English

Hu Chi'er 胡赤兒

RecordsRomance 胡赤児호적아胡赤儿

Profile
AppearsRNBiography in
Cause of deathNExecuted Unverified
ExistenceHistoricalMentionsR1

Profile

Hu Chi'er was a close friend of long standing of Niu Fu, Dong Zhuo's son-in-law and a General of the Household. After Dong Zhuo's death, when Niu Fu's camp was thrown into alarm at night, Niu Fu took his gold and treasures and, accompanied only by Hu Chi'er and five or six others, climbed over the city wall and crossed the Yellow River northward; Hu Chi'er and the others, coveting the gold and treasures, cut off Niu Fu's head and sent it to Chang'an. Records, Wei 6 §19

In Chen Shou's main text this passage is the only place Hu Chi'er appears, and his courtesy name, origins and later life are not recorded. In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 9, and no chapter has his name in its title. The Romance portrays him as Niu Fu's trusted man and records that he killed Niu Fu and presented the head to Lü Bu, but when the matter came to light through the confession of an attendant, Lü Bu had him beheaded. Records, Wei 6 §19Romance, Ch. 9 §40–41

In the Records

Niu Fu, Dong Zhuo's son-in-law and a General of the Household, commanded troops and was stationed separately at Shan County, and he sent out the colonels Li Jue, Guo Si and Zhang Ji (張濟) separately to plunder the counties of Chenliu and Yingchuan. When Dong Zhuo died, Lü Bu sent Li Su to Shan County to put Niu Fu to death by imperial decree. When Niu Fu and the others fought back, Li Su was defeated and fled to Hongnong, and Lü Bu put Li Su to death. Records, Wei 6 §19

Afterwards, when some soldiers in Niu Fu's camp deserted at night and the camp was thrown into alarm, Niu Fu, believing that everyone had turned against him, took his gold and treasures and, accompanied only by five or six men including his close friend of long standing Hu Chi'er, climbed over the city wall and crossed the Yellow River northward. Hu Chi'er and the others then, coveting the gold and treasures, cut off Niu Fu's head and sent it to Chang'an. Records, Wei 6 §19

When Li Jue and the others returned, Niu Fu had already been destroyed, and his followers had no one to rely on. Chen Shou's main text does not record what became of Hu Chi'er afterwards. Records, Wei 6 §20

In the Romance

In Chapter 9 of the Romance, after Dong Zhuo's death, Li Jue, Guo Si, Zhang Ji (張濟) and Fan Chou, having failed to obtain a pardon, follow Jia Xu's plan, gather a host of more than 100,000 and march on Chang'an by four routes; on the way they meet Dong Zhuo's son-in-law Niu Fu, a General of the Household, who is leading 5,000 troops to avenge his father-in-law, join forces with him and make him their vanguard. Li Su, sent out by Lü Bu, engages Niu Fu and drives him back once, but that night suffers Niu Fu's surprise attack and is badly defeated, and Lü Bu beheads Li Su. Romance, Ch. 9 §36–39

The next day Niu Fu, facing Lü Bu, is again badly defeated and flees. That night Niu Fu summons his trusted man Hu Chi'er and proposes that, since Lü Bu is swift and brave and cannot possibly be withstood, they deceive Li Jue and the other three, secretly take gold and pearls, and abandon the army together with three to five close attendants; Hu Chi'er agrees. That night they gather up the gold and pearls, abandon the camp and flee, with only three or four men following them. Romance, Ch. 9 §40

As they are about to cross a river, Hu Chi'er, wishing to take the gold and pearls for himself, kills Niu Fu and takes his head to present to Lü Bu. When Lü Bu asks how it came about, an attendant comes forward and confesses that Hu Chi'er killed Niu Fu and seized his gold and treasures, and Lü Bu, enraged, at once has Hu Chi'er beheaded. This passage is the only place in the Romance where Hu Chi'er appears. Romance, Ch. 9 §41

