Yan Liang
Encyclopedia
Yan Liang was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shao
during the late Han Dynasty
period of Chinese history
. He was slain by Guan Yu
at the Battle of Boma
.
's Records of Three Kingdoms
, in the biographies of Yuan Shao, Guan Yu, and Cao Cao
. It was implied that Yan was one of the higher-ranking generals under Yuan Shao.
In 200, Yuan mustered an army boasting 100,000 in strength and declared to march on Xuchang
, the new capital and base city of Cao Cao. To ensure a safe crossing of the Yellow River
, he intended to send Yan to attack Boma (northeast of present day Huaxian, Henan
) and set a foothold on the southern bank of the river, but advisor Ju Shou
's counsel that Yan was too frivolous to handle the responsibility alone. Thus, Guo Tu
and Chunyu Qiong
were sent to oversee Yan's operation. Before Ju was stripped of power, he was responsible for the whole army. Yuan later divided Ju's command into three hands: Ju, Guo Tao, and Chunyu were appointed military commanders.
In a counter-tactic, Cao Cao moved his main force westwards along the Yellow River, diverting Yuan Shao's army in the same direction, but sent Guan Yu and Zhang Liao
east to relieve the attack on Boma. During the ensuing battle, Yan's chariot was identified by Guan, and was subsequently killed by the latter, his severed head was also brought as a token.
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
, Yuan Shao gave high praise to Yan's prowess in battle. Faced with the indomitable enemy Hua Xiong
, Yuan lamented, "If I had either Yan Liang or Wen Chou
here, I would have nothing to fear."
This comment foreshadows the first appearance of Yan in chapter 25, where he was deployed by Yuan Shao as commander of a vanguard force to take Boma in a conflict with rival warlord Cao Cao. Cao quickly drew a light force and came to its defense. True to his lord's compliments, Yan slew two of Cao's generals, Song Xian
and Wei Xu
, in duels on the first day of encounter.
As suggested by his advisor Cheng Yu
, Cao then summoned Guan Yu
, whose service he had for the time being. The next day, as Yan's army lined up on the battlefield, Guan sat with Cao on a hilltop and looked down. From afar he saw Yan sitting on a chariot under the army standard. Leaping onto the Red Hare
, Guan galloped straight into the enemy ranks, which broke before him like waves before a swift vessel. Before Yan could fight back, he was struck down by Guan. Guan severed Yan's head, tied it to the neck of his steed, and rode back unhindered.
Yuan Shao
Yuan Shao was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He occupied the northern territories of China during the civil war that occurred towards the end of the Han Dynasty and the beginning of the Three Kingdoms era...
during the late Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. He was slain by Guan Yu
Guan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
at the Battle of Boma
Battle of Boma
The Battle of Boma or Battle of Baima was the first of a series of battles that led to the decisive Battle of Guandu between the warlords Yuan Shao and Cao Cao in northern China during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
.
Biography
Little is known about Yan's life. The only historical records about him could be found in Chen ShouChen Shou
Chen Shou was a historian during the Jin Dynasty period of Chinese history. He is best known as the author of Records of Three Kingdoms, a historical account of the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms period.-Biography:...
's Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms
Records of Three Kingdoms , is regarded as the official and authoritative historical text on the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history covering the years 184-280 CE. Written by Chen Shou in the 3rd century, the work combines the smaller histories of the rival states of Cao Wei , Shu Han and...
, in the biographies of Yuan Shao, Guan Yu, and Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
. It was implied that Yan was one of the higher-ranking generals under Yuan Shao.
In 200, Yuan mustered an army boasting 100,000 in strength and declared to march on Xuchang
Xuchang
Xuchang is a prefecture-level city in central Henan province in Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the northwest, Kaifeng to the northeast, Zhoukou to the east, Luohe to the southeast, and Pingdingshan to the southwest....
, the new capital and base city of Cao Cao. To ensure a safe crossing of the Yellow River
Yellow River
The Yellow River or Huang He, formerly known as the Hwang Ho, is the second-longest river in China and the sixth-longest in the world at the estimated length of . Originating in the Bayan Har Mountains in Qinghai Province in western China, it flows through nine provinces of China and empties into...
