Quan Shang

Historical Record

Quan Shang was an important figure of the state of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, his daughter being the empress of Sun Liang. The Quan family rose to prominence because of his daughter becoming empress. According to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, Quan Shang's great-aunt, a princess, was very fond of his daughter and would bring her along whenever she went to attend on Sun Quan. Later, when Lady Pan and her son found favor, the Princess Quan, because of a quarrel with the mother of Sun He, persuaded Sun Quan to betroth Sun Liang, Lady Pan's son, to Quan Shang's daughter, and Sun Liang was thereby established as heir apparent ^c:4537.

After Sun Liang ascended the throne, Quan Shang's daughter was made empress, and Quan Shang himself thereby attained a very high standing. He was appointed Colonel of the City Gates and enfeoffed as Marquis of Duting. Subsequently he succeeded Teng Yin as Grand Master of Ceremonies and General of the Guard, was further enfeoffed as Marquis of Yongping, and was placed in charge of the affairs of the Imperial Secretariat, ranking among the chief offices of the court ^c:4537. At the time, five members of the Quan family in all were enfeoffed as marquises, and all held military authority. Many others in the family served as Gentlemen Attendants, Commandants of Cavalry, and the like, standing guard at the sovereign's side. The power and prominence of the Quan family were unmatched in the Wuxing region, making them the most prominent imperial in-laws of Wu at the time ^c:4537.

However, the prominence of the Quan family did not last long. After the Wei general Zhuge Dan raised troops in rebellion at Shouchun and surrendered to Wu, members of Quan Shang's clan—Quan Yi, Quan Duan, Quan Yi, Quan Yi, and others—seized the chance to surrender to Wei. After Quan Xi's plot to rebel was leaked, he was killed, which led to the decline of the Quan family ^c:4537. Later, the powerful minister Sun Chen deposed Sun Liang, demoting him to Prince of Kuaiji and then lowering him further to Marquis of Houguan. Quan Shang's daughter, as empress, went with Sun Liang to live at Houguan. Quan Shang himself, taking his household, relocated to Lingling, but was in the end pursued and killed on the way. The Wulu adds that Sun Liang's wife was intelligent and comely; she lived at Houguan and was only able to return to her home town after Wu was pacified, dying in the Yongning era ^c:4537.

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Quan Shang's image centers chiefly on the power struggle between Sun Liang and Sun Chen, his end being roughly the same as in history, but with embellishment and dramatization in the details. In the novel, Quan Shang is Sun Liang's imperial in-law, and his son Quan Ji serves as a Yellow Gate Attendant at Sun Liang's side ^c:158.

The novel depicts Sun Liang, discontented with Sun Chen's domineering and arbitrary killings, weeping his grievances to Quan Ji and planning to do away with Sun Chen. Sun Liang secretly ordered Quan Ji to muster the palace guards and, together with General Liu Cheng, to guard the city gates, while he himself would go out of the palace in person to kill Sun Chen. Sun Liang specially enjoined Quan Ji that this matter must on no account be let known to his mother (Quan Shang's wife, Sun Chen's elder sister), lest it leak ^c:158. However, after receiving the secret order and returning home, Quan Ji secretly told his father Quan Shang. On learning of this, Quan Shang said to his wife: "Within three days Sun Chen will be killed." His wife outwardly assented, but privately sent a man with a letter to inform Sun Chen of the matter ^c:158.

On learning the news, Sun Chen flew into a rage; that very night he gathered his four brothers, mustered crack troops, first surrounded the palace, and at the same time seized Quan Shang, Liu Cheng, and their households. Early the next morning, Sun Liang heard gold and drums thundering outside the palace gates, and the attendants reported that Sun Chen had led troops to surround the inner court. Sun Liang flew into a rage, reproaching Empress Quan (Quan Shang's daughter) that her father and brother had ruined his great undertaking, and drew his sword and was about to go out. Empress Quan and the Palace Attendants and close ministers clung to his clothes and wept, refusing to let him go out ^c:158. Sun Chen then first killed Quan Shang, Liu Cheng, and the others, then assembled the civil and military officials at court and proclaimed the deposition of Sun Liang. In the end, Sun Liang was deposed to Prince of Kuaiji and departed weeping ^c:158. In the novel, Quan Shang's killing is part of Sun Chen's action to depose Sun Liang, and his wife's act of informing is the key factor leading to the ruin of the Quan family—something not clearly recorded in the historical sources.

Key Relationships

* Sun Quan's Faction (serves): Quan Shang began his career as early as Sun Quan's time and reached the peak of his power under Sun Liang, holding key offices such as Grand Master of Ceremonies, General of the Guard, and Director of the Imperial Secretariat ^c:4537.
* Quan Ji (parent_of): Quan Shang's son, who in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms serves as a Yellow Gate Attendant and is a participant in Sun Liang's plot to do away with Sun Chen ^c:158.
* Sun Liang (father-in-law of): Quan Shang's daughter was Sun Liang's empress, by which Quan Shang became an imperial in-law of prominent standing ^c:4537.
* The Quan Family (patriarch of): Quan Shang was an important member of the Quan family, whose family held sway for a time because his daughter became empress, with five members enfeoffed as marquises and in command of troops ^c:4537.
* Sun Chen (antagonist): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sun Chen is Quan Shang's political opponent, who in the end, because of the informing by Quan Shang's wife, struck first, killing Quan Shang and deposing Sun Liang ^c:158.
* Quan Shang's Wife (wife): In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Quan Shang's wife is Sun Chen's elder sister, and her act of informing directly led to Quan Shang's death and Sun Liang's deposition (novel only) ^c:158.

Signature Scenes

* His Daughter Made Empress, the Family Prominent: Quan Shang's daughter, through the Princess Quan's persuasion, was betrothed by Sun Quan to Sun Liang, and was made empress after Sun Liang ascended the throne. Quan Shang was thereby enfeoffed as Marquis of Duting and Marquis of Yongping, serving as Grand Master of Ceremonies, General of the Guard, and Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and the Quan family thereby held sway over the court, with five members enfeoffed as marquises and holding military authority ^c:4537.
* The Failed Plot to Kill Sun Chen: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sun Liang plotted together with Quan Ji and Quan Shang, father and son, to kill the domineering Sun Chen. However, after Quan Shang told his wife of the matter, his wife, being Sun Chen's elder sister, informed on them, so that Sun Chen struck first, surrounded the palace, and finally killed Quan Shang ^c:158.
* Killed by Sun Chen: Whether in history or the novel, Quan Shang in the end died at Sun Chen's hands. History records that Quan Shang, taking his household, relocated to Lingling and was pursued and killed on the way ^c:4537. The novel describes in detail how Sun Chen, on learning of the plot, acted swiftly, first killing Quan Shang, Liu Cheng, and the others, then deposing Sun Liang ^c:158. This incident marked the complete decline of the Quan family on the political stage of Wu.