He Yan

Historical Record

He Yan, styled Pingshu, was a grandson of the Han Grand General He Jin; his mother, Lady Yin, later became a consort of Cao Cao. ^c:115 He Yan grew up in the palace from childhood, married a princess, and was known in his youth for his outstanding talent. He was especially fond of the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi, and authored the "Treatise on the Way and Virtue" along with several dozen other essays and rhapsodies. ^c:115 According to the Weilüe, when Cao Cao was Minister of Works he adopted He Yan, who together with A Su (i.e. Cao Lang), the son of Qin Yilu, enjoyed his favor and was treated like one of his own sons. He Yan, however, was flamboyant by nature, and his attire often resembled that of the heir apparent, which earned him the dislike of Cao Pi, who habitually called him "the false son" rather than by his surname. During the Huangchu era, He Yan was not given important office. Under Emperor Ming he held various idle posts. Only in the early Zhengshi era, having become close to Cao Shuang, was he promoted by Cao Shuang for his talent to cavalier attendant, and later transferred to palace attendant and master of writing. ^c:115

While serving as master of writing, He Yan was in charge of personnel selection, and promoted many of his old associates. He was known for his flamboyant nature; the histories record that "in stillness or in motion the white powder never left his hand, and as he walked he glanced at his own shadow." ^c:115 In politics, He Yan once submitted the essay "On Governing the State Well," stressing that a ruler should choose upright gentlemen as companions and keep flatterers at a distance so as to promote the right way, and advising that when the emperor favored the Shiqian Hall or roamed the rear garden, he should have ministers in attendance to also tend to affairs of state, so as to set an example for later generations. ^c:7051

He Yan once consulted Guan Lu, asking whether he could rise to the rank of the Three Excellencies, and mentioning a strange dream in which green flies gathered on his nose. Guan Lu gave a reply with a cautionary character, pointing out that he held "rank heavy as the mountains, power like thunder and lightning, yet few cherish his virtue and many fear his might — this is hardly the careful, fortune-blessed benevolence of a prudent man," and hinting that "those whose rank towers fall, and those who are haughty perish." ^c:7048 Guan Lu's prophecy was borne out after He Yan's execution. When the Lord Protector Sima Yi was destroying the Cao Shuang faction, he had He Yan handle the case; He Yan investigated the partisans exhaustively, hoping thereby to escape blame. When Sima Yi asked who else was involved, He Yan finally realized that he too was among them, and was thereupon arrested. ^c:115

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, He Yan is portrayed as one of the core members of the Cao Shuang faction, known for his flamboyant nature and pursuit of power. ^c:116 He, together with Deng Yang, Li Sheng, Ding Mi, and Bi Gui, was reckoned among "the five who esteemed each other for ostentation." ^c:116 In the novel, He Yan actively devised schemes for Cao Shuang; he advised Cao Shuang not to entrust supreme power to Sima Yi lest it breed future trouble, reminding Cao Shuang that Sima Yi had once caused his father Cao Zhen such grief that he died of it. ^c:116 This prompted Cao Shuang to elevate Sima Yi to Grand Tutor and strip him of his military authority, thus laying the groundwork for the later Incident at the Gaoping Tombs.

The novel also emphasizes He Yan's exchange with Guan Lu. He asked Guan Lu whether he could rise to the Three Excellencies and about the omen of green flies gathering on his nose; Guan Lu's reply is largely consistent with the historical record, but in the novel Deng Yang shows contempt for Guan Lu's words as "the platitudes of an old pedant," to which Guan Lu responds, "I speak with dead men — what is there to fear?" and analyzes in detail the "ghostly gloom" of He Yan and the "ghostly agitation" of Deng Yang, foretelling the disaster that would befall them. ^c:7044 The novel's depiction of Guan Lu's prophecy further heightens the tragic fate of He Yan and his associates and endows Guan Lu with extraordinary insight, details not so embellished in the histories.

Key Relationships

* Member of the Cao Shuang faction: He Yan was one of the core figures of the Cao Shuang faction, keeping company with the "ostentation-esteeming" men Deng Yang, Ding Mi, Li Sheng, and Bi Gui, jointly assisting Cao Shuang and devising political schemes for him. ^c:116
* Cao Shuang's strategist: He Yan devised plans for Cao Shuang, urging him not to entrust supreme power to Sima Yi, directly driving Cao Shuang's move to hollow out Sima Yi's military authority. ^c:116 (unique to the novel)
* Official of Cao Wei: He Yan held posts such as cavalier attendant, palace attendant, and master of writing in the Cao Wei regime, taking charge of personnel selection. ^c:115
* Exchange with Guan Lu: He Yan once consulted Guan Lu about his official career and his dream omen, and Guan Lu's prophecy pointed directly to He Yan's tragic end. ^c:7048
* Opposition to Sima Yi: As a core member of the Cao Shuang faction, He Yan stood opposed to Sima Yi in the power struggle. In the end, Sima Yi executed He Yan after the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs. ^c:115

Signature Scenes

* Submitting "On Governing the State Well": He Yan once submitted the essay "On Governing the State Well," stressing that a ruler should draw near worthy ministers and keep flatterers at a distance, and advising that the emperor should attend to affairs of state even in his daily activities, as a model for all ages. ^c:7051 This reflects his thinking, as a court official, on the governance of the state, even though his own conduct was somewhat at odds with it.
* Asking Guan Lu "Can I reach the Three Excellencies?" and "What does the omen of green flies on my nose portend?": He Yan asked Guan Lu whether he could rise to the Three Excellencies and about the omen of dreaming of green flies gathering on his nose. ^c:7048 This scene not only shows He Yan's craving for power and anxiety over his own fate, but also, through Guan Lu's prophecy, foreshadows his ultimate tragic end. Guan Lu's answer — "those whose rank towers fall, and those who are haughty perish" ^c:7048 — became a precise foretelling of He Yan's destiny.
* Urging Cao Shuang to hollow out Sima Yi: In the novel, He Yan counsels Cao Shuang, pointing out Sima Yi's potential threat to Cao Wei, and successfully persuades Cao Shuang to strip Sima Yi of his military authority. ^c:116 (unique to the novel) This episode directly precipitated the Incident at the Gaoping Tombs, demonstrating He Yan's political influence in the novel.
* Arrested by Sima Yi: When Sima Yi was destroying the Cao Shuang faction, he assigned He Yan to handle the case; He Yan investigated the partisans exhaustively in an attempt to save himself. In the end, however, Sima Yi pointed out that He Yan too was one of the partisans, and had him arrested. ^c:115 This scene ironically displays He Yan's fate and underscores Sima Yi's political cunning.