RNo direct record — estimated from his roles as vanguard and garrison generalWei 18 §72
NDevised the Chang'an stratagem but was fooled by a feigned retreat, and Jia Xu said he relied only on hot-blooded courageCh. 58 §15Ch. 67 §19Ch. 74 §8
Pang De 龐德
| Occupation | RGeneral · General Who Establishes Righteousness NGeneral · Chief Vanguard of the Western Campaign | Faction | Wei |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | Book of Wei |
| Born | R? Unverified | Native place | Hanyang Commandery Huandao |
| Died | R219 Unverified | Place of death | |
| Cause of death | RExecuted NExecuted Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R20 |
Profile
Pang De, courtesy name Lingming, was a man of Huandao County in Nan'an Commandery. He fought under Ma Teng and his son Ma Chao, went with Ma Chao to Zhang Lu in Hanzhong, and when Taizu pacified Hanzhong he surrendered along with the rest and became General Who Establishes Righteousness. Records, Wei 18 §68–70
In the 24th year of Jian'an (219), while holding off Guan Yu at Fan together with Cao Ren, he was captured when the river overflowed in the long rains and Yu Jin's seven armies were submerged. He refused to surrender and was killed for reviling Guan Yu, and Emperor Wen later granted him the posthumous name Marquis Zhuang. Records, Wei 17 §38Records, Wei 18 §72–75
Chen Shou, author of the Records, wrote in his assessment that 'he gave his life reviling the enemy, and had the integrity of Zhou Ke'. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 58 as a trusted colonel before Ma Chao's tent and appears in 10 of its 120 chapters; as the title of Chapter 74, 'Pang Lingming Bears a Coffin and Fights to the Death', suggests, he is portrayed as a general who sets out to fight Guan Yu carrying a coffin. Records, Wei 18 §92Romance, Ch. 58 §7Romance, Ch. 74 §6–7
In the Records
Pang De, courtesy name Lingming, was a man of Huandao County in Nan'an Commandery. In his youth he served as a commandery clerk and as an Attendant Officer of the province. During the Chuping era he followed Ma Teng in attacking the rebel Qiang and Di, won merit many times, and gradually rose to colonel. Records, Wei 18 §68
During the Jian'an era, when Taizu attacked Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang at Liyang, Yuan Tan sent Guo Yuan, Gao Gan and others to seize Hedong, and Taizu had Zhong Yao lead the generals of Guanzhong against them. Pang De followed Ma Teng's son Ma Chao in resisting Guo Yuan and Gao Gan at Pingyang; he led the vanguard, routed them, and personally took Guo Yuan's head. The Biography of Ma Chao also records that Ma Chao's general Pang De personally beheaded Guo Yuan. For this merit he was appointed General of the Household and enfeoffed as Marquis of a Chief Village. Records, Wei 18 §68–69Records, Shu 6 §26
Later, when Zhang Baiqi rebelled at Hongnong, he again followed Ma Teng on campaign and defeated him between the two Xiao mountains. In every battle he broke the enemy lines and drove the enemy back, and his valor was foremost in Ma Teng's army. When Ma Teng fell out with Han Sui, asked to return to the region of the capital and became Commandant of the Guards, Pang De stayed behind under Ma Chao. When Taizu defeated Ma Chao at Weinan, he fled with Ma Chao to Hanyang and held Jicheng, and again fled with Ma Chao to Hanzhong and followed Zhang Lu. When Taizu pacified Hanzhong, Pang De surrendered along with the rest. Records, Wei 18 §69Records, Shu 6 §26
Because Taizu had long heard of his valor and daring, he appointed him General Who Establishes Righteousness and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Guanmen Village with a fief of 300 households. When Hou Yin, Wei Kai and others rebelled with Wan as their base, Pang De led the troops under his command together with Cao Ren to attack and take Wan, beheaded Hou Yin and Wei Kai, and then went south to garrison Fan. Records, Wei 18 §70–71
