Pei Qian

史载（Historical Record）

Pei Qian, styled Wenxing, was a native of Wenxi in Hedong. His father Pei Mao, in the time of Emperor Ling, served as county magistrate, commandery administrator, and Master of Writing, and in the early Jian'an period was enfeoffed as a full marquis for his merit in leading the generals of Guanzhong on an imperial mission to campaign against Li Jue. In his youth, however, Pei Qian was careless of small proprieties, and therefore was not favored by his father ^c:3351.

When the realm fell into great chaos, Pei Qian took refuge in Jing Province and was treated with courtesy by Liu Biao. But he privately told his intimates Wang Can and Sima Zhi that Liu Biao was not a man of hegemon-king's caliber, yet vainly aspired to set himself up as a Western Earl, and that his downfall was at hand ^c:3351. In view of this, Pei Qian went south to Changsha. After Cao Cao pacified Jing Province, Pei Qian was appointed Military Adviser to the Chancellor, served successively as magistrate of three counties, and then entered court as an aide in the Granary Section. Cao Cao once asked Pei Qian, since the two of them had both been in Jing Province with Liu Bei, what he made of Liu Bei's talents and strategy. Pei Qian replied: "If Liu Bei were placed in the Central Plains, he could throw men's minds into disorder but could not bring about good order. But if he were to occupy a strategic stronghold, he would be enough to become the lord of a region." ^c:3351

Later, a large-scale rebellion broke out in Dai Commandery, and Pei Qian was appointed Grand Administrator of Dai. At that time, the king of the Wuhuan and his three chiefs each styled themselves Chanyu and monopolized the commandery's affairs. The previous administrators had all failed to govern it effectively. Cao Cao intended to assign Pei Qian crack troops to suppress the rebellion, but Pei Qian declined, saying: "Dai Commandery is populous, with bowmen who readily number in the tens of thousands. The Chanyu know they have rebelled for a long time and are uneasy at heart. If I go with too many troops, they will surely take fright and hold the frontier; if I go with too few, it will not be enough to overawe them. Therefore it is best to deal with them by stratagem, not to press them by force." So Pei Qian went to his post in a single carriage. The Chanyu were surprised and pleased by this. Pei Qian made conciliation his chief approach, and all from the Chanyu downward removed their hats and bowed in homage, returning the women, weapons, and goods they had earlier plundered. Pei Qian then investigated and executed more than ten great officials of the commandery, such as Hao Wen and Guo Duan, who had colluded with the Chanyu, so that the northern frontier was shaken and the people gave their hearts to him ^c:3352.

After three years in office at Dai, Pei Qian returned to court as Chancellor's Justice Clerk. Cao Cao greatly praised his governing achievements in Dai, but Pei Qian said: "Toward the people I was generous, but toward the Hu I was strict. Now those who plan affairs will surely think my rule too strict and will apply lenient policies; but the Hu have always been arrogant, and excessive leniency will surely make them lax, and once lax, one will again have to restrain them by law—this is the very root from which strife arises. Judging by this situation, Dai Commandery will surely rebel again." Hearing this, Cao Cao deeply regretted having recalled Pei Qian too soon. Sure enough, after a few dozen days, news came of the rebellion of the three Chanyu, and Cao Cao thereupon dispatched Cao Zhang, Marquis of Yanling, as General of Valiant Cavalry to campaign against them ^c:3352.

演中（In the Novel）

Romance of the Three Kingdoms gives Pei Qian no independent literary characterization; his deeds and image have no clear record in the novel. Therefore, the "In the Novel" portion for Pei Qian is blank: his historical character traits—"steady, upright, and capable," "pure, frugal, and respectful," "thrifty and self-restrained"—as well as his governing strategies in Dai Commandery, are neither embodied nor adapted in the novel. The novel's absence of Pei Qian means his important historical contributions were never widely transmitted through literary form, in sharp contrast to the detailed record of him in the Records of the Three Kingdoms ^c:3351.

关键关系

* Liu Biao's faction (defected_from): Pei Qian once took refuge in Jing Province from the chaos and was treated with courtesy by Liu Biao. But he perceived that Liu Biao was no heroic lord, judged his downfall imminent, and went south to Changsha, ultimately leaving Liu Biao's faction ^c:3351.
* Liu Bei (rival_of): Pei Qian was once in Jing Province together with Liu Bei. When Cao Cao asked his view of Liu Bei, Pei Qian assessed that Liu Bei "if placed in the Central Plains, could throw men into disorder but could not bring about good order; but if he seized the chance to hold a stronghold, he would be enough to become the lord of a region," accurately pointing out both Liu Bei's strengths and his limits and embodying his profound insight into political figures ^c:3351.
* Cao Wei (serves): After Cao Cao pacified Jing Province, Pei Qian submitted to Cao Cao and served successively as Military Adviser to the Chancellor, county magistrate, Granary Section aide, Grand Administrator of Dai, and Chancellor's Justice Clerk, contributing much to the establishment and consolidation of the Cao Wei regime ^c:3351.
* Cao Cao (advises_in): Pei Qian advised Cao Cao on several occasions, including his assessment of Liu Bei and his original insight into governing strategy in Dai Commandery. With his clear political judgment and outstanding governing ability, he won Cao Cao's trust and praise ^c:3352.

标志性场景

* Perceiving that Liu Biao was no hegemon-king's caliber: While in Jing Province, Pei Qian privately told his friends Wang Can and Sima Zhi that Liu Biao "is no hegemon-king's caliber, yet wishes to place himself as a Western Earl; his downfall is at hand," displaying his keen political insight and foreseeing the decline of Liu Biao's faction ^c:3351.
* Quelling the rebellion at Dai Commandery in a single carriage: When Dai Commandery fell into great chaos and the three Wuhuan Chanyu held it in division, Pei Qian overruled the general view, declined Cao Cao's offer of reinforcement with crack troops, and chose to go to his post in a single carriage. He overawed the Hu by stratagem rather than force, successfully pacifying the situation, and investigated and dealt with the commandery's great officials who had colluded with the Chanyu, so that the northern frontier was shaken and the people gave their hearts to him. This event fully embodies Pei Qian's "steady, upright, and capable" character and his outstanding governing ability ^c:3352.
* Foretelling the renewed rebellion of Dai Commandery: After three years governing Dai, Pei Qian was recalled. Facing Cao Cao's praise, he soberly pointed out that if the Hu were treated with too much leniency, Dai Commandery would surely rebel again. Sure enough, after a few dozen days, news came of the rebellion of the three Chanyu, confirming Pei Qian's far-sighted insight and making Cao Cao deeply regret recalling him too soon ^c:3352.