Liang Xu

Historical Record

Liang Xu appears in the biography of Jiang Wei in juan 44 of the Records of the Three Kingdoms as a clerk in charge of records in Tianshui Commandery. In the sixth year of the Jianxing era, Zhuge Liang sent troops to Mount Qi. The Administrator of Tianshui was away on an inspection tour, accompanied by Liang Xu, a clerk of merits, Liang Xu, a clerk of merits, Yin Shang, a chief clerk, Liang Qian, a records clerk, and others. When news arrived that the Shu army was drawing near and the commanderies and counties were responding, the Administrator suspected that his accompanying subordinates had ulterior motives and fled back to Shanggui by night. The others discovered this and pursued him, but could not catch up. By the time they reached the city gate, they had been refused entry. They then went together to Jixian, but were not admitted there either, and ultimately all went to Zhuge Liang’s camp. When Zhuge Liang withdrew his army, he took Jiang Wei and the others with him, and Liang Xu thus accompanied the army into Shu. The original text here lists “Liang Xu, clerk of merits” alongside “Liang Qian, records clerk” later on; this does not justify treating the two as one person. According to the materials provided, Liang Xu served as a clerk of merits in Tianshui Commandery and later rose to Grand Herald.^[1]

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms portrays Liang Xu as an official in Tianshui Commandery who takes part in defending the city, deliberations, and surrender. In chapter 92, he joins Yin Shang and Liang Qian in urging Ma Zun to send troops to relieve Xiahou Mao, who is under siege, reflecting his position in the Cao Wei government of Tianshui and his concern for military affairs.^[2] In chapter 93, Jiang Wei anticipates that Zhuge Liang will exploit Tianshui’s defenses being depleted to attack the city, and proposes an ambush. Ma Zun follows the plan and orders Liang Xu and Yin Shang to remain behind to guard the city. Zhao Yun then leads troops in an attack, and Liang Xu calls from the city walls that Zhao Yun has fallen for Jiang Wei’s stratagem. Jiang Wei then launches an ambush and drives Zhao Yun back. This episode places Liang Xu at the scene of Jiang Wei’s successful stratagem, though the principal credit for the plan belongs to Jiang Wei.^[3][4]

The novel then uses Jiang Wei’s secret letter, shot into the city by arrow, as a ploy to sow discord and turn Liang Xu against Ma Zun. Ma Zun suspects that Liang Xu and Yin Shang are in league with Jiang Wei, so Yin Shang discusses surrendering the city to Shu with Liang Xu; the two ultimately open the gates and welcome the Shu army. Liang Xu then asks that his younger brother, Liang Qian, who is guarding Shanggui, be persuaded to surrender. After Kongming enters the city, he appoints Liang Xu Administrator of Tianshui. Thus, the novel gives Liang Xu a complete story arc from Cao Wei official to local official in Shu Han. The secret letter, opening of the gates, persuasion of Liang Qian to surrender, and appointment as Administrator are all elements of the novel; the historical sources do not record them.^[5]

Key Relationships

• Jiang Wei: Historical records place Liang Xu and Jiang Wei under the same Administrator of Tianshui. After the Administrator abandoned his followers and fled, Liang Xu went with Jiang Wei and the others to Zhuge Liang’s camp, and later accompanied the army into Shu. The historical biography does not describe any specific interactions between the two after that.^[1]
• Liang Qian: The historical biography lists Liang Qian as a records clerk in Tianshui and Liang Xu as a clerk of merits. The novel rewrites and expands their relationship, identifying Liang Qian as Liang Xu’s younger brother and portraying Liang Xu as persuading him to surrender and securing his appointment as Magistrate of Shanggui. (Novel only)^[1][5]
• Yin Shang: Historical records say that the two went with Jiang Wei and the others to Zhuge Liang’s camp. In the novel, they jointly guard Tianshui and, after being influenced by the ploy to sow discord, open the gates and surrender to Shu, forming a partnership in decision-making. (Novel only)^[1][3][5]
• Zhuge Liang: Historical records say that Liang Xu joined his army along with Jiang Wei and the others. The novel, by contrast, depicts Zhuge Liang accepting Liang Xu and appointing him Administrator of Tianshui. (The latter is novel only)^[1][5]

Defining Scenes

The key episode in the historical account is the flight of the Administrator of Tianshui by night and, after the city gates were shut against them, Liang Xu and the others joining Jiang Wei in going over to Zhuge Liang’s camp. The narrative does not record Liang Xu speaking or acting independently, but this episode marks his departure from the commandery administration he had served and his journey into Shu with the army. The materials also explicitly record that he later rose to Grand Herald.^[1]

The novel’s most vivid scene is the secret letter shot into Tianshui, the mutual suspicion within the city, and Liang Xu and Yin Shang finally opening the gates to let in the Shu army, after which Liang Xu asks that Liang Qian, who is in Shanggui, surrender. Liang Xu thus changes from an official defending the city into the Administrator of Tianshui appointed by Shu Han, becoming an important supporting character in Jiang Wei’s story of joining Shu, “gaining a phoenix.” This plot of sowing discord and appointing officials is a literary invention and should not be confused with what the historical biography records.^[5]