Pang Tong

Historical Record

Pang Tong, courtesy name Shiyuan, was a man of Xiangyang. In his youth he was plain and slow-witted in manner, and was not recognized by the men of his time. Sima Hui of Yingchuan was renowned for his refined elegance and his judgment of men, and Pang Tong, at the age of capping (around twenty), went to visit him. Sima Hui was at that time picking mulberry leaves up in a tree; he had Pang Tong sit beneath the tree, and the two conversed from day into night. Sima Hui was astonished at Pang Tong's talent, praising him as one who would become "the crown of the gentlemen of the southern province," and from then on Pang Tong's fame gradually grew^[1].

Pang Tong was later appointed Officer of Merit by the commandery office. By nature he loved to appraise men and delighted in promoting the rising generation. Whenever he praised a person, he would often exaggerate that person's talent, and the men of his time, perplexed, questioned him about it. Pang Tong explained: "The present age is in great disorder, the way of refined rectitude has declined, good men are few and evil men many. I wish precisely to revive customs and exalt virtue. If I do not praise with fine words, then a man's reputation will not be enough to make others yearn to emulate him; and if reputation is not enough to make others yearn to emulate, then those who do good will dwindle. Now if I promote ten men and even five fall short of their names, I still gain half of the worthy talents—is this not a fine method by which to exalt the teaching of the age and make the aspiring spur themselves on?"^[1].

After Zhou Yu assisted Liu Bei in taking Jing Province, he held the post of Grand Administrator of Nan Commandery. When Zhou Yu died, Pang Tong escorted the funeral to the land of Wu, where many had long heard his name. When he was about to return westward, Lu Ji, Gu Shao, Quan Cong, and others all came to see him off. Pang Tong appraised Lu Ji as "a worn-out horse with the strength of swift hooves," Gu Shao as "a worn-out ox able to bear heavy loads and reach far," and said of Quan Cong that he was "fond of giving and admiring fame, resembling Fan Zizhao of Runan—though his wit and strength are not great, he too is an excellent man of the age"^[1]. Lu Ji and Gu Shao were deeply impressed and formed a deep friendship with Pang Tong.

After Liu Bei became Governor of Jing Province, Pang Tong was appointed a Department Official, concurrently serving as Magistrate of Leiyang County. However, he governed the county poorly and was dismissed from office. The Wu general Lu Su wrote to Liu Bei, saying, "Pang Shiyuan is no talent for a hundred-li county; only if he is placed in the post of Aide or Attendant Officer will he begin to stretch his thoroughbred's hooves"^[2]. Zhuge Liang also recommended Pang Tong to Liu Bei. Liu Bei summoned Pang Tong, and after a deep conversation with him, greatly admired his ability, appointing him Attendant Officer of the Department; his intimacy and esteem were second only to Zhuge Liang, and together with Zhuge Liang he served as Military Adviser and General of the Household^[2].

In the sixteenth year of Jian'an (211 CE), Liu Zhang, Governor of Yi Province, heard that Cao Cao was to send Zhong Yao and others to attack Zhang Lu in Hanzhong, and was inwardly fearful. The Attendant Department Official Zhang Song advised Liu Zhang to invite Liu Bei into Shu to ward off Cao Cao. Liu Zhang adopted his advice and dispatched Fa Zheng to lead four thousand men to welcome Liu Bei. Fa Zheng seized the opportunity to lay out for Liu Bei a strategy for seizing Yi Province^[3]. Liu Bei left Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, and others to guard Jing Province, and himself led several tens of thousands of foot soldiers into Yi Province. At Fu, Liu Zhang personally came out to welcome him, and the two met in great delight. Zhang Song had Fa Zheng advise Liu Bei, and Pang Tong too urged Liu Bei that he might seize the chance at the meeting to capture Liu Zhang. But Liu Bei held that "this is a great matter and must not be done in haste"^[3].

