Shen Dan

Historical Record

Shen Dan, styled Yiju, originally gathered several thousand households in the region of Xiping and Shangyong. He once had ties with Zhang Lu, and later sent envoys to Cao Cao, who therefore granted him a general's title and had him serve as Commandant of Shangyong ^c:6000. At the end of the Jian'an era, the Shu Han side launched an attack on Shangyong, and Shen Dan led his people in submission to Shu Han. After Liu Bei pacified Yi Province, he sent Meng Da to attack Fangling northward from Zigui; the Grand Administrator of Fangling, Kuai Qi, was killed by Meng Da's subordinates. Meng Da then prepared to attack Shangyong; considering that Meng Da would find it hard to manage alone, Liu Bei sent Liu Feng from Hanzhong down the Mian River to join Meng Da at Shangyong. At this point, the Grand Administrator of Shangyong, Shen Dan, led his people in surrender and sent his wife, children, and clan to Chengdu ^c:5999.

Liu Bei therefore promoted Shen Dan to General Who Conquers the North, kept him as Grand Administrator of Shangyong, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Yuanxiang. At the same time, Shen Dan's younger brother Shen Yi was appointed General Who Establishes Trust and Grand Administrator of Xicheng. When Guan Yu besieged Fancheng and Xiangyang, he repeatedly summoned Liu Feng and Meng Da to send troops in support, but Liu Feng and Meng Da, on the grounds that the mountain commandery had only just submitted and should not be lightly shaken, failed to heed Guan Yu's order. After Guan Yu's defeat, Liu Bei was deeply displeased by this. Moreover, because of a quarrel between Liu Feng and Meng Da, Liu Feng seized Meng Da's ceremonial band; Meng Da, both fearing punishment and resenting Liu Feng, then submitted a memorial taking leave of Liu Bei and led his people in surrender to Cao Wei ^c:5999.

After Meng Da surrendered to Wei, Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi, admired his talent and looks, appointing him Cavalier Attendant-in-Ordinary and General Who Establishes Valor, enfeoffing him as Marquis of Pingyang Precinct, and merging the three commanderies of Fangling, Shangyong, and Xicheng into Xincheng Commandery, with Meng Da as Grand Administrator of Xincheng. Cao Wei also sent the General Who Conquers the South, Xiahou Shang, and the General of the Right, Xu Huang, together with Meng Da to attack Liu Feng ^c:5999. In the course of this, Shen Yi betrayed Liu Feng, causing Liu Feng to be defeated and flee back to Chengdu. Shen Dan too surrendered to Cao Wei; Cao Wei granted Shen Dan the post of General Who Gathers and Settles and moved his residence to Nanyang. Shen Yi was appointed Grand Administrator of Weixing, enfeoffed as Marquis of Yuanxiang, and garrisoned at Xunkou ^c:6000.

In the Novel

In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, Shen Dan's image differs from history, and his deeds are given more dramatic color. He first appears when Liu Bei took Shangyong. Liu Bei ordered Liu Feng, Meng Da, Wang Ping, and others to take the commanderies of Shangyong; hearing that Cao Cao had already abandoned Hanzhong and withdrawn, Shen Dan and the others led their people in surrender ^c:6001. Liu Bei therefore promoted Liu Feng to Deputy General to garrison Shangyong together with Meng Da, while Shen Dan continued as Grand Administrator of Shangyong ^c:6002.

When Guan Yu was defeated at Maicheng, Liao Hua came to Shangyong to seek aid, requesting Liu Feng and Meng Da to send troops to the rescue. But Liu Feng and Meng Da refused to send troops on the grounds that "the mountain commandery has only just submitted and cannot be shaken" (the novel does not explicitly mention Shen Dan's stance in this affair, but as Grand Administrator of Shangyong he was indirectly party to the decision). This episode accords with the historical record of Liu Feng and Meng Da refusing to rescue Guan Yu, but the novel concretizes it into the scene of Liao Hua's appeal for aid ^c:6002.

