Zhang Nan

Historical Record

Zhang Nan, courtesy name Wenjin, was a native of Nan Commandery who in his early years followed Liu Bei into Shu. In Liu Bei's faction he served as a commanding general. In the 24th year of the Jian'an era (219 CE), after Liu Bei proclaimed himself King of Hanzhong, in the first year of the Zhangwu era (221 CE) Liu Bei launched the Battle of Xiaoting, campaigning east against Eastern Wu to avenge the killing of Guan Yu. Zhang Nan was ordered to accompany Liu Bei on the campaign and led troops into battle. In the second month of the second year of Zhangwu (222 CE), Liu Bei personally led his generals to advance from Zigui, cutting roads along the mountains, and camped at Xiaoting in Yidao. In the sixth month of that year, Lu Xun routed Liu Bei's army at Xiaoting, and Zhang Nan, together with Feng Xi and other generals, died in this battle ^c:1632.

Volume 45 of the Records of the Three Kingdoms clearly records: "Wenjin's name was Nan; he too followed the Former Lord from Jing Province into Shu, led troops in the Former Lord's campaign against Wu, and died together with [Feng] Xi." ^c:1633 This passage confirms Zhang Nan's identity, his experience of following Liu Bei into Shu, and his end, dying together with Feng Xi at the Battle of Xiaoting. The historical record of Zhang Nan is relatively brief, focusing mainly on his participation in the Battle of Xiaoting and his final sacrifice, without describing in detail his life and deeds or specific military performance, nor mentioning any lines of dialogue.

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Zhang Nan's image is given more dramatic color and differs markedly from the historical record. The novel's Zhang Nan did not serve Liu Bei from the start but appears as a general under Yuan Shao. After the Battle of Guandu, when Yuan Shao's power collapsed, Zhang Nan surrendered to Cao Cao together with Jiao Chu ^c:5275. At the Battle of Changban, Zhang Nan, together with Jiao Chu, Ma Yan, and Zhang Yi (Zhang Yi 张顗), all four pursued Zhao Yun in an attempt to intercept him as he rescued his lord. Zhao Yun fought the four generals amid the chaotic army and finally broke through and got away ^c:5276.

On the eve of the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhang Nan and Jiao Chu appear again. When Cao Cao reviewed his navy on the bank of the Yangtze, Zhang Nan and Jiao Chu volunteered, requesting the loan of twenty patrol boats to prove that northern soldiers too could fight aboard ships ^c:5277. However, in the subsequent naval battle, Zhang Nan and Jiao Chu encountered the Wu generals Han Dang and Zhou Tai. Jiao Chu was stabbed to death by Han Dang, while Zhang Nan was killed when Zhou Tai leaped aboard his vessel and cut him down with one blow into the water ^c:1634.

Zhang Nan's end in the novel is entirely different from the historical record. In history Zhang Nan was a general of Liu Bei who died for Shu Han at the Battle of Xiaoting; in the novel he is first a general under Yuan Shao, then surrenders to Cao Cao, and is finally slain by Wu generals at the Battle of Red Cliffs. In addition, against the backdrop of the Battle of Xiaoting, the novel invents an episode in which Zhang Nan, Feng Xi, Wu Ban, and others plot a raid on the enemy camp ^c:10404, with Zhang Nan and Feng Xi finally dying under the converging attack of Wu troops amid the chaos ^c:5278. This overlaps with the historical record of him dying as a Shu Han general at the Battle of Xiaoting, but the specific plot and background identity are utterly different.

Key Relationships

* Liu Bei's faction (serves): In history, Zhang Nan was an important general of Liu Bei's faction who followed Liu Bei into Shu and served and died for Shu Han at the Battle of Xiaoting ^c:1633.
* Lu Xun (dies_in): At the Battle of Xiaoting, Lu Xun commanded the Wu army to rout Liu Bei, and Zhang Nan died in this battle, directly or indirectly at the hands of the Wu army led by Lu Xun ^c:1632.
* Liu Bei (dies_in): Zhang Nan died in the Battle of Xiaoting during Liu Bei's eastern campaign against Eastern Wu, one of the generals who sacrificed himself for Liu Bei's faction ^c:1632.
* Feng Xi (comrade): In the historical record, Zhang Nan died together with Feng Xi at the Battle of Xiaoting ^c:1632. In the novel, the two also discuss military affairs together in the later phase of the Battle of Xiaoting and finally die together amid the chaos ^c:10404.
* Jiao Chu (comrade): Novel only. In the novel, Zhang Nan and Jiao Chu were generals under Yuan Shao, who later surrendered to Cao Cao together and fought side by side at the Battle of Changban and the Battle of Red Cliffs ^c:5275.
* Cao Wei (defected_to): Novel only. In the novel, after the collapse of Yuan Shao's power, Zhang Nan surrendered to Cao Cao together with Jiao Chu, becoming a general of the Cao Wei camp ^c:5275.
* Han Dang (killed_by): Novel only. At the Battle of Red Cliffs, Jiao Chu was stabbed to death by Han Dang, and Zhang Nan was then slain by Zhou Tai ^c:1634.
* Zhou Tai (killed_by): Novel only. In the naval battle at Red Cliffs, Zhang Nan was killed when Zhou Tai leaped aboard his vessel and cut him down with one blow into the water ^c:1634.

Iconic Scenes

* Death at the Battle of Xiaoting: This is Zhang Nan's most central iconic scene in history. As a general in Liu Bei's eastern campaign against Wu, he died together with Feng Xi and others in the battle at Xiaoting, giving his life for Shu Han ^c:1632.
* Surrender to Cao Cao: Novel only. After the decline of Yuan Shao's power, Zhang Nan, together with Jiao Chu, laid down his arms and surrendered to Cao Cao, and was enfeoffed as a full marquis—marking his change of identity in the novel ^c:5275.
* Pursuit of Zhao Yun at Changban: Novel only. Zhang Nan, together with Jiao Chu, Ma Yan, and Zhang Yi (张顗), all four pursued Zhao Yun at Changban in an attempt to prevent him from rescuing the infant Adou, displaying his valor as a general under Cao Cao ^c:5276.
* Slain in the naval battle at Red Cliffs: Novel only. At the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhang Nan and Jiao Chu volunteered to take up the naval challenge; in the end Jiao Chu was stabbed to death by Han Dang, and Zhang Nan was leaped upon and slain by Zhou Tai into the water, becoming one of the Cao generals who perished at Red Cliffs ^c:1634.
* Death by converging attack in the camp raid at Xiaoting: Novel only. In the later phase of the novel's Battle of Xiaoting, Zhang Nan, Feng Xi, and Wu Ban plotted a raid on the camp, but during the retreat were caught in a converging attack by the Wu army from front and rear and died amid the chaos ^c:5278.