RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 2 §32
NWas released on a promise to bring others to surrender, gave a false report, and broke his wordCh. 62 §47Ch. 62 §48Ch. 63 §5
Leng Bao 泠苞
| Occupation | RNGeneral | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Died | Place of death | NFu Pass | |
| Cause of death | NExecuted Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Leng Bao was a general of Liu Zhang, Governor of Yi Province. He has no biography of his own in the Records, and in Chen Shou's main text he appears once, in the Biography of the First Sovereign in Records of Shu 2. When Liu Bei broke with Liu Zhang and seized Fu County, Liu Zhang sent Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren, Deng Xian and others to resist Liu Bei at Fu, but they were all defeated and fell back to hold Mianzhu. Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, origin, offices or death. Records, Shu 2 §31–32
He does not appear in Chen Shou's assessment in the Biography of the First Sovereign. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 60 as one of the officers under Liu Zhang who tell him to be on guard against Liu Bei, and he appears in 4 of its 120 chapters; no chapter title bears his name. In Chapter 62 he sets up camp in front of Luo County, is captured by Wei Yan and released, and in Chapter 63, as he tries to breach the dikes of the Fu River, he is captured by Wei Yan again and beheaded on Liu Bei's orders. Records, Shu 2 §78Romance, Ch. 60 §65Romance, Ch. 62 §32 · 44 · 47Romance, Ch. 63 §3–5
In the Records
In the 16th year of Jian'an (211), Liu Zhang, Governor of Yi Province, accepted the advice of his Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage, Zhang Song, and had Fa Zheng lead 4,000 men to welcome Liu Bei. Liu Bei entered Yi Province at the head of several tens of thousands of foot soldiers, and when he reached Fu County, Liu Zhang came out in person to meet him, and their meeting was a very joyful one. Records, Shu 2 §27–28
The following year, when Lord Cao attacked Sun Quan, Liu Bei asked Liu Zhang for 10,000 troops and supplies, intending to go east. Liu Zhang granted only 4,000 troops and gave only half of everything else. Zhang Song's elder brother Zhang Su, Administrator of Guanghan, fearing the disaster would reach him, exposed the plot; Liu Zhang arrested and beheaded Zhang Song, and only then did a rift open between the two. Liu Zhang ordered the generals guarding the passes to send no more communications through to Liu Bei, and Liu Bei summoned Liu Zhang's Commander of the Baishui Army, Yang Huai, rebuked him for his discourtesy and beheaded him. Records, Shu 2 §30–31
Together with Huang Zhong, Zhuo Ying and others, Liu Bei advanced to Fu County and occupied the city. Liu Zhang sent Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren, Deng Xian and others to resist Liu Bei at Fu, but they were all defeated and fell back to hold Mianzhu. Liu Zhang then sent Li Yan to supervise the armies at Mianzhu, but Li Yan led his men over to Liu Bei, and Liu Bei advanced his army and besieged Luo County. Records, Shu 2 §32
In Chen Shou's main text this single passage is the only place Leng Bao appears. His courtesy name, origin, offices, later life and death are not recorded, nor does he appear in Chen Shou's assessment in the Biography of the First Sovereign. Records, Shu 2 §32 · 78
In the Romance
In Chapter 60 of the Romance, when Liu Zhang meets Liu Bei on the banks of the Fu River and rejoices, his officers Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren, Deng Xian and others tell him that Liu Bei has firmness beneath his gentleness and his heart cannot be fathomed, so precautions should be taken, but Liu Zhang laughs it off. At the banquet in Chapter 61, when Wei Yan performs a sword dance and Zhang Ren and Liu Feng join in, Liu Gui, Leng Bao and Deng Xian also draw their swords and step forward, saying they will all dance together. Liu Bei cries out that anyone who does not lay down his sword will be beheaded, and Liu Zhang too has his attendants take off their swords. Romance, Ch. 60 §64–66Romance, Ch. 61 §2–4
In Chapter 62, when Liu Bei seizes the Fushui Pass, Liu Zhang follows Huang Quan's advice and has Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren and Deng Xian march through the night with a great army of fifty thousand to hold Luo County. On the way the four generals ask Zixu Shangren of Mount Jinping about the future, but are told only that fixed fate is hard to escape. On reaching Luo County, Leng Bao and Deng Xian volunteer, receive twenty thousand troops and set up camps sixty li from the city. Romance, Ch. 62 §27–32
When Huang Zhong and Wei Yan compete for the first merit, Pang Tong has Huang Zhong attack Leng Bao's camp and Wei Yan attack Deng Xian's, but Wei Yan, wanting the credit for both, goes first to Leng Bao's camp. Leng Bao, already prepared, fights Wei Yan for thirty bouts, and a surprise attack by the Western Sichuan troops routs the Han army. But Deng Xian, about to spear Wei Yan, who has fallen from his horse, himself falls from his horse at the twang of a bowstring, and Leng Bao, driven back by Huang Zhong, abandons the left camp. The right camp has already been taken by Liu Bei, and as Leng Bao tries to make his way back to Luo City by a remote mountain path, he is caught with hooks by Wei Yan's soldiers lying in ambush. Romance, Ch. 62 §33–44
When Liu Bei unties him, gives him wine and asks whether he will surrender, Leng Bao says that Liu Gui and Zhang Ren are his comrades sworn to share life and death, and that if he is let go he will bring the two of them to surrender and hand over Luo City. Wei Yan objects that once he leaves he will not come back, but Liu Bei gives him clothes and a saddled horse and sends him back. Back in Luo City, Leng Bao says nothing of being captured and released, saying only that he killed a dozen or so men, seized a horse and escaped. Romance, Ch. 62 §46–48