Where the Romance differs

Niu Fu and Li Jue's band: In Chapter 9 of the Romance, Niu Fu joins forces with Li Jue and the others as they march on Chang'an, becomes their vanguard, and after being defeated by Lü Bu flees with Hu Chi'er. In the Records, Niu Fu defeated Li Su at Shan County and then fled when his camp was thrown into alarm, and when Li Jue and the others returned, Niu Fu had already been destroyed. Romance, Ch. 9 §38–40Records, Wei 6 §19–20

How he fled: In Chapter 9 of the Romance, Niu Fu, saying he cannot withstand Lü Bu, summons his trusted man Hu Chi'er to consult him, takes gold and pearls and abandons the army. In the Records, when some soldiers deserted at night and the camp was thrown into alarm, Niu Fu, believing everyone had turned against him, took his gold and treasures and left; nothing is said of his consulting Hu Chi'er. Romance, Ch. 9 §40Records, Wei 6 §19

Relationship with Niu Fu: Chapter 9 of the Romance calls Hu Chi'er Niu Fu's trusted man. The Records describe him as a close friend of long standing of Niu Fu. Romance, Ch. 9 §40Records, Wei 6 §19

Where the head was sent: In Chapter 9 of the Romance, Hu Chi'er kills Niu Fu and presents his head to Lü Bu. In the Records, Hu Chi'er and the others cut off Niu Fu's head and sent it to Chang'an. Romance, Ch. 9 §41Records, Wei 6 §19

Hu Chi'er's end: In Chapter 9 of the Romance, the matter comes to light through an attendant's confession, and Lü Bu, enraged, has Hu Chi'er beheaded. Chen Shou's main text stops at Hu Chi'er and the others sending Niu Fu's head to Chang'an, and Hu Chi'er's death is not recorded. Romance, Ch. 9 §41Records, Wei 6 §19–20

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 total304 / 1000Rank 981 of 996 · Top 99%Romance total285 / 1000Rank 1,085 of 1,113 · Top 98%
Romance adaptation index−19Romance total − Records total
LEASTRINTPOLCHAVIRADPSCHDIPDIS
Records (solid) vs Romance (dashed)
  • LEA3333±0
  • STR4040±0
  • INT3230−2
  • POL3131±0
  • CHA3535±0
  • VIR108−2
  • ADP3015−15
  • SCH3131±0
  • DIP3131±0
  • DIS3131±0
Records · Romance scores and difference (Romance − Records · left = lowered by the Romance · right = raised)

Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more

AdaptabilityR30UnverifiedN15 −15

RNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's friendWei 6 §19

NPresented Niu Fu's head to Lü Bu, only to be beheaded himselfCh. 9 §41

9 similar abilities — show evidence
  • LeadershipR33UnverifiedN33Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's friendWei 6 §19

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's trusted manCh. 9 §40

  • StrengthR40UnverifiedN40Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's friendWei 6 §19

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's trusted manCh. 9 §40

  • IntelligenceR32UnverifiedN30Unverified −2

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's friendWei 6 §19

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's trusted manCh. 9 §40

  • PoliticsR31UnverifiedN31Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's friendWei 6 §19

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's trusted manCh. 9 §40

  • CharismaR35UnverifiedN35Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's friendWei 6 §19

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's trusted manCh. 9 §40

  • VirtueR10N8 −2

    RCoveting the gold and treasures, cut off the head of his friend Niu Fu and sent it to Chang'anWei 6 §19

    NKilled his master Niu Fu to take the gold and pearls for himselfCh. 9 §41

  • ScholarshipR31UnverifiedN31Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's friendWei 6 §19

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's trusted manCh. 9 §40

  • DiplomacyR31UnverifiedN31Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's friendWei 6 §19

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's trusted manCh. 9 §40

  • DiscernmentR31UnverifiedN31Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's friendWei 6 §19

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deeds as Niu Fu's trusted manCh. 9 §40

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)

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