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Ding Gong

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Ding Gong was a Shu Han envoy whom Sun Quan once described as flowery in speech.

History Records, vol. 45 · Not in the Romance

In the sources

Where the books name Ding Gong

  • History · vol. 45Records of the Three Kingdoms

    …權與亮書曰:「丁厷掞張,〈掞音夷念反,或作艷。臣松之案《漢書禮樂志》曰「長離前掞光耀明」。…
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    先主薨於永安。先是,吳王孫權請和,先主累遣宋瑋、費禕等與相報答。丞相諸葛亮深慮權聞先主殂隕,恐有異計,未知所如。芝見亮曰:「今主上幼弱,初在位,宜遣大使重申吳好。」亮答之曰:「吾思之久矣,未得其人耳,今日始得之。」芝問其人為誰?亮曰:「即使君也。」乃遣芝脩好於權。權果狐疑,不時見芝,芝乃自表請見權曰:「臣今來亦欲為吳,非但為蜀也。」權乃見之,語芝曰:「孤誠原與蜀和親,然恐蜀主幼弱,國小勢偪,為魏所乘,不自保全,以此猶豫耳。」芝對曰:「吳、蜀二國四州之地,大王命世之英,諸葛亮亦一時之傑也。蜀有重險之固,吳有三江之阻,合此二長,共為脣齒,進可並兼天下,退可鼎足而立,此理之自然也。大王今若委質於魏,魏必上望大王之入朝,下求太子之內侍,若不從命,則奉辭伐叛,蜀必順流見可而進,如此,江南之地非複大王之有也。」權默然良久曰:「君言是也。」遂自絕魏,與蜀連和,遣張溫報聘於蜀。蜀復令芝重往,權謂芝曰:「若天下太平,二主分治,不亦樂乎!」芝對曰:「夫天無二日,土無二王,如並魏之後,大王未深識天命者也,君各茂其德,臣各盡其忠,將提枹鼓,則戰爭方始耳。」權大笑曰:「君之誠款,乃當爾邪!」權與亮書曰:「丁厷掞張,〈掞音夷念反,或作艷。臣松之案《漢書禮樂志》曰「長離前掞光耀明」。左思《蜀都賦》「摛藻掞天庭」。孫權蓋謂丁厷之言多浮艷也。 〉陰化不盡;和合二國,唯有鄧芝。」及亮北住漢中,以芝為中監軍、揚武將軍。亮卒,遷前軍師前將軍,領袞州刺史,封陽武亭侯,頃之為督江州。權數與芝相聞,饋遺優渥。

Ding Gong was an envoy of Shu Han, mentioned in relevant records in the Records of the Three Kingdoms; he does not appear in the Romance.

Deeds

In a letter Sun Quan sent to Zhuge Liang, he wrote, “Ding Gong’s words are florid, and Yin Hua is beyond measure.” Pei Songzhi’s commentary explains that “florid” refers to ornate, affected speech. (As recorded in historical sources)

Relationships

  • An envoy of Shu Han; the sources do not record any specific relationship between Ding Gong and other figures.