When Wu Yi brings troops to Luo City and asks for a plan, Leng Bao says that if he is given five thousand men he will breach the Fu River and drown Liu Bei's entire army. Wu Yi adopts the plan and has Wu Lan and Lei Tong support him from behind. Romance, Ch. 62 §49–50
In Chapter 63, when Peng Yang points out that the front camp lies right against the Fu River, Liu Bei has Wei Yan and Huang Zhong stand ready. On a night of heavy wind and rain Leng Bao sets out with five thousand men to breach the riverbank, but realizing from the shouting behind him that the enemy is prepared, he turns his troops back, and as he flees he runs into Wei Yan and is captured within a few bouts. When Leng Bao is brought to the Fu Pass, Liu Bei rebukes him, saying that he had treated him with benevolence and righteousness and let him go, so how could he betray him, and that this time he cannot be pardoned, and has him dragged out and beheaded. Later Pang Tong says that, by first beheading the Shu general Leng Bao, they have already fulfilled the ill omen of Taibai (Venus) presiding over Luo City. Romance, Ch. 63 §2–6
Where the Romance differs
Where he made his stand: In Chapter 62 of the Romance, Liu Zhang has Leng Bao and the other three generals hold Luo County with a great army of fifty thousand, and Leng Bao and Deng Xian set up camps sixty li from the city. In the Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records, Liu Zhang sent Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren, Deng Xian and others to resist Liu Bei at Fu, but they were all defeated and fell back to hold Mianzhu. Romance, Ch. 62 §27 · 32Records, Shu 2 §32
The banquet at Fu: In Chapters 60–61 of the Romance, Leng Bao joins the other officers in urging Liu Zhang to be on guard against Liu Bei, and at the banquet he steps forward with his sword drawn together with Liu Gui and Deng Xian. The Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records says that at Fu Liu Zhang came out in person to welcome Liu Bei and was very joyful, and that Zhang Song had Fa Zheng advise Liu Bei, and Pang Tong too urged him to attack Liu Zhang at the meeting place, but Liu Bei said that this was a great matter and must not be rushed. Neither the sword dance nor Leng Bao appears. Romance, Ch. 60 §65Romance, Ch. 61 §3Records, Shu 2 §28–29
Zixu Shangren: In Chapter 62 of the Romance, Leng Bao and the other three generals visit Zixu Shangren of Mount Jinping on the way to Luo County to ask about the future. This episode is not in the account of this campaign in the Biography of the First Sovereign in the Records. Romance, Ch. 62 §29–31Records, Shu 2 §31–33
His capture: In Chapter 62 of the Romance, Leng Bao is captured by Wei Yan's ambush, is released on promising to bring Liu Gui and Zhang Ren to surrender, and on returning to Luo City conceals what happened. Chen Shou's main text has no record of Leng Bao being captured, saying only that he was defeated at Fu and fell back to Mianzhu. Romance, Ch. 62 §44 · 47–48Records, Shu 2 §32
The waters of the Fu River: In Chapters 62–63 of the Romance, Leng Bao proposes breaching the Fu River to drown Liu Bei's army, and Peng Yang warns Liu Bei in advance. The Biography of Peng Yang in the Records says only that Peng Yang went to see Pang Tong and, recommended by Pang Tong and Fa Zheng, came to Liu Bei, conveyed his military orders and gave instructions to the generals; there is no story of the Fu River's waters, and it is not in the Biography of the First Sovereign either. Romance, Ch. 62 §49–50Romance, Ch. 63 §2–3Records, Shu 10 §21–22Records, Shu 2 §32
Death: In Chapter 63 of the Romance, Leng Bao is captured by Wei Yan once again and taken to the Fu Pass, and Liu Bei, rebuking him for his betrayal, has him beheaded. Chen Shou's main text, after recording that Leng Bao was defeated at Fu and fell back to Mianzhu, does not mention him again, so his death is not recorded. Romance, Ch. 63 §4–5Records, Shu 2 §32
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 total373 / 1000Rank 772 of 996 · Top 78%Romance total383 / 1000Rank 644 of 1,113 · Top 58%
Romance adaptation index+10Romance total − Records total
- LEA4055+15
- STR4560+15
- INT3852+14
- POL3231−1
- CHA3835−3
- VIR4515−30
- ADP3838±0
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3333±0
- DIS3333±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RResisted at Fu with Liu Gui, Zhang Ren and Deng Xian, but was defeated and fell back to MianzhuShu 2 §32
NPrepared in advance, he met Wei Yan's surprise attack and routed the Han armyCh. 62 §40Ch. 62 §41
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalShu 2 §32
NFought Wei Yan for 30 bouts, and fled from Huang Zhong before even ten boutsCh. 62 §40Ch. 62 §43
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 2 §32
NWarned Liu Zhang to guard against Liu Bei and proposed flooding the enemy by breaching the Fu River dikesCh. 60 §65Ch. 62 §49Ch. 62 §50
6 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a military commanderShu 2 §32
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a military commanderCh. 62 §32
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 2 §32
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 62 §32
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 2 §32
NGained his release by a false surrender, but was captured again and beheadedCh. 62 §46Ch. 63 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a military commanderShu 2 §32
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a military commanderCh. 62 §32
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 2 §32
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 62 §46
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 2 §32
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 62 §32
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 (4)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Liu Zhang faction · Records · 「璋遣劉璝、冷苞、張任、鄧賢等拒先主於涪」
Related events (2)
- Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province 212~214 · Command
- Huang Zhong and Wei Yan Vie at Luo Romance ch. 62 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).