RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 3 §46
NOne of the few men who followed the Later Sovereign to LuoyangCh. 119 §22
Zhang Shao 張紹
| Occupation | RNOfficial · Palace Attendant | Faction | Shu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Zhuo Commandery Unverified | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R4 |
Profile
Zhang Shao (張紹) was the second son of Zhang Fei. Because the eldest son Zhang Bao died young, he became heir, and his offices rose to Palace Attendant and Supervisor of the Imperial Secretariat. The Records has no separate biography of him; in Chen Shou's main text his name appears at the end of the account of Zhang Fei in the Biographies of Guan, Zhang, Ma, Huang and Zhao (Records of Shu 6) and in the Biography of the Later Sovereign (Records of Shu 3), which records the affairs of the Later Sovereign. Records, Shu 6 §23Records, Shu 3 §45 · 52
In the winter of the 1st year of Yanxing (263), when the Later Sovereign, Liu Shan, surrendered to Deng Ai, Zhang Shao as Palace Attendant was sent with Qiao Zhou and Deng Liang as an envoy bearing the seal and ribbon; he met Deng Ai at Luo County, received a reply and returned ahead. In the passage where the Later Sovereign was enfeoffed as Duke of Anle County at Luoyang, he is recorded as having been enfeoffed as a full marquis together with Fan Jian, Qiao Zhou, Xi Zheng and others. Records, Shu 3 §43 · 45–46 · 48 · 52
Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name or the years of his birth and death, and there is no assessment of him. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 81 as the son who guards Langzhong after Zhang Fei's death, and appears in 3 of its 120 chapters; his name is in no chapter title. In Chapter 118 he goes to Deng Ai as an envoy of surrender, and in Chapter 119 he follows the Later Sovereign when he is moved to Luoyang. Records, Shu 6 §23 · 44Records, Shu 3 §45–52Romance, Ch. 81 §19Romance, Ch. 118 §7Romance, Ch. 119 §22
In the Records
Zhang Fei, who had become General of Chariots and Cavalry in the 1st year of Zhangwu (221), was to lead ten thousand troops out from Langzhong and meet the First Sovereign at Jiangzhou when the latter campaigned against Wu, but as he was about to set out he was killed by officers of his own headquarters. Since Zhang Fei's eldest son Zhang Bao had died young, his second son Zhang Shao became heir, and Zhang Shao's offices rose to Palace Attendant and Supervisor of the Imperial Secretariat. Records, Shu 6 §20 · 22–23
In the winter of the 1st year of Yanxing (263), after Deng Ai defeated the General of the Guards Zhuge Zhan at Mianzhu, the Later Sovereign, Liu Shan, surrendered to Deng Ai following the plan of the Grandee of Splendid Happiness Qiao Zhou. In his letter of surrender the Later Sovereign said that he was respectfully sending the Palace Attendant Zhang Shao, the Grandee of Splendid Happiness Qiao Zhou and the Commandant Escort of Imperial Equipages Deng Liang, appointed on his own authority, to carry the seal and ribbon, ask for his fate and declare his sincerity. Records, Shu 3 §43 · 45
Zhang Shao and Deng Liang met Deng Ai at Luo County. On receiving the letter Deng Ai was overjoyed, promptly wrote a reply and sent Zhang Shao and Deng Liang back ahead. When Deng Ai reached the north of the city, the Later Sovereign, with a coffin carried on a cart and himself bound, went to the gate of his camp. Records, Shu 3 §46
The Later Sovereign moved east with his whole household and, on reaching Luoyang, was enfeoffed as Duke of Anle County. In this passage Chen Shou recorded that the Director of the Imperial Secretariat Fan Jian, the Palace Attendant Zhang Shao, the Grandee of Splendid Happiness Qiao Zhou, the Director of the Palace Library Xi Zheng and the Palace Guard Commander Zhang Tong were all enfeoffed as full marquises. Records, Shu 3 §48 · 52
Chen Shou's main text does not record Zhang Shao's courtesy name or the years of his birth and death. The assessment in Records of Shu 6 judges Guan Yu and Zhang Fei but says nothing of Zhang Shao. Records, Shu 6 §23 · 44Records, Shu 3 §45–52
In the Romance
In Chapter 81 of the Romance, when the two traitors who killed Zhang Fei cut off his head and flee overnight to Eastern Wu, Zhang Fei's lieutenant Wu Ban first sends up a memorial to inform the Son of Heaven, has the eldest son Zhang Bao prepare inner and outer coffins and receive the body, and has the younger brother Zhang Shao guard Langzhong, then sends Zhang Bao in person to report to the First Sovereign. Romance, Ch. 81 §19
In Chapter 118, the Later Sovereign, Liu Shan, has Liu Chen, Prince of Beidi, who tries to stop the surrender, pushed out of the palace gate and has Qiao Zhou draft the letter of surrender; he then sends the Palace Attendant Zhang Shao and the Commandant Escort of Imperial Equipages Deng Liang, appointed on his own authority, together with Qiao Zhou to carry the imperial seal to Luocheng and sue for surrender. When the three prostrate themselves below the steps and present the document of surrender and the imperial seal, Deng Ai, overjoyed, entertains them generously and sends them back to Chengdu with a reply. The three present the reply to the Later Sovereign and describe in detail how well Deng Ai treated them. Romance, Ch. 118 §5–8
