Guanqiu Dian

Historical Record

Guanqiu Dian, styled Zibang, enjoyed considerable repute in the capital. He held the post of Attendant Censor for Documents and was the son of Guanqiu Jian, General Who Guards the East. Before his father Guanqiu Jian raised troops against Sima Shi, Guanqiu Dian already knew of the plot in advance. To avoid being implicated, he privately took his family and fled to Mount Ling at Xin'an. However, after Guanqiu Jian's defeat, the court dispatched troops to take Mount Ling, and Guanqiu Dian and his family did not escape. In the end, Guanqiu Jian's three clans were exterminated, and Guanqiu Dian thereby perished. According to the Shiyu, at the time the Prince of Qi, Cao Fang, was deposed, Guanqiu Dian counseled his father Guanqiu Jian: "You hold a heavy regional responsibility; if the state is overturned and you remain at ease guarding only yourself, you will bear the censure of all within the seas." Guanqiu Jian agreed with this. However, the Grand General Sima Shi detested Guanqiu Dian's character. At the outset of Guanqiu Jian's uprising, he inquired after the whereabouts of Qu Su, and held that if Qu Su would not come, nothing could be done. It is worth noting that when Guanqiu Jian raised troops, he sent his son Guanqiu Zong and three others to Wu. Later, in the Taikang era, after Wu was pacified, Guanqiu Zong and his brothers were able to return to the Central Plain. Guanqiu Zong, styled Ziren, had the bearing of his father Guanqiu Jian, and rose to be Administrator of Lingling. Guanqiu Zong's son Guanqiu Ao rose to be Army Supervisor of Badong and Inspector of Yi Province. Xi Zuochi once appraised Guanqiu Jian, holding that he was moved by Emperor Ming's grace in entrusting him with his last wishes, and therefore launched this action. Gentlemen held that, though Guanqiu Jian's affair did not succeed, he could be called a loyal subject. To exhaust one's heart and strength in rushing to righteousness is a personal act, while success or failure depends on opportunity. Without opportunity, how could success be certain? To forget oneself and not seek one's own success—this is precisely the manifestation of loyalty. The ancients had a saying: "Were the dead to live again, the living would feel no shame." Guanqiu Jian may be said to have had no cause for shame.

In the Novel

In the narrative of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Guanqiu Dian's image is given a more positive and active cast. He is portrayed as Guanqiu Jian's eldest son. In the first month of the second year of Zhengyuan of Wei, when his father Guanqiu Jian, hearing that Sima Shi had arbitrarily carried out the deposition and enthronement, was filled with indignation, Guanqiu Dian took the initiative to counsel him. He pointed out to his father: "Father, you hold a regional command. Sima Shi monopolizes power and deposes the ruler; the state is in peril as precarious as stacked eggs. How can you remain at ease guarding only yourself?" These words struck a chord with Guanqiu Jian, who at once declared: "My son's words are right." This episode has no clear basis in the histories and is a literary creation by the novel to shape the image of father and son resisting Sima Shi together. Thereafter, Guanqiu Jian adopted Guanqiu Dian's advice and conferred with the Inspector of Yangzhou, Wen Qin, on the matter of raising troops. In the novel, Guanqiu Dian's appearance directly propels the process of Guanqiu Jian's uprising against Sima Shi, making him one of the early advocates and instigators of this rebellion. In sharp contrast to his historical act of fleeing privately to save himself, the Guanqiu Dian of the novel is more like a far-sighted and responsible son, actively taking part in his father's political decisions.

Key Relationships

* Guanqiu Jian (kin_of): Guanqiu Dian is the eldest son of Guanqiu Jian. In historical fact, Guanqiu Dian knew of his father's plot before the uprising and fled privately to save himself. In the novel, however, he plays the role of actively counseling his father to raise troops, prompting Guanqiu Jian to resolve to resist Sima Shi (Novel only).

Signature Scenes

* Counseling His Father to Revolt Against Sima Shi: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, when Guanqiu Jian was enraged at Sima Shi's monopoly of power, Guanqiu Dian took the initiative to counsel him, pointing out that the state faced peril and that his father should not stand idly by, thereby firming Guanqiu Jian's resolve to raise troops (Novel only). This scene is Guanqiu Dian's most prominent moment in the novel, displaying his judgment of the situation and his influence over his father.
* Fleeing Privately to Mount Ling: In historical fact, Guanqiu Dian knew in advance that his father Guanqiu Jian was about to raise troops; to avoid being implicated, he privately took his family and fled to Mount Ling at Xin'an. However, after Guanqiu Jian's defeat, he ultimately did not escape, and was exterminated together with Guanqiu Jian's three clans. This scene reveals his struggle to survive in turbulent times and his ultimately tragic end.
* Appraisal of the Deposition of the Prince of Qi: According to the Shiyu, when the Prince of Qi, Cao Fang, was deposed, Guanqiu Dian counseled his father Guanqiu Jian that, holding an important post, he should not remain at ease guarding only himself when the state was being overturned, lest he bear the censure of all in the realm. This reflects Guanqiu Dian's keen insight into the political situation and his recognition of the family's responsibility.

Guanqiu Dian

Historical Record

In the Novel

Key Relationships

Signature Scenes

2 relationships

Family2

Lines

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