Zhang Yi 張顗
| Occupation | RNGeneral | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | N? Unverified | Native place | |
| Died | N208 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Cause of death | NKilled in battle Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Zhang Yi (張顗) was a general under Yuan Shang, the youngest son of Yuan Shao. He has no biography of his own in the Records; his name appears once in the Annals of Emperor Wu in Records of Wei 1, in a scene from the battle of Ye in the 9th year of Jian'an (204). When Yuan Shang, who had returned to relieve Ye, was surrounded by Cao Cao, fled by night and was pursued, Zhang Yi surrendered on the battlefield together with Ma Yan and others, and Yuan Shang's army collapsed. Records, Wei 6 §60Records, Wei 1 §81–83
Chen Shou's main text does not record his courtesy name, his origin or what became of him after his surrender, and Chen Shou's assessment in the Annals of Emperor Wu does not mention him. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 32 with Ma Yan as the vanguard of Yuan Shang, and appears in 4 of its 120 chapters; no chapter has his name in its title. After surrendering to Cao Cao, he pursues Zhao Yun with Ma Yan at Changban in Chapter 41, and in Chapter 50, while clearing the way for the defeated and fleeing Cao Cao, he is struck from his horse by Gan Ning's blade. Records, Wei 1 §83 · 173Romance, Ch. 32 §32Romance, Ch. 41 §60Romance, Ch. 50 §9–10
In the Records
In the 1st month, in spring, of the 9th year of Jian'an (204), Cao Cao crossed the Yellow River and dammed the Qi River so that it flowed into the Baigou, opening a route for transporting grain. In the 2nd month, when Yuan Shang left Su You and Shen Pei to guard Ye and attacked Yuan Tan again, Cao Cao reached Ye and built earthen mounds and dug tunnels. In the 4th month, in summer, he left Cao Hong to attack Ye, personally defeated Yin Kai at Maocheng, and also attacked and took Handan, which Yuan Shang's general Ju Hu was holding. In the 5th month he dug a siege trench and breached the dykes of the Zhang River to flood the city, and more than half of those in the city starved to death. Records, Wei 1 §81–82
In the 7th month, in autumn, when Yuan Shang came back to relieve Ye, the generals said that a homeward-bound army would have every man fighting for his life, so it was better to avoid it. Cao Cao said that if Yuan Shang came by the main road he should be avoided, but if he came along the Western Hills he was as good as captured. Yuan Shang did come along the Western Hills and pitched camp on the Fu River; he sent troops by night against the siege lines, but they were routed by Cao Cao. Cao Cao surrounded his camp, and before the encirclement was even complete Yuan Shang grew afraid; the former Inspector of Yu Province Yin Kui and Chen Lin asked to surrender, but Cao Cao refused and pressed the siege even harder. Records, Wei 1 §82–83
When Yuan Shang fled by night and held Qishan, Cao Cao pursued him. Then Yuan Shang's generals Ma Yan, Zhang Yi and others surrendered on the battlefield, Yuan Shang's army collapsed, and Yuan Shang fled to Zhongshan. Cao Cao seized all his baggage and obtained Yuan Shang's seal and ribbon and his tally and axe, and had men who had surrendered from Yuan Shang's army show them to their families in the city, and morale in the city crumbled. In the 8th month Shen Rong, the son of Shen Pei's elder brother, opened the east gate he was guarding at night and let the troops in, and Cao Cao captured and beheaded Shen Pei and pacified Ye. Records, Wei 1 §83–84
The Biographies of Dong Zhuo, the Two Yuans and Liu Biao in Records of Wei 6, which record the same battle, say only that Yuan Shang fled to Lankou, was again closely besieged, and his general Ma Yan and others surrendered on the battlefield; they do not name Zhang Yi. The Annals of Emperor Wu passage is the only place in Chen Shou's main text where Zhang Yi appears, and his courtesy name, origin, and his office and death after the surrender are not recorded. Chen Shou's assessment in the Annals of Emperor Wu does not mention him either. Records, Wei 6 §65Records, Wei 1 §83 · 173
In the Romance
In Chapter 32 of the Romance, Yuan Shang consults Shen Pei, saying that since Cao Cao's troops are shipping grain into the Baigou they will surely come to attack Ji Province, and following Shen Pei's advice to first cut off Yuan Tan and then defeat Cao Cao, he leaves Shen Pei and Chen Lin to guard Ji Province. He then makes the two generals Ma Yan and Zhang Yi his vanguard and raises troops through the night to attack Pingyuan. Romance, Ch. 32 §32
When Yuan Shang hears that Cao Cao has surrounded Ji Province and turns back to relieve it, he follows his subordinate general Ma Yan's advice to take a byroad through the Western Hills, personally leads the main army ahead, and has Ma Yan and Zhang Yi guard the rear. After fighting Cao Cao and suffering a great defeat, Yuan Shang falls back below the Western Hills, pitches camp and sends men to hurry Ma Yan's and Zhang Yi's troops to him. But Cao Cao has already sent Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang to persuade the two generals to surrender, and the two follow the two Lüs over to Cao Cao. Cao Cao enfeoffs them as full marquises too, and that same day, as he attacks the Western Hills, he first has the two Lüs, Ma Yan and Zhang Yi cut Yuan Shang's supply route. Romance, Ch. 32 §38–39 · 43–44