After Liu Zhang returned to Chengdu, Liu Bei prepared to march north to attack Zhang Lu in Hanzhong. Pang Tong again offered Liu Bei counsel, proposing three strategies—upper, middle, and lower. The upper strategy was "to secretly select crack troops, travel day and night by double marches, and strike directly at Chengdu"; the middle strategy was "to feign that Jing Province is in peril, lure Yang Huai and Gao Pei to come and see you off, then seize the chance to capture and kill the two men, take their troops, and then march on Chengdu"; the lower strategy was "to withdraw to Baidi, link up with Jing Province, and plan against it slowly." Pang Tong warned Liu Bei that "if you hesitate and do not move, you will bring on great difficulty, and it cannot be drawn out"^[4]. Liu Bei adopted the middle strategy, beheaded Yang Huai and Gao Pei, then at once turned to march on Chengdu, taking every place he passed.

At a grand banquet held at Fu, Liu Bei set out wine and made merry, saying to Pang Tong: "Today's gathering may be called joyful." But Pang Tong said: "To attack another's state and take it for one's pleasure is not the army of a benevolent man." Liu Bei, drunk, flew into a rage, rebuked Pang Tong for his improper words, and ordered him to leave the seat at once. Pang Tong withdrew without haste. Liu Bei soon regretted it and asked Pang Tong to return. When Pang Tong returned to his seat, his expression was composed; he made no show of apology and ate and drank as usual. Liu Bei asked him: "Just now in that argument, whose fault was it?" Pang Tong answered: "Both lord and minister were at fault." Liu Bei laughed heartily, and the feasting was as merry as before^[4].

When Liu Bei advanced to besiege Luo County, Pang Tong led his troops in attacking the city and was unfortunately struck by a stray arrow and died, at the age of thirty-six^[5]. Liu Bei was deeply grieved by this, and would weep whenever Pang Tong was mentioned. He posthumously conferred on Pang Tong the rank of Marquis Within the Passes, with the posthumous title Marquis Jing, and appointed Pang Tong's father a Court Gentleman Consultant, later promoted to Grand Master of Remonstrance. Zhuge Liang personally conferred the office on Pang Tong's father^[5].

In the Novel

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Pang Tong's image is endowed with more legendary color and dramatic flair.

He makes his first appearance bearing the name "Master Fledgling Phoenix," equal in renown to the "Sleeping Dragon" Zhuge Liang, brought forth by Sima Hui (Master Shuijing)^[1]. Before the Battle of Red Cliffs, Pang Tong, entrusted by Zhou Yu, went to Cao Cao's camp to present the "Chained Vessels Stratagem." He pretended to defect to Cao Cao, first observing the layout of Cao's naval and land encampments and praising Cao Cao's methodical use of troops, all in fact to win his trust^[6]. Then, exploiting the weakness of Cao's troops being unaccustomed to naval warfare and prone to sickness, he presented Cao Cao with the plan of linking the ships together with iron chains and laying wooden planks over them, so that men and horses could move on the ships as if on level ground, thereby solving the problem of the northern soldiers' inability to adapt to the water and climate^[7]. Cao Cao, greatly pleased on hearing this, believed the plan could destroy Eastern Wu and at once ordered the forging of great chains and spikes to lock the ships together^[7]. Before leaving Cao's camp, Pang Tong also cleverly encountered Xu Shu, told him the secret of the chained-vessels stratagem, and instructed Xu Shu to use the excuse of his horse falling ill to leave Cao's camp, thereby escaping the calamity of the fire attack^[8]. None of these episodes is recorded in the histories; they are the novel's artistic creation to highlight his cunning.

After Zhou Yu's death, Pang Tong went to offer condolences and met Zhuge Liang by the riverside; the two "took each other by the hand, boarded a boat, and each poured out his heart"^[9]. Zhuge Liang foresaw that Sun Quan would not give Pang Tong an important post, and specially left a letter, instructing Pang Tong that if things did not go well for him in Eastern Wu, he could go to Jing Province to take refuge with Liu Bei^[9]. Indeed, Sun Quan, because Pang Tong had "thick brows, an upturned nose, a dark face, and a short beard, a grotesque appearance," took a dislike to him, and because Pang Tong's words seemed to slight Zhou Yu, he ultimately gave him no important post^[10]. Although Lu Su strongly recommended him, Sun Quan held to his own view, considering Pang Tong a "wild scholar"^[11].

