RThoroughly versed in the Five Classics and wrote over thirty thousand characters; the assessment calls him a Confucian scholar of his ageWu 8 §18Wu 8 §19Wu 8 §63
NA renowned scholar of Runan who joined Sun Quan's guestsCh. 38 §26Ch. 43 §29
Cheng Bing 程秉
| Occupation | RScholar · Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince NScholar · Grandee | Faction | Wu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Wu |
| Born | Native place | Runan Commandery Nandun County | |
| Cause of death | RIllness Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R6 |
Profile
Cheng Bing, courtesy name Deshu, was a man of Nandun County in Runan Commandery. He studied under Zheng Xuan, and after fleeing the turmoil to Jiao Province he became thoroughly versed in the Five Classics. While serving as Chief Clerk to Shi Xie, he was summoned by Sun Quan, who had heard of him as a renowned Confucian scholar, and became Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. Records, Wu 8 §18
In the 4th year of Huangwu (225), acting as Minister of Ceremonies, he went to Wu to receive the daughter of Zhou Yu, who was to become the consort of the Crown Prince Sun Deng, and on his return he counselled Sun Deng on the rites of marriage. He later died of illness in office. Records, Wu 8 §18–19
In his assessment, the historian Chen Shou called him, together with Yan Jun and Kan Ze, the Confucian scholars of their age. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 38 as one of the scholars of Jiangdong whom Sun Quan treated with honour, and he appears in 3 of its 120 chapters; his name does not appear in any chapter title. In Chapter 43 he challenges Zhuge Liang and is left without an answer, and in Chapter 83 he is sent as an envoy to Liu Bei at Xiaoting. Records, Wu 8 §63Romance, Ch. 38 §26Romance, Ch. 43 §29–30Romance, Ch. 83 §30
In the Records
Cheng Bing, courtesy name Deshu, was a man of Nandun County in Runan Commandery. He had studied under Zheng Xuan, and later, fleeing the turmoil to Jiao Province, he examined and discussed the great principles of the classics with Liu Xi, and in the end became thoroughly versed in the Five Classics. Shi Xie made him his Chief Clerk. Records, Wu 8 §18
Sun Quan, hearing that he was a renowned Confucian scholar, summoned him with due courtesy, and when Cheng Bing arrived he appointed him Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. In the 4th year of Huangwu (225), when Sun Quan arranged for the Crown Prince Sun Deng to take Zhou Yu's daughter as his wife, Cheng Bing, acting as Minister of Ceremonies, received the consort in Wu. Sun Quan personally visited Cheng Bing's boat, and he was treated with very great honour. Records, Wu 8 §18
After his return, Cheng Bing calmly counselled Sun Deng. Marriage, he said, is the beginning of human relations and the foundation of royal transformation, and so the sage kings valued it, leading the common people and transforming the realm by their example; that was why the Book of Songs praised the "Guanju" and placed it first. Therefore, if the Crown Prince honoured the rites in his inner chambers and preserved what the "Zhounan" sang of, the transforming power of the Way would flourish above and songs of praise would arise below. Sun Deng laughed and replied that in following what was good in him and correcting what was wrong, he truly relied on his tutor. Records, Wu 8 §19
Cheng Bing died of illness in office. He wrote the Zhouyi Zhai, the Shangshu Bo and the Lunyu Bi, more than thirty thousand characters in all. Chen Shou's main text does not record the year of his death. Chen Shou added that while Cheng Bing was tutor, Zheng Chong of Henan, Prefect of the Watches, was likewise devoted to learning and upright in conduct. Records, Wu 8 §19 · 21
In the assessment of Records of Wu 8, after calling Zhang Hong a fine vessel of his age, Chen Shou said that Masters Yan Jun, Cheng Bing and Kan Ze were the Confucian scholars of their age. Records, Wu 8 §63
In the Romance
In Chapter 38 of the Romance, Sun Quan, who has held Jiangdong since Sun Ce's death, opens guest halls in Wu and Kuaiji and has Gu Yong and Zhang Hong receive guests from every quarter. At this time, along with Kan Ze of Kuaiji, Yan Jun of Pengcheng, Xue Zong of Pei County and others, "Cheng Bing of Runan, courtesy name Deshu" comes to Jiangdong, and Sun Quan treats them all with very great honour. Romance, Ch. 38 §26
In Chapter 43, when Zhuge Liang is debating with the scholars of Wu and Yan Jun is left speechless, Cheng Deshu steps forward and says in a loud voice that the gentleman likes to boast but surely has no real learning, and that he fears he will only be laughed at by the scholars. In this scene the Romance calls him "Cheng Deshu." Romance, Ch. 43 §28–29
Zhuge Liang replies that among scholars there is a distinction between the gentleman and the petty man, and that the petty scholar is one who, though a thousand words may flow from his brush, has not a single plan in his breast; he cites Yang Xiong, who won fame for his writing but humbled himself to serve Wang Mang and died by throwing himself from a tower. Asked what use there is in composing ten thousand words of rhapsody a day, Cheng Deshu cannot answer. Romance, Ch. 43 §29–30
