RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as He Jin's lieutenantCh. 3 §13
Wu Kuang 吳匡
| Occupation | RNGeneral | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R2 |
Profile
Wu Kuang was a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He Jin and the father of Wu Ban, who rose to General of Agile Cavalry in Shu. The Records give him no biography of his own; his name appears once, as 'Wu Kuang, a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He Jin', in the record of Wu Ban included in the Biographies of Deng, Zhang, Zong and Yang (Records of Shu 15). Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, origin, deeds or death. Records, Shu 15 §56
In the Romance he appears in Chapter 3 as a lieutenant of He Jin. When He Jin is killed by the eunuchs in the palace, he sets fire outside the Qingsuo Gate, then storms into the inner court and shouts that He Miao was party to harming his elder brother, so that the crowd kills He Miao. He appears in only this one of the 120 chapters, and his name is in no chapter title. Romance, Ch. 3 §13 · 15–16
In the Records
Wu Ban, courtesy name Yuanxiong, was a younger clansman of Wu Yi and the son of Wu Kuang, a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He Jin. Wu Ban was known for his chivalrous spirit and his offices and rank were always second only to Wu Yi's; under the First Sovereign he became Commander of the Army (lingjun), and under the Later Sovereign he was gradually promoted to General of Agile Cavalry, granted a tally of authority and enfeoffed as Marquis of Mianzhu. Wu Yi was a man of Chenliu who had followed Liu Yan into Shu. Records, Shu 15 §54 · 56
This is the only place in Chen Shou's main text where Wu Kuang's name appears, and his courtesy name, origin, deeds and death are not recorded. The account of Dong Zhuo in the Biographies of Dong Zhuo, the Two Yuans and Liu Biao (Records of Wei 6) records that after Emperor Ling died, He Jin fell before Dong Zhuo arrived, and that at that time He Jin's younger brother, the General of Chariots and Cavalry He Miao, was killed by He Jin's followers, but it does not name the man who led those followers. Records, Shu 15 §56Records, Wei 6 §5–6
In the Romance
In Chapter 3 of the Romance, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao each select five hundred picked troops and put them under Yuan Shu, who deploys them outside the Qingsuo Gate. Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, wearing swords, escort He Jin as far as the front of the Changle Palace, but a eunuch stops them outside the palace gate, saying that the Empress Dowager has summoned only the General-in-Chief. When He Jin reaches the gate of the Jiade Hall, he is surrounded and berated by Zhang Rang and Duan Gui, and with all the palace gates shut, assassins lying in wait cut him in two. Romance, Ch. 3 §9–11
When He Jin does not come out for a long time, Yuan Shao calls from outside the palace gate for him to mount his carriage, and Zhang Rang and the others throw He Jin's head over the wall and proclaim that He Jin plotted rebellion and has been executed, and that all his other followers are pardoned. When Yuan Shao shouts that the eunuchs have murdered a high minister and that whoever would strike the traitors should come forward and help in the fight, He Jin's lieutenant Wu Kuang at once sets fire outside the Qingsuo Gate. Yuan Shu leads his troops bursting into the palace and kills every eunuch in sight, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao also break through the gates and enter, and flames leap to the sky within the palace. Romance, Ch. 3 §13–14
As Wu Kuang storms into the inner court, He Miao too is coming out with a sword in hand. When Wu Kuang shouts, 'He Miao was party to harming his elder brother—we must kill him together!', everyone cries out to cut down the villain who plotted against his brother, and He Miao, trying to flee, is surrounded on all sides and hacked to pieces. These two passages are the only places in the Romance where Wu Kuang's name appears, and what happens to him afterward is not depicted. Romance, Ch. 3 §15–16
Where the Romance differs
He Miao's death: In Chapter 3 of the Romance, Wu Kuang shouts that He Miao was party to harming his elder brother, and the crowd surrounds He Miao and hacks him to pieces. Chen Shou's main text says only that He Jin's younger brother, the General of Chariots and Cavalry He Miao, was killed by He Jin's followers, and does not record the name of the man who took the lead or the reason. Romance, Ch. 3 §15–16Records, Wei 6 §6Records, Shu 15 §56
The fire at the Qingsuo Gate: In Chapter 3 of the Romance, Wu Kuang sets fire outside the Qingsuo Gate in response to Yuan Shao's cry. In Chen Shou's main text Wu Kuang is only named as Wu Ban's father, and nothing is recorded of what he did in the palace after He Jin's death. Romance, Ch. 3 §13Records, Shu 15 §56
Status and family: Chapter 3 of the Romance calls Wu Kuang only a lieutenant of He Jin and does not reveal his family, and Wu Ban, who also appears in the Romance, is not introduced as Wu Kuang's son. Chen Shou's main text calls Wu Kuang a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He Jin and records him as the father of Wu Ban, who became General of Agile Cavalry in Shu. Romance, Ch. 3 §13Romance, Ch. 65 §47Records, Shu 15 §56
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 total403 / 1000Rank 591 of 996 · Top 60%Romance total422 / 1000Rank 364 of 1,113 · Top 33%
Romance adaptation index+19Romance total − Records total
- LEA4252+10
- STR4045+5
- INT4040±0
- POL4231−11
- CHA4050+10
- VIR4555+10
- ADP4045+5
- SCH3831−7
- DIP3840+2
- DIS3833−5
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NSet fire outside the Qingsuo Gate and stormed into the inner courtCh. 3 §13Ch. 3 §15
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NWhen he called for He Miao to be killed together, everyone followed and cut him downCh. 3 §15Ch. 3 §16
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NWhen his commander He Jin was killed, at once took up arms to avenge himCh. 3 §13
6 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as He Jin's lieutenantCh. 3 §13
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as He Jin's lieutenantCh. 3 §13
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as He Jin's lieutenantCh. 3 §13
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as He Jin's lieutenantCh. 3 §13
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as He Jin's lieutenantCh. 3 §13
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as a subordinate official of the General-in-Chief He JinShu 15 §56
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as He Jin's lieutenantCh. 3 §13
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 →
Family
| Children | Wu Ban Records |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.