How the Novel Tells It #
Chapter 1 makes the Peach Garden oath the dramatic beginning of the three men's relationship.
What the Historical Records Preserve #
The Guan Yu section of the Guan–Zhang–Ma–Huang–Zhao Biographies records Guan Yu and Zhang Fei protecting Liu Bei, later serving as Biebu Sima (Majors of Separate Commands), and being close to him.
Sanguozhi, Volume 36, Guan–Zhang–Ma–Huang–Zhao Biographies ↗
What Cannot Be Inferred #
The cited biography does not record a Peach Garden ceremony. “No record found” differs from “proven that no ceremony ever occurred.”
How Shiji Sanguo Tells It #
Specific chapters and excerpts will be checked after final-manuscript QA; no content is invented here. Start with the Work Page to understand the book's identity.
Cite This Page
Shiji Sanguo website, “Peach Garden Oath: Ceremony and Closeness Are Not the Same,” data version 2026-09-29.13, updated 2026-09-29.
https://shijisanguo.com/history-vs-romance/peach-garden/
When citing a specific claim, also identify its original source, whether it comes from the main text or a quoted annotation, and your access date. The # beside each section heading links to that passage. This site's synthesis is not the original text of an ancient work.