Later depiction of Yuan Shao
Later depiction of Yuan ShaoA transmitted or later depiction, not presented as a contemporary documentary portraitPlastictv at English WikipediaSource·Public domain

CIVILIZATION DOSSIER

Yuan Shao袁绍

Archaic / OtherHistory × Fiction

Colonel of the Capital Police, advocated executing eunuchs.

DIRECT FIGURES
51
RELATION RECORDS
81
SOURCE WORKS
6

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Yuan Shao, 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 · 6 records
1 more in the complete record
02
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

13 figures · 17 records
9 more in the complete record
03
CONFLICT

Conflict

Battles, captures and defeat

12 figures · 17 records
8 more in the complete record

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

Event · 200 CEBattle of GuanduAfter a long standoff between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, Xu You defected and exposed the supply depot at Wuchao. Cao's raid on Chunyu Qiong's grain force became the turning point in the contest for northern China.

In history · Records of the Three Kingdoms · History of Song

A warlord in the north, defeated by Cao Cao.

In fiction · Romance of the Three Kingdoms · Records of Myriad Things · Book of the Later Han · Extensive Records of the Taiping Era

Colonel of the Capital Police, advocated executing eunuchs.; Colonel of the Central Army, participated in killing eunuchs, opposed Dong Zhuo's deposition and enthronement.; Warlord at the end of the Eastern Han, fled to Ji Province due to opposing Dong Zhuo's deposition and enthronement, later appointed Governor of Bohai.

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. Literature / legend

    Records of Myriad Things

    1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  2. Official history

    Book of the Later Han

    31 profile notes
    16 relations26 verified quotations
    • Cao CaobattleYuan Shao
    • Yuan ShaohostileCao Cao
    • Yuan ShaoabdicateCao Cao
    • Liu Beiflee toYuan Shao
    Verified original text · 26
    1. 绍军为曹公所破

      break · Book of the Later Han, 天文下桓三十八灵二十献九陨石

    2. 曹操与袁绍战于官度

      battle · Book of the Later Han, 孝献帝纪

    24 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  3. 24 profile notes
    21 relations34 verified quotations
    • Cao CaobattleYuan Shao
    • Yuan ShaohostileCao Cao
    • Cao CaorewardYuan Shao
    • Yuan ShaoabdicateCao Cao
    Verified original text · 34
    1. 操怒,使张辽出战。张郃跃马来迎。

      battle · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 30

    2. 曹操破袁绍,遣使往江东

      defeat · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 38

    32 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  4. 43 profile notes
    24 relations36 verified quotations
    • Cao CaobattleYuan Shao
    • Yuan ShaohostileCao Cao
    • Cao CaorewardYuan Shao
    • Yuan ShaoabdicateCao Cao
    Verified original text · 36
    1. 曹公与袁绍相拒於官渡

      相拒 · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 吴书·孙破虏讨逆传

    2. 曹公与袁绍相拒于官渡

      battle · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·先主传

    34 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  5. Official history

    History of Song

    1 profile notes
    1 relations0 verified quotations
    • Cao CaobattleYuan Shao

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  6. 3 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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History vs. fiction

In official history, he was a northern hegemon who was indecisive in strategy, while in fiction he is often portrayed as a stubborn and fatuous ruler.

  • According to Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wei, Biography of Yuan Shao, in the first year of Chuping, the warlords of Guandong rose against Dong Zhuo and elected Yuan Shao, who came from a family with four generations of three dukes, as their leader.

  • According to Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wei, Biography of Yuan Shao, Yuan Shao rejected Ju Shou's advice to advance slowly, and his mistreatment of Xu You led to the fall of Wuchao, ultimately resulting in his disastrous defeat at Guandu.

Relationship network

36 figures · 199 links
Yuan ShaoYuan ShaoCao CaoCao CaoLiu BeiLiu BeiDong ZhuoDong ZhuoLu BuLu BuSun CeSun CeYuan ShuYuan ShuXun YuXun YuSun JianSun JianXu HuangXu HuangZhang HeZhang HeGongsun ZanLi JueHe JinYuan ShangZheng XuanYuan TanLu ZhiGuo JiaWang YunGao GanZhang RangZhang MiaoLiu XunXin PiLi TongXu YouYing ShaoZhao QiYuan XiZhao ZhongChen LinYan LiangYuan WeiShen PeiCui Yan
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: Records of the Three Kingdoms, 吴书·周瑜鲁肃吕蒙传; Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 2; Records of Myriad Things, 人名考·文籍考·地理考·典礼考·乐考·服饰考·器名考·物名考; Book of the Later Han, 乌桓鲜卑列传; Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 名贤; History of Song, 列传_ch. 359; Records of the Three Kingdoms, 吴书·孙破虏讨逆传; Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 3

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