Yadan

Historical Record

As for Yadan, there is no clear record in surviving official histories such as the Records of the Three Kingdoms. His life, deeds, allegiance, and specific identity all go unmentioned in the annals. From a historiographical standpoint, therefore, Yadan is not a verifiable historical figure.

In the Novel

In Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Yadan is portrayed as the prime minister of the kingdom of the Western Qiang and an important counselor to the Western Qiang king Cheliji. He first appears in Chapter 94 ^c:15412, when an envoy of Wei arrived in the Western Qiang bearing gold, pearls, and a letter to request reinforcements. Prime Minister Yadan was the first to receive the Wei envoy and accepted the gifts. He then led the Wei envoy to an audience with King Cheliji and presented Wei's letter of appeal. When Cheliji convened his ministers to deliberate, Yadan made his position clear, advising the king: "We have long had dealings with Wei. Now that Commander Cao seeks our aid and offers a marriage alliance, it is only right to consent." ^c:15412 Cheliji adopted his counsel and at once ordered Yadan and Marshal Yue Ji together to lead one hundred fifty thousand Qiang troops on campaign in support of Wei. This Qiang army was famous for its distinctive "iron-chariot troops," all skilled with bows and crossbows, spears, swords, caltrops, and flying hammers, and equipped with war-chariots clad in iron plates and studded with nails, drawn by camels or mules to transport provisions and weapons. ^c:15412

Yadan displayed his counselor's side in the military operations, but also brought about a crushing defeat through his misjudgment of the schemes of the Shu Han commander Zhuge Liang. In the first clash with Jiang Wei, Jiang Wei feigned retreat, and the Qiang troops pursued to the front of the Shu camp. When Marshal Yue Ji grew suspicious because the camp was empty and only the sound of a zither was heard, Yadan declared: "This is one of Zhuge Liang's tricks—merely a feint of decoy troops. We can attack it." ^c:15413 In the ensuing pursuit, even seeing Zhuge Liang carry his zither onto a cart, lead a few riders into the camp, and withdraw to the rear, Yadan still insisted that "even if these troops have an ambush, it is not to be feared" ^c:15413, and urged the army on in pursuit. He even, when Shu soldiers appeared from behind the hills, still said contemptuously, "Even if there is such a small ambush, what is there to fear!" ^c:15413. It was precisely this contempt for the enemy and his misjudgment of the "feint of decoy troops" that drove the Qiang troops into the trap Zhuge Liang had set. In the end, the Qiang troops fell into pits and trenches, the iron-chariot troops trampled one another, their line of retreat was cut off by multiple Shu forces under Zhang Bao, Guan Xing, Jiang Wei, Ma Dai, Zhang Yi, and others; Marshal Yue Ji was slain by Guan Xing, and Prime Minister Yadan was taken alive by Ma Dai. ^c:15413

After his capture, Yadan was treated with magnanimity by Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang not only loosed his bonds and gave him wine to calm his fright, but also comforted him with kind words. ^c:15413 Zhuge Liang explained to Yadan the principle that Shu Han and the Western Qiang, as neighboring states, should be forever bound in friendship, and released Yadan along with all the captured Qiang soldiers, carts, horses, weapons, and gear to return to their own country. Deeply moved by Zhuge Liang's kindness, Yadan bowed in thanks and departed. ^c:15413 This episode, too, has no record in the histories and is a literary creation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms to shape Zhuge Liang's image of "conquering the heart above all."

Key Relationships

* Western Qiang King Cheliji (novel only): As prime minister of the Western Qiang, Yadan was an important counselor and military commander to King Cheliji. He advised the king and brought about the decision to send Qiang troops to aid Wei, leading the army on campaign together with Marshal Yue Ji. ^c:15412
* Marshal Yue Ji (novel only): Yadan's military partner, with whom he jointly led the one hundred fifty thousand Western Qiang troops. In battle, Yadan's judgment often governed Yue Ji's actions; though Yue Ji at times grew suspicious, in the end he still followed Yadan's counsel. ^c:15413
* Wei (novel only): Yadan had long had dealings with Wei, and on the basis of this relationship he strongly advocated that the Western Qiang send troops to aid Wei against Shu Han. ^c:15412
* Zhuge Liang (novel only): Yadan's military adversary; through misjudging Zhuge Liang's schemes, Yadan was defeated and captured. Yet Zhuge Liang treated him with magnanimity and released him, leaving Yadan deeply grateful for his virtue. ^c:15413

Signature Scenes

* Strongly advocating aid to Wei and leading the army on campaign (novel only): When the Wei envoy sought aid, Prime Minister Yadan, with the reasoning that "we have long had dealings with Wei; now that Commander Cao seeks our aid and offers a marriage alliance, it is only right to consent" ^c:15412, successfully persuaded King Cheliji to send troops, and together with Marshal Yue Ji led one hundred fifty thousand Qiang troops, including the distinctive "iron-chariot troops," to attack Xiping Pass directly, displaying his importance in Western Qiang politics and military affairs.
* Believing in the "feint of decoy troops" and suffering crushing defeat and capture (novel only): In the fighting against the Shu army, facing Jiang Wei's feigned retreat and the empty Shu camp, Yadan rashly judged it to be "one of Zhuge Liang's tricks—merely a feint of decoy troops. We can attack it" ^c:15413. Even during the pursuit he insisted that "even if these troops have an ambush, it is not to be feared" ^c:15413, in the end driving the Qiang troops into the trap Zhuge Liang had set; the whole army collapsed and Yadan himself was taken alive by Ma Dai. ^c:15413 This scene profoundly reveals Yadan's error of military judgment and his contemptuous character.
* Released by Zhuge Liang and grateful for his virtue (novel only): After his capture, Yadan suffered no harsh punishment but was treated with magnanimity by Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang not only loosed his bonds and gave him wine to calm his fright, but also comforted him with kind words and released all the captured Qiang soldiers and supplies. ^c:15413 Yadan was therefore "deeply moved by his virtue," a scene that displays Zhuge Liang's strategy of "conquering the heart above all" and also forms the gentler side of Yadan's character.