Zang Hong

Historical Record

Zang Hong, courtesy name Ziyuan, was a figure of the late Eastern Han. When Dong Zhuo threw the government into chaos, killed the young emperor, and plotted against the dynasty, Zang Hong counseled Zhang Chao, pointing out that the Zhang family had for generations received favor, that the brothers each held great commanderies, and that now, with the royal house in peril, this was the very time for the righteous men of the realm to repay that favor and devote their lives. He advised Zhang Chao to mobilize the officials and people of the commandery, gaining twenty thousand men, and with them to destroy the traitor to the state and lead the realm by example ^c:3036. Zhang Chao accepted his words and went west with Zang Hong to Chenliu, to consult with his elder brother Zhang Miao. Zhang Miao had long harbored such an intent, and later joined the oath at Suanzao. Zhang Miao once asked Zhang Chao what manner of man Zang Hong was, and Zhang Chao praised Zang Hong's talent, strategy, and shrewdness as surpassing his own, calling him a marvel among the men of the realm. Zhang Miao presented Zang Hong, and after speaking with him was greatly astonished, and recommended him to the Inspector of Yanzhou, Liu Dai, and the Inspector of Yu Province, Kong Zhou, both of whom befriended Zang Hong ^c:3036.

Thereafter, the various provinces and commanderies set up an altar at Suanzao to swear an oath, and all elected Zang Hong to lead the covenant. Zang Hong ascended the altar and smeared blood in the oath, speaking with impassioned fervor, tears streaming down, his words stirring, so that none of the soldiers present was unmoved, and each thought to give his utmost in devotion. He vowed to gather righteous forces, to rush together to the nation's peril, to root out the traitor for the house of Han, and emphasized that the allies would be of one heart and joined in strength, ready to lose their heads and forfeit their lives, with no second thought ^c:3036. The allied army, however, soon dispersed when their provisions ran out. Zhang Chao once sent Zang Hong to the Grand Marshal Liu Yu to lay plans, but because of the disorder of Gongsun Zan, Zang Hong, on reaching Hejian, found You and Ji provinces at war, and his mission could not be accomplished. When Yuan Shao met Zang Hong, he greatly valued his ability and formed a friendship with him. It happened that the Inspector of Qing Province, Jiao He, had died, and so Yuan Shao had Zang Hong serve as Inspector of Qing Province to pacify its people. In two years in Qing Province, the bands of brigands fled away, and Yuan Shao marveled at his ability, then transferred him to be Administrator of Dong Commandery, with his seat established at Dongwuyang ^c:6084.

When Cao Cao besieged Zhang Chao at Yongqiu, Zhang Chao firmly believed Zang Hong would surely come to his rescue, calling him "a righteous man of the realm, one who would never in the end turn his back on his roots." On hearing the news, Zang Hong indeed went barefoot, wailing aloud, led his own troops, and asked Yuan Shao for reinforcements, intending to rescue Zhang Chao, but Yuan Shao never granted it. In the end, Zhang Chao's family was wiped out. Zang Hong thereupon harbored resentment against Yuan Shao and broke off relations with him. Yuan Shao then raised troops to besiege Zang Hong, but for a whole year could not take the city. Yuan Shao ordered Chen Lin, a man of the same district as Zang Hong, to write a letter urging Zang Hong to surrender, setting forth the advantages and disadvantages and reproaching him in the name of favor and duty, but Zang Hong wrote back refusing ^c:3037.

