RA memorial said that he would let the able and the less able each find their proper placeShu 11 §17
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as a senior generalCh. 91 §34
Xiang Chong 向寵
| Occupation | RGeneral · Central Commander of the Army NGeneral | Faction | Shu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Shu |
| Born | R? Unverified | Native place | Nan Commandery Yicheng County Unverified |
| Died | R240 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Cause of death | RKilled Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R4 |
Profile
Xiang Chong was the son of Xiang Lang's elder brother. He has no biography of his own in the Records; a brief account is attached after the record of Xiang Lang in the Biographies of Huo, Wang, Xiang, Zhang, Yang and Fei in Records of Shu 11. Under the First Sovereign he became a General of the Standard, and at the defeat at Zigui his camp alone remained intact. Records, Shu 11 §16–17
In the 1st year of Jianxing (223) he was enfeoffed as Marquis of a Chief Village, and he later became Commander of the Central Division in charge of the palace guards. When setting out on his northern campaign, Zhuge Liang wrote in a memorial to the Later Sovereign that all affairs of the camps should be referred to him. He was promoted to Central Commander of the Army, and in the 3rd year of Yanxi (240) he was killed while campaigning against the Man barbarians of Hanjia. Records, Shu 11 §17–18Records, Shu 5 §26–27
In his assessment in Records of Shu 11, Chen Shou did not discuss him separately. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 91, within Zhuge Liang's Memorial on Dispatching the Troops, and appears only in this 1 of its 120 chapters; there is no chapter with his name in its title. In the same chapter Zhuge Liang, setting out on his northern campaign, leaves him behind as a senior general in overall command of the Imperial Guard. Records, Shu 11 §50Romance, Ch. 91 §34 · 40
In the Records
Xiang Chong was the son of Xiang Lang's elder brother. His uncle Xiang Lang, a man of Yicheng in Xiangyang, submitted to the First Sovereign after Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, died, and when the First Sovereign pacified Jiangnan he supervised the military and civil affairs of the four counties of Zigui, Yidao, Wu and Yiling. Under the First Sovereign Xiang Chong became a General of the Standard. Records, Shu 11 §13 · 17
At the defeat at Zigui, Xiang Chong's camp alone remained intact. According to the Biography of the First Sovereign, in the 6th month of summer in the 2nd year of Zhangwu (222) a yellow vapor appeared, and some ten days later Lu Yi (Lu Xun) crushed the First Sovereign's army at Xiaoting and the generals Feng Xi, Zhang Nan and others were all killed; the First Sovereign returned from Xiaoting to Zigui, gathered his scattered troops, and then abandoned his boats and returned to Yufu by land. Records, Shu 11 §17Records, Shu 2 §71
In the 1st year of Jianxing (223) Xiang Chong was enfeoffed as Marquis of a Chief Village, and he later became Commander of the Central Division in charge of the palace guards. Records, Shu 11 §17
In the 5th year of Jianxing (227), when Zhuge Liang was about to lead the armies north to garrison Hanzhong, he submitted a memorial to the Later Sovereign before setting out. In it Zhuge Liang said that General Xiang Chong was good and fair in character and conduct and thoroughly versed in military affairs, and that when he had been tried in the past the late Emperor had praised him as capable, so that by common counsel he had been recommended and made commander. He went on to say that if all affairs of the camps, great or small, were referred to him, the ranks would surely be harmonious and the able and the less able would each find their proper place. Records, Shu 5 §24 · 26–27Records, Shu 11 §17
Xiang Chong was promoted to Central Commander of the Army. In the 3rd year of Yanxi (240) he was killed while campaigning against the Man barbarians of Hanjia. Chen Shou's main text says nothing more about how he died. Xiang Chong's younger brother Xiang Chong (向充) served as Colonel of Archers Who Shoot at a Sound and Master of Writing. Records, Shu 11 §18
In his assessment in Records of Shu 11, Chen Shou named Huo Jun, Wang Lian, Xiang Lang, Zhang Yi, Yang Hong and Fei Shi and said only that each of them had something worth recording; he did not discuss Xiang Chong separately. Records, Shu 11 §50
In the Romance
In Chapter 91 of the Romance, Kongming, having returned from pacifying the south, hears from his spies that Sima Yi has fallen victim to a scheme to sow discord, been stripped of his office and sent back to his home district, and he is overjoyed. The next day, when the Later Sovereign holds morning court, Kongming steps out from the ranks and presents the Memorial on Dispatching the Troops. Romance, Ch. 91 §31–32
