Deng Xian

Historical Record

Deng Xian, as a general of Liu Zhang's faction, played a certain role in the contest for Yi Province. In 211 CE, Liu Bei entered Shu at Liu Zhang's invitation, ostensibly to help Liu Zhang resist Zhang Lu of Hanzhong. However, Liu Bei, together with Fa Zheng, Zhang Song, and others, was secretly plotting to seize Yi Province. When Liu Bei demanded troops and supplies from Liu Zhang, intending to march east to aid Sun Quan, Liu Zhang granted only four thousand soldiers and half of the requested supplies. Liu Bei, greatly angered, seized the occasion to accuse the Baishui army commander Yang Huai of disrespect and had him executed, then mobilized his forces and openly broke with Liu Zhang.^[1]

Liu Bei's army, under the command of Huang Zhong and Zhuo Ying, advanced toward Fucheng. Liu Bei himself went straight to Guanzhong, detained the wives and children of the local officers and soldiers, and led his army to join Huang Zhong and Zhuo Ying, capturing Fucheng. Facing Liu Bei's offensive, Liu Zhang dispatched several generals to resist, among them Deng Xian. Deng Xian, together with Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren, and others, resisted Liu Bei's army at Fucheng. However, they were all ultimately defeated by Liu Bei's forces and compelled to withdraw to hold Mianzhu.^[1]

Liu Zhang then sent Li Yan to command the troops at Mianzhu, but Li Yan led his men in surrender to Liu Bei, further strengthening Liu Bei's military power. Liu Bei thereupon dispatched his generals to pacify the various subordinate counties; Zhuge Liang, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, and others led troops upriver and pacified Baidi, Jiangzhou, and Jiangyang, while Guan Yu remained to guard Jing Province. Liu Bei's army continued to advance and besieged Luocheng, where Liu Zhang's son Liu Xun held out, the city being besieged for nearly a year.^[1] The historical record concerning Deng Xian is relatively brief, focusing mainly on his resistance in the early stage of the Yi Province campaign, where he failed to halt Liu Bei's advance and was ultimately defeated and withdrew to hold Mianzhu.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Deng Xian's image is given more drama and appears in different historical periods, diverging from the historical facts. During Liu Bei's takeover of Yi Province, Deng Xian, as a general under Liu Zhang, resisted Liu Bei's army at Fucheng together with Leng Bao, Liu Gui, Zhang Ren, and others. In one engagement, Huang Zhong led troops to rescue Wei Yan and, seizing the moment, struck down and killed Deng Xian, pursuing right up to the stockade. Leng Bao turned his horse to fight Huang Zhong again, but within little more than ten bouts Liu Bei's relief force arrived, and Leng Bao had to abandon the left stockade and lead his defeated troops to the right stockade. However, when Leng Bao reached the right stockade, he found the banners within had changed—Liu Bei had already led troops to intercept from the rear and, seizing the advantage, had captured Deng Xian's stockade.^[2] This differs from the historical account in which Deng Xian was defeated and withdrew to hold Mianzhu; the novel directly describes the episode of Deng Xian being slain by Huang Zhong.

In addition, Deng Xian also appears in Romance of the Three Kingdoms as the nephew of Meng Da, taking part in the plot of Meng Da's revolt against Wei. During the reign of the Wei emperor Cao Rui, Sima Yi was reinstated and ordered to resist Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions. At this time, the family of Shen Yi, Grand Administrator of Jincheng, informed Sima Yi that Meng Da intended to rebel. Meng Da's confidant Li Fu and his nephew Deng Xian thereupon also came forward to denounce Meng Da. Upon learning this, Sima Yi regarded it as a Heaven-sent opportunity and decided to strike first, swiftly subduing Meng Da to weaken Zhuge Liang's momentum. Without waiting for an imperial decree, he immediately assembled his army and hastened day and night to Xincheng, at the same time sending word to Meng Da to keep him from suspicion.^[3] This episode is not recorded in the histories; it is a literary invention by Romance of the Three Kingdoms to enrich the relationships and dramatic conflict among the characters, casting Deng Xian in the novel as an informer who directly brought about Meng Da's downfall.

Key Relationships

* Liu Zhang's faction: In both history and the novel, Deng Xian served Liu Zhang as one of his generals, taking part in the military operations resisting Liu Bei during the Yi Province campaign.^[1]
* Meng Da (kin_of): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Deng Xian is Meng Da's nephew; this kinship played a key role in Meng Da's revolt against Wei, as Deng Xian, one of the informers, directly brought about Meng Da's failure.^[3] (unique to the novel)
* Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren: In both history and the novel, Deng Xian resisted Liu Bei's army at Fucheng together with these generals, fighting side by side as fellow officers.^[1]
* Huang Zhong: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Huang Zhong was the general who slew Deng Xian.^[2] (unique to the novel)
* Sima Yi: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Deng Xian denounced Meng Da's planned rebellion to Sima Yi, thereby indirectly enabling Sima Yi's swift subjugation of Meng Da.^[3] (unique to the novel)

Iconic Scenes

* Resisting Liu Bei in the Battle of Fucheng: This is Deng Xian's most important appearance in history; together with Liu Gui, Leng Bao, Zhang Ren, and others, he resisted Liu Bei's army at Fucheng but was ultimately defeated and withdrew to hold Mianzhu.^[1] This reflects his identity as a general of Liu Zhang.
* Slain by Huang Zhong before the stockade: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Deng Xian was killed by Huang Zhong in the Battle of Fucheng, and his stockade was captured by Liu Bei.^[2] (unique to the novel) This scene directly depicts Deng Xian's end and displays Huang Zhong's valor.
* Denouncing Meng Da's rebellion: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Deng Xian, as Meng Da's nephew, together with Li Fu denounced Meng Da's rebellion to Sima Yi, accelerating Sima Yi's subjugation of Meng Da.^[3] (unique to the novel) This scene casts Deng Xian in the novel as an informer and gives him a decisive influence over Meng Da's fate.