English

Qiao Xuan 橋玄

RecordsRomance Courtesy name 公祖 Gongzu교현공조桥玄

Profile
OccupationROfficial · Grand CommandantFaction
AppearsRNBiography in
BornNative placeLiang Commandery
ExistenceHistoricalMentionsR6

Profile

Qiao Xuan was a man of the State of Liang who served the Later Han as Grandee of Splendid Happiness, and in the records of Wei he is called the former Grand Commandant of Han. When Cao Cao was young and the people of the world did not think him remarkable, Qiao Xuan, together with He Yong of Nanyang, regarded him as exceptional and told him that the one to bring peace to the realm would be he. Records, Wei 1 §2Records, Wei 2 §3 · 51

The Records have no biography of him and no assessment; in Chen Shou's main text his name appears in the Annals of Emperor Wu and the Annals of Emperor Wen. Cao Cao in the 7th year of Jian'an (202) and Emperor Wen, Cao Pi, in the 6th year of Huangchu (225) sent envoys to sacrifice to him with the tailao offering. In the Romance he appears in Chapter 1 as a man who foretells Cao Cao's future, and appears only in this one of its 120 chapters; his name is not in any chapter title. Records, Wei 1 §75Records, Wei 2 §51Romance, Ch. 1 §38

In the Records

According to the Annals of Emperor Wu, Cao Cao was quick-witted from childhood and had a talent for stratagems, but he delighted in playing the knight-errant and was dissolute, cultivating neither his conduct nor a livelihood, so the people of the world did not think him remarkable. Only Qiao Xuan of the State of Liang and He Yong of Nanyang regarded him as exceptional. Qiao Xuan said to Cao Cao, 'The realm is about to fall into chaos, and no one but a talent renowned in his age can save it. The one who can bring it peace is surely you!' Records, Wei 1 §2

The Annals of Emperor Wen record an earlier event of the 5th year of Xiping (176) under the Han. When a yellow dragon appeared at Qiao County, Qiao Xuan, Grandee of Splendid Happiness, asked Shan Yang, the Prefect Grand Astrologer, what omen it was, and Shan Yang answered that a king would surely arise from that state in the future, and that within fifty years the yellow dragon would appear again. Yin Deng of Neihuang silently remembered these words, and forty-five years later Yin Deng was still alive. When a yellow dragon appeared at Qiao County in the 3rd month of the 1st year of Yankang (220), Yin Deng said that Shan Yang's words had now come true. Records, Wei 2 §1 · 3

In spring, in the 1st month of the 7th year of Jian'an (202), Cao Cao stationed his army at Qiao, then went to Junyi, repaired the Suiyang Canal and sent an envoy to sacrifice to Qiao Xuan with the tailao offering. He then advanced on Guandu. Records, Wei 1 §74–75

In the 12th month of the 6th year of Huangchu (225), Emperor Wen (Cao Pi), setting out from Qiao County and passing through Liang, sent an envoy to sacrifice with the tailao offering to Qiao Xuan, the former Grand Commandant of Han. Records, Wei 2 §48 · 51

Chen Shou's main text does not separately record Qiao Xuan's courtesy name, official career or death, nor does it assess him. Qiao Xuan's name appears only twice each in the Annals of Emperor Wu and the Annals of Emperor Wen. Records, Wei 1 §2 · 75Records, Wei 2 §3 · 51

In the Romance

Chapter 1 of the Romance depicts how Cao Cao as a boy loved hunting and enjoyed song and dance, and how, to escape his uncle's scolding, he feigned a stroke so that his father Cao Song would stop believing his uncle, and then lived as dissolutely as he pleased. At that time a man named Qiao Xuan says to Cao Cao, 'The realm will soon fall into chaos, and no one but a talent fit to lead the age can save it. The one who will bring peace to the realm is surely you.' Romance, Ch. 1 §37–38

