Diaochan
| Diaochan | |
|---|---|
 Qing dynasty's Romance of the Three Kingdoms illustration of Diaochan | |
| First appearance | "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" |
| Created by | Luo Guanzhong |
| Based on | one ofDong Zhuo's courtesans |
| In-universe information | |
| Significantother | Dong Zhuo Lü Bu |
| Diaochan | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | Điêu thiền | ||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | Điêu thiền | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Diaochanwas one of theFour Beautiesof ancient China. Although based on a minor historical personage, she is mostly a fictional character. She is best known for her role in the 14th-century historical novelRomance of the Three Kingdoms,which romanticises the events in the lateEastern Han dynastyand theThree Kingdomsperiod. In the novel, she has a romance with the warriorLü Buand causes him to betray and kill his foster father, the tyrannical warlordDong Zhuo.She was praised in tales as a woman of unrivaled beauty who did what no other hero in China was able to accomplish: put an end to Dong Zhuo's regime of terror and the eventual end of Lǚ Bu; triggering the events that would lead to the formation of the Three Kingdoms:Cao Wei,Eastern Wu,andShu Han.
Development
[edit]Chinese historical records indicate that Lü Bu had a secret affair with one of Dong Zhuo'scourtesanand he constantly feared that Dong Zhuo would find out. This was one of the reasons why he betrayed and assassinated Dong Zhuo in May 192. However, the courtesan's name was not recorded. Luo Guanzhong described Diao Chan as a courtesan who was very good at dancing in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms".[1][2] [3]The name "Diaochan" first appeared inSanguozhi Pinghuaas thecourtesy nameof Lü Bu's wife. A laterzajuDuoji(now lost) explained the name, which literally means "sablecicada",as derived from the sable tails and jade decorations in the shape of cicadas which adorned the hats of high-ranking officials in the Eastern Han dynasty.[4]
In earlier stories, Diaochan was described as Lü Bu's wife who had been accidentally separated from Lü Bu during the political disorder and was unaware of the conspiracy against Dong Zhuo. Later stories removed this background and had her more actively participating in the scheme. Narrations about Diaochan's ultimate fate appeared in Yuan dynastyzaju.The titles of these lost works suggest Diaochan, viewed as afemme fatale,was decapitated byGuan Yuafter Lü Bu's death, which was inherited by some of later Ming or Qing operas featuring Diaochan.[4]
InRomance of the Three Kingdoms
[edit]
In the 14th-century historical novelRomance of the Three Kingdoms,Diaochan assists the officialWang Yunin a plot to persuadeLü Buto kill his foster father, the tyrannical warlordDong Zhuo.Wang Yun presents her to Dong Zhuo as a concubine, but also betrothes her to Lü Bu at the same time. Diaochan uses her beauty to turn Dong Zhuo and Lü Bu against each other by inciting jealousy between them.
While Dong Zhuo is out one day, Lü Bu sneaks into his bedroom in the hope of seeing Diaochan. Diaochan pretends to be very upset and attempts suicide by throwing herself into the pond, saying that she is ashamed to see Lü Bu because she had been violated by Dong Zhuo. Lü Bu is heartbroken and promises that he will not let her suffer further at the hands of Dong Zhuo. Just then, Dong Zhuo returns and sees them embracing each other. As Lü Bu flees, Dong Zhuo chases him and hurls a spear at him, but misses. On the way, Dong Zhuo meets his adviser,Li Ru,who suggests to him to let Lü Bu have Diaochan, so as to win Lü Bu's trust. Dong Zhuo goes back to Diaochan later and accuses her of betraying his love, saying that he intends to present her to Lü Bu. Diaochan replies indignantly that Lü Bu embraced her against her will and attempts suicide to "prove her love" for Dong Zhuo. Dong Zhuo is moved and dismisses the idea of relinquishing her.
Lü Bu is outraged and goes to Wang Yun's house to vent his frustration. Wang Yun then uses the opportunity to instigate Lü Bu to join the plot to kill Dong Zhuo. Lü Bu kills Dong Zhuo when the latter shows up at a ceremony forEmperor Xianto abdicate the throne to him; the ceremony is actually a trap set by Wang Yun and Lü Bu. After Dong Zhuo's death, Lü Bu marries Diaochan and fleesChang'anwith her when he is defeated by Dong Zhuo's former followers.
In the later novel, Diaochan has only a cameo in theBattle of Xiapi,and is not mentioned again thereafter.
