Huang Hao

Historical Record

Huang Hao, a eunuch of the late Shu Han, is recorded chiefly in the Records of the Three Kingdoms and similar histories. In the first year of the Jingyao era (263 CE), when Jiang Wei returned to Chengdu from Dazhong, the court astronomers reported the appearance of an auspicious star, and the Latter Lord Liu Shan thereupon proclaimed a general amnesty and changed the reign title. It was in this period that the eunuch Huang Hao began to monopolize court affairs^[1].

Huang Hao's seizure of power had a profound effect on the politics of Shu Han. At the time, although Dong Jue, Fan Jian, and others held important posts, they were unable to effectively rectify Huang Hao's abuse of authority. Fan Jian in particular stood apart, refusing to fall in with Huang Hao^[2]. Yet Huang Hao's influence grew by the day, and he even colluded with the General of the Right Yan Yu, intending to depose Jiang Wei and install Yan Yu. This left Jiang Wei deeply uneasy, to the point that he dared not lightly return to Chengdu^[3].

Jiang Wei repeatedly memorialized the Latter Lord Liu Shan, pointing out Huang Hao's treachery and advising that he be executed. Liu Shan, however, sheltered Huang Hao, regarding him as no more than a "minor errand-runner" not worth minding. Liu Shan even summoned Huang Hao before Jiang Wei and had him apologize to soothe Jiang Wei's anger. Seeing Liu Shan's trust in Huang Hao, Jiang Wei knew it was hard to shake his position, and so used the pretext of requesting to go to Dazhong to farm and grow wheat, in order to avoid the strife at court^[3].

In the final years of Shu Han, Wei launched a great campaign against Shu. Jiang Wei, foreseeing that war would break out, memorialized the Latter Lord advising that generals such as Zhang Yi and Liao Hua be dispatched to divide their forces and hold Yang'an Pass and the Yinping bridge, to guard against the Wei army. Huang Hao, however, put faith in the talk of spirits and demons, holding that the enemy would not lightly invade, and so persuaded the Latter Lord to shelve Jiang Wei's proposal, causing Shu Han to miss its chance in its military dispositions. Only when Zhong Hui's great army pressed in toward Luogu and Deng Ai entered Dazhong did the Latter Lord hastily dispatch Liao Hua to Dazhong to reinforce Jiang Wei, and Zhang Yi, Dong Jue, and others to Yang'an Pass as outside support. By then it was too late, and Shu Han at last fell before the Wei offensive^[3].

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Huang Hao is further shaped into a typical treacherous petty man, his power-grabbing and ruination of the state rendered all the more prominent. In the novel, Huang Hao not only monopolized power but also indulged in wine and women, causing the Latter Lord Liu Shan to neglect government and the affairs of state to decline day by day^[4].

The novel depicts the fierce conflict between Huang Hao and Jiang Wei. Jiang Wei repeatedly memorialized to campaign against Wei, but Huang Hao obstructed him, even using Yan Yu to squeeze Jiang Wei out. When Jiang Wei confronted Deng Ai at Mount Qi, Huang Hao persuaded the Latter Lord to recall Jiang Wei, so that Jiang Wei's military operations came to nothing^[4]. After Jiang Wei returned to Chengdu, he tried to expose Huang Hao's crimes to the Latter Lord and requested that he be executed. Liu Shan, however, defended Huang Hao in every way, even saying that Jiang Wei "could not tolerate a single eunuch?"^[5] This episode greatly reinforced Huang Hao's standing in Liu Shan's heart, as well as Liu Shan's muddled incompetence.

At the critical moment of Wei's campaign against Shu, Huang Hao's ruination of the state reached its peak. Jiang Wei memorialized in alarm, advising that defenses be strengthened, but Huang Hao, on the grounds that "this is Jiang Wei wishing to win merit and fame," persuaded the Latter Lord not to worry^[6]. He even brought a shamaness into the palace, using talk of gods and demons to deceive Liu Shan, claiming that "the territory of Wei too shall come to Your Majesty," so that Liu Shan believed it firmly and turned a deaf ear to Jiang Wei's warnings^[6]. Jiang Wei's urgent memorials were also largely concealed by Huang Hao, ultimately causing Shu Han to be broken by the Wei army with no preparation at all^[6].

In the novel, after Deng Ai entered Chengdu, he wished to behead Huang Hao. Huang Hao, however, bribed Deng Ai's attendants and so escaped death^[7]. Although this episode is not clearly recorded in the historical sources, it further highlights Huang Hao's cunning and will to survive, and hints that his evil deeds went unpunished as they deserved, deepening the reader's loathing of him.

Key Relationships

* Shu Han (serves): As a eunuch, Huang Hao was an important political figure of late Shu Han, his conduct directly affecting the rise and fall of Shu Han^[1].
* Jiang Wei (enemy_of): There was sharp opposition between Huang Hao and Jiang Wei. Huang Hao envied Jiang Wei's achievements, repeatedly squeezing out and framing him, even seeking to depose him. Jiang Wei in turn repeatedly tried to have Huang Hao executed to set the court right^[3].
* Liu Shan (serves): Huang Hao was a favored attendant at Liu Shan's side, deeply trusted and sheltered by him. Liu Shan's indulgence was an important reason Huang Hao was able to monopolize power^[5].
* Yan Yu (ally_of, unique to the novel): In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Yan Yu, in order to gain high office, fawned upon Huang Hao, and the two colluded to squeeze out Jiang Wei^[4].
* The Shamaness (ally_of, unique to the novel): Huang Hao used the shamaness's talk of gods and demons to deceive Liu Shan, in order to conceal Jiang Wei's urgent memorials and obstruct military dispositions^[6].

Signature Scenes

* Monopolizing the court, squeezing out Jiang Wei: In the first year of Jingyao, Huang Hao began to seize power and colluded with Yan Yu, intending to depose Jiang Wei. Jiang Wei was thus deeply uneasy and dared not lightly return to Chengdu^[3].
* Liu Shan's protection, Jiang Wei's helplessness: Jiang Wei once exposed Huang Hao's treachery to the Latter Lord Liu Shan and requested his execution. Liu Shan, however, regarded Huang Hao as merely a "minor errand-runner" and ignored the request, instead having Huang Hao apologize to Jiang Wei, leaving Jiang Wei feeling utterly powerless^[5].
* Bringing a shamaness into the palace, deceiving the Latter Lord (unique to the novel): On the eve of Wei's campaign against Shu, Jiang Wei memorialized in alarm. Huang Hao, however, persuaded the Latter Lord not to worry, and brought a shamaness into the palace, using talk of gods and demons to deceive Liu Shan and make him take the war lightly^[6].
* Concealing urgent memorials, ruining the state (unique to the novel): Jiang Wei repeatedly reported urgent military intelligence, but Huang Hao concealed these memorials and did not report them, causing Shu Han to miss its chance to prepare defenses and ultimately hastening the fall of Shu Han^[6].
* Bribing Deng Ai's attendants to escape death (unique to the novel): After the fall of Shu Han, Deng Ai wished to behead Huang Hao, but Huang Hao bribed Deng Ai's attendants and so was spared^[7].