Jiang Xian

Historical Record

Jiang Xian's elder brother was Jiang Bin, son of the Shu Han high minister Jiang Wan. After Jiang Wan's death, his son Jiang Bin inherited his rank, rising to General Pacifying the Martial (Suiwu) and Protector of the Army of Hancheng. In the sixth year of Jingyao (263 CE), the Wei General-in-Chief Zhong Hui led troops to attack Shu, reaching Hancheng. Knowing well that both Jiang Bin and Zhuge Zhan (Zhuge Siyuan) were scions of Shu Han's eminent houses, Zhong Hui wrote to Jiang Bin, expressing his respect for Jiang Wan and his wish to go in person to sweep Jiang Wan's grave. Jiang Bin replied, explaining that his father Jiang Wan had died of illness years earlier at Fu county and was buried there, and expressing his deep emotion at Zhong Hui's intention to honor the grave ^c:6170.

After the Latter Sovereign Liu Shan surrendered to Deng Ai, Jiang Bin went to Fu county to call upon Zhong Hui, who treated him with the courtesy due a friend. Jiang Bin then accompanied Zhong Hui to Chengdu, but was unfortunately killed in the mutiny within the Wei army. Jiang Xian, as Jiang Bin's younger brother, was then serving as Crown Prince's Charioteer (taizi pu). Zhong Hui likewise esteemed Jiang Xian's learning, and so Jiang Xian perished at nearly the same time as Jiang Bin ^c:6170. The histories' account of Jiang Xian is relatively brief, mentioning him chiefly by way of his brother Jiang Bin's experiences, and stressing Zhong Hui's recognition of his learning and his ultimate tragic end.

In the Novel

In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Jiang Xian's image is given a more concrete mission and plot. He is no longer merely the "Crown Prince's Charioteer" of the histories, but becomes an important messenger linking the Latter Sovereign Liu Shan to Jiang Wei at the front. After the Wei army attacked Shu and the Latter Sovereign Liu Shan resolved to surrender, Jiang Xian was sent to Jianmen Pass to convey the Latter Sovereign's edict to Jiang Wei, commanding him to submit ^c:3196.

This news struck a heavy blow to Jiang Wei and his subordinates. Hearing it, Jiang Wei was "so shocked he lost his voice," while the generals in his tent were even more roused to fury, drawing their blades and hacking at stones, vowing to die rather than surrender. Faced with this scene, Jiang Wei displayed his resourcefulness: he reassured the generals and put forward a stratagem to "restore the House of Han." Jiang Wei then raised banners of surrender throughout Jianmen Pass and sent word to Zhong Hui that he would lead Zhang Yi, Liao Hua, Dong Jue, and others to submit. Zhong Hui was delighted, welcomed Jiang Wei, and swore brotherhood with him. After dealing with Zhong Hui, Jiang Wei ordered Jiang Xian to return to Chengdu ^c:3196. Jiang Xian in the novel, though given little screen time, as the key figure conveying the surrender edict drove forward the important episode of Jiang Wei's feigned surrender to Zhong Hui, echoing in some measure the histories' account of his brother Jiang Bin's dealings with Zhong Hui, while his specific task and actions are unique to the novel.

Key Relationships

* Shu Han (serves): As Crown Prince's Charioteer, Jiang Xian was an official of Shu Han, loyal to the Latter Sovereign Liu Shan. In both history and the novel, he served the Shu Han regime; though in the novel he was forced to convey the order of surrender, this too reflects his duty as a Shu Han subject ^c:6170, ^c:3196.
* Jiang Wei (witnesses): In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Jiang Xian was a witness to the crucial moment when Jiang Wei learned of the Latter Sovereign's surrender and then resolved to feign surrender to Zhong Hui. He personally experienced the shock, fury, and final resourceful decision of Jiang Wei and his generals ^c:3196 (novel only).
* Zhong Hui (admires): The histories record that Zhong Hui esteemed Jiang Xian's learning. This shows that Jiang Xian was no ordinary man of his time, his talent winning recognition even from the enemy commander ^c:6170.
* Jiang Bin (brother): Jiang Xian was Jiang Bin's younger brother. In the histories, the fates of the two brothers were closely bound: both perished not long after Zhong Hui entered Shu, and Zhong Hui had shown each of them a measure of admiration or courtesy ^c:6170.

Iconic Scenes

* Conveying the surrender edict at Jianmen Pass (novel only): In chapter 118 of *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Jiang Xian, by order of the Latter Sovereign Liu Shan, went to Jianmen Pass to convey to Jiang Wei the edict to submit. This is Jiang Xian's central episode in the novel, directly bringing about Jiang Wei's stratagem of feigned surrender to Zhong Hui ^c:3196. This scene shows not only Jiang Xian's role as a messenger but also profoundly reveals the complex states of mind between sovereign and ministers, and among officers and men, in Shu Han's final years.
* Esteemed by Zhong Hui for his learning, and his death: In both history and the novel, Jiang Xian's ultimate end is bound up with Zhong Hui. The histories record that Zhong Hui prized his learning, yet Jiang Xian in the end perished together with his brother Jiang Bin in the Wei army's mutiny ^c:6170. This reflects the helplessness of an age of chaos, in which even talent could not avert a tragic fate. Although the novel does not directly depict his death, his return to Chengdu after conveying the surrender edict also hints that he may have met an end similar to that in the histories.