In Fiction
Kan Ze appears in Luo Guanzhong's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms during the events leading to the Battle of Red Cliffs. He saw through the Self Torture Ruse (苦肉計) used by Huang Gai to trick Cao Cao into believing that his defection was genuine. Kan Ze offered to help Huang Gai deliver his surrender letter to Cao Cao. He disguised himself as a fisherman and went to Cao Cao's camp. Initially, after Cao Cao read Huang Gai's letter, he saw through the plan and ordered Kan Ze to be executed. However, Kan Ze remained calm and broke into laughter, prompting Cao Cao to question him. With his glib tongue, Kan Ze managed to convince Cao Cao that Huang Gai's defection was real. This was critical in ensuring that later Huang Gai's fire attack on Cao Cao's naval fleet would be a success.
In a later chapter, during the Battle of Xiaoting, Liu Bei's forces defeated Sun Huan and pressed on Sun Quan's territory. Kan Ze recommended Lu Xun to be the commander-in-chief of Sun Quan's military, but many officials opposed the idea because they felt that Lu Xun was young and inexperienced. Kan Ze vouched for Lu Xun with the lives of himself and his whole family, claiming that Lu Xun was the best person to lead their army, and Sun Quan agreed. Lu Xun did not disappoint Sun Quan and Kan Ze as he eventually led Eastern Wu forces to victory over Liu Bei in the battle.
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Famous quotes containing the word fiction:
“We can never safely exceed the actual facts in our narratives. Of pure invention, such as some suppose, there is no instance. To write a true work of fiction even is only to take leisure and liberty to describe some things more exactly as they are.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“... if we can imagine the art of fiction come alive and standing in our midst, she would undoubtedly bid us to break her and bully her, as well as honour and love her, for so her youth is renewed and her sovereignty assured.”
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)