Historical Record
Quan Yi's family enjoyed an illustrious standing in the state of Wu. His grand-aunt, a princess of Sun Quan, doted on Quan Yi's aunt, Lady Quan (Empress to Sun Liang). Lady Quan was the daughter of Quan Shang, and through the princess's recommendation she was able to marry Sun Liang and finally become empress. Quan Shang was thereupon appointed Colonel of the City Gates and enfeoffed as Marquis of Duting, later succeeding Teng Yin as Grand Master of Ceremonies and General of the Guard, advancing to Marquis of Yongping with charge of the Imperial Secretariat. At that time, five members of the Quan family were enfeoffed as marquises and held command of troops. In addition, several Quan kinsmen served as gentlemen-attendants and cavalry commandants, in charge of guarding the palace precincts. The illustrious standing of the Quan family of Wuxing Commandery as imperial in-laws was unrivaled c:4546. The fate of the Quan family, however, took a turn after the Wei general Zhuge Dan raised troops in revolt at Shouchun and submitted to Wu. During this time, Quan Yi, together with Quan Yi, Quan Duan, Quan Yi, and others, seized the opportunity to surrender en masse to Wei. Quan Xi was killed when his plot leaked, and the Quan family began to decline from then on. Later, Sun Chen deposed Sun Liang to King of Kuaiji, and Lady Quan was accordingly removed to Houguan. Quan Shang took his household and moved to Lingling, but was finally hunted down and put to death c:4546.
In the Novel
In the narrative of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Quan Yi's image is given greater dramatic color. He did not directly take part in Zhuge Dan's revolt, but rather, when the Wei army besieged Shouchun, as one of the Wu forces led troops into the city of Shouchun c:164. However, witnessing the overwhelming might of the Wei army and finding no way forward or back, he chose to surrender to Sima Zhao. Sima Zhao, moved by his submission, further enfeoffed Quan Yi as General of the Auxiliary. Grateful for Sima Zhao's kindness, Quan Yi wrote a letter urging his father Quan Duan and his uncle Quan Yi to surrender to Wei. In the family letter he pointed out Sun Chen's cruelty and advised that they would do better to surrender to Wei. This family letter was shot into the city, and on receiving it Quan Yi (the uncle) led several thousand men together with Quan Duan to open the gates and surrender c:164. This act left Zhuge Dan within the city anxious and depressed. His advisers Jiang Ban and Jiao Yi had advised sallying out for a decisive battle, but were angrily rebuked by Zhuge Dan and threatened with beheading. In the end, Jiang Ban and Jiao Yi climbed over the wall by night and surrendered to Wei, further weakening the resistance within Shouchun c:164. This act of Quan Yi's in the novel becomes the key link that prompts the members of the Quan family to surrender to Wei and hastens Zhuge Dan's defeat, differing from the historical record of Quan Yi surrendering to Wei together with Quan Yi, Quan Duan, and others, and placing greater emphasis on his personal initiative and influence in the persuasion to surrender.
Key Relationships
* Cao Wei (defected_to): Quan Yi finally surrendered to the Cao Wei polity, and in the novel was given heavy employment by Sima Zhao for his merit in persuading others to surrender c:164.
* Quan Yi (kin_of): Quan Yi's uncle, who in history surrendered to Wei together with Quan Yi c:4546. In the novel, Quan Yi wrote a family letter persuading Quan Yi to submit to Cao Wei c:164 (novel only).
* Quan Duan (kin_of): Quan Yi's father, who in history surrendered to Wei together with Quan Yi c:4546. In the novel, Quan Yi wrote a family letter persuading Quan Duan to submit to Cao Wei c:164 (novel only).
* Sima Zhao: In the novel, after surrendering Quan Yi was favored by Sima Zhao and enfeoffed as General of the Auxiliary c:164 (novel only).
* Sun Chen: In the novel, Quan Yi condemned Sun Chen's cruelty in his family letter, using this as grounds to persuade his father and uncle to surrender c:164 (novel only).
Iconic Scenes
* Surrendering to Wei: During Zhuge Dan's revolt at Shouchun, Quan Yi surrendered to Wei together with Quan Yi, Quan Duan, and others, an important historical turning point marking the decline of the Quan family c:4546.
* Writing a family letter to persuade his father and uncle to surrender to Wei: In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, grateful for Sima Zhao's kindness, Quan Yi wrote a family letter and had it shot into the city of Shouchun, urging his father Quan Duan and uncle Quan Yi to surrender to Wei. This letter directly brought about the surrender of Quan Duan and Quan Yi and had an important effect on the course of the battle at Shouchun c:164 (novel only).
* Enfeoffed by Sima Zhao as General of the Auxiliary: After surrendering to Wei, for his merit in persuading others to surrender Quan Yi was enfeoffed by Sima Zhao as General of the Auxiliary, reflecting his rise in standing within the Wei camp c:164 (novel only).
Relationships
2 relationships
Chapters2 回 ▸
- 史ch.50
- 演ch.112
Relationship timeline1 条 ▸
演 ch.112
- Quan Yi§5
kin_of
叔侄；祎修家书劝叔降魏
Inner monologues · AI-generated1 段 ▸
- My name is Quan Yi, and I was born into the Quan clan. I remember that in Wu, the Quan family rose to prominence through
Life events1 ▸
- 0258-01-01 · ShouchunLu Kang Goes to Shouchun to Aid Zhuge Dan· Warrior