Meng Tan

Historical Record

Meng Tan has no record in the Records of the Three Kingdoms or other official histories, and his life and deeds are not found in any verifiable historical biographical materials. Therefore, regarding historical information about Meng Tan, there is at present nothing to verify.

In the Novel

Meng Tan appears in Luo Guanzhong's Romance of the Three Kingdoms as a subordinate general (yajiang) of the Luoyang Administrator Han Fu, forming one link in the story of Guan Yu "passing through five passes and slaying six generals." He first appears in Chapter 27 ^c:10128, and leaves an impression on the reader through his image of eagerly volunteering and devising a scheme to lure the enemy. When Han Fu learned that Guan Yu's carriage train was about to arrive and lacked a pass document from the Chancellor, Meng Tan immediately argued that Guan Yu's conduct amounted to traveling without authorization, and that if he were not stopped, Han Fu would surely be implicated. He further offered a plan, suggesting that they first block the pass with antler barriers, and that when Guan Yu arrived, he himself would ride out to fight Guan Yu and feign defeat to lure Guan Yu into pursuit, while Han Fu took the chance to shoot Guan Yu with a hidden arrow. Meng Tan's scheme displays a certain amount of cunning and a wariness of Guan Yu's martial prowess, but at the same time exposes his underestimation of Guan Yu's strength. In the actual clash, after fewer than three bouts with Guan Yu, Meng Tan wheeled his horse and fled, attempting to lure Guan Yu according to the plan. However, the Red Hare horse of Guan Yu was extremely swift; before Meng Tan could successfully lure the enemy, he was overtaken by Guan Yu and cut in two with a single stroke, dying on the spot ^c:10128. Meng Tan's swift demise not only highlights Guan Yu's invincible valor but also causes Han Fu's scheme to fail utterly, ultimately leading to Han Fu himself being slain by Guan Yu as well. Meng Tan has only two lines of dialogue in the novel, but his role plays a key part in advancing the plot of Guan Yu passing the passes and slaying generals.

Key Relationships

Meng Tan's key relationships in Romance of the Three Kingdoms are mainly with the following figures:

* Han Fu: Meng Tan was a subordinate general of Han Fu; the two had a superior-subordinate relationship and were also co-conspirators in plotting to stop Guan Yu. Meng Tan's scheme was the core of Han Fu's action to stop Guan Yu ^c:10128 (novel only).
* Guan Yu: Meng Tan was one of the generals slain by Guan Yu during his "passing through five passes and slaying six generals." He attempted to obstruct Guan Yu through scheme and force, but was finally slain by Guan Yu, serving as a foil to Guan Yu's divine valor (novel only).

Signature Scenes

Meng Tan's signature scenes are concentrated in Chapter 27 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, in his clash with Guan Yu at the Luoyang pass:

* Offering a plan to block the pass: Meng Tan offered the Luoyang Administrator Han Fu a plan, proposing to block the pass with antler barriers, with himself feigning defeat to lure the enemy while Han Fu took the chance to shoot arrows at Guan Yu. This scene displays Meng Tan's cunning and his wariness of Guan Yu ^c:10128 (novel only).
* Slain at the Luoyang pass: Meng Tan rode out to fight Guan Yu, and after fewer than three bouts wheeled his horse and fled, attempting to lure Guan Yu. However, Guan Yu's horse was swift, quickly overtaking Meng Tan and cutting him in two with one stroke. This scene is Meng Tan's end in the novel, and yet another example of Guan Yu's divine valor ^c:10128 (novel only).

These two scenes together make up the whole of Meng Tan's part in Romance of the Three Kingdoms; though brief, they effectively advance the development of the classic episode of "passing through five passes and slaying six generals," and further shape the image of Guan Yu as the Martial Sage.