Zhao Yan 趙儼 Boran 伯然

Contents

Biography

Early life

Zhao Yan was from Yangdi, Yingchuan (present-day Yuzhou, Henan).

His courtesy name was Boran.

He was one of the “four names” of Yingchuan together with Xin Pi, Chen Qun, and Du Xi (辛、陳、杜、趙).

Flight to Jing Province

In the late Eastern Han, Zhao Yan fled to Jing Province to avoid warfare. In Changsha he shared goods and lived together with Du Xi and Fan Qin.

In 196, Cao Cao welcomed Emperor Xian and moved the capital to Xuchang. Zhao Yan believed Cao Cao was the one who could restore the realm, so the three men returned to their homeland in Yingchuan Commandery.

Service under Cao Cao

In 197, at age twenty-seven, Zhao Yan brought his elderly and young family members to see Cao Cao. Cao Cao appointed him Magistrate of Langling.

At the time, Langling had powerful clans who acted lawlessly. Zhao Yan arrested several of the most unruly, investigated their crimes, and sentenced them to death. He then submitted a report to the commandery requesting their release. By combining favour and authority in this way, he pacified the county. He arrested the wife’s paternal uncle of Li Tong and sentenced him to death; Li Tong admired Zhao Yan’s decisiveness and became his friend.

Before Guandu

On the eve of the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao sent envoys to lure the various commanderies of Yu Province. All except Yang’an Commandery sided with Yuan Shao. The Commandant of Yang’an, Li Tong, nevertheless sought to collect cloth and silk owed to the court. Zhao Yan advised against it, arguing that with a great battle at hand and neighbouring commanderies in rebellion, the people were already uneasy and should not be pressed further. He also wrote to Xun Yu suggesting that the collected goods be returned to the people to pacify them. The suggestion was adopted; everyone in Yang’an was pleased and the people were settled.

Zhao Yan later served as Clerk in the Minister over the Masses’ Office and Chief Clerk.

Reconciling the generals

In 208, when Cao Cao prepared to campaign south, Yu Jin, Yue Jin, and Zhang Liao were each garrisoned in different counties in Yingchuan but were at odds. Cao Cao ordered Zhao Yan to participate in the affairs of the three armies. Zhao Yan gave instructions on every matter and the three became harmonious.

When Cao Cao personally campaigned against Jing Province, he made Zhao Yan Administrator of Zhangling and Supervisor of the Army, overseeing Yu Jin, Zhang Liao, Zhang He, Zhu Ling, Li Dian, Lu Zhao, and Feng Kai. He was the only civil official to have served in the field with all of the Five Elite Generals.

After the campaign he again served as Chief Clerk to the Chancellor, then was transferred to Administrator of Fufeng.

Guanzhong and Hanzhong

In 211, after Cao Cao defeated Ma Chao and Han Sui (Battle of Tong Pass), he ordered General Who Pacifies the Army Yin Shu and others to lead their surrendered troops out of the Guanzhong region. Zhao Yan served as Protector of the Guanzhong Army, commanding the various forces. The Qiang repeatedly attacked; Zhao Yan led the armies in pursuit to Xinping and defeated them. Later, the settler Lü Bing styled himself general and gathered a crowd at Chencang. Zhao Yan led troops to attack and defeat him.

In 219, when Guan Yu attacked Cao Ren and besieged Fancheng, and Yu Jin and Pang De’s relief force was lost to the flood, Zhao Yan went south as a Gentleman Consultant to participate in Cao Ren’s military affairs, together with General Who Pacifies Bandits Xu Huang, to relieve Cao Ren. On arrival, Guan Yu’s siege grew tighter. Xu Huang saw that his own strength was insufficient to break the siege and that they must wait for other reinforcements, but his officers urged him to act quickly. Zhao Yan explained that their strength was insufficient and proposed communicating with Cao Ren so that he knew relief had arrived and could hold out until the armies assembled. The officers agreed; they used tunnels and arrows to pass messages. Soon the reinforcements gathered; they fought Guan Yu, who withdrew from the siege but left boats blocking Xiangyang. When Sun Quan struck at Guan Yu’s rear, Guan Yu turned south. Cao Ren considered pursuing. Zhao Yan argued that Sun Quan had attacked Guan Yu’s rear precisely because he feared Guan Yu would return and draw Wei forces with him; they should leave Guan Yu to check Sun Quan. Cao Ren gave up the pursuit. Cao Cao’s order soon arrived forbidding pursuit, for the same reasons Zhao Yan had given.

Service under Cao Pi and Cao Rui

In 220, Cao Pi succeeded as King of Wei and appointed Zhao Yan Palace Attendant. He was soon transferred to Commandant of the Consort, Administrator of Hedong, and Commandant of Agriculture of Hedong.

In 222, Zhao Yan was granted the title Marquis Within the Passes. That year Cao Pi ordered a major attack on Wu; General Who Conquers the East Cao Xiu summoned Zhao Yan as Army Adviser to the General Who Conquers the East. After the campaign Zhao Yan was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yitu, transferred to Director of Revenue, and then promoted to Gentleman of the Masters of Writing.

In 225, Zhao Yan followed Cao Pi on the campaign against Wu. When Cao Pi reached Guangling and withdrew, Zhao Yan remained as Army Adviser to the General Who Conquers the East.

In 227, Zhao Yan was advanced to Marquis of Duxiang. He later served as Gentleman of the Masters of Writing, Supervisor of Yu Province, Army Adviser to the Grand Marshal, and Grand Minister of Agriculture.

Service under Cao Fang and death

In 239, Cao Fang succeeded as Emperor. Zhao Yan was granted imperial credentials and made Supervisor of Yong and Liang Provinces. He was then transferred to General Who Campaigns against Shu and later promoted to General Who Conquers the West, commanding Yong and Liang Provinces.

In 243, Zhao Yan requested to return to the court on account of age and illness. He was recalled as General of Agile Cavalry.

On the bingzi day of the second month of 245 (9 April 245), Zhao Yan was promoted to Minister over the Masses. He died in the sixth month of the same year, aged seventy-five. He was given the posthumous title Marquis Mu. His son Zhao Ting succeeded to his marquis title.

Personality

Chen Shou described Zhao Yan as “firm and measured” (剛毅有度). He was known for reconciling senior generals and for giving advice that balanced the interests of Wei and Wu (e.g. not pursuing Guan Yu so as to leave him as a check on Sun Quan).

Historical evaluations

Chen Shou grouped him with He Qia, Chang Lin, Yang Jun, Du Xi, and Pei Qian as “all fine scholars of their generation” and noted that he and Xin Pi, Chen Qun, and Du Xi were together known as “Xin, Chen, Du, Zhao.”
Sun Sheng criticised his use of a ruse to retain and then remove a thousand soldiers in Guanzhong as damaging to good faith.
Hu Sanxing compared his reasoning on not pursuing Guan Yu to the “two benefits and both survive” stratagem of the Warring States.

References

Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 23, Biography of Zhao Yan
Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 18, Biography of Li Tong