Seeing that Zang Hong had no intent to surrender, Yuan Shao reinforced his troops and pressed the attack hard. The city's provisions ran out, with no relief from without, and Zang Hong, knowing he must die, gathered the officials and soldiers, declared that the house of Yuan was without principle and that he had no choice but to die for the great cause, and urged the officials and soldiers to take their families and leave before the city fell. The officials, soldiers, and common folk, however, all wept and were unwilling to depart. Within the city they first dug up rats and boiled sinews and horn to stay their hunger, and then came to having nothing left to eat. The recorder presented the last three pecks of rice and asked that it be made into thin gruel, but Zang Hong sighed that to eat it alone would be of no use, and ordered it boiled into a thin gruel to be shared among all, and even killed his own beloved concubine to feast the officers and soldiers. The officers and soldiers all wept and could not bring themselves to look up. Within the city seven or eight thousand men and women died pillowed against one another, and not one deserted or rebelled ^c:13145. When the city fell, Yuan Shao took Zang Hong alive. Yuan Shao, having cherished Zang Hong, set out a feast, gathered his generals to see him, and asked, "Why have you betrayed me so! Are you submitting today?" Zang Hong, sitting on the ground, glaring, bitterly denounced the Yuan family, who for four generations had held the rank of the Three Excellencies and received the great favor of the house of Han, yet, when the royal house grew weak, gave no thought to upholding it but instead plotted treachery and killed loyal and good men. He charged Yuan Shao with sitting by and watching Zhang Chao be wiped out without rescue, and declared that he only wished he could avenge the realm with his own hands, and would never submit ^c:13147. Yuan Shao had meant to make him yield, but seeing the fierceness of his words, knew he would never serve him, and so killed him. A man of Zang Hong's district, Chen Rong, who had once been Assistant of Dong Commandery, had been sent out of the city by Zang Hong before its fall. Yuan Shao had him seated, and seeing that Zang Hong was about to die, Chen Rong rose and questioned Yuan Shao, reproaching him for slaying the loyal and righteous. Chen Rong too was finally put to death, dying on the same day as Zang Hong. None of those at Yuan Shao's feast did not sigh, saying he had "killed two heroes in a single day" ^c:13147.

In the Novel

Romance of the Three Kingdoms gives Zang Hong no independent chapter or prominent episode, and his deeds are not given literary treatment. There is therefore no distinctive depiction of Zang Hong in the novel, nor any divergence from the histories.

Key Relationships

* Zhang Chao: Zang Hong's former lord, whom Zang Hong urged to raise troops against Dong Zhuo, and for whom he led the covenant. Later Zhang Chao was besieged by Cao Cao, and Zang Hong tried to rescue him, but in the end Zhang Chao's clan was wiped out ^c:3037.
* Yuan Shao's faction: Zang Hong was once valued by Yuan Shao and appointed Inspector of Qing Province and Administrator of Dong Commandery ^c:6084.
* Yuan Shao: Zang Hong once served him, but broke with him because Yuan Shao would not rescue Zhang Chao. Yuan Shao later besieged Zang Hong and finally killed him ^c:13147.
* Liu Dai, Kong Zhou: Zang Hong was recommended to these two by Zhang Miao, befriended them, and together took part in the covenant at Suanzao ^c:3036.
* Chen Rong: A man of Zang Hong's district who once served as Assistant of Dong Commandery, who admired Zang Hong, finally questioned Yuan Shao over Zang Hong's death, and was likewise put to death ^c:13147.

Iconic Scenes

* Leading the covenant at Suanzao: When Dong Zhuo threw the government into chaos, Zang Hong led the covenant at Suanzao with impassioned fervor, vowing to subdue the traitor to the state; his stirring words and streaming tears moved everyone present, so that the soldiers were all roused and each thought to give his utmost in devotion ^c:3036.
* Holding fast at Dongwuyang: When Yuan Shao besieged the city of Dongwuyang, Zang Hong, with provisions exhausted and relief cut off, still resolutely refused to surrender. He urged the officials and people to leave, but the multitude were unwilling to abandon him. He even killed his beloved concubine to feed the officers and soldiers; within the city seven or eight thousand men and women died pillowed against one another, and not one deserted or rebelled—displaying his steadfast and unyielding character ^c:13145.
* Denouncing Yuan Shao in fury: After the city fell and he was captured, facing Yuan Shao's questioning, Zang Hong sat on the ground glaring and bitterly denounced the Yuan family, who had received the great favor of the house of Han yet gave no thought to upholding it but instead plotted treachery; he declared that he only wished he could avenge the realm with his own hands and would never submit, and was finally killed by Yuan Shao ^c:13147.