Historical Record
For Chang Diao, neither his dates of birth and death nor his native place are clearly recorded in the surviving sources. c:3 Mention of him in the official histories is extremely limited—indeed, no independent biography or detailed record of Chang Diao's deeds is found in the Records of the Three Kingdoms or other official documents. c:3 This means that, should one wish to investigate the true historical figure of Chang Diao, the sources available are all but blank. c:3 His existence in the long course of history is more like a faint silhouette than a flesh-and-blood individual. Therefore, regarding the historical record of Chang Diao, one can only regretfully note that he left almost no verifiable trace in the official histories. c:3
In the Novel
Chang Diao appears in Chapter 85 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms c:1 in the role of a great general of the state of Wei. In the novel, Chang Diao is portrayed as a valiant commander who, by the order of the Wei sovereign Cao Rui, faced off against the Shu Han army led by Zhuge Liang. Together with Cao Zhen, Guo Huai, and others, he took part in the defense against Shu Han. c:1 The novel depicts Chang Diao's concrete performance on the battlefield—for instance, he once crossed blades with the Shu general Wei Yan, displaying a measure of martial skill. c:1 Unlike many figures granted detailed background and characterization in the novel, however, Chang Diao receives relatively little ink, appearing chiefly as one general in the Cao Wei camp, his main function being to advance the plot and to set off the valor of the Shu Han generals. c:1 It is worth noting that these depictions of Chang Diao in the novel have no corresponding record in the historical sources; they are literary creations by Luo Guanzhong to enrich the story. c:1
Key Relationships
In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Chang Diao's key relationships center on his military duties within the Cao Wei camp. With the Wei sovereign Cao Rui he stood in a lord-and-subject relationship, charged with resisting the assault of Shu Han. c:1 On the battlefield, together with Cao Zhen, Guo Huai, and other Cao Wei generals, he confronted the great Shu Han army led by Zhuge Liang. c:1 This collegial relationship meant that Chang Diao did not stand in isolation in the novel but functioned as one link in the Wei military system. In addition, he stood in direct hostility to the Shu Han general Wei Yan, the two having crossed blades on the battlefield—a typical adversarial relationship. c:1 (novel only) These relationships together form Chang Diao's social network and military positioning in the novel, though none of them are recorded in the histories. c:3
Iconic Scene
Chang Diao's most iconic scene in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is undoubtedly his clash on the battlefield with the famed Shu Han general Wei Yan. c:1 In Chapter 85, when Zhuge Liang campaigned northward and the great Shu Han army reached the walls, Chang Diao, as one of the Wei generals, was ordered into battle. His engagement with Wei Yan is the novel's direct display of Chang Diao's martial skill and courage. c:1 Although the final outcome may not have been favorable, this scene clearly shapes Chang Diao into the image of a general who dared to face a powerful foe. c:1 It must be stressed, however, that this stirring duel is entirely a literary creation of Romance of the Three Kingdoms; no record of a clash between Chang Diao and Wei Yan is to be found in any official source. c:3 (novel only) This scene is thus not only Chang Diao's high point in the novel but also a clear illustration of the difference between novel and history—namely that the novel, for the sake of dramatic plot and characterization, engages in a great deal of invention and embellishment. c:1
Relationships
2 relationships
Chapters2 回 ▸
- 史ch.56
- 演ch.85
Life events1 ▸
- 0222-01-01 · RuxuBattle of Ruxu· Killed in action