Diao Chan (Simplified Chinese: 貂蝉; Traditional Chinese: 貂蟬, Pinyin: Diāo Chán) was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. She was said to have been born in AD 169. Unlike the other three beauties, she never appears in any historical writings and is likely to be a fictional character. According to historical records, Lü Bu did have relations with a maid of Dong Zhuo's; however, there is no evidence that this was Diao Chan.

Diao Chan appeared in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, in which she assisted in a plot by the official Wang Yun to persuade the warrior Lü Bu to kill his godfather, the tyrant Dong Zhuo. She did this by becoming Dong Zhuo's concubine but also Lü Bu's betrothed, then manipulating the two through their jealousy. Lü Bu had to escape shortly after killing Dong Zhuo and he lost a battle to Dong Zhuo's generals. However, he did meet up with Diao Chan once more. Lü Bu died soon afterwards due to Cao Cao's campaign for his base - Xiapi. Diao Chan eventually became one of Cao Cao's concubines.

There are several theories / myths associated with what happens to Diao Chan after Lü Bu kills Dong Zhuo. Most end with her being killed by Guan Yu. None of these are substantiated (as she is most likely a fictional character).

1. She marries Lu Bu and has children with him. Later on Lü Bu is killed by Cao Cao and she is never heard of again.

2. She turns into a cloud while Lu Bu was rushing to fetch her after Dong Zhuo's death. This version is suggested only in a Mainland China TV seriesRomance of the Three Kingdoms in the 1990s.

3. She drowns herself in a pond, causing the lotus flowers growing there to bloom especially well. This version is clearly fictional, and presented in the Hong Kong comic series, Romance of the Three Kingdoms , by Li Zhiqing.

4. Diao Chan goes off with Lü Bu, and is brought into Cao Cao's Service. Later when Cao Cao is trying to get Guan Yu to stay in his service, he tells Diao Chan to seduce him. Guan Yu, knowing her history with Lu Bu and Dong Zhuo, is unaffected by her charm and eventully escapes from Cao Cao, after cutting her in half.

5. Shortly after Lü Bu was defeated in Xuzhou, Diao Chan was given to the victor, Cao Cao, as spoils of war. Cao Cao then used Diao Chan to persuade a captured general, Guan Yu, to join Cao Cao's ranks. Guan Yu then cut her in half so she would not seduce others with her beauty.

6. Years later, after Dong Zhuo, the three oath brothers ( Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, and Guan Yu) each want to marry her. They fight over her for some time, then to stop the endless infighting, Guan Yu cuts her in half.

7. She is eventually murdered by the surviving members of Dong Zhuo's clan.