Three Kingdoms History: Officer Names

Saved his mother and sister-in-law from bandits and would be invited to office for his ...

Father of Empress Bian. Posthumously enfeoffed as marquis.

Friend of Li Tong, helped him kill Zhou Zhi. Killed by his in-law Chen He.

Killed Chen Gong, the husband of his sister but was defeated by Li Tong.

Cui Yan’s younger cousin, discussed the scholars of Ji province with Chen Qun.

One of Zhuge Liang’s close childhood friends. Friend of Xu Shu as well. From Boling.

One of the Eight Paragons of Jiangxia. From Bohai.

One of the Eight Paragons of Jiangxia. From Runan.

Father of Yuan Shu’s wife.

A Taoist priest. In the novel, sent to execution by Sun Ce and said to have cursed him ...

* Gan Ji frequently referenced as ‘Yu Ji’, especially in games. Historically, ‘Gan Ji’ (干吉) is correct, and it is thought Luo Guanzhong may have confused the character for his family name and thus entered him as ‘Yu Ji’ (于吉). Notice the similarity between Gan ‘干’ and Yu ‘于’. I have recorded here in Chinese “Gan4 Ji2”, and “Yu2 Ji2” for reference second.

Father of Guan Ping, housed Guan Yu while Sun Qian went to Yuan Shao.

Commanded the religious bandit group which, after he died, passed to Guo Shi and Zhou ...

A soothsayer able to foresee the coming deaths of others.

Former friend of Hua Xin. Tail of “The Dragon”, a group of scholars. Became ...

Brother of Guan Ping. Was a student when Guan Yu came to the farm.

* Appears as ‘Guan Neng’ in some Brewitt-Taylor translations.

With Zhou Chao, Ravaged Lingling, Guiyang, and Changsha until destroyed by Sun Jian.

Father of Hu Ban. Retired officer of the court under Emperor Huan. Met Guan Yu.

A famous doctor from the Three Kingdoms period. Killed trying to avoid treating Cao Cao.

Bandit who was defeated and killed by Li Tong.

Head of a powerful family in Runan. Treated Bu Zhi poorly when he came for aid.

* Jiao Jiao, as Magistrate of Zhengqiang, also became known as Jiao Zhengqiang (as such you may see him referenced by this name). The name Qiao has also been associated with him and we are attempting to source it.

One of the Eight Paragons of Jiangxia. From the fief of Lu.

Mother of Bao Chu. She lived more than 100 years.

A colleague of Yin Mo. Studied under Song Zhong and Sima Hui in Nanyang.

Fortune Teller who warned Liu Bei what would happen should he attack Wu.

Raised a force against Yuan Tan at Tayin.

Liu Bei’s uncle. Recognized Liu Bei’s ambition, and worked to maintain the ...

Liu Yuanqi’s brother

Friend of Cao Song. Killed by the fleeing Cao Cao.

Friend of Xu Shu and Zhuge Liang. Joined Wei. Became Inspector of Liang Province.

Reputable scholar. Infuriated Cao Cao’s officers with his audacious ways.

* Called Ni Heng in the ZZTJ.

A famed scholar. Uncle of Pang Tong.

* Sima Hui called him Pang Gong as a nickname and therefore his name is sometimes mistranslated as such.

Sheltered Lü Bu and his family in Chang’an. Executed by Li Jue and Guo Si.

Monk. Warned Guan Yu of Bian Xi’s plot. Later helped Guan Yu’s spirit to find ...

* Pujing 普淨, a religious name, translates to Universal Purity. In the Brewitt-Taylor translation Pujing appears as Pu Jing and his name is translated as Transverse Peace. Other translations are possible.

Encouraged Cao Cao to restore to the Han during the Yellow Scarve rebellion. Father-in-law ...

Servant of Dong Cheng. Punished for talking with Yun Ying. Betrayed him to Cao Cao.

