RSent a letter to Shi Bao of Jin to sow discord and got him recalledWu 10 §106
NUrged the surrounded Fu Tong to surrender but was cursed by himCh. 84 §33
Ding Feng 丁奉
| Occupation | RNGeneral · Grand Marshal of the Right | Faction | Wu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Wu |
| Born | R? Unverified | Native place | Lujiang Commandery Anfeng County |
| Died | R271 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R30 |
Profile
Ding Feng, courtesy name Chengyuan, was a native of Anfeng County in Lujiang. When young he served as a junior officer under Gan Ning, Lu Xun, Pan Zhang and others, and in every battle he was foremost in the army. Under Sun Liang, at the battle of Dongxing, he had the 3,000 men under his command take off their armor and carry short weapons, and crushed the forward camps of the Wei army. Records, Wu 10 §98–101
When Sun Xiu took the throne, Ding Feng and Zhang Bu removed the Chancellor Sun Chen at the La festival gathering, and he became General-in-Chief; when Sun Xiu died, he welcomed and set up Sun Hao and rose to Grand Marshal of the Right and Left Military Adviser. He died in the 3rd year of Jianheng (271), and Sun Hao, raking up his past campaign, moved his family to Linchuan. Records, Wu 10 §104–107
In his assessment, Chen Shou called the generals in this volume all tiger-like servants of Jiangbiao whom the Sun family treated generously. In the Romance he first appeared in Chapter 38 as one of the generals Sun Quan had gained and featured in 16 of its 120 chapters, and his name was in the titles of Chapters 108 and 113. These are the scenes in which he crushed the Wei army in the snow with short weapons at Dongxing, and in which he settled on a plan and beheaded Sun Chen. Records, Wu 10 §109Romance, Ch. 38 §27Romance, Ch. 108 §15Romance, Ch. 113 §17
In the Records
Ding Feng, courtesy name Chengyuan, was a native of Anfeng County in Lujiang. Bold and brave in his youth, he became a junior officer and was attached to Gan Ning, Lu Xun, Pan Zhang and others. He went on campaign many times, and in every battle he was always foremost in the army; each time he cut down enemy generals and seized their banners, and he bore wounds on his body. He was gradually promoted to Lieutenant General, and when Sun Liang took the throne he became General Who Leads the Army (guanjun jiangjun) and was enfeoffed as Marquis of a Chief Village. Records, Wu 10 §98
In the 12th month of the 1st year of Jianxing (252; early 253 CE), Wei sent Zhuge Dan, Hu Zun and others with 70,000 infantry and cavalry to surround Dongxing, and the Grand Tutor Zhuge Ke led an army to resist them. The generals all said that once the enemy heard the Grand Tutor was coming in person, they would surely flee the moment he went ashore. Ding Feng alone said that since they had mobilized all the troops of Xu and Luo and come in great force, they must have a settled plan, and that rather than relying on the enemy not coming, they should rely on having the means to defeat them. Records, Wu 3 §4–5Records, Wu 10 §99
When Zhuge Ke went ashore, Ding Feng, together with the generals Tang Zi, Lü Ju, Liu Zan and others, advanced up along the west of the hills. As the armies were marching slowly, he said that if the enemy seized the advantageous ground it would be hard to contend with them, had the armies make way below the road, and pressed straight ahead with the 3,000 men under his command. Catching the north wind, he raised sail, arrived in two days and took Xutang. The weather was cold and snow was falling, and the Wei generals were holding a drinking party; seeing that the troops of their vanguard were few, Ding Feng said that being enfeoffed as a marquis and winning rank and reward depended on this very day, and had his soldiers take off their armor, keep only their helmets and carry short weapons. Records, Wu 10 §99–100