During the campaign against Guan Yu, the generals below Fancheng were rather suspicious of Pang De because his elder brother was in Hanzhong. Pang De always said, 'I have received the state's favor, and duty requires me to give my life. If I do not kill Guan Yu this year, Guan Yu will kill me.' Later he fought Guan Yu in person and shot him in the forehead. Because Pang De always rode a white horse at the time, Guan Yu's troops called him the White Horse General and all feared him. Records, Wei 18 §71
In the 24th year of Jian'an (219), Cao Ren had Pang De garrison ten li north of Fancheng. As it happened, heavy rain fell for more than ten days and the Han River suddenly overflowed, so that the water on the flat ground below Fancheng was five or six zhang deep and Yu Jin's seven armies were all submerged. Pang De climbed onto an embankment with the other generals to escape the water. Guan Yu came by boat and shot at the embankment from all sides from large boats; Pang De, in armor, took up his bow and shot back, and not one arrow missed. When the general Dong Heng, the commander of private troops Dong Chao and others wanted to surrender, Pang De seized and beheaded them all. He fought hard from dawn until past midday, but as Guan Yu's attack grew fiercer and his arrows ran out, he fought hand to hand with short weapons. Records, Wei 17 §38Records, Wei 18 §72
Pang De said to the supervising general Cheng He, 'A good general does not fear death and seek to escape by any means, and a man of honor does not ruin his integrity to seek life. Today is the day I die.' But the water rose ever higher, and the officers and soldiers all surrendered. With one of his officers and two attendants, Pang De drew his bow with an arrow nocked and took a small boat, intending to return to Cao Ren's camp. The current was so strong that the boat capsized and he lost his bow and arrows; clinging alone to the overturned boat in the water, he was captured by Guan Yu. He stood and would not kneel. Records, Wei 18 §73
When Guan Yu urged him to surrender, saying, 'Your elder brother is in Hanzhong, and I want to make you a general,' Pang De reviled him: 'Whelp, what talk is this of surrender? I would rather be a ghost of the state than a general of rebels.' He was finally killed by Guan Yu. When Taizu heard of it he grieved and wept, and enfeoffed his two sons as full marquises. The Biography of Yu Jin records that while Yu Jin surrendered, Pang De alone died without bending his integrity, and that Taizu lamented, 'I have known Yu Jin for thirty years; how could I have thought that, faced with danger, he would prove inferior to Pang De?' Records, Wei 18 §74Records, Wei 17 §38
When Emperor Wen took the throne of king, he sent an envoy to Pang De's tomb to grant him the posthumous name Marquis Zhuang, and gave his son Pang Hui and three others, four in all, the rank of Marquis Within the Passes with a fief of 100 households each. Pang Hui was brave and resolute, with his father's spirit; he rose to General of the Capital Guard and was enfeoffed as a full marquis. When Yu Jin returned from Wu, Emperor Wen had pictures painted beforehand in the building at the Gaoling mausoleum showing Guan Yu victorious in battle, Pang De in wrath and Yu Jin surrendering. In the 7th month of autumn in the 4th year of Zhengshi (243), General Who Establishes Righteousness Pang De was enshrined and sacrificed to in the temple court of Taizu. Records, Wei 18 §75Records, Wei 17 §39Records, Wei 4 §8 · 14
In his assessment Chen Shou said that Pang De gave his life reviling the enemy and had the integrity of Zhou Ke. Records, Wei 18 §92
In the Romance