Because Meng Da was at odds with Liu Feng and feared that Liu Bei would call him to account for not rescuing Guan Yu, he conceived the intent to surrender to Wei. In the novel, Meng Da consulted the two brothers Shen Dan and Shen Yi about going over to Wei. The Shen brothers said that they too had long wished to go over to Wei, and advised Meng Da to write a memorial taking leave of Liu Bei and going over to Cao Pi, and that the two of them would surrender afterward ^c:2875. Meng Da heeded their plan and led his people over to Wei. Afterward, when Liu Feng was ordered to attack Meng Da, the Shen brothers rebelled atop the wall of Shangyong, and Shen Dan cried out, "I have already surrendered to Wei!", refusing Liu Feng entry into the city ^c:12868. This episode accords with the historical record of Shen Yi betraying Liu Feng and Shen Dan surrendering to Wei, but the novel depicts it in a more direct and dramatic manner.

When Meng Da wished to rebel against Wei and go over to Shu, Shen Dan and Shen Yi again played a key role. Meng Da invited Shen Dan and Shen Yi to rise together, but the two feigned agreement while secretly drilling their troops, awaiting the arrival of the Wei army to act as inside agents ^c:6004. In the end, when Sima Yi's great army surrounded the city, Shen Dan and Shen Yi cut in from outside the city and reviled Meng Da as a "traitor"; Shen Dan even speared Meng Da from his horse and took his head ^c:2876. This ending differs from the historical record of Shen Yi exposing Meng Da and causing his death; in the novel Shen Dan directly took part in killing Meng Da, greatly strengthening his image as a betrayer.

Key Relationships

* Shu Han (serves): Shen Dan first gathered a following in the Shangyong region, then surrendered to Shu Han when Liu Bei attacked Shangyong, and was appointed by Liu Bei as General Who Conquers the North and Grand Administrator of Shangyong ^c:5999.
* Cao Wei (defected_to): After Liu Feng and Meng Da fell out and Meng Da surrendered to Wei, Shen Dan too surrendered to Cao Wei and was granted the post of General Who Gathers and Settles ^c:6000. In the novel, Shen Dan repeatedly acted as a betrayer of Meng Da, ultimately causing Meng Da's death ^c:2876.
* Meng Da (advises_in): In the novel, Shen Dan had a complex relationship with Meng Da. He once advised Meng Da to go over to Wei ^c:2875, then feigned cooperation when Meng Da wished to rebel against Wei, ultimately betraying and killing Meng Da ^c:2876.
* Liu Feng (adversary): After the quarrel between Liu Feng and Meng Da, Shen Dan chose to betray Liu Feng and surrender to Cao Wei, and refused Liu Feng entry into the city when Liu Feng attacked Shangyong ^c:12868.
* Shen Yi (brother): Shen Dan's younger brother; in both history and the novel the two acted together, surrendering jointly to Shu Han and then jointly to Cao Wei, and playing similar roles in the affair of Meng Da ^c:6000.

Signature Scenes

* Surrendering to Shu Han, Appointed Grand Administrator of Shangyong: At the end of the Jian'an era, Liu Bei sent Liu Feng and Meng Da to attack Shangyong; Shen Dan led his people in surrender, and Liu Bei promoted him to General Who Conquers the North, kept him as Grand Administrator of Shangyong, and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Yuanxiang ^c:5999. This event marks Shen Dan's formal entry onto the historical stage of the Three Kingdoms and his brief service under Shu Han.
* Surrendering to Cao Wei with Meng Da: After Liu Feng and Meng Da fell out and Meng Da surrendered to Cao Wei, Shen Dan too surrendered, and was granted by Cao Wei the post of General Who Gathers and Settles ^c:6000. This turn established Shen Dan's standing in the Cao Wei camp.
* Betraying and Assassinating Meng Da in the Novel: In *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, when Meng Da wished to rebel against Wei and go over to Shu, he invited Shen Dan and Shen Yi to rise together. However, Shen Dan and Shen Yi feigned agreement while secretly colluding with Sima Yi. In the end, when Sima Yi besieged Xincheng, Shen Dan cut in from outside the city and personally speared Meng Da from his horse, taking his head ^c:2876. This scene is Shen Dan's most dramatic and decisive moment in the novel, vividly portraying his fickle, ally-betraying image; though differing from the historical episode of Shen Yi exposing Meng Da, it points to the same final outcome of Meng Da's death.