The enemy laughed at the sight and made no preparations. Ding Feng let his troops loose, crushed the enemy's forward camps, and when Lü Ju and the others arrived, the Wei army at last collapsed. Zhuge Ke's biography records that Zhuge Ke sent Liu Zan, Lü Ju, Tang Zi and Ding Feng as the vanguard. Ding Feng was transferred to General Who Destroys Bandits and promoted in enfeoffment to Marquis of a Chief District. Records, Wu 10 §101Records, Wu 19 §29
In the 2nd year of Wufeng (255), when the Wei general Wen Qin came to surrender, Ding Feng, as General of Tiger Might, followed Sun Jun to Shouchun to receive him and fought the enemy's pursuing army at Gaoting. Mounting his horse and holding a spear, Ding Feng charged into the enemy ranks, took several hundred heads and captured their weapons, and was promoted in enfeoffment to Marquis of Anfeng. In the 10th month of the 1st year of Taiping (256), together with Sun Xian, Shi Kuan and others, he led a naval force to intercept Lü Ju at Jiangdu. Records, Wu 10 §102Records, Wu 3 §9–10 · 13
In the 2nd year of Taiping (257), when Zhuge Dan, General-in-Chief of Wei, came over to Wu with Shouchun as his base and the men of Wei besieged him, Wu sent Zhu Yi, Tang Zi and others to relieve him and also had Ding Feng and Li Fei break the siege. Ding Feng led the assault, camped at Lijiang, fought hard and won merit, and was appointed General of the Left. According to the biography of Sun Chen, after Sun Liang began to handle government affairs himself, he had Ding Feng kill Zhu Xiong, Commander of Hulin, at Hulin, and his younger brother Zhu Sun at Jianye. Records, Wu 10 §103Records, Wu 3 §16Records, Wu 19 §85 · 87
When Sun Xiu took the throne and plotted with Zhang Bu to kill Sun Chen, Zhang Bu recommended Ding Feng, saying, 'Ding Feng is not skilled at official documents, but his strategy surpasses others and he can decide great matters.' When Sun Xiu summoned Ding Feng and told him his intent, Ding Feng said that the Chancellor's brothers and their faction were very numerous and could not be suppressed all at once, but that he could be killed by Your Majesty's troops on the occasion of the La festival gathering. Records, Wu 10 §104Records, Wu 19 §98
Sun Xiu adopted the plan, and in the 12th month of the 1st year of Yong'an (258; early 259 CE) summoned Sun Chen on the pretext of the La festival gathering. The biography of Ding Feng records that Ding Feng and Zhang Bu signaled the attendants with their eyes to behead Sun Chen, while the biography of Sun Chen records that the two signaled with their eyes to have him bound, and Sun Xiu had him beheaded after an exchange of words. Ding Feng was transferred to General-in-Chief, with Left and Right Protector added. In the 2nd year of Yong'an (259) he was granted the tally of authority and concurrently made Governor of Xu Province. In the 6th year of Yong'an (263), when Wei attacked Shu, Ding Feng led the armies toward Shouchun to create the appearance of relieving Shu. The Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers record that at this time Ding Feng's younger brother, the general Ding Feng (丁封), and Sun Yi were sent to Mianzhong. When news arrived that Liu Shan, the ruler of Shu, had surrendered to Wei, the army returned. Records, Wu 10 §105 · 107Records, Wu 19 §99–100Records, Wu 3 §44
When Sun Xiu died, Ding Feng, together with the Chancellor Puyang Xing and others, followed the advice of Wan Yu and welcomed and set up Sun Hao, and was transferred to Grand Marshal of the Right and Left Military Adviser. The Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers record that in the 8th month of the 1st year of Yuanxing (264) Shi Ji and Ding Feng were made Grand Marshals of the Left and Right. The biography of Lu Kai carries the statement of a certain person that in the 12th month of the 1st year of Baoding (266), Lu Kai, together with the Grand Marshal Ding Feng and the Grandee Secretary Ding Gu, planned to take advantage of Sun Hao's visit to the ancestral temple to depose him and set up a son of Sun Xiu. Records, Wu 10 §106Records, Wu 3 §50Records, Wu 16 §32
