Cheng He

Historical Record

Concerning Cheng He, the official history Records of the Three Kingdoms and Pei Songzhi's commentary on it contain no explicit record. His life and deeds, his offices and rank, and even whether he truly existed cannot be verified from the sources. Therefore, the figure of Cheng He is entirely the product of literary creation, intended to enrich and advance the narrative of a particular historical event. ^c:2015

In the Novel

Cheng He appears in Romance of the Three Kingdoms as a Wei general, his image centering on his support of and remonstrance with the Cao Wei generals Yu Jin and Pang De. He first appears when Cao Cao dispatched Yu Jin, Pang De, and the seven armies to relieve Fancheng. At that time the Wei army was encamped at Zengkou Stream; for days the heavy rain did not stop, and the terrain lay low. Cheng He keenly perceived the latent danger and advised the commander Yu Jin, pointing out that the terrain was unfavorable and that the Jing Province army was already prepared, foretelling the possibility of a flood and advising that precautions be taken early. Yu Jin, however, took no heed; instead he rebuked Cheng He, declaring that he was confusing the army's morale, and threatened to behead anyone who spoke further. ^c:2015 Cheng He thereupon withdrew in shame, and turned instead to lay out his concerns before Pang De. Pang De agreed with Cheng He's view and planned to move his troops on his own. ^c:2015

Yet that very night, wind and rain came on fiercely, the Han River overflowed, and Guan Yu seized the opportunity to flood the seven armies. The Wei army suffered grievous losses. Yu Jin, Pang De, and their officers and men were forced to climb a small hill to escape the water. Besieged by Guan Yu's great army, Yu Jin chose to surrender. Pang De, however, together with Cheng He, Dong Heng, Dong Chao, and others, stood on the dyke without armor and fought a desperate battle against Guan Yu's troops. ^c:2016 In the fighting, Dong Heng and Dong Chao once urged Pang De to surrender, but were beheaded by Pang De to make clear his resolve. In the thick of the battle, Pang De looked back at Cheng He and spoke with fervor, saying, "A brave general does not shrink from death to save himself; a stalwart man does not destroy his honor to seek life," and ordered Cheng He to strive in fighting to the death. Cheng He obeyed and pressed forward, but was shot by one of Guan Yu's arrows and fell into the water, dying a heroic death. ^c:2016 His death further set off Pang De's tragic image of preferring death to surrender, and became an epitome of the valiant struggle of the Wei officers and men in this historical event, the Flooding of the Seven Armies. Cheng He's image, though small in part, through his foresight of the crisis, his counsel to the commander, and his eventual death in battle, all added drama and a tragic color to this famous battle in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Key Relationships

* Yu Jin (advises_in): Cheng He raised a warning of the flood before Yu Jin, but met with Yu Jin's rebuke and refusal. This relationship reveals Yu Jin's stubborn self-assurance and his misjudgment of the situation, and indirectly contributed to the tragedy of the Flooding of the Seven Armies. ^c:2015 (unique to the novel)
* Pang De (dies_in): After being rebuked by Yu Jin, Cheng He turned instead to advise Pang De, who adopted his suggestion and planned to move the troops. After the flooding of the seven armies, Cheng He fought side by side with Pang De, and in the end, on Pang De's order, fought desperately to the death and was shot dead by Guan Yu. Cheng He's sacrifice further highlighted Pang De's loyalty, righteousness, and tragic heroism. ^c:2016 (unique to the novel)

Signature Scene

Cheng He's signature scene is concentrated in Chapter 74 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, "Lord Guan Floods the Seven Armies." ^c:2015

First is the segment in which he advises Yu Jin and warns of the flood. At the perilous moment of days of heavy rain and the Wei army's encampment in low-lying terrain, Cheng He came forth and pointed out to the commander Yu Jin that the terrain was unfavorable, mentioned the movements of the Jing Province army, and explicitly advised, "Should the river water rise and overflow, our army will be in peril. We ought to make plans early." Yu Jin, however, "rebuked him, saying, 'You commoner, would you confuse the morale of my army? Any who speak further will be beheaded!'" Cheng He thereupon "withdrew in shame." ^c:2015 This scene not only displays Cheng He's foresight and his sense of responsibility as a general, but also, through Yu Jin's reaction, lays the groundwork for the subsequent crushing defeat in the Flooding of the Seven Armies, profoundly revealing Yu Jin's arrogance and short-sightedness.

Second is his valiant death in battle after the flooding of the seven armies. After the Wei army was besieged by the floodwaters and Yu Jin had surrendered, Cheng He, together with Pang De and others, stood without armor on the dyke and fought a desperate battle against Guan Yu's troops. In the thick of the fighting, Pang De, faced with the urgings of Dong Heng and Dong Chao to surrender, resolutely beheaded them, and said to Cheng He, "I have heard that 'a brave general does not shrink from death to save himself; a stalwart man does not destroy his honor to seek life.' Today is the day of my death. You must strive to fight to the death." Cheng He "obeyed the order and pressed forward, and was shot by one of Lord Guan's arrows and fell into the water." ^c:2016 This scene is the terminus of Cheng He's character arc; with his actions he answered Pang De's call and died at his post. Though small in part, with his loyalty, valor, and tragic heroism he left his own mark within this grand narrative of the Flooding of the Seven Armies, becoming one embodiment of the spirit of preferring death to submission among the Cao Wei officers and men. These two scenes together constitute Cheng He's core image in Romance of the Three Kingdoms; though unrecorded in history, in the literary work he serves an important narrative function.