Xu Chang's rebellion is mentioned in several primary sources, namely the "Annals of the Later Han", the "Records of the Three Kingdoms", the Zizhi Tongjian, and the Dongguan Hanji. These sources do not give detailed descriptions of the rebellion, and differ on several aspects, including the names and titles of the uprising's leaders. Some differences can be reconciled, while the most likely name of the head of the insurgency is "Xu Chang", as the name is associated with a prophecy about dynastic change in the Zuo zhuan. By the late 2nd century, many believed that the prophecy claimed that someone named or connected with "xuchang" would overthrow the Han dynasty. Sinologist Rafe de Crespigny argued that the rebel leader probably based his uprising on his name, perhaps even adopting the name "Xu Chang" to fit the prophecy.
