San Yisheng散宜生

History vs. fiction

In official history, he was an important civil official under King Wen of Zhou, while in the novel he is depicted as a cunning strategist who lobbies various parties and devises plans to rescue his lord.

• attestedBribed Fei Zhong to secure the release of the imprisoned King Wen

  The Records of the Grand Historian, in the 'Annals of Zhou', records that San Yisheng and others sought beautiful women and rare objects to present to King Zhou, who was overjoyed and released the Earl of the West; indeed, the official history contains the strategy of offering gifts to secure his release. (Original text: 「三人者为西伯求美女奇物，献之于纣，以赎西伯。西伯得以出，反国。」, source: data/raw/shiji/齐太公世家.txt)

• novel inventionParticipated in the immortal and demonic array battles of the Chan sect

  In 「封神演义」, chapter 045, it is recorded: “子牙忙差散宜生、晁田──文武二名，星夜往九鼎铁叉山八宝云光洞来取定风珠……众仙曰：‘既有此珠，明日可破‘风吼阵’。’” In the novel, San Yisheng is sent on a mission to borrow a treasure to break the Wind Howl Formation, moving among immortal arrays; in official history, San Yisheng was a founding minister of the Western Zhou, in charge of governing the people and handling documents and foreign affairs.