In Chapter 58 of the Romance, when Ma Chao of Xiliang dreams of being bitten by a pack of tigers, a man described as 'a trusted colonel before his tent, surnamed Pang, named De, courtesy name Lingming' first appears, interpreting it as an ill omen. When Chang'an has been besieged for ten days without falling, Pang De proposes the stratagem of withdrawing the troops for a while, and when fire breaks out inside the city at night, he beheads Zhong Yao's younger brother Zhong Jin, who was guarding the west gate, and opens the city gate to let in the troops of Ma Chao and Han Sui. Romance, Ch. 58 §7 · 15–18
In Chapter 59, Ma Chao makes Pang De his left wing and Ma Dai his right wing. On the night Ma Chao bursts into the tent of Han Sui, who intends to surrender to Cao Cao, Pang De and Ma Dai, backing him up from behind, rescue Ma Chao when he is surrounded by Cao Cao's troops, and flee with the remaining thirty-odd horsemen to Lintao in Longxi. In Chapter 64 too he fights his way out and flees with Ma Chao after Ma Chao is driven out of Jicheng. In Chapter 65, when Ma Chao leads Zhang Lu's troops to Jiameng Pass, Pang De lies ill and stays behind in Hanzhong. Romance, Ch. 59 §9 · 29–31 · 36–37Romance, Ch. 64 §44Romance, Ch. 65 §1
In Chapter 67, when Cao Cao reaches Nanzheng, Zhang Lu gives Pang De 10,000 troops on Yan Pu's recommendation. Pang De fights Zhang He, Xiahou Yuan, Xu Huang and Xu Chu one after another without any sign of fear. When, on Jia Xu's plan, Cao Cao bribes Zhang Lu's adviser Yang Song to slander Pang De, Zhang Lu rebukes Pang De and says he will behead him if he does not win. The next day, pursuing Xu Chu, who feigns defeat, Pang De falls into a pit and is captured, and when Cao Cao personally unties his bonds, he thinks of Zhang Lu's lack of benevolence and surrenders. Romance, Ch. 67 §14–17 · 21–23
In Chapter 68 he takes charge of one of the five columns of Cao Cao's army advancing on Ruxu, fights Chen Wu of Eastern Wu, chases him to the mouth of a wood and kills him. In Chapter 72 he fights Wei Yan at Ye Valley and protects Cao Cao, who has been hit by Wei Yan's arrow, bringing him back to camp. Romance, Ch. 68 §14 · 17 · 21Romance, Ch. 72 §37 · 39
In Chapter 74 Pang De volunteers to lead the vanguard of the relief army for Fancheng. When Dong Heng objects that his former lord Ma Chao and his elder brother Pang Rou are in Xichuan, Cao Cao has the vanguard's seal taken back, and Pang De, removing his cap and knocking his head on the ground until blood runs down his face, explains that in his home district he killed his sister-in-law while drunk and has broken off with his brother. He has a wooden coffin made and swears to his kin and friends that if he cannot kill Guan Yu he will die at his hands or take his own life, and after entrusting what is to come to his wife, Lady Li, and his son Pang Hui, he sets out carrying the coffin. Romance, Ch. 74 §1–7
Before Fancheng he fights Guan Ping for 30 bouts and Guan Yu for more than 100 bouts without a decision, and the next day, after some 50 bouts, he pretends to flee trailing his blade, then shoots an arrow that hits Guan Yu in the left arm. But Yu Jin, fearing that Pang De will win merit, sounds the gongs to recall the troops, and moving the seven armies to a mountain valley ten li north of Fancheng, he places Pang De at the back of the valley so that he cannot send out his troops. Romance, Ch. 74 §13–14 · 18–20 · 23–24
When Guan Yu breaks the dams he had built and the seven armies are submerged, Pang De beheads Dong Heng and Dong Chao, who urge surrender, says to Cheng He, 'Today is the day I die,' and fights on. He seizes a small boat and rows toward Fancheng, but the boat is overturned by a large raft poled in by Zhou Cang, and he is captured. He will not kneel before Guan Yu, reviles him and stretches out his neck to receive execution, and Guan Yu, pitying him, has him buried. In Chapter 75 Cao Cao laments that he never knew Yu Jin, who had followed him for thirty years, would prove inferior to Pang De, and in Chapter 79 a picture of Pang De, enraged and unbowed, is painted on the wall at Gaoling. Romance, Ch. 74 §27 · 29–34 · 37–38Romance, Ch. 75 §14Romance, Ch. 79 §4
