Jian Yong

Historical Record

Jian Yong, styled Xianhe, was a native of Zhuo Commandery. From his youth he was on good terms with Liu Bei and always followed at his side, sharing in many dealings together. When Liu Bei reached Jing Province, Jian Yong, along with Mi Zhu and Sun Qian, was appointed an Attendant Officer of the Household, his main duty being to serve as a negotiator, going back and forth among the various parties to convey missions.^[1]

When Liu Bei entered Yi Province, Liu Zhang was quite fond of Jian Yong. Later, when Liu Bei besieged Chengdu, Jian Yong was sent to persuade Liu Zhang. Liu Zhang at last accepted Jian Yong's persuasion and, sharing a single carriage with Jian Yong, came out of the city to submit to Liu Bei. Liu Bei thereupon appointed Jian Yong General Who Manifests Virtue.^[1]

Jian Yong's character was one of easy elegance and a temperament free, proud, and unrestrained. Even in Liu Bei's presence he could sprawl and lean at ease, heedless of decorum and at his own enjoyment. By contrast, those from Zhuge Liang on down would occupy a couch alone and recline propped on a headrest as they spoke, never feeling in the least constrained.^[1]

The histories also record Jian Yong's witticisms. Once, when the realm suffered a great drought and the court issued a prohibition on liquor, those who brewed wine were to be punished. Officials searched the homes of the people and found brewing vessels, and those debating the matter held that the owners should share the same guilt as the brewers. While out on an excursion with Liu Bei, Jian Yong saw a man and a woman walking on the road, and said to Liu Bei, "Those two mean to commit fornication—why not bind them up?" Liu Bei asked, "How do you know that?" Jian Yong replied, "They have the implements for fornication, just as those who mean to brew do." Liu Bei laughed heartily and pardoned those who had meant to brew. Jian Yong's witticisms were mostly of this kind.^[1]

After Liu Bei took Luocheng, he besieged Chengdu for several dozen days, and Liu Zhang at last came out to surrender. Shu thereby grew rich and joyful, and Liu Bei held a great feast for his soldiers, distributing the gold and silver of the city of Shu to his officers and men and returning their grain and silk. Thereafter Liu Bei took charge of Yi Province as Governor, with Zhuge Liang as his right arm, Fa Zheng as his chief strategist, and Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Ma Chao as his claws and fangs; while Xu Jing, Mi Zhu, and Jian Yong were ranked as his guests and friends.^[2]

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Jian Yong's image is further literarized upon the historical foundation, especially highlighting his role as Liu Bei's guest-retainer and envoy, with many specific episodes added. He first appears when Liu Bei was being attacked by Lü Bu at Xiaopei, when Jian Yong volunteered to go to Xu and report the emergency to Cao Cao to seek aid.^[3]

Later, when Cao Cao took Xiaopei and advanced his troops on Xu Province, Jian Yong and Mi Zhu, holding the city but unable to withstand the assault, had no choice but to abandon it and flee.^[4] During Liu Bei's sojourn with Yuan Shao, Jian Yong and Sun Qian together devised a plan to extricate Liu Bei, advising him to go to Jing Province on the pretext of persuading Liu Biao to join in breaking Cao Cao, and successfully persuaded Yuan Shao to let Liu Bei go with them.^[5],^[6]

After the Battle of Changban, Jian Yong, along with Sun Qian, Mi Fang, and others, escaped together with Liu Bei's household and reported to Liu Bei on the course of the battle.^[7] During Liu Bei's flight, Jian Yong once foretold an ill omen by divination and urged Liu Bei to abandon the common people and flee, but Liu Bei refused.^[8] As Zhao Yun searched for Liu Bei's household at Changban, he met the wounded Jian Yong, who told Zhao Yun the situation of the two ladies; Zhao Yun then arranged for someone to escort Jian Yong away first.^[9]

