Zhong Jin 鍾進
| Occupation | NGeneral | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | N | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Yingchuan Commandery Changshe County Unverified | |
| Died | Place of death | NChang'an County | |
| Cause of death | NKilled in battle Unverified | ||
| Existence | Fictional | Mentions |
Profile
Zhong Jin, who appears in Chapter 58 of the Romance, is the younger brother of Zhong Yao, Governor of Chang'an. When Ma Chao and Han Sui raise a great army of 200,000 and surround Chang'an, Zhong Yao mounts the walls to defend the city, and Zhong Jin guards the West Gate. After Ma Chao's troops, who had withdrawn, come back on the fifth day, a fire breaks out inside the city gate around the third watch; Zhong Jin, rushing to put it out, is cut down from his horse with a single stroke of the blade of Pang De, who comes round from beside the city wall. Romance, Ch. 58 §13–18
He appears in only one of the Romance's 120 chapters, Chapter 58, in a single passage, and his name is in no chapter title. He appears neither in Chen Shou's main text nor in Pei Songzhi's commentary. The Annals of Emperor Wu in Chen Shou's main text records only that in the 16th year of Jian'an (211), when Zhong Yao set out to attack Zhang Lu, the commanders of Guanzhong suspected that he meant to attack them, and Ma Chao rebelled together with Han Sui and others and stationed his troops at Tong Pass; it says nothing of Chang'an falling. The younger brother of Zhong Yao whom the Biography of Zhong Yao names is Zhong Yan. Romance, Ch. 58 §18Records, Wei 1 §109–110Records, Wei 13 §18
In the Romance
In Chapter 58 of the Romance, Han Sui has Cao Cao's envoy dragged out and beheaded, musters the troops and horses of the eight divisions under him, and sets out together with Ma Chao. The eight commanders follow Han Sui, and together with Pang De and Ma Dai under Ma Chao, a great army of 200,000 in all marches on Chang'an. Romance, Ch. 58 §12–13
Zhong Yao, Governor of Chang'an, sends word to Cao Cao with all speed and meanwhile draws up his formation in the open field, but he cannot last a single bout against Ma Dai, vanguard of the Xiliang front division, and flees in a crushing defeat, and the great army of Ma Chao and Han Sui surrounds Chang'an. Zhong Yao mounts the walls to defend the city, and because the walls are strong and the moats deep, the city cannot be taken even after a ten-day siege. Pang De proposes a plan: since the water inside Chang'an is brackish and undrinkable and there is no firewood either, they should withdraw their troops for a while. Romance, Ch. 58 §14–15
When Ma Chao has each division pull back, Zhong Yao sets his mind at ease only after confirming by scouting the next day that the enemy has gone far away, and he throws the city gates wide open so that soldiers and townspeople may go out to gather firewood and draw water. On the fifth day word comes that Ma Chao's troops are coming again; soldiers and townspeople race one another back into the city, and Zhong Yao again shuts the gates and holds fast. Romance, Ch. 58 §16–17
At this time Zhong Yao's younger brother Zhong Jin is guarding the West Gate. Around the third watch a fire breaks out inside the city gate, and as Zhong Jin hurries to put it out, a man comes round from beside the city wall, raising his blade and spurring his horse, and shouts, 'Pang De is here!' Before Zhong Jin can make a move, he is cut down from his horse with a single stroke of Pang De's blade. Pang De scatters the soldiers, hacks through the bar and breaks the lock, and lets the troops of Ma Chao and Han Sui into the city, and Zhong Yao abandons the city and flees through the East Gate. Romance, Ch. 58 §18
Zhong Yao falls back to hold Tong Pass and reports to Cao Cao, and Cao Cao, learning that Chang'an has been lost, can no longer discuss the southern campaign and gives Cao Hong and Xu Huang 10,000 troops to hold Tong Pass in place of Zhong Yao. In the Romance, Zhong Jin's name appears only in this one passage at the West Gate of Chang'an. Romance, Ch. 58 §19 · 18
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
There is no record in the main text of Chen Shou’s Records, so only the Romance score is given.
- LEA40
- STR35
- INT33
- POL33
- CHA35
- VIR45
- ADP33
- SCH31
- DIP31
- DIS31
Evidence by ability
NGuarding the West Gate, he failed to deal with the fire set inside the city, and the city fellCh. 58 §18
NCut down with a single stroke of Pang De's blade as he came to put out the fireCh. 58 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Zhong Yao's younger brother and a garrison commanderCh. 58 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Zhong Yao's younger brother and a garrison commanderCh. 58 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Zhong Yao's younger brother and a garrison commanderCh. 58 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Zhong Yao's younger brother and a garrison commanderCh. 58 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Zhong Yao's younger brother and a garrison commanderCh. 58 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Zhong Yao's younger brother and a garrison commanderCh. 58 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Zhong Yao's younger brother and a garrison commanderCh. 58 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Zhong Yao's younger brother and a garrison commanderCh. 58 §18
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
| Siblings | Zhong Yao Romance |
|---|
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.