10 §30
NHis plan to draw in Gongsun Zan and seize Ji Province succeeded, though he was also judged uselessCh. 7 §2Ch. 7 §3Ch. 22 §30
8 similar abilities — show evidence
RSided with Yuan Shang in the succession dispute, was sent along with Yuan Tan and killedWei 6 §60Wei 6 §61
NUneasy in Yuan Tan's camp, he handed over the seal and ribbon, but was beheaded in the endCh. 32 §8Ch. 32 §12
RNo direct record — estimated from his being sent along with Yuan TanWei 6 §61
NPersuaded Yuan Shao to set his sights on Ji Province, but his request for Yuan Shang's rescue failedCh. 7 §2Ch. 32 §11
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 (5)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Related events (1)
- Battle of Guandu 200 · Command
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).