Is “The official history records that the culprit who set fire to the palace was Li Jue, but the novel attributes it to Guo Si.” true?

novel invention

The Records of the Three Kingdoms, Book of Wei, Biographies of Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, Liu Biao, and Others, clearly records that the culprit who set fire to the palace was Li Jue: 'Jue took the Son of Heaven hostage in his camp, burned the palace and city gates, plundered government offices, and took all the imperial carriages, clothing, and paraphernalia to his home.' However, in Chapter 13 of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, this evil deed is attributed to Guo Si: 'Guo Si led troops into the palace, plundered all the palace maids and concubines into his camp, and set fire to the palace.' Through this rewriting, the novel deviates from the clear record in the official history that Li Jue burned the palace.

Li Jue

The official history records that Li Jue burned the palace, while the novel attributes it to Guo Si.

Sources cited above. Compiled with AI assistance and checked against those sources; for cultural reference.Data & method →

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