When Liu Bei allied with Eastern Wu to break Cao Cao together and Zhou Yu wished to invite Liu Bei to a meeting, Jian Yong was assigned by Liu Bei to hold E County.^[10] In the course of Liu Bei's entry into the Riverlands, Zhuge Liang led the main army in person, and Jian Yong went along with Jiang Wan and others.^[11]

The Romance gives a more vivid depiction of the episode of Jian Yong persuading Liu Zhang to surrender. On Liu Bei's order, Jian Yong entered the city to talk Liu Zhang into surrender; sitting in his carriage with a proud, disdainful air, he drew the displeasure of Qin Mi. Jian Yong stepped down from the carriage to meet him, won over Qin Mi with his eloquence, and at last successfully persuaded Liu Zhang to surrender. Liu Zhang personally bore his seals, cords, and registers and came out of the city to surrender in the same carriage as Jian Yong; Liu Bei came out of his camp to receive him, and, grasping Liu Zhang's hand, wept and said, "It is not that I do not practice benevolence and righteousness, but that circumstances leave me no choice."^[12] This episode greatly strengthens Jian Yong's image as a persuader and displays his character of "easy elegance, a temperament free, proud, and unrestrained."

Key Relationships

* Liu Bei's faction (serves): Jian Yong was an important member of Liu Bei's faction, long serving as guest-retainer, Attendant Officer of the Household, and the like, devising plans for Liu Bei and running about on his behalf.^[1]
* Liu Bei (friend_of): Jian Yong knew Liu Bei from boyhood, their relationship deep, and was a trusted intimate and guest-friend of Liu Bei.^[1],^[2]
* Liu Zhang (advises_in): When Liu Bei besieged Chengdu, Jian Yong was sent to persuade Liu Zhang and successfully induced him to surrender.^[1],^[12]
* Yuan Shao (betrayed_by): In the novel, Jian Yong and Sun Qian together devised a scheme, feigning to follow Liu Bei to Jing Province to persuade Liu Biao to break Cao Cao, but in fact helping Liu Bei escape Yuan Shao's control (novel only).^[5],^[6]
* Zhuge Liang (colleague_of): Jian Yong and Zhuge Liang were both right-arm subjects of Liu Bei, yet differed in temperament and style; the histories record that Jian Yong sprawled and leaned at ease in Liu Bei's presence, while those from Zhuge Liang on down occupied a couch alone and reclined on a headrest as they spoke, never feeling constrained.^[1]

Signature Scenes

* Persuading Liu Zhang to Surrender: This is given heavy emphasis in both the histories and the novel. Sent by Liu Bei, Jian Yong successfully persuaded Liu Zhang to surrender and came out of the city in the same carriage to submit, displaying his outstanding powers of persuasion and his important standing within Liu Bei's faction.^[1],^[12]
* A Witty Remonstrance over the Liquor Prohibition: With his distinctive humor and wit, through the analogy that "they have the implements, just as those who mean to brew do," Jian Yong successfully persuaded Liu Bei to pardon the people who faced punishment merely because brewing vessels were found in their homes, reflecting his character of "easy elegance, a temperament free, proud, and unrestrained" and his witty side.^[1]
* The Scheme to Escape Yuan Shao: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Jian Yong and Sun Qian together devised a plan for Liu Bei, using the pretext of persuading Liu Biao to break Cao Cao to successfully help Liu Bei slip free of Yuan Shao's control, displaying his resourcefulness and loyalty to Liu Bei (novel only).^[5],^[6]
* Peril at Changban: At the Battle of Changban, Jian Yong was wounded and lay in the grass, later rescued by Zhao Yun, to whom he told the whereabouts of the two ladies; this episode highlights the cruelty of war and shows from the side that Jian Yong, as Liu Bei's intimate, was still with Liu Bei's household at the moment of peril (novel only).^[9]
* Reporting the Emergency to Seek Aid at Xu Province: In the Romance, when Liu Bei was attacked by Lü Bu at Xiaopei, Jian Yong volunteered to go to Xu and report the emergency to Cao Cao to seek aid—an important demonstration of his running about for Liu Bei as a guest-retainer (novel only).^[3]