In Chapter 83, as Liu Bei's might shakes the land, Sun Quan follows Bu Zhi's advice: he places Zhang Fei's head in a box of aloeswood, binds Fan Jiang and Zhang Da and locks them in a cage cart, and sends Cheng Bing as envoy with a letter of state to Xiaoting. Ma Liang reports that "Cheng Bing, Grandee of Wu," has come asking to return Jing Province, send back the lady, form a lasting alliance and destroy Wei together. Romance, Ch. 83 §29–30 · 32
Liu Bei declares that the enemy he grinds his teeth against is Sun Quan himself and that he will first destroy Wu; he wants to behead the envoy to sever all ties with Wu, and only relents after the officials earnestly plead with him. Cheng Bing flees back with his head in his hands like a rat and reports to Sun Quan that Shu will not agree to peace and has sworn to destroy Eastern Wu first and then attack Wei. Cheng Bing does not appear in the Romance after this chapter. Romance, Ch. 83 §32–33
Where the Romance differs
How he came to Jiangdong: Chapter 38 of the Romance gives only his origin and courtesy name, as one of the scholars of Jiangdong whom Sun Quan received after opening his guest halls. In the Records, he studied under Zheng Xuan, fled the turmoil to Jiao Province and served as Chief Clerk to Shi Xie, and then, when Sun Quan heard of him as a renowned Confucian scholar and summoned him with due courtesy, he became Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. Romance, Ch. 38 §26Records, Wu 8 §18
The debate with Zhuge Liang: In Chapter 43 of the Romance, Cheng Bing challenges Zhuge Liang, claiming he has no real learning, and is left without an answer. Cheng Bing's biography in the Records contains no meeting with Zhuge Liang. Romance, Ch. 43 §29–30Records, Wu 8 §17–21
The envoy to Xiaoting: In Chapter 83 of the Romance, Sun Quan sends Cheng Bing as envoy to Liu Bei at Xiaoting. The Biography of the Former Lord in the Records says only that Sun Quan sent a letter asking for peace and that the Former Lord, in great anger, refused; it does not name the envoy, and Cheng Bing's biography does not mention the episode either. Romance, Ch. 83 §30Records, Shu 2 §69Records, Wu 8 §17–21
Zhang Fei's head: In Chapter 83 of the Romance, Wu puts Zhang Fei's head in a box and locks Fan Jiang and Zhang Da in a cage cart, sending them along with Cheng Bing, and Zhang Bao puts the two men to death by slow slicing. The Biography of Zhang Fei in the Records says only that Zhang Da and Fan Jiang killed Zhang Fei and fled downriver to Sun Quan with his head; there is no return of the head or of the two men. Romance, Ch. 83 §30–31Records, Shu 6 §23
His office: In Chapter 83 of the Romance, Ma Liang calls him a "Grandee of Wu." In the Records he was Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, and in the 4th year of Huangwu (225), acting as Minister of Ceremonies, he received the Crown Prince's consort. Romance, Ch. 83 §32Records, Wu 8 §18
Writings and death: The Romance records neither Cheng Bing's writings nor his death. The Records state that he died of illness in office and that he wrote the Zhouyi Zhai, the Shangshu Bo and the Lunyu Bi, more than thirty thousand characters in all. Romance, Ch. 83 §33Records, Wu 8 §19
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 total488 / 1000Rank 283 of 996 · Top 29%Romance total386 / 1000Rank 614 of 1,113 · Top 56%
Romance adaptation index−102Romance total − Records total
- LEA3131±0
- STR3131±0
- INT4838−10
- POL5038−12
- CHA5042−8
- VIR6040−20
- ADP4840−8
- SCH8258−24
- DIP5030−20
- DIS3838±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RCounselled the Crown Prince to honour the rites of marriageWu 8 §19
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 43 §29
RHis counsel to the Crown Prince was acceptedWu 8 §19
NChallenged Kongming on learning and was left without an answerCh. 43 §29Ch. 43 §30
RAppointed Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and acted as Minister of CeremoniesWu 8 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a scholar of JiangdongCh. 38 §26
RNo direct record — estimated from his counsel as tutorWu 8 §19
NNo direct record — estimated from the debate sceneCh. 43 §29
5 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his offices as a Confucian scholarWu 8 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a scholar of JiangdongCh. 38 §26
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a Confucian scholarWu 8 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a scholarCh. 38 §26
RSummoned by Sun Quan with due courtesy, who personally visited his boatWu 8 §18
NOne of the scholars of Jiangdong whom Sun Quan treated with great honourCh. 38 §26
RFled the turmoil to Jiao Province and continued his studiesWu 8 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 43 §30
RNo direct record — estimated from his officesWu 8 §18
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 38 §26
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 (3)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history
- Wu · Records · Records vol. 53 「權聞其名儒，以禮徵，秉既到，拜太子太傅」
Related events (1)
- Zhuge Liang Debates the Scholars Romance ch. 43 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).