Later depiction of Zhuge Liang
Later depiction of Zhuge Liang · 清代A transmitted or later depiction, not presented as a contemporary documentary portraitUnknown artistSource·Public domain

CIVILIZATION DOSSIER

Zhuge Liang诸葛亮

Shu HanHistory × Fiction

A remarkable talent recommended to Liu Bei by Xu Shu, who lived in seclusion in Longzhong and styled himself 'Wolong'.

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DIRECT FIGURES
88
RELATION RECORDS
155
SOURCE WORKS
8

RELATIONSHIP COMPASS

Zhuge Liang, and the people around them.

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

01
MENTORSHIP

Mentorship

Teachers, disciples and transmission

4 figures · 4 records
1 more in the complete record
02
KINSHIP

Kinship

Blood, marriage and sworn bonds

1 figure · 1 record
03
ALLEGIANCE

Allegiance

Rulers, appointments and allegiance

8 figures · 13 records
5 more in the complete record
04
CONFLICT

Conflict

Battles, captures and defeat

8 figures · 14 records
5 more in the complete record
05
THE UNSEEN

Mythic acts

Transformation, aid and divine punishment

8 figures · 8 records
6 more in the complete record
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FeatureFact vs Fiction in the Three Kingdoms: Records of the Three Kingdoms vs. Romance of the Three KingdomsThe 14th-century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms shaped the iconic figures of the Three Kingdoms era (220–280 AD), yet literary embellishment departs significantly from historical reality. Author Luo Guanzhong drew upon Chen Shou's 3rd-century Records of the Three Kingdoms and Pei Songzhi's historical commentary, while blending folklore and folk theater into a sweeping artistic reimagining. Many beloved scenes and character portrayals do not reflect historical fact. Grounded in primary historical texts, this article compares official records with romanticized fiction to untangle the narrative framing behind the exalting of Liu Bei and depreciating of Cao Cao, uncovering the true historical identities of figures like Guan Yu, Zhou Yu, and Lu Su.
Event · 208 CEBattle of Red CliffsSun Quan sent Zhou Yu and Cheng Pu to join Liu Bei against Cao Cao. Huang Gai's feigned surrender and fire ships broke Cao's fleet; the novel later added the borrowed east wind.

In history · Records of the Three Kingdoms · History of Song · Old Book of Tang

Chancellor of Shu Han, who was sent as an envoy to Eastern Wu to forge an alliance; assisted Liu Bei and Liu Shan, and led multiple Northern Expeditions.

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

A remarkable talent recommended to Liu Bei by Xu Shu, who lived in seclusion in Longzhong and styled himself 'Wolong'. While in seclusion, Liu Bei visited him but did not meet him; he was eventually brought out by Liu Bei's three visits to his thatched cottage, where he proposed the Longzhong Plan.

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

    2 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  3. Official history

    Old Book of Tang

    1 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  4. 60 profile notes
    33 relations85 verified quotations
    • Zhuge Liang→ fire attack →Cao Cao
    • Cao Cao→ fall into trap →Zhuge Liang
    • Liu Bei→ ruler-subject →Zhuge Liang
    • Zhuge Liang→ assist →Liu Bei
    Verified original text · 85
    1. 前番一把火，烧了夏侯惇大半人马

      fire attack · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 40

    2. 操极善用兵，天下莫敢当

      hostile · Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 44

    83 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  5. 46 profile notes
    15 relations17 verified quotations
    • Liu Bei→ ruler-subject →Zhuge Liang
    • Zhuge Liang→ assist →Liu Bei
    • Sun Quan→ ally →Zhuge Liang
    • Sun Quan→ respect →Zhuge Liang
    Verified original text · 17
    1. 诸葛亮为股肱

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

    2. 诸葛亮亦言之于先主

      推荐庞统 · Records of the Three Kingdoms, 蜀书·庞统法正传

    15 more verified quotations in the relationship records below.

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  6. Official history

    History of Song

    15 profile notes
    1 relations0 verified quotations
    • Zhuge Liang→ assist →Liu Bei

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  7. 3 profile notes
    0 relations0 verified quotations

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  8. Official history

    New Book of Tang

    13 profile notes
    1 relations1 verified quotations
    • Wang Shuwen→ self-comparison →Zhuge Liang
    Verified original text · 1
    1. 诵杜甫诸葛祠诗以自况

      self-comparison · New Book of Tang, 韦执谊王叔文附 王伾附 韩晔附 陈谏附 凌准附 韩泰陆质刘禹锡柳宗元传

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History vs. fiction

In official history, he was an outstanding statesman, military strategist, and master of governance, but in fiction, he is deified as a sorcerer who can summon wind and rain.

  • novel inventionBorrowing arrows with straw boats and borrowing the east wind

    According to the annotation by Pei Songzhi in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wu, Biography of Sun Quan, citing the Weilue, the straw boat arrow borrowing was actually done by Sun Quan at Ruxu. The borrowing of the east wind is a deifying technique in the novel.

  • novel inventionThe Empty Fort Strategy repelling Sima Yi

    This is not recorded in the official history of the Records of the Three Kingdoms. The Empty Fort Strategy originates from Guo Chong's Five Matters, but at that time Sima Yi was far away in Wancheng, making it impossible for him to confront Zhuge Liang at Xixian.

  • attestedThe Longzhong Plan and leading the Northern Expeditions

    The Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Shu, Biography of Zhuge Liang, records that he presented the Longzhong Plan to Liu Bei and later led five Northern Expeditions. Official history affirms his extremely high governing abilities.

Relationship network

36 figures · 318 links
Zhuge LiangZhuge LiangCao CaoCao CaoLiu BeiLiu BeiSun QuanSun QuanGuan YuGuan YuSima YiSima YiCao RuiCao RuiZhang FeiZhang FeiJiang WeiJiang WeiZhao YunZhao YunMa ChaoMa ChaoLiu BiaoZhou YuZhuge KeWang ShuwenDeng AiLu XunWei YanLiu ZhangLiu ShanXiahou DunGuo HuaiZhang ZhaoLu SuZhang HeZhong HuiZhuge JinPang TongCao ZhenLiu ShanHuang ZhongMeng DaFei YiLiao HuaZhong HuiMa Dai
historyliteraturedual
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Sources: Records of the Three Kingdoms, 吴书·吴主传; Romance of the Three Kingdoms, ch. 36; Records of Myriad Things, 卷之二; Book of the Later Han, 方术列传下; Extensive Records of the Taiping Era, 灵异; History of Song, 儒林传六; New Book of Tang, 五王传; Old Book of Tang, 刘仁轨郝处俊裴行俭传

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.