RNo direct record — only the record of his succeeding Jia KuiWei 15 §84
NHad Cheng Ji kill the Son of Heaven and urged Sima Yan to replace WeiCh. 114 §12Ch. 114 §13Ch. 119 §37
Jia Chong 賈充
| Occupation | ROfficial · Grand Commandant NStrategist · Central Protector of the Army | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Wei |
| Born | Native place | Hedong Commandery Xiangling County Unverified | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R21 |
Profile
Jia Chong was the son of Jia Kui, Inspector of Yu Province under Wei, and succeeded him when his father died. Chen Shou's main text in the Records has no separate biography of him; there is only a single line at the end of Jia Kui's biography: 'During the Xianxi era he became Central Protector of the Army.' Records, Wei 15 §76 · 84 · 86–87
In the 1st month of the 1st year of Xianxi (264), when Deng Ai was summoned back in a prisoner's cart, Sima Zhao gave the Central Protector of the Army Jia Chong ten thousand infantry and cavalry and had him enter the Xie Valley and garrison Lecheng. In the winter of the 3rd year of Tianji (279), when Jin attacked Wu, he became Grand Commander as Grand Commandant of Jin. The years of his birth and death are not in Chen Shou's main text. Records, Wei 4 §128Records, Wei 28 §121 · 123Records, Wu 3 §74 · 78
In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 111 as Sima Zhao's confidant and appears in 6 of its 120 chapters, but his name is in no chapter title. In Chapter 114 he led out the palace troops and had Cheng Ji kill Cao Mao, the ruler of Wei, and in Chapter 119 he took the lead in arranging the ceremony at the Altar for Receiving the Abdication, at which Sima Yan received the throne from Cao Huan. Romance, Ch. 111 §24Romance, Ch. 114 §12–13Romance, Ch. 119 §41 · 43
In the Records
Jia Chong was the son of Jia Kui. Jia Kui was a native of Xiangling County in Hedong Commandery; while Inspector of Yu Province he was called 'a true Inspector' by Emperor Wen, and when he died after his illness became critical he received the posthumous name Marquis Su. His son Jia Chong succeeded him. Chen Shou placed an entry for his son Jia Chong at the end of Jia Kui's biography, but it consists of a single line: 'During the Xianxi era he became Central Protector of the Army.' Records, Wei 15 §68 · 76–77 · 84 · 86–87
After Shu was pacified, Zhong Hui secretly reported that Deng Ai showed signs of rebellion, and in the 1st month of the 1st year of Xianxi (264) an edict ordered Deng Ai to be brought back in a prisoner's cart. Fearing that Deng Ai might not obey the summons, Sima Zhao sent a letter to Zhong Hui saying, 'I have sent the Central Protector of the Army Jia Chong with ten thousand infantry and cavalry straight into the Xie Valley to garrison Lecheng, and I myself am leading a hundred thousand to garrison Chang'an; we shall meet soon.' On receiving the letter Zhong Hui was alarmed and said that Sima Zhao had perceived his disloyal intentions and that he must act quickly. Records, Wei 4 §128Records, Wei 28 §121 · 123
When Sima Zhao was about to go west, Shao Ti said that it would be enough to have Zhong Hui seize Deng Ai and that there was no need for him to go in person. Sima Zhao told him not to spread these words, and said, 'The other day Protector of the Army Jia asked me whether I had any doubts about Zhong Hui, and I answered, "Now that I am sending you, how could I doubt you as well?" Protector of the Army Jia had nothing to say against my words.' When the army reached Chang'an, Zhong Hui was already dead. Records, Wei 28 §134–135
In the winter of the 3rd year of Tianji (279), Jin attacked Wu along several routes, sending Sima Zhou toward Tuzhong, Wang Hun and Zhou Jun toward Niuzhu, and Du Yu toward Jiangling, and having Wang Jun and Tang Bin sail east down the Yangtze. At this time the Grand Commandant Jia Chong was made Grand Commander, to take up key positions as circumstances required and to stand at the center of all the armies. Records, Wu 3 §74 · 78
In the Romance
In Chapter 111 of the Romance, Jia Chong appeared as Sima Zhao's confidant. His surname was Jia, his given name Chong and his courtesy name Gonglu; he was the son of the late General Who Establishes Might Jia Kui and served as Chief Clerk in Sima Zhao's headquarters. Going to Huainan on the pretext of rewarding the troops, he sounded out Zhuge Dan over wine, suggesting that the house of General-in-Chief Sima deserved to receive the abdication of Wei's legitimate succession. When Zhuge Dan rebuked him, saying, 'You are the son of Jia of Yu Province, and your family has eaten Wei's salary for generations', he backed off, saying he had only repeated what others said, and on his return he said that Zhuge Dan must be eliminated quickly. When Zhuge Dan raised troops, he advised that the Empress Dowager and the Son of Heaven be taken along on the campaign. Romance, Ch. 111 §24–27 · 33
