Diaochan was one of the Four Beauties of 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 novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms,which romanticises the events in the late Eastern Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. In the novel,she has a romance with the warrior LüBu and causes him to betray and kill his foster father,the tyrannical warlord Dong 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 LüBu;triggering the events that would lead to the formation of the Three Kingdoms:Cao Wei,Eastern Wu,and Shu Han.
Chinese historical records indicate that LüBu had a secret affair with one of Dong Zhuo's courtesans and 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. The name "Diaochan" first appeared in Sanguozhi Pinghua as the courtesy name of LüBu's wife. A later zaju Duoji (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.[1]
In folk tales
In earlier stories,Diaochan was described as LüBu's wife who had been accidentally separated from LüBu 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 dynasty zaju. The titles of these lost works suggest Diaochan,viewed as a femme fatale,was decapitated by Guan Yu after LüBu's death,which was inherited by some of later Ming or Qing operas featuring Diaochan.[1]
In the Yuan dynasty play Lianhuan Ji (連環計),Diaochan is said to be the daughter of Ren Ang (任昂),and her real name is Ren Hongchang (任紅昌). She is in charge of taking care of the Sable Cicada Hat (貂蟬冠),so she becomes known as "Diaochan" (literally "sable cicada"). She is introduced to Guan Yu by Zhang Fei after LüBu'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 novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms,but is propagated through mass media such as operas and storytelling.[2]
Diaochan's eventual fate differs in various accounts,but mainly along the following types:
First,she is killed by Dong Zhuo's followers,along with Wang Yun,after LüBu escapes;
Second,she follows LüBu while he roams around with his forces,but is executed along with LüBu after the latter's defeat at the Battle of Xiapi or killed herself after Cao Cao took possession of her;
Third,Diaochan is captured by Cao Cao after the Battle of Xiapi but saved by Zhao Yun,whom she later marries;
Fourth,as told in some traditional operas,Cao Cao presents Diaochan after the Battle of Xiapi to Guan Yu in the hope of winning Guan Yu's loyalty. Guan Yu,however,sees her as a femme fatale in light of her role in the undoing of LüBu and Dong Zhuo. He kills her to avoid her influence on him or his sworn brothers Liu Bei and Zhang Fei;[3]
Fifth,Guan Yu,impressed by Diaochan's sacrifice in bringing down LüBu and Dong Zhuo,saves her from Cao Cao at the Battle of Xiapi and sends her away. Diaochan becomes a nun and writes down her stories for posterity.[4]
In the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms,Diaochan assists the official Wang Yun in a plot to persuade LüBu to kill his foster father,the tyrannical warlord Dong Zhuo. Wang Yun presents her to Dong Zhuo as a concubine,but also betrothes her to LüBu at the same time. Diaochan uses her beauty to turn Dong Zhuo and LüBu against each other by inciting jealousy between them.
While Dong Zhuo is out one day,LüBu 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 LüBu because she had been violated by Dong Zhuo. LüBu 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 LüBu 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 LüBu have Diaochan,so as to win LüBu's trust. Dong Zhuo goes back to Diaochan later and accuses her of betraying his love,saying that he intends to present her to LüBu. Diaochan replies indignantly that LüBu 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.
LüBu is outraged and goes to Wang Yun's house to vent his frustration. Wang Yun then uses the opportunity to instigate LüBu to join the plot to kill Dong Zhuo. LüBu kills Dong Zhuo when the latter shows up at a ceremony for Emperor Xian to abdicate the throne to him;the ceremony is actually a trap set by Wang Yun and LüBu. After Dong Zhuo's death,LüBu marries Diaochan and flees Chang'an with her when he is defeated by Dong Zhuo's former followers.
Later in the novel,Diaochan has only a cameo in the Battle of Xiapi,and is not mentioned again thereafter.
A Qing dynasty illustration showing Diaochan and Wang Yun discussing their plan to make LüBu kill Dong Zhuo.
↑ Louie, Kam (2002). Theorising Chinese Masculinity: Society and Gender in China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-521-80621-3. OCLC49907231.
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.
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