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Dou Jiande窦建德

SuiHistory × Fiction

Leader of the Hebei rebel army, captured.

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DIRECT FIGURES
24
RELATION RECORDS
35
SOURCE WORKS
3

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Dou Jiande, 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

5 figures · 5 records
1 more in the complete record
02
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

7 figures · 9 records
3 more in the complete record
03
CONFLICT

Conflict

Battles, captures and defeat

15 figures · 19 records
12 more in the complete record
04
THE UNSEEN

Mythic acts

Transformation, aid and divine punishment

1 figure · 2 records
Complete relationships and verbatim sources ↓Open in the civilization atlas ↗

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

In history · Old Book of Tang

Leader of the Hebei rebel army, captured. A separatist force at the end of the Sui Dynasty, proclaimed King of Xia, fought against the Tang. A separatist force at the end of the Sui Dynasty, defeated by Tang forces.

In fiction · New Book of Tang · Romance of Sui and Tang

A native of Beizhou, angered by his daughter being selected as an embroiderer, he befriended many heroes. A rebel leader at the end of the Sui Dynasty, he took his daughter to take refuge at Shan Xiongxin's manor, then left with Sun Anzu. Leader of the Gaojibo uprising, held Raoyang.

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. Official history

    Old Book of Tang

    37 profile notes
    19 relations25 verified quotations
    • Li Shimin→ catch →Dou Jiande
    • Dou Jiande→ posthumous title →Emperor Yang of Sui
    • Li Mi→ urge to ascend →Dou Jiande
    • Xu Shiji→ battle →Dou Jiande
    Verified original text · 25
    1. 生擒建德于阵

      capture alive · Old Book of Tang, 太宗本纪上

    2. 太宗讨王世充也，窦建德率兵来拒

      attack · Old Book of Tang, 薛收姚思廉颜师古令狐德棻孔颖达传

    23 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  2. Literature / legend

    Romance of Sui and Tang

    26 profile notes
    12 relations19 verified quotations
    • Li Shimin→ catch →Dou Jiande
    • Dou Jiande→ battle →Li Shimin
    • Xu Shiji→ battle →Dou Jiande
    • Wang Shichong→ ask for help →Dou Jiande
    Verified original text · 19
    1. 杨武威与白士让，押了建德，直至中军。

      catch · Romance of Sui and Tang, 058

    2. 建德不量，远来相救，这是天意要殿下灭此两国

      battle · Romance of Sui and Tang, 058

    17 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  3. Official history

    New Book of Tang

    29 profile notes
    20 relations24 verified quotations
    • Li Shimin→ catch →Dou Jiande
    • Dou Jiande→ urge to ascend →Li Mi
    • Xu Shiji→ battle →Dou Jiande
    • Dou Jiande→ befriend →Wang Shichong
    Verified original text · 24
    1. 败建德于虎牢，执之

      defeat · New Book of Tang, 太宗本纪

    2. 王禽建德

      catch · New Book of Tang, 王窦传

    22 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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History vs. fiction

The episode in which Dou Jiande responds to Li Shimin after being captured is highly consistent between the novel and official history.

  • attestedAfter Dou Jiande was captured, how did he respond to Li Shimin's reproach?

    According to the Old Book of Tang, Annals of Taizong, Part 1, Li Shimin reproached Dou Jiande for crossing the border and provoking his troops. Jiande, trembling with fear, replied: 'If I had not come now, I would have had to trouble you to fetch me from afar.' In chapter 58 of the Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, this dialogue is almost copied verbatim: Li Shimin asks, 'Why have you crossed the border and come to provoke my troops?' Jiande answers in a jesting manner, 'If I had not come myself, I feared you would have gone to great trouble to fetch me from afar.' The novel preserves this historical reply full of black humor.

Relationship network

25 figures · 164 links
Dou JiandeDou JiandeLi ShiminLi ShiminEmperor Yang of SuiEmperor Yang of SuiLi MiLi MiXu ShijiXu ShijiWang ShichongWang ShichongWei ZhengWei ZhengShan XiongxinShan XiongxinCheng ZhijieCheng ZhijieLiu HeitaLiu HeitaEmpress XiaoEmpress XiaoEmperor TangYuwen HuajiWang BodangYu ShinanLuo YiChai ShaoDou XianniangPei JuLi ShentongLi DaozongXu YuanlangDuan ZhixuanLi XuansuiWang Junkuo
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: New Book of Tang, 二刘殷许程柴任丘传; Old Book of Tang, 侯君集张亮薛万彻传; Romance of Sui and Tang, 026; New Book of Tang, 侯君集张亮薛万钧弟 万彻弟 万淑弟 万备附 盛彦师附 卢祖尚附 刘世让附 刘兰等传; Old Book of Tang, 儒学传下; Romance of Sui and Tang, 037; New Book of Tang, 儒学传中; Old Book of Tang, 唐俭长孙顺德刘弘基殷峤刘政会柴绍武士彟传

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.