Pang Tong then, following Zhuge Liang's words, went to Jing Province to take refuge with Liu Bei. However, Liu Bei too, because of Pang Tong's ugly appearance, slighted him and appointed him only Magistrate of Leiyang County^[12]. After taking up the post, Pang Tong attended to no government affairs for a hundred days and drank wine all day long. When Zhang Fei came on inspection and saw this, he flew into a rage and meant to seize Pang Tong. But in Zhang Fei's presence, Pang Tong dealt with more than a hundred days' worth of accumulated official business within half a day, "clearly distinguishing right from wrong, without the slightest error"^[13]. Zhang Fei was greatly astonished and thereupon recommended him to Liu Bei. At this point Zhuge Liang also happened to return and, learning of the matter, likewise explained to Liu Bei that Pang Tong was "no talent for a hundred-li county; his learning is ten times mine"^[14]. Only then did Liu Bei come to his senses; he went personally to Leiyang County to apologize to Pang Tong and appointed him Deputy Military Adviser and General of the Household, to assist alongside Zhuge Liang^[14]. The novel's depiction of Pang Tong being "judged by appearance," and the episode of his "attending to no affairs for a hundred days" yet swiftly settling cases, greatly strengthens his image as the wise "Fledgling Phoenix" and highlights Liu Bei's thirst for talent.

During the entry into Shu, Pang Tong repeatedly offered Liu Bei counsel, including advising at the Fucheng banquet that Liu Bei seize the chance to capture Liu Zhang, but Liu Bei refused on the grounds that "having just entered Shu, my grace and trust are not yet established"^[15]. The novel also depicts the tragic and heroic scene of Pang Tong's death at the Valley of the Fallen Phoenix. When attacking Luocheng, Pang Tong exchanged horses with Liu Bei; riding Liu Bei's white horse, he came to the Valley of the Fallen Phoenix, and because the place name was inauspicious, his heart grew uneasy. At that moment the enemy's ambushing troops loosed arrows, aiming specially at the rider of the white horse, and Pang Tong was unfortunately struck by an arrow and died, at the age of thirty-six^[16]. This episode, especially the naming of the "Valley of the Fallen Phoenix" and the detail of Pang Tong's exchanging horses, is heavily tinged with fatalism and is a famous tragic passage in the novel, whereas the histories record only that he was "struck by a stray arrow and died"^[5].

Key Relationships

* Liu Bei's faction (serves): Pang Tong was an important adviser of Liu Bei's faction, ranked together with Zhuge Liang as "Sleeping Dragon and Fledgling Phoenix," jointly assisting Liu Bei^[2]. He devised for Liu Bei the strategy of entering Shu to seize Yi Province, and offered counsel in the actual campaign, being one of the key figures in Liu Bei's faction's realization of its goal of "straddling Jing and Yi."
* Liu Bei (advises_in): Pang Tong repeatedly offered Liu Bei plans and counsel, including the strategy of entering Shu to seize Yi Province and the advice at the Fucheng banquet to capture Liu Zhang^[4]. Liu Bei deeply esteemed his talent, treating him with an intimacy second only to Zhuge Liang^[2].
* Sima Hui (mentor_of): Sima Hui was Pang Tong's discoverer; with discerning eye he recognized his worth, praising Pang Tong as "the crown of the gentlemen of the southern province," which made Pang Tong's fame rise swiftly^[1].
* Zhou Yu (serves): The histories record that Pang Tong once served as Zhou Yu's Officer of Merit^[2]. In the novel, before the Battle of Red Cliffs Zhou Yu asked Pang Tong to devise a plan to defeat Cao, and Pang Tong then presented the "Chained Vessels Stratagem"^[17].
* Zhuge Liang (colleague): Pang Tong and Zhuge Liang both served as Liu Bei's Military Adviser and General of the Household, jointly assisting Liu Bei^[2]. In the novel the two were close personal friends; Zhuge Liang once strongly recommended Pang Tong to Liu Bei and foretold that Sun Quan would not give him an important post^[9].
* Lu Su (recommends): Lu Su once recommended Pang Tong to Liu Bei, saying he was "no talent for a hundred-li county; only if placed in the post of Aide or Attendant Officer will he begin to stretch his thoroughbred's hooves"^[2]. In the novel, Lu Su also recommended Pang Tong to Sun Quan, but without success^[11].
* Zhang Song, Fa Zheng (collaborator): During Liu Bei's entry into Shu, Zhang Song and Fa Zheng acted as inside agents, plotting together with Pang Tong to seize Yi Province^[3]. In the novel, Fa Zheng and Pang Tong privately deliberated, intending to capture Liu Zhang at the Fucheng banquet^[15].
* Lu Ji, Gu Shao, Quan Cong (acquaintances): When Pang Tong escorted Zhou Yu's funeral back to the land of Wu, he met with these three and appraised them^[1].
* Xu Shu (friend): In the novel, Xu Shu and Pang Tong met before the Battle of Red Cliffs; Pang Tong revealed to Xu Shu the secret of the chained-vessels stratagem and helped him escape^[8] (novel only).