After Deng Ai enters Chengdu, he orders the Minister of Ceremonies and 'the Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage of Yi Province, Zhang Shao' to summon and pacify the soldiers and people of each commandery. The Romance does not make clear whether this Zhang Shao is the same man as the Palace Attendant Zhang Shao. Romance, Ch. 118 §15
In Chapter 119, when the Later Sovereign is moved to Luoyang after Jiang Wei, Zhong Hui and Deng Ai have died and the turmoil in Chengdu has subsided, only a few men follow him, including the Director of the Imperial Secretariat Fan Jian, the Palace Attendant Zhang Shao, the Grandee of Splendid Happiness Qiao Zhou and the Gentleman of the Palace Library Xi Zheng. In the passage at Luoyang where the Later Sovereign is enfeoffed as Duke of Anle and his ministers Fan Jian, Qiao Zhou, Xi Zheng and others are all enfeoffed as marquises, Zhang Shao's name does not appear. Romance, Ch. 119 §22 · 25–26
Where the Romance differs
After Zhang Fei's death: In Chapter 81 of the Romance, the eldest son Zhang Bao receives his father's body, and Zhang Shao guards Langzhong at Wu Ban's order. The Biography of Zhang Fei in the Records says only that the eldest son Zhang Bao died young and the second son Zhang Shao became heir; there is nothing about Zhang Shao guarding Langzhong. Romance, Ch. 81 §19Records, Shu 6 §23
The envoys of surrender: In Chapter 118 of the Romance, the three men Zhang Shao, Deng Liang and Qiao Zhou carry the imperial seal to Luocheng and present it to Deng Ai, and all three return together with his reply. In the Records, the Later Sovereign said in his letter of surrender that he was sending Zhang Shao, Qiao Zhou and Deng Liang to carry the seal and ribbon, but only Zhang Shao and Deng Liang are named as those who met Deng Ai at Luo County and were sent back ahead. Romance, Ch. 118 §7–8Records, Shu 3 §45–46
Offices: In Chapters 118 and 119 of the Romance Zhang Shao appears as Palace Attendant, and Chapter 118 also mentions 'the Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage of Yi Province, Zhang Shao'. The Records states that Zhang Shao's offices rose to Palace Attendant and Supervisor of the Imperial Secretariat, and has no record of his serving as Attendant Officer with Separate Carriage. Romance, Ch. 118 §7 · 15Romance, Ch. 119 §22Records, Shu 6 §23Records, Shu 3 §45
Full marquis: In Chapter 119 of the Romance, the ministers named as enfeoffed as marquises at Luoyang are Fan Jian, Qiao Zhou, Xi Zheng and others, and Zhang Shao is not among them. The Biography of the Later Sovereign in the Records states that Fan Jian, Zhang Shao, Qiao Zhou, Xi Zheng and Zhang Tong were all enfeoffed as full marquises. Romance, Ch. 119 §26Records, Shu 3 §52
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 total440 / 1000Rank 410 of 996 · Top 42%Romance total441 / 1000Rank 275 of 1,113 · Top 25%
Romance adaptation index+1Romance total − Records total
- LEA4042+2
- STR3836−2
- INT4542−3
- POL5250−2
- CHA4242±0
- VIR4555+10
- ADP4545±0
- SCH4038−2
- DIP5555±0
- DIS3836−2
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
9 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from the record of his succeeding Zhang FeiShu 6 §23
NNo direct record — estimated from the record of his being left to guard LangzhongCh. 81 §19
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 6 §23
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 81 §19
RNo direct record — estimated from the record of his serving as envoy of surrender as Palace AttendantShu 3 §45
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 118 §7
RSucceeded Zhang Fei and rose to Palace Attendant and Supervisor of the Imperial SecretariatShu 6 §23
NNo direct record — estimated from his service as Palace Attendant carrying the surrenderCh. 118 §7
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 6 §23
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 118 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from the record of his enfeoffment as a full marquis after the surrenderShu 3 §52
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 118 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his posts as Palace Attendant and Supervisor of the Imperial SecretariatShu 6 §23
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as Palace AttendantCh. 118 §7
RCarried the seal and ribbon to Deng Ai, conveyed the surrender and brought back a replyShu 3 §45Shu 3 §46
NCarried the imperial seal to Deng Ai, sued for surrender and was generously treatedCh. 118 §7Ch. 118 §8
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsShu 6 §23
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 118 §7
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 (3)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Shu · Romance · Romance ch. 81 「然后令长子张苞具棺椁盛贮，令弟张绍守阆中，苞自来报先主」 · Q124398532
Family
| Parents | Zhang Fei Novel & History |
|---|---|
| Siblings | Zhang Bao(張苞) Romance |
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.