Next, He Yong of Nanyang also sees Cao Cao and says that the house of Han will soon fall and that the one to bring peace to the realm must be this man, and Xu Shao of Runan tells Cao Cao, 'You will be a capable minister in an age of order and a treacherous hero in an age of chaos.' Qiao Xuan appears in the Romance only in this one scene. Romance, Ch. 1 §38–39

Where the Romance differs

Introduction: Chapter 1 of the Romance introduces Qiao Xuan only as 'a man named Qiao Xuan' and gives neither his origin nor his office. The Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records call him Qiao Xuan of the State of Liang, and the Annals of Emperor Wen describe him as Grandee of Splendid Happiness and as the former Grand Commandant of Han. Romance, Ch. 1 §38Records, Wei 1 §2Records, Wei 2 §3 · 51

Those who recognized Cao Cao: Chapter 1 of the Romance follows Qiao Xuan's words with He Yong's words and Xu Shao's verdict in succession. This passage of the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records says that only Qiao Xuan and He Yong regarded Cao Cao as exceptional and quotes only Qiao Xuan's words; it has neither He Yong's words nor Xu Shao's verdict. Romance, Ch. 1 §38–39Records, Wei 1 §2

The omen of the yellow dragon: In the Annals of Emperor Wen in the Records, Qiao Xuan, Grandee of Splendid Happiness, asked Shan Yang, the Prefect Grand Astrologer, about the omen of the yellow dragon that appeared at Qiao County in the 5th year of Xiping (176), and Shan Yang's answer came true in the 1st year of Yankang (220). The Romance does not have this episode. Records, Wei 2 §3Romance, Ch. 1 §38

Sacrifices after his death: In the Records, Cao Cao in the 7th year of Jian'an (202) and Emperor Wen in the 6th year of Huangchu (225) sent envoys to sacrifice to Qiao Xuan with the tailao offering. These sacrifices do not appear in the Romance. Records, Wei 1 §75Records, Wei 2 §51Romance, Ch. 1 §38

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 total495 / 1000Rank 265 of 996 · Top 27%Romance total450 / 1000Rank 237 of 1,113 · Top 22%
Romance adaptation index−45Romance total − Records total
LEASTRINTPOLCHAVIRADPSCHDIPDIS
Records (solid) vs Romance (dashed)
  • LEA3533−2
  • STR3131±0
  • INT6258−4
  • POL5242−10
  • CHA5542−13
  • VIR5045−5
  • ADP4542−3
  • SCH4542−3
  • DIP4040±0
  • DIS8075−5
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

CharismaR55N42Unverified −13

RCao Cao and Cao Pi sent envoys to sacrifice to him with the tailao offeringWei 1 §75Wei 2 §51

NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 1 §38

PoliticsR52UnverifiedN42Unverified −10

RNo direct record — estimated from his posts as Han's Grand Commandant and Grandee of Splendid HappinessWei 2 §51

NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 1 §38

8 similar abilities — show evidence
  • LeadershipR35UnverifiedN33Unverified −2

    RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Grand CommandantWei 2 §51

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 1 §38

  • StrengthR31UnverifiedN31Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his being a civil officialWei 2 §51

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 1 §38

  • IntelligenceR62N58 −4

    RForesaw that the realm was about to fall into chaosWei 1 §2

    NForesaw that the realm would soon fall into chaosCh. 1 §38

  • VirtueR50UnverifiedN45Unverified −5

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 1 §2

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 1 §38

  • AdaptabilityR45UnverifiedN42Unverified −3

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 1 §2

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 1 §38

  • ScholarshipR45UnverifiedN42Unverified −3

    RNo direct record — estimated from his standing as a high ministerWei 2 §3

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 1 §38

  • DiplomacyR40UnverifiedN40Unverified ±0

    RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 1 §2

    NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 1 §38

  • DiscernmentR80N75 −5

    RSaw the young Cao Cao, whom the world did not value, as a talent who would save a troubled ageWei 1 §2Wei 1 §75

    NRecognized the dissolute Cao Cao as the one who would bring peace to the realmCh. 1 §38

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)

AppearsNot present Chapter list →