RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Qiang chieftainWei 26 §71
NWhen captured, begged forgiveness and changed sides at Guo Huai's persuasionCh. 109 §19Ch. 109 §20
Midang 迷當
| Occupation | NRuler · King of the Qiang | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Midang was a chieftain of the Qiang. He has no biography of his own in the Records and appears once, in the biography of Guo Huai. In the 1st year of Zhengshi (240), after Jiang Wei of Shu came out to Longxi and was driven back by Guo Huai, the Qiang whom Guo Huai went on to attack were 'Midang and others'. Chen Shou's main text does not record his origin, what became of him afterward, or his death. Records, Wei 26 §71
In the Romance he appears in Chapter 109 as King of the Qiang; of the 120 chapters he appears in this one only, and no chapter has his name in its title. He receives gifts from Jiang Wei's envoy Xi Zheng and raises fifty thousand troops, but after being captured through a stratagem of Guo Huai and Chen Tai, he follows Guo Huai's persuasion and goes to Mount Tielong with the Qiang troops in front, and the Wei soldiers mixed among his men attack Jiang Wei's camp. Romance, Ch. 109 §2 · 18–21
In the Records
In the 1st year of Zhengshi (240), when the Shu commander Jiang Wei came out to Longxi, Guo Huai advanced and pursued him as far as Qiangzhong, and Jiang Wei withdrew. Guo Huai then attacked Midang and other Qiang, pacified more than three thousand encampments of the submissive Di and moved them to fill out Guanzhong, and was transferred to General of the Left. In Chen Shou's main text Midang appears only in this one place, and what became of him is not recorded. Records, Wei 26 §71
In the Romance
In Chapter 109 of the Romance, in the autumn of the 16th year of Yanxi (253), Jiang Wei sets out with two hundred thousand troops to attack Wei and consults Xiahou Ba. Xiahou Ba says that the reason they came back without victory last time was that the Qiang troops did not come, and proposes first arranging to meet the Qiang in Longyou; Jiang Wei makes Xi Zheng his envoy and sends him into the Qiang lands with gold, pearls and Shu brocade to make friends with the King of the Qiang. On receiving the gifts, the Qiang king Midang at once raises fifty thousand troops, makes the Qiang commander Ehe Shaoge his Grand Vanguard, and marches toward Nan'an. Romance, Ch. 109 §1–2
When Jiang Wei traps Sima Zhao on Mount Tielong, Guo Huai wants to go to his rescue, but Chen Tai says that if they pull out their troops the Qiang will seize the chance to strike them from behind, and proposes first making a false surrender to the Qiang. Chen Tai leads five thousand men into Midang's camp, bows in tears saying that Guo Huai is always trying to kill him, and offers to raid the Wei camp that very night. Midang is overjoyed and sends Ehe Shaoge with Chen Tai, but Ehe Shaoge falls into a pit trap in the Wei camp and the Qiang troops are thrown into great confusion. When Guo Huai and Chen Tai break into the Qiang camp, Midang hurries out of his tent to mount his horse and is taken alive by the Wei soldiers. Romance, Ch. 109 §11 · 16–18
Guo Huai hastily dismounts, unties his bonds himself and asks why, when the court has always regarded him as loyal and righteous, he has helped the men of Shu. Midang, ashamed, prostrates himself and begs forgiveness. When Guo Huai says that if he leads the way, lifts the siege of Mount Tielong and drives off the Shu army, he will report to the Son of Heaven and have him richly rewarded, Midang follows his word, puts the Qiang troops in front with the Wei troops following behind, and heads straight for Mount Tielong in the third watch of the night. Romance, Ch. 109 §19–20
When Midang first sends a man ahead to announce his coming, Jiang Wei is overjoyed and invites him in to meet, and has his main army stay outside the camp. More than half of the Wei soldiers are mixed in among the Qiang units. When Midang reaches the front of the central command tent with a hundred or so men and Jiang Wei and Xiahou Ba come out to greet him, a Wei commander, before Midang can even open his mouth, attacks with his sword from behind; the Shu army scatters and Jiang Wei flees. After the battle Sima Zhao rewards the Qiang troops and sends them back to their own land. Romance, Ch. 109 §20–21 · 24
Where the Romance differs
Relations with Jiang Wei: In Chapter 109 of the Romance, Midang receives gifts from Jiang Wei's envoy Xi Zheng and raises fifty thousand troops to help Shu. The Biography of Guo Huai in the Records states only that, after driving back Jiang Wei, Guo Huai attacked Midang and other Qiang, and says nothing of Midang joining hands with Jiang Wei. Romance, Ch. 109 §2Records, Wei 26 §71
Timing: The Romance places Midang's story at the time of Jiang Wei's campaign in the autumn of the 16th year of Yanxi (253). In the Records, Guo Huai's attack on Midang and others took place in the 1st year of Zhengshi (240). Romance, Ch. 109 §1–2Records, Wei 26 §71
Mount Tielong: In Chapter 109 of the Romance, Jiang Wei traps Sima Zhao on Mount Tielong and then flees when his camp is raided by Wei troops led in by Midang. In the Biography of Jiang Wei in the Records, the campaign of the 16th year of Yanxi consisted of going out to Shiying, passing Dongting and besieging Nan'an, then withdrawing when his grain ran out as the Wei Inspector of Yong Province Chen Tai came as far as Luomen, and neither the Qiang nor Mount Tielong appears. Romance, Ch. 109 §11 · 20–21Records, Shu 14 §36
Capture and change of sides: In the Romance, Midang is captured through a stratagem of Guo Huai and Chen Tai and, persuaded by Guo Huai, helps Wei. The Records state only that Guo Huai attacked Midang and others, and do not make clear whether Midang was captured or surrendered. Romance, Ch. 109 §18–20Records, Wei 26 §71
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 total370 / 1000Rank 788 of 996 · Top 80%Romance total371 / 1000Rank 728 of 1,113 · Top 66%
Romance adaptation index+1Romance total − Records total
- LEA4238−4
- STR4038−2
- INT3530−5
- POL3331−2
- CHA4550+5
- VIR4025−15
- ADP3855+17
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3340+7
- DIS3333±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Qiang chieftainWei 26 §71
NThough he had made friends with Shu, once captured he led Wei troops in a surprise attack on Jiang WeiCh. 109 §19Ch. 109 §21
8 similar abilities — show evidence
RMidang and other Qiang were attacked by Guo HuaiWei 26 §71
NRaised fifty thousand Qiang troops but was captured when his camp was raidedCh. 109 §2Ch. 109 §18
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Qiang chieftainWei 26 §71
NNo direct record — estimated from his being King of the QiangCh. 109 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Qiang chieftainWei 26 §71
NBelieved Chen Tai's feigned surrender, sent out a raid and fell into a trapCh. 109 §17Ch. 109 §18
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Qiang chieftainWei 26 §71
NNo direct record — estimated from his being King of the QiangCh. 109 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Qiang chieftainWei 26 §71
NAs King of the Qiang, promptly raised and sent fifty thousand troopsCh. 109 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Qiang chieftainWei 26 §71
NNo direct record — estimated from his being King of the QiangCh. 109 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Qiang chieftainWei 26 §71
NNo direct record — estimated from his accepting Shu's gifts and making friends with ShuCh. 109 §2
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Qiang chieftainWei 26 §71
NNo direct record — estimated from his being King of the QiangCh. 109 §2
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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