In the 3rd year of Baoding (268), Sun Hao had Ding Feng and Zhuge Jing attack Hefei. Ding Feng sent a letter to Shi Bao, a senior general of Jin, to sow discord, and because of it Shi Bao was recalled. In the 1st year of Jianheng (269), Ding Feng again led his troops to put Xutang in order and attacked Guyang in Jin, but the people of Guyang learned of it and withdrew, so he gained nothing. Sun Hao was enraged and beheaded Ding Feng's guide troops. Records, Wu 10 §106–107Records, Wu 3 §60
Ding Feng died in the 3rd year of Jianheng (271). High in rank and rich in merit, Ding Feng had gradually grown arrogant, and when someone slandered him, Sun Hao raked up his earlier campaign and moved Ding Feng's family to Linchuan. His younger brother Ding Feng (丁封) reached the post of General of the Rear but died before him. Records, Wu 10 §107Records, Wu 3 §61–63
In his assessment, Chen Shou called the various generals in this volume all tiger-like servants of Jiangbiao whom the Sun family treated generously. Records, Wu 10 §109
In the Romance
The Romance first brought him on in Chapter 38, listing 'Ding Feng of Lujiang, courtesy name Chengyuan' among the fine generals Sun Quan had gained. In Chapter 49, Zhou Yu summoned Ding Feng and Xu Sheng, Commandant Protector of the Army before his tent, and ordered them to behead Zhuge Liang at the Seven Stars Altar on Mount Nanping. Ding Feng arrived first by land and climbed the altar, but Zhuge Liang had already left by boat, and Xu Sheng's boat, which gave chase, had its sail rope cut by Zhao Yun's arrow. Ding Feng said, 'Zhuge Liang's divine strategy and calculation are beyond the reach of men.' Romance, Ch. 38 §27Romance, Ch. 49 §17–18 · 20–23
In Chapter 51, as Jiang Qin's lieutenant in the attack on Nan Commandery, Ding Feng fought Cao Ren's general Niu Jin for four or five bouts, feigned defeat and fled, and trapped him in the middle of his ranks, but Cao Ren charged in himself and rescued Niu Jin. In Chapter 55, as officers of Zhou Yu, he and Xu Sheng led 3,000 troops to block Liu Bei's way at a strategic point. When Lady Sun scolded them, the two humbled themselves, saying they were officers of Commander Zhou, and in the end opened the way. Romance, Ch. 51 §11–13Romance, Ch. 55 §20–21 · 26–27
In Chapter 76, together with Xu Sheng, he burst out from a bend in the hills and joined forces with Jiang Qin and the others to trap Guan Yu in their midst. In Chapter 84, when Wu Ban hurled abuse before the pass, Xu Sheng and Ding Feng asked to go out and fight, but Lu Xun laughed that it was a ruse to lure them out. Later Ding Feng urged Fu Tong, surrounded on all sides, to surrender, and Fu Tong, cursing that he would not surrender to 'Wu dogs', fought on and died amid the Wu army. Romance, Ch. 76 §32Romance, Ch. 84 §3 · 33–34
In Chapter 86, Xu Sheng gave Ding Feng a secret plan and had him lead 3,000 troops across the river to support Sun Shao. When Cao Pi abandoned his burning dragon boat and mounted a horse, Ding Feng charged in from the bank, and Zhang Liao, who came out to meet him, was struck in the waist by an arrow Ding Feng shot. Zhang Liao returned to Xuchang, where the wound broke open and he died. Romance, Ch. 86 §38 · 45–46
The title of Chapter 108 was 'Ding Feng Wields Short Weapons in the Snow'. Ding Feng, General Who Pacifies the North, received 3,000 marines from Zhuge Ke and went ahead to Dongxing with 30 boats. Hu Zun, who had pitched camp at Xutang, was holding a drinking party in the heavy snow and scorned them as no more than 3,000 men. Ding Feng said, 'For a true man to win merit and fame and gain wealth and honor, it is this very day,' had his troops take off their armor and helmets and carry only short swords, then leapt ashore at their head, cut down Han Zong and speared Huan Jia. The floating bridge was cut, and more than half the Wei army fell into the water and drowned. Romance, Ch. 108 §11–12 · 13–17
