Contenders
People grouped by the state they served. Contenders are not a court: Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, Lü Bu, and others who never founded one of the three kingdoms.
Lü Bu
The most famous fighting man of the late Han. He killed both Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo, failed to hold Chang’an, and was executed by Cao Cao at Xiapi. The love story with Diaochan is the novel.
unknown–192BothDong Zhuo
The Liangzhou warlord who entered Luoyang at He Jin’s invitation, deposed the young emperor, moved the court to Chang’an, and burned Luoyang. Lü Bu killed him in 192. The cruelty is historical. The chain plot is later.
unrecordedRomanceDiaochan
The novel’s singer, used by Wang Yun in the chain plot to divide Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu. The Records never name her. They mention only Lü Bu’s affair with one of Dong Zhuo’s maids.
unknown–202RecordsYuan Shao
Heir of a great ministerial house and leader of the eastern alliance against Dong Zhuo. He held four northern provinces and lost them in substance at Guandu. He died of illness in 202. Contemporaries said he planned without deciding.
unknown–199RecordsGongsun Zan
Liu Bei’s early patron. Zhao Yun also began under him. He lost the north to Yuan Shao and burned himself at Yijing in 199. The white-horse volunteers were his cavalry.
142–208RecordsLiu Biao
Governor of Jing for nearly twenty years, based at Xiangyang. He died in 208 and his younger son Liu Cong surrendered to Cao Cao. Liu Bei’s years as a guest were spent on Liu Biao’s land.
unknown–200BothTian Feng
From Julu, a counselor of Yuan Shao. He urged Yuan Shao not to march south against Cao Cao at once and was not heard. After the defeat at Guandu, Yuan Shao had him killed.
unknown–200BothJu Shou
From Guangping, Yuan Shao’s army supervisor. At Guandu he argued for a slow advance and was not followed. Captured in the defeat, he tried to escape back to Yuan Shao and Cao Cao had him killed.
unknown–204BothShen Pei
From Wei commandery, a counselor of Yuan Shao. After Yuan Shao’s death he backed Yuan Shang and held Ye. In 204 the city fell. He was captured, refused to submit, and Cao Cao had him killed.
unknown–200BothYan Liang
A noted officer under Yuan Shao. In 200, at Baima, Guan Yu saw his standard, rode in, and killed him in the middle of the host.
unknown–200BothWen Chou
A noted officer under Yuan Shao, paired with Yan Liang. After Baima, Yuan Shao crossed in pursuit. At Yanjin the Cao army broke Wen Chou and killed him. Cao Cao’s annals do not name the man who struck the blow.
unknown–191BothHua Xiong
An officer under Dong Zhuo. In 191 Sun Jian defeated Dong Zhuo’s army at Yangren, and Hua Xiong was killed. The novel makes him a champion at Sishui Pass who dies before Guan Yu’s wine cools.
c. 177–unknownBothCai Yan
Daughter of Cai Yong, given name Yan, courtesy name Wenji. She was first married to Wei Zhongdao. In the Dong Zhuo disorders she was taken among the Southern Xiongnu. Cao Cao ransomed her and she married Dong Si. The life is in the Book of the Later Han, not in a biography of the Records.
unknown–200BothDong Cheng
General of chariots and cavalry under Emperor Xian, and father of the emperor’s Honored Consort Dong. In 199 he received a secret edict hidden in a girdle and plotted with Wang Zifu, Liu Bei, and others against Cao Cao. In 200 the plot leaked and he was killed.
unknown–212BothMa Teng
From Maoling in Fufeng, father of Ma Chao. At the end of the Han he held part of Liang Province, sometimes allied with Han Sui and sometimes at war with him. He later came to court and stayed at Ye. In 212, when Ma Chao rose in the west, Ma Teng was killed.
unknown–215BothHan Sui
From Jincheng. A Liang Province warlord, repeatedly allied with Ma Teng and Ma Chao. After Tong Pass he fell back west. In 215 his own officers cut off his head and sent it to Cao Cao.
unknownBothMeng Huo
A leader in the Nanzhong region. Chen Shou’s account of Zhuge Liang’s southern campaign does not name him. Pei quotes the Han Jin chunqiu for a seven-capture dialogue. The seven distinct battles are the novel’s expansion.
unknownRomanceLady Zhurong
In the Romance, Meng Huo’s wife, who fights with flying knives. Neither the Records nor Pei’s notes contain her.
unknown–220BothLiu Zhang
From Jingling in Jiangxia, son of Liu Yan, whom he succeeded as governor of Yi Province. In 211 he invited Liu Bei in against Zhang Lu. In 214 he surrendered Chengdu. He was moved to Gong’an and died there of illness.
unknown–198BothChen Gong
From Dong commandery. He first followed Cao Cao, then with Zhang Miao brought Lü Bu in as governor of Yan Province. When Xiapi fell he was captured, refused to submit, and Cao Cao executed him.
137–192BothWang Yun
From Qi in Taiyuan, minister over the masses under Emperor Xian. In 192, with Lü Bu and Shi Sunrui, he killed Dong Zhuo. He would not pardon Dong Zhuo’s former officers. Li Jue and Guo Si took Chang’an, and Wang Yun was killed at fifty-six.