, he intended to send Yan to attack Boma (northeast of present day Huaxian, Henan
Henan
Henan , is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "豫" , named after Yuzhou , a Han Dynasty state that included parts of Henan...
) and set a foothold on the southern bank of the river, but advisor Ju Shou
Ju Shou
Ju Shou was an advisor serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.-Biography:Ju Shou was considered to be one of the most brilliant advisors of Yuan Shao and often gave honest and loyal advice to Yuan, who ignored him most of the time since they often...
's counsel that Yan was too frivolous to handle the responsibility alone. Thus, Guo Tu
Guo Tu
Guo Tu was an advisor to the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Yuan often sought his advice for civil and military decisions.-Serving Yuan Shao:...
and Chunyu Qiong
Chunyu Qiong
Chunyu Qiong was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He played a significant part in the Battle of Guandu in 200.-Biography:...
were sent to oversee Yan's operation. Before Ju was stripped of power, he was responsible for the whole army. Yuan later divided Ju's command into three hands: Ju, Guo Tao, and Chunyu were appointed military commanders.
In a counter-tactic, Cao Cao moved his main force westwards along the Yellow River, diverting Yuan Shao's army in the same direction, but sent Guan Yu and Zhang Liao
Zhang Liao
Zhang Liao was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and early Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He participated in many campaigns, including those against Yuan Shao's clan and the Wuhuan tribes...
east to relieve the attack on Boma. During the ensuing battle, Yan's chariot was identified by Guan, and was subsequently killed by the latter, his severed head was also brought as a token.
In fiction
In Luo GuanzhongLuo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, Yuan Shao gave high praise to Yan's prowess in battle. Faced with the indomitable enemy Hua Xiong
Hua Xiong
Hua Xiong was a military general under the warlord Dong Zhuo during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. In 190, various warlords from around the country formed a coalition against Dong Zhuo, who was holding Emperor Xian hostage in the imperial court...
, Yuan lamented, "If I had either Yan Liang or Wen Chou
Wen Chou
Wen Chou was a military general serving under the warlord Yuan Shao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. His force was defeated by that of rival warlord Cao Cao in the Battle of Yan Ford and he was killed in the midst of battle....
here, I would have nothing to fear."
This comment foreshadows the first appearance of Yan in chapter 25, where he was deployed by Yuan Shao as commander of a vanguard force to take Boma in a conflict with rival warlord Cao Cao. Cao quickly drew a light force and came to its defense. True to his lord's compliments, Yan slew two of Cao's generals, Song Xian
Song Xian
Song Xian was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. In 198, when Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu at the Battle of Xiapi, Song Xian and his colleagues Hou Cheng and Wei Xu kidnapped Lü Bu's chief advisor Chen Gong and defected to Cao Cao's side...
and Wei Xu
Wei Xu
Wei Xu was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:When Lü Bu wandered the land, Wei closely followed him in the journey, together, they routed the Heishan Bandits, and fended off attacks from Yuan Shu...
, in duels on the first day of encounter.
As suggested by his advisor Cheng Yu
Cheng Yu
Cheng Yu , originally named Cheng Li and changed his name to Yu after dreaming of the sun on top of Mount Tai, was one of the major advisors to the Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao, and became a high-ranking official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms era of China...
, Cao then summoned Guan Yu
Guan Yu
Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...
, whose service he had for the time being. The next day, as Yan's army lined up on the battlefield, Guan sat with Cao on a hilltop and looked down. From afar he saw Yan sitting on a chariot under the army standard. Leaping onto the Red Hare
Red Hare
Red Hare was Lü Bu's horse during the Three Kingdoms period of China. Historical records only mention the horse when Lü Bu temporarily became a subordinate of Yuan Shao, where he charged and defeated the armies of Zhang Yan while riding the Red Hare...
, Guan galloped straight into the enemy ranks, which broke before him like waves before a swift vessel. Before Yan could fight back, he was struck down by Guan. Guan severed Yan's head, tied it to the neck of his steed, and rode back unhindered.