Gongsun Yuan

Historical Record

Gongsun Yuan was the grandson of Gongsun Du of Liaodong and the son of Gongsun Kang. After his father Gongsun Kang died, because Gongsun Yuan was young, his uncle Gongsun Gong succeeded as Grand Administrator of Liaodong. In the second year of Taihe (228 CE), once Gongsun Yuan had come of age, he relied on his forceful temperament to coerce Gongsun Gong and seize the office of Grand Administrator of Liaodong ^c:181. After Emperor Ming of Wei, Cao Rui, took the throne, he appointed Gongsun Yuan General Who Spreads Valor and Grand Administrator of Liaodong. At first Gongsun Yuan sent envoys south to establish ties with Sun Quan, and the two sides exchanged gifts ^c:181.

In the twelfth month of the third year of Qinglong (235 CE), Gongsun Yuan suddenly executed the envoys Zhang Mi, Xu Yan, and others sent by Sun Quan, and sent their heads to Cao Wei. Emperor Ming of Wei, Cao Rui, thereupon appointed Gongsun Yuan Grand Marshal and enfeoffed him as Duke of Lelang ^c:180. This move won Gongsun Yuan an even higher standing within the Cao Wei camp. Sun Quan, however, was furious at this and wished to campaign against Gongsun Yuan in person, but desisted because of the earnest remonstrance of the Vice Director of the Imperial Secretariat Xue Zong and others ^c:184. Gongsun Yuan's act was regarded as an expression of his "double-dealing and vacillation": he both feared the might of Cao Wei in the Central Plains and coveted the wealth bestowed by Sun Quan, and in the end chose to betray Sun Quan in order to show his loyalty to Cao Wei ^c:182.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Gongsun Yuan is shaped into an ambitious, fickle leader of an autonomous regional power. In the novel, Gongsun Yuan is the grandson of Gongsun Du and son of Gongsun Kang; his uncle Gongsun Gong was enfeoffed in Cao Pi's time as General of Chariots and Cavalry and Marquis of Xiangping. After Gongsun Yuan grew up, "accomplished in both civil and martial matters, of a fierce and combative temperament," he seized the office of his uncle Gongsun Gong ^c:187.

The novel further depicts how, after receiving Cao Wei's investiture and rewards, Gongsun Yuan was still not satisfied: he styled himself King of Yan, changed the era name to the first year of Shaohan, and raised troops to invade, throwing the north into turmoil ^c:4568. His lieutenant general Jia Fan once remonstrated, pointing out that the Central Plains had already bestowed on Gongsun Yuan the rank of a Senior Duke, that rebellion was therefore against right order, and that Sima Yi was skilled at warfare—even Marquis Wu, Zhuge Liang, had failed to defeat him, so Gongsun Yuan stood even less chance of victory ^c:187. Gongsun Yuan, however, did not heed this remonstrance and in the end walked the road of confrontation with Cao Wei. The novel's portrayal of Gongsun Yuan emphasizes his arrogance and boundless lust for power, shaping him into a villain who ultimately brings about his own destruction.

Key Relationships

* Gongsun Gong (kin_of): Gongsun Yuan's uncle, whose office Gongsun Yuan coerced him into surrendering ^c:181.
* Cao Wei (serves/betrayed_by): Gongsun Yuan at first accepted Cao Wei's investiture, then betrayed Sun Quan to show his loyalty to Cao Wei, winning the rewards of Grand Marshal and Duke of Lelang ^c:180. In the novel, however, he ultimately proclaimed himself King of Yan and confronted Cao Wei ^c:4568.
* Sun Quan (betrayed_by): Gongsun Yuan had once been on good terms with Sun Quan and accepted his investiture, but ultimately betrayed Sun Quan, beheading his envoys Zhang Mi and Xu Yan and sending their heads to Cao Wei ^c:182. Sun Quan was furious at this and wished to campaign against Gongsun Yuan in person ^c:184.
* The Gongsun Yuan faction (lord_of): Gongsun Yuan was the de facto ruler of the Liaodong region, with his own army and bureaucratic apparatus; after proclaiming himself King of Yan, he established an independent regime ^c:4568 (novel only).

Iconic Scenes

* Coercing his uncle out of office: In the second year of Taihe (228 CE), Gongsun Yuan took advantage of his uncle Gongsun Gong's frailty to coerce him into abdicating and seized power over Liaodong himself. This event displays Gongsun Yuan's ambition and decisiveness ^c:181.
* Beheading Sun Quan's envoys: In the twelfth month of the third year of Qinglong (235 CE), Gongsun Yuan suddenly betrayed Sun Quan, beheading the envoys Zhang Mi and Xu Yan that Sun Quan had sent and presenting their heads to Cao Wei. This act won him Cao Wei's lavish rewards, but also thoroughly enraged Sun Quan, and stands as a vivid expression of his "double-dealing and vacillating" character ^c:180.
* Proclaiming himself King of Yan: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, after receiving Cao Wei's rewards Gongsun Yuan was still not satisfied: he styled himself King of Yan, changed the era name to the first year of Shaohan, built palaces, established offices, and raised troops to rebel against Cao Wei ^c:4568. This scene is the apex of his swelling ambition and foreshadows his ultimate defeat (novel only).
* Ignoring Jia Fan's remonstrance: In the novel, when Gongsun Yuan proclaimed himself king, his lieutenant general Jia Fan remonstrated with him, pointing out that betraying Cao Wei was against right order and that, with Sima Yi skilled at warfare, Gongsun Yuan could hardly win ^c:187. Gongsun Yuan, however, did not heed him, showing his obstinate, self-willed nature and refusal to accept loyal advice (novel only).