Where the Romance differs
Chang'an and Weinan: In Chapter 58 of the Romance, Pang De takes Chang'an by a stratagem and beheads Zhong Yao's younger brother Zhong Jin, and at Weinan he leaps out of a pit, beheads Cao Yong and rescues Han Sui. The Biography of Pang De in the Records says only that when Taizu defeated Ma Chao at Weinan, Pang De fled with Ma Chao to Hanyang; the fall of Chang'an, Zhong Jin and Cao Yong do not appear. Romance, Ch. 58 §15–18 · 50–51Records, Wei 18 §67–75
His first merit in the Records: In the Records, Pang De followed Ma Chao in resisting Guo Yuan and Gao Gan at Pingyang, led the vanguard and personally took Guo Yuan's head, and for this merit became General of the Household. In the Romance, Pang De first appears in Chapter 58 when Ma Chao raises his army, and the beheading of Guo Yuan does not appear. Records, Wei 18 §68–69Romance, Ch. 58 §7
How he surrendered to Cao Cao: In Chapter 65 of the Romance, Pang De stays behind in Hanzhong because of illness, and in Chapter 67, fighting for Zhang Lu, he is driven into a corner by Yang Song's slander, falls into a pit while chasing Xu Chu, is captured and then surrenders. In the Records he went with Ma Chao to Zhang Lu, and when Taizu pacified Hanzhong he surrendered along with the rest. Neither the illness, the pit nor Yang Song's sowing of discord is in the Biography of Pang De. Romance, Ch. 65 §1Romance, Ch. 67 §21–23Records, Wei 18 §69
The death of Chen Wu: In Chapter 68 of the Romance, Pang De chases down and kills Chen Wu of Eastern Wu at Ruxu. In the Biography of Chen Wu in the Records, Chen Wu was killed in action in the 20th year of Jian'an (215), fighting with his life at stake in the attack on Hefei. Romance, Ch. 68 §21Records, Wu 10 §35
His brother and suspicion: In Chapter 74 of the Romance, Dong Heng objects that Pang De's elder brother Pang Rou is in Xichuan, Cao Cao takes back the vanguard's seal, and Pang De explains that he killed his sister-in-law while drunk and has broken off with his brother. The Records says only that the generals below Fancheng suspected him because his elder brother was in Hanzhong; there is no brother's name, no story of the sister-in-law and no taking back of the seal by Cao Cao. Romance, Ch. 74 §2–4Records, Wei 18 §71
Setting out with a coffin: In Chapter 74 of the Romance, he sets out carrying a wooden coffin and swears to die if he cannot kill Guan Yu. In the Records no coffin appears; it records that Pang De always said, 'If I do not kill Guan Yu this year, Guan Yu will kill me.' Romance, Ch. 74 §6–7Records, Wei 18 §71
The arrow that hit Guan Yu: In Chapter 74 of the Romance, the arrow he shoots after pretending to flee trailing his blade hits Guan Yu in the left arm. In the Records he fought Guan Yu in person and shot him in the forehead, and because he always rode a white horse, Guan Yu's troops called him the White Horse General. Romance, Ch. 74 §19Records, Wei 18 §71
The camp north of Fancheng: In Chapter 74 of the Romance, Yu Jin, jealous of Pang De's merit, sounds the gongs to recall the troops, moves the seven armies ten li north of Fancheng and places Pang De at the back of the valley. In the Records, Cao Ren had Pang De garrison ten li north of Fancheng, and there is no mention of Yu Jin being jealous of him. Romance, Ch. 74 §20 · 23–24Records, Wei 18 §72
How he was captured: In Chapter 74 of the Romance, Guan Yu breaks the dams he had built, and Pang De, fleeing in a small boat, is captured when Zhou Cang's raft overturns it. In the Records, the Han River overflowed in the long rains, the boat capsized in the strong current, and he was captured by Guan Yu while clinging alone to the overturned boat. Zhou Cang does not appear. Romance, Ch. 74 §27 · 33–34Records, Wei 18 §72–73
