Cheng Bing

Historical Record

Cheng Bing, styled Deshu, was a native of Nandun in Runan. He studied under the renowned classical scholar Zheng Xuan. Amid the great upheaval of the realm, to escape the ravages of war Cheng Bing went south to Jiaozhou. During this time he deeply explored the great principles of the Confucian classics with Liu Xi, and through textual study and debate at last attained broad mastery of the Five Classics, becoming a great Confucian master of his age. Shi Xie, hearing of his profound learning, appointed him Chief Clerk.^[1]

Sun Quan had long heard of Cheng Bing's repute as a renowned Confucian, and summoned him into office with lavish ceremony. After Cheng Bing arrived in answer to the summons, he was appointed Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, charged with instructing the heir Sun Deng. In the fourth year of Huangwu (225 CE), when Sun Quan took the daughter of Zhou Yu as consort for the heir Sun Deng, Cheng Bing, in his capacity as Grand Master of Ceremonies, went to Wu Commandery to preside over the wedding rites. Sun Quan attached great importance to this affair, even coming in person aboard Cheng Bing's boat to show his deep regard.^[1]

After returning from the wedding, Cheng Bing seized the occasion to admonish the heir Sun Deng earnestly. He pointed out that marriage is the beginning of human relations and the foundation of the kingly transformation, and that therefore sage rulers all attached the greatest importance to it, setting an example by it to transform the common people of the realm. He cited the fair meaning of the "Guanju" ode in the Book of Songs, urging the heir to honor ritual and propriety within the inner chambers and to uphold the virtue commended by the "Zhounan," so that the way of transformation would flourish above and praise would naturally spread below. Sun Deng laughed and replied, "To extend virtue and correct faults—this is precisely what I rely on my tutor for." Cheng Bing at last died in office. He wrote prolifically throughout his life, including the Zhou Yi Zhai, the Shang Shu Bo, and the Lun Yu Bi, totaling more than thirty thousand words.^[1]

In the Novel

In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cheng Bing's image appears chiefly in his identity as an important civil official of Eastern Wu and in the role he plays in certain historical events. After Sun Ce died and Sun Quan inherited the enterprise and broadly gathered worthies, Cheng Bing was one of the many renowned men recruited to the Southland during this period, receiving generous treatment from Sun Quan along with Kan Ze of Kuaiji, Yan Jun of Pengcheng, and Xue Zong of Pei County.^[2] This accords with the historical record that Sun Quan "heard of him as a renowned Confucian and summoned him with ceremony," but the novel places it against the background of Sun Quan's early grasp of the Southland and broad recruitment of talent, emphasizing his identity as a member of the Eastern Wu civil-official group.

Cheng Bing's best-known appearance in the novel comes after Liu Bei's campaign against Wu and the Battle of Xiaoting. At this time, Sun Quan, seeking reconciliation with Shu Han to jointly resist Wei, decided to return to Shu Han the murderers of Guan Yu—Fan Jiang and Zhang Da—together with the head of Zhang Fei. Adopting Bu Zhi's advice, Sun Quan dispatched Cheng Bing as envoy, bearing a state letter, escorting Fan Jiang and Zhang Da and presenting Zhang Fei's head, to sue for peace at Xiaoting.^[3]

This peace mission, however, did not succeed. When Liu Bei saw Zhang Fei's head he was overcome with grief, and personally executed Fan Jiang and Zhang Da. Although Ma Liang urged Liu Bei to accept the reconciliation, Liu Bei's wrath was unquelled and he insisted on first destroying Eastern Wu before campaigning against Cao Wei. He even at one point wished to behead Cheng Bing to sever ties with Wu, and only the earnest entreaties of several ministers spared him. Cheng Bing finally fled in a panic and returned in disgrace to Eastern Wu, reporting to Sun Quan that Shu Han had refused the peace and was sworn to destroy Eastern Wu first.^[4] This episode is not recorded in the histories, but is a literary creation of the novel to heighten the dramatic conflict of Liu Bei's eagerness for revenge and Sun Quan's failure to obtain peace.

Key Relationships

* Zheng Xuan (student_of): Cheng Bing studied under the great late-Han Confucian Zheng Xuan and received his true teaching, laying a deep scholarly foundation for his broad mastery of the Five Classics.^[1]
* Liu Xi (friend_of): During his refuge in Jiaozhou, Cheng Bing exchanged learning with Liu Xi, examining and debating great principles and together delving into the Confucian classics.^[1]
* Shi Xie (serves): On account of his profound learning, Cheng Bing was appointed Chief Clerk by Shi Xie, Inspector of Jiaozhou, showing his influence at the local level.^[1]
* Sun Quan's Faction (serves): Cheng Bing was summoned into office with ceremony by Sun Quan and became an important civil official of Eastern Wu, serving successively as Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent and Grand Master of Ceremonies—an important pillar of Sun Quan's regime.^[1]
* Sun Deng (teacher_of): Cheng Bing served as Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, charged with instructing the heir Sun Deng, and once admonished him, reflecting his duty and influence as a teacher.^[1]
* Fan Jiang, Zhang Da (escort of): In the novel, Cheng Bing once escorted Fan Jiang and Zhang Da to Shu Han as envoy, reflecting his role in diplomatic affairs (novel only).^[3]

Signature Scenes

* Taking Refuge in Jiaozhou and Mastering the Five Classics: Amid the great upheaval, Cheng Bing went south to Jiaozhou and together with Liu Xi delved into Confucian learning, at last attaining broad mastery of the Five Classics and laying the foundation of his standing as a renowned Confucian. This was the turning point of his scholarly career and the clearest proof of his profound learning.^[1]
* Grand Tutor of the Heir, Admonishing the Heir: After being appointed Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent, Cheng Bing seized the occasion of Sun Deng's wedding to the daughter of Zhou Yu to admonish the heir, urging him to honor ritual, lead by example, and transform the realm. This scene displays his integrity as a Confucian scholar and his sense of responsibility for the state.^[1]
* Sun Quan's Personal Visit, a Mark of Deep Regard: At the heir's wedding, Sun Quan came in person aboard Cheng Bing's boat, granting him the highest honor—not only respect for Cheng Bing himself but also a reflection of Sun Quan's esteem for men of Confucian learning.^[1]
* Mission to Shu Han, Peace Refused: In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cheng Bing, on Sun Quan's order, bore Zhang Fei's head and Fan Jiang and Zhang Da to Shu Han to sue for peace. Liu Bei, however, burning with rage, refused the reconciliation and even wished to kill Cheng Bing, who returned in disgrace. Though a fiction of the novel, this scene vividly depicts the tension in Wu–Shu relations after the Battle of Xiaoting and Liu Bei's resolve for revenge, and highlights the helplessness and risk of Cheng Bing as a diplomatic envoy (novel only).^[4]