Xiahou Lan 夏侯蘭
| Occupation | ROfficial · Army Judge NGeneral | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Changshan Commandery Zhending County Unverified | |
| Cause of death | NKilled in battle Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Xiahou Lan is a general on Cao Cao's side who appears in Chapter 39 of the Romance as a lieutenant under Xiahou Dun. Cao Cao makes Xiahou Dun commander-in-chief and Yu Jin, Li Dian, Xiahou Lan and Han Hao his lieutenants, and has them lead 100,000 troops to the city of Bowang to spy on Xinye. After the army collapses under the fire attack at Bowang Slope, Xiahou Lan comes with Han Hao to save the grain and fodder and runs into Zhang Fei, and before they have fought even a few bouts he is run through by Zhang Fei's spear and falls from his horse. Romance, Ch. 39 §22 · 41–42
He appears in only Chapter 39 of the 120 chapters of the Romance, and no chapter title bears his name. He does not appear in Chen Shou's main text and is recorded only in Pei Songzhi's notes. In Chen Shou's main text, the Biography of the First Sovereign and the Biography of Li Dian record that Xiahou Dun, Yu Jin and others were defeated at Bowang by Liu Bei's ambush, but they do not name Xiahou Lan. Romance, Ch. 39 §22Records, Shu 2 §19Records, Wei 18 §5–6
In the Romance
In Chapter 39 of the Romance, when Cao Cao, having fully staffed his civil offices, assembles his military officers to discuss a southern campaign, Xiahou Dun steps forward to say that Liu Bei, who is drilling his soldiers every day at Xinye, must be dealt with early. Cao Cao makes Xiahou Dun commander-in-chief and Yu Jin, Li Dian, Xiahou Lan and Han Hao his lieutenants, and has them lead 100,000 troops straight to the city of Bowang to spy on Xinye. Xun Yu remonstrates that now Liu Bei has also gained Zhuge Liang as his military adviser, the enemy must not be taken lightly, but Xiahou Dun says that Liu Bei and his kind are mere rats and that he will surely capture him. Romance, Ch. 39 §22–23
Zhuge Liang has Guan Yu lie in ambush at Mount Yu and Zhang Fei in the mountain valley behind the Anlin forest, to burn the grain and fodder when fire rises in the south, and has Guan Ping and Liu Feng wait on both sides behind Bowang Slope to set the fires. He tells Zhao Yun, recalled from Fancheng, to serve as the vanguard and not to try to win but only to lose. Romance, Ch. 39 §29–31
Reaching Bowang, Xiahou Dun makes half his elite troops the vanguard and has the rest escort the grain carts. When Zhao Yun feigns flight after a few bouts, Xiahou Dun ignores Han Hao's warning of an ambush and pursues him as far as Bowang Slope, and when, at nightfall, they reach a narrow road with reeds on both sides, Yu Jin, heeding Li Dian's worry, tells Xiahou Dun that they must guard against a fire attack. Before Xiahou Dun has finished ordering his troops to halt, shouts and flames rise behind them, fire is everywhere, and Cao Cao's men and horses trample one another, the dead beyond counting. Romance, Ch. 39 §35 · 37–41
Li Dian, heading back to the city of Bowang, is blocked by Guan Yu and fights his way out and flees, and Yu Jin, seeing all the grain carts burning, flees by a byway. Xiahou Lan and Han Hao come to save the grain and fodder and happen upon Zhang Fei, and before they have fought even a few bouts Zhang Fei runs Xiahou Lan through with a single thrust of his spear and knocks him from his horse. Han Hao fights his way out and escapes, and Xiahou Dun gathers his remaining troops and returns to Xuchang. Xiahou Lan does not appear again in the Romance after this. Romance, Ch. 39 §42–44
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
There is no record in the main text of Chen Shou’s Records, so only the Romance score is given.
- LEA38
- STR30
- INT36
- POL35
- CHA38
- VIR45
- ADP36
- SCH33
- DIP33
- DIS35
Evidence by ability
NAs a lieutenant on the Bowang expedition, went to save the grain and was defeatedCh. 39 §22Ch. 39 §42
NRun through by Zhang Fei's spear and killed before even a few bouts were foughtCh. 39 §42
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant on the Bowang expeditionCh. 39 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant on the Bowang expeditionCh. 39 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant on the Bowang expeditionCh. 39 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant on the Bowang expeditionCh. 39 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant on the Bowang expeditionCh. 39 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant on the Bowang expeditionCh. 39 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant on the Bowang expeditionCh. 39 §22
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a lieutenant on the Bowang expeditionCh. 39 §22
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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