CIVILIZATION DOSSIER
Wei Yan魏延
Originally a general under Liu Biao, later served Han Xuan, the governor of Changsha.
- DIRECT FIGURES
- 18
- RELATION RECORDS
- 24
- SOURCE WORKS
- 2
RELATIONSHIP COMPASS
Wei Yan, and the people around them.
Open one chapter at a time. Each chapter gives the relationship first, then the source text behind it.
01ALLEGIANCEAllegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
3 figures · 4 records＋
Allegiance
Rulers, appointments and allegiance
Liu BeiisWei Yan’s ruler
Zhuge Liang—Wei Yansubordinate general
Fei Yi→Wei Yantransmit order
02CONFLICTConflict
Battles, captures and defeat
15 figures · 18 records＋
Conflict
Battles, captures and defeat
Wei Yan→Guo Huaidefeat
Ma Dai→Wei Yanslay
Wei Yan→Yang Yirebel
Zhuge Liang→Wei Yanrefuse plan
Wei Yan→Cao Caoshoot wound
Sima Yi→Wei Yanbesiege
Jiang Wei→Wei Yanwant kill
03THE UNSEENMythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
2 figures · 2 records＋
Mythic acts
Transformation, aid and divine punishment
Huang Zhong→Wei Yansave
Wang Ping→Wei Yanrescue
12 key relationships are shown here. The complete record remains below.
In history · Records of the Three Kingdoms
A general of Shu Han, an important commander during Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions.
In fiction · Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Originally a general under Liu Biao, later served Han Xuan, the governor of Changsha; a native of Yiyang, he killed Han Xuan and surrendered to Liu Bei. A general under Liu Bei, he participated in ambushing Wu forces.
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.
- Literature / legend35 profile notes
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
22 relations34 verified quotations- Wei Yan→ shoot wound →Cao Cao
- Liu Bei→ ruler-subject →Wei Yan
- Wei Yan→ subordinate general →Liu Bei
- Zhuge Liang→ subordinate general →Wei Yan
Verified original text · 34
拈弓搭箭，射中曹操。操翻身落马。
shoot wound · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 72
魏延为扬武将军
appoint · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 65
32 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.
- Official history8 profile notes
Records of the Three Kingdoms
8 relations8 verified quotations- Liu Bei→ ruler-subject →Wei Yan
- Zhuge Liang→ subordinate general →Wei Yan
- Wei Yan→ defeat →Guo Huai
- Fei Yi→ transmit order →Wei Yan
Verified original text · 8
拔魏延为都督，镇汉中
subordinate general · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·先主传
赞魏文长
ruler-subject · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·邓张宗杨传
6 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.
History vs. fiction
In official history, he was a key minister of Shu Han who guarded Hanzhong and achieved many military exploits, but in the novel, he is portrayed as a traitor with a 'rebellious bone' at the back of his head.
According to the 'Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Shu, Biography of Wei Yan', Wei Yan was deeply trusted and heavily relied upon by Liu Bei; the 'rebellious bone' is entirely a fictional prediction in the 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'.
Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Shu, Biography of Wei Yan, Pei's annotation cites the Brief History of Wei, recording that Wei Yan once suggested leading elite troops directly out through the Ziwu Valley to attack Chang'an, but Zhuge Liang deemed it too risky and did not adopt the plan. As the annotation in Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Shu, Biographies of Liu, Peng, Liao, Li, Liu, Wei, and Yang, citing the Brief History of Wei, states: 「今假延精兵五千，负粮五千，直从褒中出，循秦岭而东，当子午而北，不过十日可到长安。」
Relationship network
Original text (1)
拈弓搭箭，射中曹操。操翻身落马。
- ruler-subject← Liu Bei → Wei Yanhist × litRecords of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·先主传Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·刘彭廖李刘魏杨传Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·邓张宗杨传Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 65Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 73Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 81
Original text (5)
魏延为扬武将军
Original relation: appoint · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 65
魏延为汉中太守
助镇北将军魏延守汉中
拔魏延为都督，镇汉中
Original relation: subordinate general · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·先主传
赞魏文长
- subordinate generalWei Yan → Liu BeilitRomance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 53Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 60Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 61
Original text (3)
引百姓出城，投拜云长
Original relation: surrender · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 53
玄德令黄忠为前部，魏延为后军。
便教魏延登堂舞剑，乘势杀刘璋
- subordinate general← Zhuge Liang → Wei Yanhist × litRecords of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·刘彭廖李刘魏杨传Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·诸葛亮传Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 53Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 85Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 88Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 95Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 98Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 99Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 100Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 101
Original text (8)
若生异心，我好歹取汝首级
Original relation: warn · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 53
飞檄遣魏延领一军
Original relation: dispatch · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 85
又唤魏延入，亦低言分付
Original relation: dispatch · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 88
遂唤魏延引本部兵去街亭之后屯扎
Original relation: appoint · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 95
孔明密令人授计与魏延
每日令魏延挑战，魏兵不出。
Original relation: subordinate · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 99
孔明自引姜维、魏延等诸将
亮使魏延、高翔、吴班赴拒
Original relation: subordinate · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·诸葛亮传
- refuse plan← Zhuge Liang → Wei YanlitRomance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 92Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 97
Original text (2)
遂不用魏延之计
孔明大怒，欲斩魏延
Original relation: want behead · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 97
Original text (1)
左边司马懿，右边司马昭，却抄在魏延背后
Original text (1)
姜维忿怒，拔剑欲杀魏延
Original text (1)
右边司马昭，却抄在魏延背后
Original text (1)
- defeatWei Yan → Guo HuaihistRecords of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·刘彭廖李刘魏杨传Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·后主传
Original text (1)
破魏雍州剌史郭淮于阳溪
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
- transmit order← Fei Yi → Wei Yanhist × litRecords of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·蒋琬费祎姜维传Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 104
Original text (2)
费祎至魏延寨中
祎常入其坐间，谏喻分别，终亮之世。
Original relation: mediate · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·蒋琬费祎姜维传
- slay← Ma Dai → Wei Yanhist × litRecords of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·刘彭廖李刘魏杨传Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 104Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 105
Original text (2)
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
魏延作乱，一战而败，平之功也
Original text (1)
忽一彪军杀入，乃王平也
- rebelWei Yan → Yang Yihist × litRecords of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·刘彭廖李刘魏杨传Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·后主传Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 105
Original text (3)
魏延烧绝栈道，引兵拦路。
唯杨仪不假借延，延以为至忿，有如水火。
Original relation: discord · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·刘彭廖李刘魏杨传
举兵相攻
Original relation: struggle for power · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·后主传
- hostile← Yang Yi → Wei Yanhist × litRecords of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·刘彭廖李刘魏杨传Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 105
Original text (1)
杨仪闻报前路有兵拦截，忙令人哨探，回报说魏延烧绝栈道，引兵拦路。
Original text (1)
魏延大怒，挺枪跃马，便来交战
Original text (1)
Original text (1)
皆被魏延用疑兵计杀退回洞去了
Original text (1)
蔡瑁、张允，卖国之贼
Original text (1)