In Chapter 33, when Cao Cao asks how to attack Yuan Shang, who has taken refuge with Yuan Xi, Guo Jia advises him to have the Yuans' surrendered generals Jiao Chu, Zhang Nan and others attack him themselves. Following this, Cao Cao has Jiao Chu, Zhang Nan, Lü Kuang, Lü Xiang, Ma Yan and Zhang Yi each lead their own troops and attack You Province along three routes. Romance, Ch. 33 §22
At Changban in Chapter 41, he and Ma Yan chase Zhao Yun from behind as Zhao Yun gallops along, shouting 'Zhao Yun, do not run!', while ahead Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan brandish two kinds of weapons and bar the way. The Romance says all four were generals who had surrendered from Yuan Shao's command. Zhao Yun fights the four generals with all his strength, and when Cao Cao's troops swarm in, he draws the Qinggang Sword, cuts about him and breaks through the layered encirclement. Romance, Ch. 41 §60–61
In Chapter 50, as Cao Cao, defeated amid the flames, flees towards Wulin and with Xu Huang's help cuts his way through and heads north, he meets Ma Yan and Zhang Yi, encamped before a hillside. The two generals were camped there with 3,000 northern troops; that night they had seen fire filling the sky but had not dared to move, and they happen to meet Cao Cao. Cao Cao has the two generals lead 1,000 troops to clear the way and keeps the rest back to guard him. Romance, Ch. 50 §7–9
The two generals gallop ahead, and before they have gone ten li a general shouting 'I am Gan Xingba of Eastern Wu!' comes out leading a band of troops. Ma Yan is about to engage when he is cut down from his horse by a single stroke of Gan Ning's blade, and as Zhang Yi levels his spear and comes on, Gan Ning gives a great roar. Before Zhang Yi can act, he is struck by the blade Gan Ning brings down and tumbles from his horse, and the rear troops race to report to Cao Cao. Romance, Ch. 50 §10
Where the Romance differs
His assignments: In Chapter 32 of the Romance, Zhang Yi and Ma Yan form the vanguard attacking Pingyuan, and when they return to relieve Ji Province he guards the rear of Yuan Shang's main army. The Records says only that Yuan Shang again attacked Yuan Tan at Pingyuan, and no assignment of Zhang Yi appears. Romance, Ch. 32 §32 · 39Records, Wei 1 §81Records, Wei 6 §63
When he surrendered: In Chapter 32 of the Romance, after fighting Cao Cao and suffering a great defeat, Yuan Shang summons the troops of Zhang Yi and Ma Yan below the Western Hills, but the two generals have already gone over to Cao Cao. In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, Ma Yan, Zhang Yi and others surrendered on the battlefield when Cao Cao pursued Yuan Shang, who had fled by night, and because of this Yuan Shang's army collapsed. Romance, Ch. 32 §43–44Records, Wei 1 §83
Who urged the surrender: In Chapter 32 of the Romance, Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang, sent by Cao Cao, persuade Zhang Yi and Ma Yan to surrender. In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang had already turned against Yuan Shang earlier, when he lifted the siege of Pingyuan and returned to Ye, and surrendered with their followers; nothing is said of their persuading Zhang Yi. Romance, Ch. 32 §44Records, Wei 1 §80 · 83
Full marquis: In Chapter 32 of the Romance, Cao Cao also enfeoffs the surrendered Ma Yan and Zhang Yi as full marquises. In the Annals of Emperor Wu in the Records, those who surrendered and were enfeoffed as full marquises were Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang, and there is no record of Zhang Yi being enfeoffed. Romance, Ch. 32 §44Records, Wei 1 §80 · 83
After the surrender: In the Romance, Zhang Yi goes to attack You Province in Chapter 33 and chases Zhao Yun at Changban in Chapter 41. Chen Shou's main text does not mention Zhang Yi after his surrender. Romance, Ch. 33 §22Romance, Ch. 41 §60Records, Wei 1 §83
His death: In Chapter 50 of the Romance, Zhang Yi is struck from his horse by Gan Ning's blade while clearing the way for the fleeing Cao Cao. The record of Gan Ning in Records of Wu 10 in the Records says only that Gan Ning followed Zhou Yu and resisted and defeated Lord Cao at Wulin, with no fight with Zhang Yi. The Records does not record Zhang Yi's death. Romance, Ch. 50 §10Records, Wu 10 §52–68Records, Wei 1 §83
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.
- LEA4248+6
- STR4038−2
- INT3533−2
- POL3131±0
- CHA3333±0
- VIR3232±0
- ADP4545±0
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3131±0
- DIS3131±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
No ability differs by 10 or more — the Romance portrays this person much as the Records do.
10 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a general under Yuan ShangWei 1 §83
NLed Yuan Shang's vanguard and rearguard, and joined the campaign against You Province under Cao CaoCh. 32 §32Ch. 32 §39Ch. 33 §22
RNo direct recordWei 1 §83
NFell to Gan Ning's blade before he could actCh. 50 §10Ch. 41 §60
RNo direct recordWei 1 §83
NNo direct recordCh. 32 §39
RNo direct recordWei 1 §83
NNo direct recordCh. 32 §32
RNo direct recordWei 1 §83
NNo direct recordCh. 32 §44
RSurrendered on the battlefield with Ma Yan, and Yuan Shang's army collapsedWei 1 §83
NAbandoned Yuan Shang and surrendered at the urging of the two Lüs (Lü Kuang and Lü Xiang)Ch. 32 §44
RAbandoned the besieged Yuan Shang and surrendered to Lord CaoWei 1 §83
NSurrendered and was enfeoffed as a full marquisCh. 32 §44
RNo direct recordWei 1 §83
NNo direct recordCh. 32 §32
RNo direct recordWei 1 §83
NNo direct recordCh. 32 §32
RNo direct recordWei 1 §83
NNo direct recordCh. 32 §32
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 (4)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Related events (1)
- Battle of Ye 204 · Command
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).