San Pass matters in the campaign not as an isolated landmark but as a route that could determine whether Wei could reinforce Chencang. After the city falls, Kong Ming’s army takes the pass, closing that approach before pressing farther into the region.

Strategic Setting

The campaign around San Pass unfolds after the fall of Chencang. With the city in Shu hands, the immediate strategic concern is the arrival of Wei reinforcements. The pass offers a way to control that movement: occupying it turns the capture of Chencang into a more secure advance rather than leaving the city exposed to relief forces.

Capture and Consequences

Kong Ming’s army seizes San Pass after capturing Chencang. The account states the purpose directly: the occupation prevents Wei reinforcements from reaching the city. From the plains beyond the Qishan hills, Kong Ming then sends Jiang Wei to capture Wudu and Wang Ping to seize Yinping. The sequence links control of the pass to a broader expansion of Shu’s position.

Narrative Significance

San Pass is presented through its practical military function. Its importance lies in the movement it can obstruct: by controlling a route to Chencang, Kong Ming limits Wei’s ability to respond to the city’s loss. The episode thus makes geography part of the campaign’s cause and consequence, as possession of a passage helps convert one victory into the basis for further operations.