* His name is incorrectly translated as ‘Quin Quington’ in some Brewitt-Taylor editions. Another calls him Qui Lici.

Old friend of Zhuge Liang. Joined Cao Cao with Xu Shu and worked on agriculture.

Named ‘Water Mirror’ by Pang Degong. Former teacher of Zhuge Liang and Pang ...

Horse trader from Zhongshan with Zhang Shiping. Supplied Liu Bei’s first armed force.

One of the Eight Paragons of Jiangxia. From Shanyang.

A famed man from Taiyuan who refused service and reformed others.

Raised revolt against the Han but was put down by Zang Min and Sun Jian.

Son of Xu Chang. Killed by Sun Jian along with his father.

* Xu Hao in some Brewitt-Taylor translations. Xu Zhao’s name is a bit of a mystery. Xu Chang (probably Xu Zhao’s) staged a rebellion in Kuaiji (or Xu Zhao did) and Xu Zhao was either leader (HHS 102), sole son by the name of Xu Shao, associated leader by the name of Xu Shao (SGZ Wu 1), or two sons named Zhao and Shao. In any case, Xu Zhao 昭 seems most likely as Shao 韶 may have been used in Sanguozhi to avoid a taboo on Sima Zhao’s name.

A bandit leader, he later helped Zang Ba against the Yuan’s. Called Black Boy.

* Lu’er, which translates to ‘Black Boy’, was his nickname.

A leader of the Black Mountain Tribe, he was defeated by Cao Cao then later by Yuan Shao.

* Commonly displayed as Yu Du. His name, a title, is properly displayed as Poison Yu.

Concubine of Dong Cheng. Her interactions with Qin Qingtong got Cheng killed.

A bandit based in Taoshan, he was defeated by Li Tong.

Served Huang Zu. Marched out with Huang Zu to oppose Sun Jian. killed by Han Dang.

* Appears in Brewitt-Taylor edition as Zhang Hui to avoid confusion.

One of the Eight Paragons of Jiangxia, people protected him from the Han.

Horse trader from Zhongshan with Su Shuang. Supplied Liu Bei’s first armed force.

Also known as Zhang Ji. Famous physician from the Eastern Han Dynasty.

* Also commonly known as Zhang Ji (張機).

Pang Yu’s mother. Killed Li Shou to avenge her father, Zhao Jun’an, then turned ...

* Zhao E 趙娥 usually appears by the name Zhao Eqin 趙娥親. Zhao E is most appropriate.

Trieu Au’s older brother.

* Known to the Vietnamese as Trieu Quoc Dat (Triệu Quốc Đạt).

Trieu Au, female warrior of the Nanyue tribe. Rebelled against Wu. Defeated by Lu Yin.

* Known to the Vietnamese as Trieu Thi Trinh (Triệu Thị Trinh) or Trieu Au (Triệu Ẩu; Lady Trieu). I have pronounced the Chinese Zhao Yu, but dont know how to pronounce the Viet.

Served as one of Liu Bei’s teachers when he turned fifteen with Lu Zhi.

With Guo Shi, Ravaged Lingling, Guiyang, and Changsha until destroyed by Sun Jian.

Killed by Li Tong at a meeting whilst drunk. His followers were added to Li Tong’s ...

Old Taoist Sage from Mt. Hua that gave Zhang Jue the Way of Peace (太平要術).

* Though frequently presented under the proper name, Zhuang Zi (莊子), the literal text presents his name as “The Nanhua Immortal” (南華真人). This is sometimes simplified to ‘Nanhua’ or ‘Nan Hua’ (南華), which is not correct. Zhuang Zi is none other than the famous Taoist sage from the Warring States period, and with this in mind, you may also see him listed, of course, as Chang Tzu (Wade-Giles), Zhuang Zhou (莊周) (his given name), Meng Official (蒙吏), Meng Zhuang (蒙莊), and Meng Elder (蒙叟). He also appears in some Koei games as ‘Nan Hua’.