The title of Chapter 113 was 'Ding Feng Settles on a Plan and Beheads Sun Chen'. Zhang Bu recommended him to Sun Xiu, saying, 'The veteran general Ding Feng's strategy surpasses others and he knows how to decide great matters,' and Ding Feng devised the plan of summoning Sun Chen on the pretext of a grand assembly of the officials on the La day. At the banquet Zhang Bu seized Sun Chen and beheaded him, and Ding Feng, in charge of matters outside, captured Sun Chen's brothers together with Wei Miao and Shi Shuo. Romance, Ch. 113 §17 · 19–21
In Chapter 117, Sun Xiu, the ruler of Wu, made the veteran general Ding Feng commander-in-chief and sent him with 50,000 troops to relieve Shu; Ding Feng sent Ding Feng (丁封) and Sun Yi with 20,000 to Mianzhong and himself advanced on Shouchun with 30,000. In Chapter 119, seeing that Shu had fallen, he withdrew his troops and returned, then took overall command of the hundreds of camps along the river. In Chapter 120, on taking the throne, Sun Hao added the post of Grand Marshal of the Right to Ding Feng, and later the Romance wrote only that 'Ding Feng and Lu Kang had both died.' Romance, Ch. 117 §42Romance, Ch. 119 §23Romance, Ch. 120 §3 · 29
Where the Romance differs
Pursuit at the Seven Stars Altar: In Chapter 49 of the Romance, on Zhou Yu's orders, Ding Feng and Xu Sheng chased after Zhuge Liang at the Seven Stars Altar to behead him. The biography of Ding Feng in the Records has no such episode and records only that in his youth Ding Feng, as a junior officer, was attached to Gan Ning, Lu Xun, Pan Zhang and others and went on campaigns with them. Romance, Ch. 49 §17 · 20Records, Wu 10 §97–107
Offices: The Romance calls Ding Feng Commandant Protector of the Army in Chapter 49 and General Who Pacifies the North at the battle of Dongxing in Chapter 108. In the Records, Ding Feng passed through the post of Lieutenant General, became General Who Leads the Army when Sun Liang took the throne, and was transferred to General Who Destroys Bandits after the battle of Dongxing. Commandant Protector of the Army and General Who Pacifies the North do not appear in the biography of Ding Feng. Romance, Ch. 49 §17Romance, Ch. 108 §11Records, Wu 10 §98 · 101
Nan Commandery and Niu Jin (牛金): In Chapter 51 of the Romance, Ding Feng trapped Cao Ren's general Niu Jin (牛金) in the middle of his ranks. The biography of Cao Ren in the Records also tells how Cao Ren sent out his retainer commander Niu Jin, who was surrounded by Zhou Yu's troops, but it does not name the Wu general, and the biography of Ding Feng does not mention this battle. Romance, Ch. 51 §12–13Records, Wei 9 §36Records, Wu 10 §97–107
Zhang Liao's arrow wound: In Chapter 86 of the Romance, Ding Feng struck Zhang Liao in the waist with an arrow, and Zhang Liao died when the wound broke open. The biography of Ding Feng in the Records has no such episode, and in the biography of Zhang Liao, Zhang Liao fell gravely ill and died at Jiangdu. Romance, Ch. 86 §45–46Records, Wu 10 §97–107Records, Wei 17 §17
How he went to Dongxing: In Chapter 108 of the Romance, Ding Feng advised that Dongxing was a vital point, and Zhuge Ke gave him 3,000 marines and sent him ahead. In the Records, Ding Feng alone objected when the generals said the enemy would flee, and after Zhuge Ke went ashore and the armies marched slowly, Ding Feng on his own initiative led the 3,000 men under his command ahead, raised sail and took Xutang in two days. Romance, Ch. 108 §11–12Records, Wu 10 §99–100
Han Zong and Huan Jia: In Chapter 108 of the Romance, Ding Feng cut down Han Zong and speared Huan Jia to death. In the Records, the Biographies of the Three Successor Rulers say only that the Wei generals Han Zong, Huan Jia and others were killed in this battle without stating who killed them, and the biography of Ding Feng records that Ding Feng crushed the enemy's forward camps and the Wei army collapsed when Lü Ju and the others arrived. Romance, Ch. 108 §16–17Records, Wu 3 §5Records, Wu 10 §101
