Wu Can

Historical Record

Wu Can, courtesy name Kongxiu, was a native of Wucheng in Wu commandery. In his childhood, an old woman of a lonely town once predicted that he had "the bones of a chancellor" ^c:4956. He first served as a petty clerk under Sun He, who deeply valued his ability. Later, when Sun He was promoted to general and had the authority to select his own senior officials, he recommended Wu Can as Assistant Magistrate of Qu'e, and later transferred him to Chief Clerk. In these posts Wu Can achieved notable results and his fame rose. Although of humble origin, he was able to rank alongside such famous men of his own commandery as Lu Xun and Bu Jing ^c:4956.

When Sun Quan was General of Chariots and Cavalry, Wu Can was summoned as Registrar, then sent out as Magistrate of Shanyin County, and afterward returned to serve as Army Adviser and Colonel ^c:4956. In the first year of Huangwu (222 CE), Wu Can, along with Lü Fan, He Qi, and others, led a naval force at Dongkou to resist the attack of the Wei general Cao Xiu. In the battle a sudden great wind arose, snapping the mooring ropes of the Wu ships, so that many ships were swept ashore and captured by the Wei army, or sank and their crews drowned. At that time some of the large ships had not sunk, but the soldiers struggling in the water clung on and cried for rescue. The other officers and soldiers, fearing that the ships would be overloaded and capsize, beat at them with halberds and spears and would not save them. Only Wu Can and Huang Yuan ordered their boatmen to take in those who had fallen into the water. His attendants worried that the overloaded ships would surely capsize, but Wu Can said firmly, "If the ship capsizes, at most we will die together! These men are in desperate straits—how can we abandon them?" In the end Wu Can and Huang Yuan saved more than a hundred men alive ^c:966.

After the campaign ended, Wu Can was promoted to Grand Administrator of Kuaiji. He once summoned the recluse Xie Tan to serve as Officer of Merit, but Xie Tan declined on the grounds of illness and did not take up the post. Wu Can specially wrote to exhort him, his words earnest and sincere, intending to encourage Xie Tan to take office ^c:967. Afterward Wu Can recruited troops and was appointed General of the Household Gentlemen Manifesting Righteousness, and together with Lü Dai pacified the Shanyue rebellion. After the pacification, he entered the court as Commandant of Garrison Cavalry and Privy Treasurer, ultimately rising to Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince ^c:967.

In the "Struggle of the Two Palaces" in Sun Quan's later years, Wu Can firmly took the side of the Crown Prince Sun He, speaking out boldly and upholding what was correct, making clear the distinction between principal and secondary heir. He advocated transferring the Prince of Lu, Sun Ba, out to Xiakou, and opposed allowing Yang Zhu to remain in the capital. Wu Can also repeatedly relayed news from the palace to Lu Xun, who was then garrisoned at Wuchang, and Lu Xun consequently submitted memorials of remonstrance many times. These actions angered the Prince of Lu, Sun Ba, and his clique such as Yang Zhu, and Wu Can was thereby slandered, ultimately thrown into prison and put to death ^c:967. His death is one of the typical cases of upright and loyal ministers being persecuted in the succession dispute of Sun Quan's later years ^c:970.

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms does not give Wu Can any independent, detailed literary characterization. His deeds and image are not specially mentioned or developed in the novel, and so it is impossible to give an "In the Novel" account of him from the perspective of the novel.

Key Relationships

* Sun He (mentor_of): Sun He was Wu Can's early patron and the man who recommended him. Wu Can started as a petty clerk under Sun He, who recognized his ability and recommended him as Assistant Magistrate of Qu'e, setting him on the path of office and laying the foundation for his later development ^c:4956.
* Sun Quan's Faction (serves): Wu Can served the Sun Quan regime all his life. Starting as a local official, he gradually rose to Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, an important civil and military figure of Sun Quan's faction. He served as Registrar, Magistrate of Shanyin, Army Adviser and Colonel, Grand Administrator of Kuaiji, and other posts, and took part in the military action to pacify the Shanyue ^c:4956.
* Cao Xiu (fights_in): Wu Can, together with generals such as Lü Fan and He Qi, resisted the attack of the Wei general Cao Xiu at Dongkou. In this battle he displayed his benevolence and resolve, rescuing the drowning soldiers without regard for his own safety ^c:966.
* Lü Dai (fights_in): Wu Can, together with Lü Dai, pacified the Shanyue, displaying his military ability and his contribution to the state of Wu ^c:967.
* Lu Xun (ally_of): In the "Struggle of the Two Palaces," Wu Can and Lu Xun shared the same stance, both supporting the Crown Prince Sun He. Wu Can repeatedly relayed news from the palace to Lu Xun, who consequently submitted memorials of remonstrance to Sun Quan many times; together they worked to uphold the distinction between principal and secondary heir ^c:967.
* Sun Ba and Yang Zhu (antagonist_of): Because Wu Can firmly opposed the Prince of Lu, Sun Ba, in the succession dispute, advocated transferring him out, and opposed allowing Yang Zhu to remain in the capital, he was ultimately slandered and persecuted by Sun Ba, Yang Zhu, and others, imprisoned and put to death ^c:967.

Iconic Scenes

* Rescuing the drowning at Dongkou: In the first year of Huangwu, in the battle against Cao Xiu at Dongkou, the Wu ships capsized and sank in a great wind. Many soldiers fell into the water and cried for rescue, but the officers and soldiers of the other ships refused to save them, fearing that the overloaded ships would capsize. Only Wu Can and Huang Yuan, ignoring the dissuasion of those around them, resolutely ordered their boatmen to take in those who had fallen into the water. Wu Can said, "If the ship is wrecked, we will all die together! When men are in extremity, how can we abandon them?" In the end Wu Can and Huang Yuan saved more than a hundred men alive. This scene fully displays Wu Can's lofty character of benevolence, resolve, and fearlessness of sacrifice ^c:966.
* Speaking out boldly and upholding what was correct: In the "Struggle of the Two Palaces" in Sun Quan's later years, Wu Can, as Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, firmly upheld the position of the Crown Prince Sun He, speaking out boldly and upholding what was correct, making clear the distinction between principal and secondary heir. He advocated transferring the Prince of Lu, Sun Ba, out, and opposed allowing Yang Zhu to remain in the capital, to avert internal strife. He even repeatedly relayed news from the palace to Lu Xun and joined him in remonstrating with Sun Quan. Although this action ultimately led to his being slandered, imprisoned, and put to death, it manifested his unswerving loyalty and his political integrity in standing on principle ^c:967.
* Exhorting Xie Tan: While serving as Grand Administrator of Kuaiji, Wu Can once summoned the recluse Xie Tan as Officer of Merit, but Xie Tan declined on the grounds of illness. Wu Can specially wrote to exhort him, his words earnest and sincere, using the metaphor that "the responding dragon is divine in its flexing and stretching, the phoenix is precious in its fine singing" to encourage Xie Tan to take office and serve the state ^c:967. This not only reflects Wu Can's esteem for talent but also displays his ability to recognize and employ people, as well as his sense of responsibility toward the state.