In Chapter 114, when Sima Zhao was angered on hearing the 'Hidden Dragon' poem composed by Cao Mao, Jia Chong said that he would take action for his lord sooner or later. When Cao Mao, sword in hand, set out for the Southern Gate leading some three hundred palace guards and others, Jia Chong, in military dress and on horseback, met him leading Cheng Cui, Cheng Ji and several thousand armored palace troops. When Cheng Ji asked, 'Should we kill him or bind him?', Jia Chong replied, 'Lord Sima has given orders. He wants only a dead man', and Cao Mao died on Cheng Ji's halberd. He had Wang Jing, who followed and denounced him as a traitor, bound. Romance, Ch. 114 §6 · 10 · 12–14
Afterward Chen Tai said, 'Only by beheading Jia Chong alone can we in some small measure apologize to the realm', but Sima Zhao charged only Cheng Ji with the crime and exterminated his three sets of kin, and Cheng Ji denounced Sima Zhao, crying, 'It was Jia Chong who passed on your orders!' Jia Chong and others urged Sima Zhao to receive the abdication of Wei, but when Sima Zhao declined, citing the example of King Wen of Zhou, they realized that his intention lay with his son Sima Yan and stopped. Romance, Ch. 114 §16 · 22
In Chapter 115 he proposed doing away with Jiang Wei at Tazhong by means of an assassin, but was blocked by Xun Yi's opposition. In Chapter 118 he proposed enfeoffing Zhong Hui in order to check Deng Ai, and on Sima Zhao's orders he led thirty thousand troops into the Xie Valley. When Jia Chong too suspected that Zhong Hui might rebel and secretly told him so, Sima Zhao replied, 'If I had sent you, would I have to suspect you as well?' In Chapter 119, about ten days after Zhong Hui and Jiang Wei died, Jia Chong arrived first at Chengdu and put up notices to reassure the people. Romance, Ch. 115 §31–32Romance, Ch. 118 §27 · 33–34Romance, Ch. 119 §22
In Chapter 119, when Sima Zhao intended to make Sima You his heir, Jia Chong, together with He Zeng and Pei Xiu, remonstrated that he should set up his eldest son Sima Yan. When Sima Yan became King of Jin, Jia Chong and Pei Xiu urged him to build an Altar for Receiving the Abdication following the precedent of Cao Pi succeeding the Han, and they told Cao Huan, the ruler of Wei, that 'Heaven's mandate is exhausted' and that he should abdicate as Emperor Xian of Han had done. On the jiazi day of the 12th month, Jia Chong and Pei Xiu stood on the left and right of the altar holding swords, made Cao Huan prostrate himself, and proclaimed that the Mandate of Heaven now lay with Jin. Romance, Ch. 119 §32 · 35–37 · 40–41 · 43
In Chapter 120, concerning Wu, he proposed having Yang Hu hold it off and then attacking once trouble arose there, and later, when Yang Hu requested a campaign, he argued strongly against it. Even after the Jin army won at Niuzhu he rebuked Zhang Hua and called for the troops to be recalled, but Sima Yan ordered the advance. He asked the surrendered Sun Hao what kind of punishment it was to gouge out people's eyes and flay the skin from their faces, and on hearing the answer, 'I used it on subjects who murdered their lords and on the treacherous and disloyal', he fell silent, deeply ashamed. Romance, Ch. 120 §10 · 22 · 49–50 · 59–60
Where the Romance differs
His first post: In Chapter 111 of the Romance, Jia Chong first appeared as Chief Clerk in Sima Zhao's headquarters. The only offices that Chen Shou's main text gives Jia Chong are Central Protector of the Army in the Xianxi era and Grand Commandant of Jin; there is no record of his having been Sima Zhao's Chief Clerk. Romance, Ch. 111 §24Records, Wei 15 §86–87Records, Wei 28 §123Records, Wu 3 §78
Sounding out Zhuge Dan: In Chapter 111 of the Romance, Jia Chong sounded out Zhuge Dan in Huainan and on his return proposed eliminating him, so Sima Zhao summoned Zhuge Dan to be Minister of Works. In the Records' biography of Zhuge Dan, the court vaguely sensed Zhuge Dan's suspicious state of mind and, because he was an old servant of the state, summoned him in the 5th month of the 2nd year of Ganlu (257) to be Minister of Works in order to bring him in and gauge his intentions. Jia Chong does not appear. Romance, Ch. 111 §26–28Records, Wei 28 §34–35
The death of Cao Mao: In Chapter 114 of the Romance, Jia Chong led the palace troops and told Cheng Ji to kill Cao Mao. Records of Wei 4 states that the Duke of Gaoguixiang died on the jichou day of the 5th month of the 5th year of Ganlu (260), and Sima Zhao's memorial says that Cheng Ji, a Retainer of the Heir Apparent, recklessly rushed into the ranks and harmed the Duke, and that he had been dealt with by military law. Jia Chong's name is not in Chen Shou's main text. Romance, Ch. 114 §12–13Records, Wei 4 §97–98 · 107