After his death: In Chapter 74 of the Romance, Guan Yu pities him and has him buried. In the Records, Taizu wept and enfeoffed his two sons as full marquises, and Emperor Wen granted him the posthumous name Marquis Zhuang and made his son Pang Hui and three others, four in all, Marquises Within the Passes. The Records does not say that Guan Yu buried him. Romance, Ch. 74 §38Records, Wei 18 §74–75
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 total512 / 1000Rank 219 of 996 · Top 22%Romance total529 / 1000Rank 73 of 1,113 · Top 7%
Romance adaptation index+17Romance total − Records total
- LEA6264+2
- STR8690+4
- INT4055+15
- POL3831−7
- CHA4555+10
- VIR9288−4
- ADP4845−3
- SCH3131±0
- DIP3535±0
- DIS3535±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RLittle direct record — only that Guan Yu's troops feared him as the White Horse GeneralWei 18 §71
NHis 500 officers, moved by his loyalty and courage, vowed to give their allCh. 74 §8
8 similar abilities — show evidence
RLed the vanguard to rout Guo Yuan and Gao Gan, and took Wan with Cao RenWei 18 §68Wei 18 §71
NTook Chang'an by a stratagem, but suffered a night raid on his camp in HanzhongCh. 58 §15Ch. 67 §19
RHis valor was foremost in Ma Teng's army; personally beheaded Guo Yuan and shot Guan Yu in the foreheadWei 18 §69Wei 18 §71
NFought Guan Yu for over 100 bouts and hit him with an arrow, and took on four generalsCh. 74 §15Ch. 74 §19Ch. 67 §16
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as commandery clerk and provincial Attendant OfficerWei 18 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a colonelCh. 58 §7
RRefused to surrender and died reviling Guan Yu; the assessment credits him with the integrity of Zhou KeWei 18 §73Wei 18 §92
NSet out carrying a coffin and died without kneeling, but had once killed his sister-in-law while drunkCh. 74 §4Ch. 74 §31Ch. 74 §37
RWhen suspected because of his brother he vowed to fight to the death, and beheaded the officers who wanted to surrenderWei 18 §71
NAbandoned Zhang Lu to surrender to Cao Cao, but refused to surrender to Guan YuCh. 67 §23Ch. 74 §37
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a military commanderWei 18 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a military commanderCh. 58 §7
RNo direct record — estimated only from his words reviling Guan YuWei 18 §74
NNo direct record — estimated from his boasts before the battle linesCh. 74 §12
RNo direct record — estimated from his career as a military commanderWei 18 §68
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as a military commanderCh. 58 §7
Special — talents Records +25 · Romance +25
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Archery
RNMaster +25 His arrows from the embankment never missed, and he hit Guan Yu with his bowWei 18 §72Ch. 74 §19
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 (10)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Allegiance history Changed allegiance 3 times
- Ma Chao faction (211~214) Served · Records · Records vol. 18 「後復隨超奔漢中，從張魯。」
- Zhang Lu faction (214~215) Took refuge · Records · Records vol. 25(裴注) 「」遂共閉門逐超，超奔漢中，從張魯得兵還。」
- Wei (215~219) Surrendered · Records · Records vol. 18 「太祖定漢中，德隨眾降。」
- Ma Teng faction (~208) · Records · 「初平中，從馬騰擊反羌叛氐」 · 「勇冠騰軍。後騰徵為衛尉，德留屬超」(sgz-wei-18:s69)
Family
| Siblings | Pang Rou Romance |
|---|---|
| Children | Pang Hui Romance |
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.
Related events (7)
- Yang Fu Borrows Troops to Defeat Ma Chao 214 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Cao Cao Pacifies Hanzhong 215 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Battle of Fancheng 219 · Command
- Cao Cao Withdraws through Xie Valley 219 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Pang De Brings His Coffin to Fight to the Death 219 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Guan Yu Floods the Seven Armies 219 · Appears (Romance scene)
- Xu Chu Strips to Fight Ma Chao Romance ch. 59 · Appears (Romance scene)
Includes automatic matching from Wikipedia infoboxes and source keywords (unverified).