The beheading of Sun Chen: In Chapter 113 of the Romance, Zhang Bu led more than thirty armed men up into the hall, seized Sun Chen and beheaded him, while Ding Feng took charge of matters outside with Wei Miao and Shi Shuo. In the biography of Ding Feng in the Records, Ding Feng and Zhang Bu signaled the attendants with their eyes to behead Sun Chen, and in the biography of Sun Chen the two signaled with their eyes to have him bound, after which Sun Xiu had him beheaded. Romance, Ch. 113 §17 · 19–20Records, Wu 10 §105Records, Wu 19 §100
The relief army for Shu: In Chapter 117 of the Romance, Ding Feng led 50,000 troops and divided them, 20,000 to Mianzhong and 30,000 to Shouchun. In the Records, too, Ding Feng went to Shouchun and Ding Feng (丁封) and Sun Yi to Mianzhong, but the number of troops is not given, and there is also the episode of Liu Ping going to Shi Ji in Nan Commandery to discuss the campaign. Romance, Ch. 117 §42Records, Wu 3 §44Records, Wu 10 §105
Later years and death: Chapter 120 of the Romance says only that Ding Feng died. In the Records, he attacked Hefei in the 3rd year of Baoding (268) and sowed discord against Shi Bao, attacked Guyang in the 1st year of Jianheng (269) but gained nothing, so that Sun Hao beheaded his guide troops, and after he died in the 3rd year of Jianheng (271), Sun Hao raked up his past campaign and moved his family to Linchuan. Romance, Ch. 120 §29Records, Wu 10 §106–107
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
Records total525 / 1000Rank 193 of 996 · Top 20%Romance total526 / 1000Rank 78 of 1,113 · Top 8%
Romance adaptation index+1Romance total − Records total
- LEA7675−1
- STR8482−2
- INT7270−2
- POL2835+7
- CHA4542−3
- VIR4552+7
- ADP6260−2
- SCH2532+7
- DIP5040−10
- DIS3838±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
9 similar abilities — show evidence
RSeized Xutang first with the 3,000 men under his command and crushed the Wei forward camps; led the vanguard in the relief of ShouchunWu 10 §100Wu 10 §103
NRaided the Wei camps at Dongxing with 3,000 marines, drove off Hu Zun and won a great victoryCh. 108 §12Ch. 108 §15
RForemost in the army in every battle, cut down enemy generals and seized banners, charged the enemy ranks and took hundreds of headsWu 10 §98Wu 10 §102
NCut down Han Zong and speared Huan Jia to death; trapped Niu Jin in an encirclementCh. 108 §16Ch. 51 §13
RForesaw that the enemy would not return empty-handed; judged to surpass others in strategyWu 10 §99Wu 10 §104Wu 10 §106
NPointed out that Dongxing was a vital point; judged to surpass others in strategyCh. 108 §11Ch. 113 §17
RJudged not skilled at official documentsWu 10 §104
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a generalCh. 108 §11
RNo direct record — estimated from the record of spurring on his men with merit and fameWu 10 §100
NNo direct record — estimated from the record of spurring on his troops with merit and fameCh. 108 §15
RRecorded as having gradually grown arrogant from high rank and meritWu 10 §107
NNo direct record — estimated from his service as a veteran general of WuCh. 120 §29
RDecisive in beheading Sun Chen at the La festival gathering; grew arrogant in later years and his family was movedWu 10 §104Wu 10 §107
NAnswered Sun Xiu's summons with a plan and captured Sun Chen's brothersCh. 113 §17Ch. 113 §21
RRecorded as not skilled at official documentsWu 10 §104
NNo direct record — estimated from his career as a generalCh. 108 §11
RNo direct record — estimated from his overall careerWu 10 §99
NNo direct record — estimated from his overall careerCh. 108 §12
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (16)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Wu · Records · Records vol. 55 「孫亮即位，爲冠軍將軍」
Family
| Siblings | Ding Feng(丁封) Records |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.
Related events (6)
- Cao Ren Battles the Wu Army 208~209 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Guan Yu Flees to Maicheng 219 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Xu Sheng Defeats Cao Pi with Fire 224 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Battle of Dongxing 252~253 · Command
- Zhuge Dan's Rebellion 257~258 · Command
- Ding Feng Plots the Execution of Sun Chen 258 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).