Signature Scenes

* Sima Hui recognizes his talent: In his youth Pang Tong was plain and unadorned and unknown to others. After Sima Hui conversed with him through the night, he marveled at his talent, calling him "the crown of the gentlemen of the southern province," and from then on Pang Tong's fame gradually grew^[1]. This was the important moment when Pang Tong's talent first showed.
* The "Promote Ten, Lose Five" discourse: While serving as Officer of Merit, Pang Tong was questioned for often exaggerating the talents of those he praised. He explained that he did so to "revive customs and foster the work of virtue," and that even if he "promoted ten and lost five," he could still "exalt the teaching of the age and make the aspiring spur themselves on," reflecting his distinctive philosophy of judging and employing men^[1].
* Magistrate of Leiyang "attending to no affairs for a hundred days": When Pang Tong first came under Liu Bei, he was slighted for his appearance and appointed only Magistrate of Leiyang. He "did not govern the county and was dismissed from office"^[2]. In the novel, he attended to no affairs for a hundred days, yet in Zhang Fei's presence settled the accumulated business within half a day, displaying his extraordinary ability^[13] (novel only).
* Offering the plan to take Yi Province: Pang Tong presented Liu Bei with the "upper, middle, and lower three strategies" for seizing Yi Province, and ultimately moved Liu Bei to adopt the middle strategy, beheading Yang Huai and Gao Pei and laying the foundation for Liu Bei's entry into Shu^[4]. This was one of his most important contributions as a military adviser.
* The Fucheng banquet's "both lord and minister at fault": At the Fucheng banquet Liu Bei rejoiced in the pleasure of conquest, and Pang Tong said bluntly, "To attack another's state and take it for one's pleasure is not the army of a benevolent man." Liu Bei, drunk, flew into a rage, and Pang Tong withdrew. Liu Bei regretted it and called him back; when he asked whose fault it was, Pang Tong answered, "Both lord and minister were at fault," and Liu Bei laughed heartily, the feasting as merry as before^[4]. This scene displays Pang Tong's forthrightness and Liu Bei's magnanimity.
* The Red Cliffs "Chained Vessels Stratagem": In the novel, Pang Tong, entrusted by Zhou Yu, went to Cao Cao's camp to present the "Chained Vessels Stratagem," leading Cao Cao to link his warships with iron chains and creating the conditions for Zhou Yu's fire attack—a key element of the Battle of Red Cliffs^[17] (novel only).
* Death at the Valley of the Fallen Phoenix: While attacking Luocheng, Pang Tong came to the Valley of the Fallen Phoenix and was unfortunately struck by a stray arrow and died, at the age of thirty-six^[5]. In the novel, he had exchanged horses with Liu Bei, and riding the white horse became the enemy's target, adding all the more tragic color^[16] (novel only).