Jiang Yan 蔣延
| Occupation | ROfficial · Grand Master of Palace Leisure | Faction | Wu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Jiang Yan was a Grand Master of Palace Leisure (zhongsan dafu) of Wu. He has no biography of his own in the Records, and in Chen Shou's main text his name appears once, in the account of Zhuge Ke in the Biographies of Zhuge Ke, Teng Yin, the Two Suns and Puyang Xing (Records of Wu 19). When Zhuge Ke, having won the battle of Dongxing in the 12th month of the 1st year of Jianxing (252) (early 253 CE), wanted to take the field again the following spring, the high ministers remonstrated with one voice, and Jiang Yan, after arguing stubbornly, was helped out of the room. Records, Wu 19 §28 · 31
In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 108, and his name is in no chapter title. When Zhuge Ke raises a great army of 200,000 and sets out to attack the Central Plains, Jiang Yan tries to stop him, calling a white vapor that rises from the ground an omen of losing the army, and after narrowly escaping beheading he is reduced to a commoner. Romance, Ch. 108 §18–19
In the Records
In the 10th month of the 1st year of Jianxing (252) of Wu, Zhuge Ke rebuilt the great dike at Dongxing and built two forts to its left and right. When Wei had Hu Zun, Zhuge Dan and others lead a host of 70,000 to attack the two forts, Zhuge Ke raised 40,000 troops, went to their relief and crushed the Wei army. Chen Shou writes that Zhuge Ke at last came to hold the enemy in contempt, and that, having won the battle in the 12th month, he wanted to take the field again the following spring. Records, Wu 19 §28–31
The high ministers, saying that the frequent campaigns had left everyone worn out and exhausted, remonstrated with Zhuge Ke with one voice, but he would not listen. The Grand Master of Palace Leisure Jiang Yan argued stubbornly and was helped out of the room. Zhuge Ke then wrote a treatise to make his intentions plain to everyone; it opened with the words that there are not two suns in the sky nor two kings on earth, and argued that the soldiers of Cao Cao's time were now all gone while those born after them had not yet fully grown, so that now was the time when the enemy was weak. Records, Wu 19 §31 · 34
People regarded the treatise as words dressed up to justify a campaign he was set on, but none dared to argue against it again. Nie You, Administrator of Danyang, also remonstrated by letter, but Zhuge Ke replied with a note written at the end of his treatise, and, going against the will of the many, levied a host of 200,000 from the provinces and commanderies and took the field. The Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers record that in the 3rd month of the 2nd year of Jianxing (253) Zhuge Ke attacked Wei and in the 4th month besieged Xincheng, but a great epidemic broke out and more than half his soldiers died, and in the 8th month he led his army back. Records, Wu 19 §41–43Records, Wu 3 §6
In the Romance
In Chapter 108 of the Romance, after driving off the Wei army at Dongxing, Zhuge Ke tells his generals that since Sima Zhao has been defeated and gone back north, they should ride this momentum and advance on the Central Plains. He sends a letter to Shu asking Jiang Wei to attack Wei from the north, and raises a great army of 200,000 to march against the Central Plains. As he is about to set out, a band of white vapor rises from the ground and blocks the three armies, so that men face to face cannot see each other. Romance, Ch. 108 §18
Jiang Yan says that this vapor is a white rainbow, an omen of losing the army, and that the Grand Tutor should return to court rather than attack Wei. Zhuge Ke, in a great rage, demands how he dares utter such ill-omened words and unsettle the army's spirit, and shouts to his guards to behead him. When everyone begs for his pardon, Zhuge Ke reduces Jiang Yan to a commoner and presses on with the advance as before. Romance, Ch. 108 §19
The Romance depicts the campaign that follows thus. Zhuge Ke attacks Xincheng for months without taking it and is struck in the forehead by an arrow; as the scorching heat leaves many soldiers sick and the Area Commander Cai Lin goes over to Wei with his own troops, he withdraws his army and turns back. Guanqiu Jian falls on them from behind, and the Wu army returns badly defeated. Romance, Ch. 108 §22 · 24–26
Where the Romance differs
Why he remonstrated: In Chapter 108 of the Romance, Jiang Yan calls the white vapor that rises from the ground as the army sets out a white rainbow, and tries to stop the campaign as an omen of losing the army. The Records say only that the high ministers remonstrated with one voice because the frequent campaigns had left everyone worn out and exhausted, and that Jiang Yan argued stubbornly; there is no record of him speaking of an omen. Romance, Ch. 108 §19Records, Wu 19 §31
The white rainbow: In Chapter 108 of the Romance, a white vapor rises just before the campaign sets out. The Records state that a white rainbow appeared over Zhuge Ke's boat when he left Xincheng and stopped at Dongxing, and again encircled his carriage when he returned and paid homage at the Jiang Mausoleum; Jiang Yan does not appear in that passage. Romance, Ch. 108 §18–19Records, Wu 19 §50
His punishment: In Chapter 108 of the Romance, Zhuge Ke orders Jiang Yan beheaded, then, when everyone begs for his pardon, reduces him to a commoner. The Records say only that Jiang Yan argued stubbornly and was helped out of the room; there is no record of his being punished. Romance, Ch. 108 §19Records, Wu 19 §31
His office: The Romance does not state Jiang Yan's office. In the Records, Jiang Yan was a Grand Master of Palace Leisure. Romance, Ch. 108 §19Records, Wu 19 §31
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.
- LEA3331−2
- STR3131±0
- INT5550−5
- POL4238−4
- CHA3845+7
- VIR5855−3
- ADP3835−3
- SCH4242±0
- DIP4240−2
- DIS3533−2
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
No ability differs by 10 or more — the Romance portrays this person much as the Records do.
10 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand Master of Palace LeisureWu 19 §31
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Wu officialCh. 108 §19
RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand Master of Palace LeisureWu 19 §31
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Wu officialCh. 108 §19
ROpposed Zhuge Ke's renewed campaign, saying frequent campaigns had exhausted everyoneWu 19 §31
NRead the white rainbow as an omen of losing the army and urged a returnCh. 108 §19
RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand Master of Palace LeisureWu 19 §31
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Wu officialCh. 108 §19
RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand Master of Palace LeisureWu 19 §31
NWhen he was about to be beheaded, everyone begged for his pardonCh. 108 §19
RAlone among the ministers argued stubbornly and was helped out of the roomWu 19 §31
NBraved Zhuge Ke's wrath to speak plainly of the ill omenCh. 108 §19
RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand Master of Palace LeisureWu 19 §31
NNearly beheaded for his frank words, then reduced to a commonerCh. 108 §19
RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand Master of Palace LeisureWu 19 §31
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Wu officialCh. 108 §19
RArgued stubbornly but failed to persuade Zhuge KeWu 19 §31
NUrged a return but failed to persuade Zhuge KeCh. 108 §19
RNo direct record — estimated from his office of Grand Master of Palace LeisureWu 19 §31
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a Wu officialCh. 108 §19
Special — talents Records +0 · Romance +10
-
Divination & astronomy
NSkilled +10 Judged the white rainbow to be an omen of losing the armyCh. 108 §19
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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