In folk tales
[edit]In one folktale, Diaochan is captured byCao Caoafter theBattle of Xiapi.Cao Cao presents her toGuan Yuin the hope of winning Guan Yu's loyalty. Guan Yu, however, suspects that he is being tricked when he recalls how Diaochan had betrayed Lü Bu and Dong Zhuo. He kills her to prevent her from doing further harm.[citation needed]In another tale,Liu Bei,Guan Yu andZhang Feiall want to marry Diaochan, and they argue bitterly over the issue. Guan Yu kills her to end the dispute.[citation needed]
In theYuan dynastyplayLianhuan Ji( liên hoàn kế ), Diaochan is said to be the daughter of Ren Ang ( nhậm ngang ), and her real name is Ren Hongchang ( nhậm hồng xương ). She is in charge of taking care of the Sable Cicada Hat ( điêu thiền quan ), so she becomes known as "Diaochan" (literally "sable cicada" ). She is introduced to Guan Yu by Zhang Fei after Lü Bu's death. Instead of accepting her as the spoils of war, Guan Yu decapitates her with his sword. This event is not mentioned in historical records or the historical novelRomance of the Three Kingdoms,but is propagated through mass media such as operas and storytelling.[5]
Diaochan's eventual fate differs in various accounts: some said that she is killed by Dong Zhuo's followers, along with Wang Yun, after Lü Bu escapes; others claim that she follows Lü Bu while he roams around with his forces. In some adaptations of the novel, Diaochan and Lü Bu were executed after Lü Bu's defeat at theBattle of Xiapior killed herself after Cao Cao took a liking to her.
In popular culture
[edit]Diaochan appears a playable character inKoei'sDynasty Warriors,Aura KingdomandWarriors Orochivideo game series. In the video gameWo Long: Fallen Dynasty,Diao Chan is the fake identity of sorceress Hong Jing. She also appears in themangaseriesSouten Kouro.In the card gameMagic: The Gathering,there is a Legendary Creature card called "Diaochan, Artful Beauty".[6]Similarly, Diaochan appears as an alternate skin for the rogue class in the card gameHearthstone,titled Diao ChanValeera.She also appears as a character inTotal War: Three Kingdoms.Diaochan is a playable character in the Mobile/PC GameRise of Kingdoms.
Notable actresses who have portrayed Diaochan in films and television series include: Violet Koo inDiao Chan(1938); Lin Dai inDiao Chan(1958);[7]Nina LiinThe Beauty Diu Sim(1987);Chen HonginRomance of the Three Kingdoms(1994); Irene Chiu inGuan Gong(1996);Chen HaoinThree Kingdoms(2010);GulnazarinGod of War, Zhao Yun(2016) andDynasty Warriors(2019).
See also
[edit]References
[edit]
- ^La quán trung 《 tam quốc diễn nghĩa · đệ bát hồi 》: “Duẫn tiềm bộ khuy chi, nãi phủ trung ca kĩ điêu thiền dã.”
- ^( trác thường sử bố thủ trung hợp, bố dữ trác thị tì tư thông, khủng sự phát giác, tâm bất tự an. )Sanguozhivol. 7.
- ^《 tam quốc diễn nghĩa 》 tác giả la quán trung hữu từ tán chi viết: “Nguyên thị chiêu dương cung lí nhân, kinh hồng uyển chuyển chưởng trung thân, chỉ nghi phi quá động đình xuân. Án triệt lương châu liên bộ ổn, hảo hoa phong niểu nhất chi tân, họa đường hương noãn bất thắng xuân.” Hựu thi viết: “Hồng nha tồi phách yến phi mang, nhất phiến hành vân đáo họa đường. Mi đại xúc thành du tử hận, kiểm dung sơ đoạn cố nhân tràng. Du tiền bất mãi thiên kim tiếu, liễu đái hà tu bách bảo trang. Vũ bãi cách liêm thâu mục tống, bất tri thùy thị sở tương vương.”
- ^abHà tuệ lị (2010),Điêu thiền cố sự đích lưu diễn dữ văn hóa ý hàm(PDF),Hưng đại nhân văn học báo
- ^Louie, Kam (2002).Theorising Chinese Masculinity: Society and Gender in China.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-80621-3.OCLC49907231.
- ^"Diaochan, Artful Beauty (Portal Three Kingdoms) - Gatherer - Magic: The Gathering".
- ^"Diau Charn (Diao Chan)".
- Sources
- Chen, Shou(3rd century).Records of the Three Kingdoms(Sanguozhi).
- Fan, Ye(5th century).Book of the Later Han(Houhanshu).
- Harris, Rachel (2004).Singing the village: music, memory, and ritual among the Sibe of Xinjiang.Oxford, New York: British Academy by Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-726297-9.OCLC56539097.
- Hua, Gu (1996).Virgin Widows.Translated by Goldblatt, Howard. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. pp. 104, 105.ISBN978-0-8248-1770-1.OCLC33407434.
- Luo, Guanzhong(14th century).Romance of the Three Kingdoms(Sanguo Yanyi).
- Off, Greg (2005).Dynasty Warriors 5: Prima Official Game Guide.Roseville, Ontario: Prima Games.ISBN978-0-7615-5141-6.OCLC62162042.