CIVILIZATION DOSSIER

Deng Ai邓艾

Wei (Cao)History × Fiction

A clerk, talented, admired by Sima Yi.

DIRECT FIGURES
26
RELATION RECORDS
34
SOURCE WORKS
2

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Deng Ai, and the people around them.

Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.

01
KINSHIP

Kinship

Blood, marriage and sworn bonds

1 figure · 1 record
02
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

9 figures · 10 records
5 more in the complete record
03
CONFLICT

Conflict

Battles, captures and defeat

14 figures · 18 records
10 more in the complete record
04
THE UNSEEN

Mythic acts

Transformation, aid and divine punishment

5 figures · 5 records
2 more in the complete record

12 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.

In history · Records of the Three Kingdoms

A general of Wei, conquered Shu.

In fiction · Romance of the Three Kingdoms

A clerk, talented, admired by Sima Yi. Governor of Yanzhou, resourceful, helped Chen Tai defeat Jiang Wei. A Wei general, skilled in warfare, appointed General of the Western Pacification, defeated Jiang Wei.

Across source works

How this figure changes across texts

Works are shown side by side, not as a chronology. No influence between texts is inferred.

  1. 11 profile notes
    20 relations29 verified quotations
    • Deng AiworshipZhuge Liang
    • Jiang WeibattleDeng Ai
    • Deng AidefeatJiang Wei
    • Sima ZhaoappointDeng Ai
    Verified original text · 29
    1. 慌忙对碣再拜曰……武侯真神人也

      worship · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 117

    2. 二人抖擞精神,战到三四十合

      battle · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 112

    27 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  2. 20 profile notes
    25 relations36 verified quotations
    • Deng AimentionDong Zhuo
    • Deng AiappreciatedSima Yi
    • Jiang WeibattleDeng Ai
    • Deng AidefeatJiang Wei
    Verified original text · 36
    1. 郡有董卓坞,为之宫舍

      mention · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 魏书·王毌丘诸葛邓锺传

    2. 宣王奇之,辟之为掾

      appreciated · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 魏书·王毌丘诸葛邓锺传

    34 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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History vs. fiction

In official history, he was a Wei general known for his strategic brilliance and surprise attack through Yinping to conquer Shu; in the novel, his outstanding military achievements are preserved.

  • The Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wei, Biography of Deng Ai records that Deng Ai led his troops climbing the seven-hundred-li Yinping trail, descending cliffs with ropes to defeat Zhuge Zhan and force Liu Shan to surrender. The original text in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wei, Biographies of Wang, Guanqiu, Zhuge, Deng, and Zhong states: 「艾自阴平道行无人之地七百馀里,凿山通道,造作桥阁。」

  • The 'New Account of Tales of the World, Speech' records that Deng Ai stuttered, often repeating 'Ai... Ai' when stuck, and Sima Zhao once teased him about it; this is historically accurate.

Relationship network

27 figures · 143 links
Deng AiDeng AiZhuge LiangZhuge LiangDong ZhuoDong ZhuoSima YiSima YiJiang WeiJiang WeiSima ZhaoSima ZhaoZhuge KeZhuge KeLiu ShanLiu ShanGuo HuaiGuo HuaiZhong HuiZhong HuiSima ShiSima ShiGuanqiu JianLiu ShanSun XiuLiao HuaZhong HuiWen QinWang LingChen TaiCao MaoHuang HaoWang JingZhuge ZhanSima WangWei GuanWang QiZhuge Xu
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·后主传; Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 107; Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·杜周许孟来尹李谯郤传; Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 110; Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·董刘马陈董吕传; Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 111; Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·蒋琬费祎姜维传; Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 112

This page was extracted from classical texts with AI assistance and revised; errors remain possible. Spotted a mistake? Tell us →

Compiled with AI assistance from public-domain texts; for cultural reference. Mythological accounts vary — corrections welcome.