Huaman (Three Kingdoms)

Huaman (花鬘) is a fictional character who originated in "Dragon and Phoenix Headgear" (龍鳳巾; also known as "The Strange Love Beyond the Border"), a theatrical opera retelling Shu Han's conquest of Nanman during the Three Kingdoms period (220–280). She is portrayed as the daughter of Meng Huo, the king of the Southern Barbarians, and Lady Zhurong. She is described to be one of the wives of Guan Suo, a fictional son of Guan Yu.

She is not mentioned in historical records such as Records of the Three Kingdoms or the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms; she exists solely as a fictional character in the opera. Unlike typical noble ladies, her character resembles her mother Zhurong and is depicted as a female warrior skilled in combat with weapons. In Guan Yinping's folklore, she's known as "Hua Zhongxiu" (花中秀) and joins Guan Suo's sister's female army, alongside his other wives.^[1]

Fictional biography

In the opera, She was first introduced in a stage play in the setting of Zhuge Liang's Southern Campaign against the Nanman. When Zhuge Liang marches to subdue King Meng Huo of the Southern Barbarians, Huaman joins in the resistance against the invaders. She once fought against Guan Suo but failed and fell off her horse. Unable to kill her, Guan Suo let her return to her camp. Later, after Guan Suo was defeated and captured, they developed feelings for each other, but due to their opposing identities, they could only privately engage in an engagement. Hua Man was later captured by the Shu camp, leading to an exchange of captives between the two camps. In turn, Huaman developed feelings for her captor and showed him kindness when he was captured by the Nanman. Despite their opposing allegiances and numerous clashes, their love blossomed, eventually leading to Meng Huo's surrender in the climax of the play. Zhuge Liang sanctioned their marriage, solidifying the alliance between Shu and the Nanman.^[2]

Historical references

Huaman is not mentioned in the historical records or the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, only appearing in folktales and stage performances like the Beijing opera "Dragon and Phoenix Headgear." In the folk legends of Guan Yinping, her name is Hua Zhongxiu, described as Guan Suo's concubine, along with Bao Sanniang, Wang Tao, and Wang Yue, who are all included in Guan Yinping's female army. In the storytelling opera "The Story of Hua Guansuo" published during the Ming Dynasty, Guan Suo marries Bao Sanniang, Wang Tao, and Wang Yue, with no mention of Hua Man throughout the entire narrative.^[3]

Sources and references

"The Story of Hua Guansuo: A Newly Compiled Full Version of the Story of Hua Guansuo's Demotion to Yunnan."

^ Shen, Bojun; Tan, Liangxiao (1989). San guo yan yi ci dian (Di 1 ban, di 1 ci yin shua ed.). Cheng du: Ba shu shu she. ISBN 978-7-80523-152-5.
^ Oman, Gail Kathryn (1982). A study of Hua Guan suo zhuan: a prosimetric narrative printed in 1478 (in Chinese). University of Chicago, Department of Far Eastern Languages and Civilizations.
^ Academia Sinica. "Proceedings of the International Sinological Conference of the Academia Sinica: Thoughts and Philosophy Group (Volumes I and II)." Academia Sinica, 1981. ISBN 9785666712450.