RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NSaw that Zhou Yu's handling of troops followed proper rules and passed it onCh. 44 §39
Cheng Zi 程咨
| Occupation | ROther · Marquis of a Village | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Youbeiping Commandery Tuyin County Unverified | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R1 |
Profile
Cheng Zi was the son of the Wu general Cheng Pu. He appears once in Chen Shou's main text, at the end of his father Cheng Pu's biography, which records that after Cheng Pu had been transferred to General Who Sweeps Away Bandits and died, Sun Quan, on taking the imperial title, reviewed Cheng Pu's merit and enfeoffed his son Cheng Zi as Marquis of a Village (tinghou). The Records give him no biography of his own, and his courtesy name, his other deeds and his death are not recorded. Records, Wu 10 §6
In the Romance he appears only in Chapter 44, and his name is in no chapter title. On the day after Sun Quan makes Zhou Yu Grand Commander and Cheng Pu Vice Commander, Cheng Pu, who is older than Zhou Yu and displeased that Zhou Yu's rank stands above his own, pleads illness, stays away and sends his eldest son Cheng Zi in his place. Cheng Zi returns and tells his father that Zhou Yu's handling of the troops, in advancing and halting, follows proper rules, and Cheng Pu goes in person to the field headquarters to apologize. Romance, Ch. 44 §30 · 37 · 39
In the Records
Cheng Zi's father Cheng Pu, courtesy name Demou, was a man of Tuyin County in Youbeiping Commandery. He followed Sun Jian on campaign, and when Sun Jian died he followed Sun Ce. After Sun Ce's death he assisted Sun Quan together with Zhang Zhao and others; serving with Zhou Yu as Left and Right Commanders, he defeated Lord Cao at Wulin, and he was appointed Assistant General (pi jiangjun) and concurrently Administrator of Jiangxia. Records, Wu 10 §2–3 · 5
Among the generals who had served from the beginning, Cheng Pu was the eldest, and the people of the time all called him Lord Cheng. When Zhou Yu died, Cheng Pu succeeded him as concurrent Administrator of Nan Commandery; when Sun Quan divided Jing Province and gave part of it to Liu Bei, he returned to take charge of Jiangxia once more, and he died after being transferred to General Who Sweeps Away Bandits. Records, Wu 10 §6
Sun Quan ascended the imperial throne at the southern suburb on the day bingshen of the fourth month, in summer, of the 1st year of Huanglong (229). Chen Shou recorded that when Sun Quan took the imperial title he reviewed Cheng Pu's merit and enfeoffed his son Cheng Zi as Marquis of a Village. This single line is the only place in Chen Shou's main text where Cheng Zi's name appears, and his later deeds and death are not recorded. Records, Wu 2 §61Records, Wu 10 §6
In the Romance
In Chapter 44 of the Romance, Sun Quan draws the sword at his side and hacks off a corner of the desk, declaring that anyone who again speaks of surrendering to Cao Cao will share the desk's fate, and he makes Zhou Yu Grand Commander, Cheng Pu Vice Commander and Lu Su Commandant Assisting the Army. Zhou Yu tells the generals and officials all to come to the field headquarters on the riverbank the next day to receive orders, and says that anyone who is late or fails in his duty will be punished under the Seven Prohibitions and Fifty-four Beheading Offenses. Romance, Ch. 44 §30–31
At dawn the next day Zhou Yu ascends the central command tent at the field headquarters and assembles the civil officials and military commanders. Cheng Pu, who is older than Zhou Yu, is displeased that Zhou Yu's rank now stands above his own, so that day he pleads illness, stays away and sends his eldest son Cheng Zi in his place. Zhou Yu issues the order that the king's law knows no favorites and that each must keep to his own duty; beginning by making Han Dang and Huang Gai the van of the advance division, he assigns the generals as far as the Fifth Division and makes Lü Fan and Zhu Zhi Patrol Commissioners of the Four Quarters. Romance, Ch. 44 §37–38
When the assignments are complete and the generals have set out one by one, Cheng Zi goes back to see his father Cheng Pu and tells him that Zhou Yu's handling of the troops, in advancing and halting, follows proper rules. Greatly startled, Cheng Pu says, 'I always despised Zhou Lang as weak and unfit to be a general, but now that he can do this, he is truly of the stuff of a general! How could I not submit to him!' At last he goes in person to the field headquarters to apologize, and Zhou Yu too thanks him modestly. After this chapter Cheng Zi does not appear in the Romance again. Romance, Ch. 44 §39
Where the Romance differs
When his name appears: In Chapter 44 of the Romance, Cheng Zi attends in his father's place at the gathering where Zhou Yu first issues his military orders before the Battle of Red Cliffs. In Chen Shou's main text his name appears only in connection with his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village when Sun Quan took the imperial title after his father Cheng Pu's death, and Cheng Zi does not appear in the Battle of Red Cliffs as told in the Biography of Cheng Pu and the Biography of Zhou Yu. Romance, Ch. 44 §37Records, Wu 10 §1–6Records, Wu 9 §14
Cheng Pu and Zhou Yu: In Chapter 44 of the Romance, Cheng Pu, annoyed that Zhou Yu's rank is above his own, pleads illness and sends Cheng Zi in his place, then on hearing Cheng Zi's report goes in person to apologize. In the Records, the Biography of Zhou Yu states that Zhou Yu 'was on bad terms with Cheng Pu alone,' and the Biography of Cheng Pu states that the two served as Left and Right Commanders. Chen Shou's main text has nothing about Cheng Zi carrying word back and Cheng Pu apologizing. Romance, Ch. 44 §37 · 39Records, Wu 9 §22Records, Wu 10 §5
Which son: Chapter 44 of the Romance calls Cheng Zi Cheng Pu's eldest son. The Records say only 'his son Cheng Zi' and do not state which son he was. Romance, Ch. 44 §37Records, Wu 10 §6
Enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village: The Romance has nothing about Cheng Zi being enfeoffed as Marquis of a Village, and he does not appear after Chapter 44. In the Records, when Sun Quan took the imperial title, Cheng Zi was enfeoffed as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's merit. Romance, Ch. 44 §39Records, Wu 10 §6
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 total378 / 1000Rank 742 of 996 · Top 75%Romance total407 / 1000Rank 477 of 1,113 · Top 43%
Romance adaptation index+29Romance total − Records total
- LEA3835−3
- STR3535±0
- INT3840+2
- POL3833−5
- CHA4038−2
- VIR4048+8
- ADP4240−2
- SCH3535±0
- DIP3648+12
- DIS3655+19
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NHis report on returning led his father to apologize to Zhou YuCh. 44 §39
8 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cheng Pu's eldest sonCh. 44 §37
RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cheng Pu's eldest sonCh. 44 §37
RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cheng Pu's eldest sonCh. 44 §37
RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cheng Pu's eldest sonCh. 44 §37
RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cheng Pu's eldest sonCh. 44 §37
RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cheng Pu's eldest sonCh. 44 §37
RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cheng Pu's eldest sonCh. 44 §37
RNo direct record — only the record of his enfeoffment as Marquis of a Village for his father Cheng Pu's meritWu 10 §6
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Cheng Pu's eldest sonCh. 44 §37
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 (1)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Family
| Parents | Cheng Pu Romance |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.