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:
“... all fiction may be autobiography, but all autobiography is of course fiction.”
—Shirley Abbott (b. 1934)
“If one doubts whether Grecian valor and patriotism are not a fiction of the poets, he may go to Athens and see still upon the walls of the temple of Minerva the circular marks made by the shields taken from the enemy in the Persian war, which were suspended there. We have not far to seek for living and unquestionable evidence. The very dust takes shape and confirms some story which we had read.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)