In the memorial Kongming says that palace affairs should be put into effect only after consulting the Palace Attendants and Gentlemen Attendant Guo Youzhi, Fei Yi, Dong Yun and others, and goes on to say that General Xiang Chong is good and fair in character and conduct and thoroughly versed in military affairs, and that when he was tried in the past the late Emperor praised him as capable, so that by common counsel he was recommended and made commander. He then submits that if all affairs of the camps, great or small, are referred to him, the battle ranks will surely be harmonious and the able and the less able will each find their proper place. Romance, Ch. 91 §34–35
The Grand Historian Qiao Zhou remonstrates, citing the signs of heaven, but Kongming does not listen. Kongming leaves Guo Youzhi, Dong Yun, Fei Yi and others behind as Palace Attendants to oversee palace affairs, leaves Xiang Chong behind as a senior general in overall command of the Imperial Guard, and makes Jiang Wan Army Adviser and Zhang Yi Chief Clerk in charge of the affairs of the Chancellor's office, so that more than a hundred civil and military officials at court and beyond govern the affairs of Shu together. In the Romance Xiang Chong does not appear after this chapter. Romance, Ch. 91 §39–40
Where the Romance differs
The post he was left in: In Chapter 91 of the Romance, Kongming, setting out on his northern campaign, leaves Xiang Chong behind as a senior general in overall command of the Imperial Guard. In the Records, Xiang Chong had already become Commander of the Central Division in charge of the palace guards before this, and the Memorial on Dispatching the Troops says that he had been recommended by common counsel and made commander. Romance, Ch. 91 §40Records, Shu 11 §17Records, Shu 5 §26
Earlier career: In the Romance, Xiang Chong's name first appears in the Memorial on Dispatching the Troops in Chapter 91, and nothing before that is shown. In the Records, he became a General of the Standard under the First Sovereign, his camp alone remained intact at the defeat at Zigui, and he was enfeoffed as Marquis of a Chief Village in the 1st year of Jianxing (223). Romance, Ch. 91 §34Records, Shu 11 §17
When the memorial was presented: In Chapter 91 of the Romance, Kongming presents the Memorial on Dispatching the Troops at court the day after hearing that Sima Yi has been driven out by a scheme to sow discord. In the Biography of Zhuge Liang in the Records, he submitted the memorial before setting out in the 5th year of Jianxing (227), when he was about to lead the armies north to garrison Hanzhong, and nothing about Sima Yi is recorded with it. Romance, Ch. 91 §31–32Records, Shu 5 §24
Death: The Romance does not portray Xiang Chong after Chapter 91, so his death does not appear. In the Records, he was promoted to Central Commander of the Army and was killed in the 3rd year of Yanxi (240) while campaigning against the Man barbarians of Hanjia. Romance, Ch. 91 §40Records, Shu 11 §18
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 total518 / 1000Rank 212 of 996 · Top 22%Romance total461 / 1000Rank 191 of 1,113 · Top 18%
Romance adaptation index−57Romance total − Records total
- LEA7264−8
- STR4540−5
- INT4845−3
- POL4240−2
- CHA6248−14
- VIR7468−6
- ADP4845−3
- SCH3333±0
- DIP3636±0
- DIS5842−16
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RA memorial said that entrusting him with the camps would keep the ranks harmoniousShu 11 §17
NNo direct record — estimated from his being recommended as commander by common counselCh. 91 §34
8 similar abilities — show evidence
RHis camp alone remained intact at the defeat at Zigui, and he was praised as versed in military affairsShu 11 §17Shu 5 §26
NA memorial called him versed in military affairs, and he commanded the Imperial Guard as a senior generalCh. 91 §34Ch. 91 §40
RNo direct record — estimated as a general who campaigned against the Man barbariansShu 11 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as a senior generalCh. 91 §40
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Commander of the Central DivisionShu 11 §17
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as a senior generalCh. 91 §34
RNo direct record — estimated as a commander of the palace guardsShu 11 §17
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as a senior generalCh. 91 §40
RA memorial said that he was good and fair in character and conductShu 11 §17Shu 5 §26
NA memorial said that he was good and fair in character and conductCh. 91 §34
RNo direct record — estimated from his rise to Central Commander of the ArmyShu 11 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as a senior generalCh. 91 §40
RNo direct record — estimated as a military commanderShu 11 §17
NNo direct record — estimated as a military commanderCh. 91 §34
RNo direct record — estimated as a military commanderShu 11 §17
NNo direct record — estimated as a military commanderCh. 91 §34
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 →
Allegiance history
- Shu · Records · Records vol. 41 「先主時為牙門將」
Family
| Relatives | Xiang Lang Records |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.