Chen Tai's words: In Chapter 114 of the Romance, Chen Tai said that only by beheading Jia Chong could they apologize to the realm, and Cheng Ji cried out that Jia Chong had passed on the orders. Records of Wei 4 contains only Sima Zhao's memorial stating that he had arrested Cheng Ji's family and handed them over to the Commandant of Justice for punishment; these words are not there. Romance, Ch. 114 §16Records, Wei 4 §107–109
The troops he led toward Shu: In Chapter 118 of the Romance, Jia Chong led thirty thousand troops into the Xie Valley. In Sima Zhao's letter in the Records, he was to lead ten thousand infantry and cavalry into the Xie Valley and garrison Lecheng. The episode in Chapter 119 of the Romance in which Jia Chong arrived first at Chengdu and reassured the people is not in Chen Shou's main text. Romance, Ch. 118 §33Romance, Ch. 119 §22Records, Wei 28 §123 · 135
The abdication ceremony: In Chapter 119 of the Romance, Jia Chong built the Altar for Receiving the Abdication and proclaimed on the altar that the Mandate of Heaven lay with Jin. Records of Wei 4 states only that on the renxu day of the 12th month of the 2nd year of Xianxi (265) an altar was ordered to be set up in the southern suburb and an envoy was sent bearing the imperial seal and the document of abdication to yield the throne to the heir King of Jin; Jia Chong does not appear. Romance, Ch. 119 §41 · 43Records, Wei 4 §145 · 150
The conquest of Wu: In Chapter 120 of the Romance, Jia Chong blocked the campaign and called for the troops to be recalled even after the victory at Niuzhu. In the Records' Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers, in the winter of the 3rd year of Tianji (279), when Jin attacked Wu along several routes, the Grand Commandant Jia Chong became Grand Commander and stood at the center of all the armies. Chen Shou's main text says nothing of Jia Chong opposing the campaign. Romance, Ch. 120 §22 · 49–50Records, Wu 3 §74 · 78
The exchange with Sun Hao: In Chapter 120 of the Romance, Jia Chong asked about Sun Hao's punishments and was shamed by the answer that they were used on those who murdered their lords. The Records' Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers state that Sun Hao flayed people's faces and gouged out their eyes, and record that Sun Hao surrendered, arrived at Luoyang in the 1st year of Taikang (280) and became Marquis Who Returned to Allegiance, but there is no exchange with Jia Chong. Romance, Ch. 120 §59–60Records, Wu 3 §79–80 · 85
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 total437 / 1000Rank 425 of 996 · Top 43%Romance total441 / 1000Rank 275 of 1,113 · Top 25%
Romance adaptation index+4Romance total − Records total
- LEA5050±0
- STR3530−5
- INT5270+18
- POL4550+5
- CHA4025−15
- VIR456−39
- ADP5070+20
- SCH4040±0
- DIP4045+5
- DIS4055+15
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his conduct at Wenwang's sideWei 28 §135
NAdvised first gauging people's hearts and taking the Son of Heaven on campaign to forestall troubleCh. 111 §24Ch. 111 §33
RAsked Wenwang (Sima Zhao) whether he suspected Zhong HuiWei 28 §135
NSounded out Zhuge Dan and urged his removal, and had Zhong Hui enfeoffed to check Deng AiCh. 111 §24Ch. 111 §27Ch. 118 §27
RNo direct recordWei 15 §87
NChen Tai said that only by beheading Jia Chong could they apologize to the realmCh. 114 §16
RNo direct recordWei 15 §87
NRemonstrated that Sima Yan was intelligent and divinely martial and not destined to be another's subjectCh. 119 §32
5 similar abilities — show evidence
RLed ten thousand infantry and cavalry into the Xie Valley and became Grand Commander in the conquest of WuWei 28 §123Wu 3 §78
NLed thirty thousand into the Xie Valley, reached Chengdu first and put up notices to restore orderCh. 118 §33Ch. 119 §22
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Central Protector of the ArmyWei 15 §87
NNo direct record — only the record of his leading the palace troopsCh. 114 §12
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Central Protector of the ArmyWei 15 §87
NPut up notices in Chengdu after the disorder and reassured the peopleCh. 119 §22
RNo direct recordWei 15 §87
NNo direct record — only the record of his presiding over the abdication ceremonyCh. 119 §43
RNo direct record — only the record of his questioning Wenwang and having no replyWei 28 §135
NSounded out Zhuge Dan with words, but was shamed by Sun Hao's retortCh. 111 §26Ch. 120 §59Ch. 120 §60
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 (6)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history Changed allegiance 1 times
Family
| Parents | Jia Kui(賈逵) Novel & History |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.
Related events (4)
- Coup of Cao Mao 260 · Command
- Cao Mao Dies at the Southern Gate 260 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Conquest of Wu by Jin 279~280 · Command
- Sun Hao Surrenders: the Three Kingdoms Reunited 280 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).