Treasure
Chenglupan 承露盤
About this item
The Chenglupan (Dew-Collecting Plate) is a bronze plate for catching the dew that falls from the sky. In Chapter 105 of the Romance, Ma Jun reports that Emperor Wu of Han set up a bronze figure on the Boliang Terrace in the palace at Chang'an, had it hold up a plate in its hands and called it the Chenglupan, and that if the dew falling from the Northern Dipper at the third watch is caught and drunk mixed with powdered jade, an old man turns back into a child. Hearing this, Cao Rui, ruler of Wei, has the bronze figure and the Chenglupan at Chang'an moved to Luoyang. Romance, Ch. 105 §39–42
The name Chenglupan does not appear in Chen Shou's text. The Weilüe (Brief Account of Wei) and the Han Jin chunqiu (Spring and Autumn of Han and Jin), quoted in Pei Songzhi's commentary on the Annals of Emperor Ming in Records of Wei 3, record that in the 1st year of Jingchu (237) the plate broke while the Chenglupan of Chang'an was being moved, and the writings of Zhang Mao and Dong Xun carried in the Weilüe also cite the Chenglupan in remonstrating with Emperor Ming. The Romance depicts this plate in Chapter 105. Records, Wei 3 §43 · 56Romance, Ch. 105 §40–42 · 46
In the Records
The Annals of Emperor Ming in Records of Wei 3, part of Chen Shou's text, record that at this time, in the 3rd year of Qinglong (235), Luoyang Palace was extensively rebuilt, the Zhaoyang and Taiji Halls were raised and the Zongzhang Belvedere was built, so that the people missed the farming season, and that Yang Fu, Gaotang Long and others remonstrated earnestly many times, but Emperor Ming, though he did not heed them, always tolerated them generously. The name Chenglupan does not appear in Chen Shou's text. Records, Wei 3 §42–43
The writing of Zhang Mao, Retainer of the Heir Apparent, carried in the Weilüe (Brief Account of Wei) quoted in Pei Songzhi's commentary on this passage, said of Emperor Ming's great building of palaces while Wu and Shu were often on the move: "Erecting the Chenglupan is truly a sight to delight the ears and eyes, but it is also enough to embolden the hearts of our enemies." Emperor Ming said Zhang Mao was presuming on being from his home district, and merely passed the matter to the Cavalier Attendants. Records, Wei 3 §43
The Weilüe quoted in the commentary on the passage for the 1st year of Jingchu (237) records that in that year the bell stands, camels, bronze figures and Chenglupan of Chang'an were moved, but the plate broke and the bronze figures were too heavy to bring, so they were left at Bacheng. Instead, copper was collected on a large scale and two bronze figures were cast, called Wengzhong and seated in a row outside the Sima Gate, and a yellow dragon 4 zhang (ten-chi units) high and a phoenix of over 3 zhang were cast and placed in front of the inner hall. The Han Jin chunqiu (Spring and Autumn of Han and Jin) quoted in the same commentary records that when Emperor Ming moved the plate it broke with a sound heard for several tens of li, and that the bronze figure (the jindi, "golden barbarian") wept, so it was left at Bacheng. Records, Wei 3 §56
The writing of Dong Xun, Military Counsel Clerk to the Minister over the Masses, carried in the Weilüe in the same commentary, listed the yellow dragon, the phoenix, the Nine Dragons, the Chenglupan, the earthen hill and the ponds as useless things that a sage and enlightened ruler does not raise. Emperor Ming said, "Does Dong Xun not fear death?" and when the officials in charge asked to arrest him, he issued an edict that he should not be questioned; Dong Xun later became Prefect of Beiqiu. Records, Wei 3 §56
In the Romance
In Chapter 105 of the Romance, Cao Rui starts construction works in Fanglin Garden, makes Dong Xun, who remonstrates against them, a commoner, and has Zhang Mao, Retainer of the Heir Apparent, beheaded. When that same day he summons Ma Jun and asks for a way to consort with immortals and live long, Ma Jun reports that Emperor Wu of Han caught the night dew falling from the Northern Dipper at the third watch with the Chenglupan held up by the bronze figure he set on the Boliang Terrace at Chang'an, and that if this water is mixed with powdered jade and drunk, an old man can turn back into a child. Romance, Ch. 105 §37 · 39–40
Ma Jun goes to Chang'an with 10,000 men, puts up scaffolding around the Boliang Terrace, 20 zhang high, and has the bronze figure taken down first; tears flow from the bronze figure's eyes, a violent wind rises, the terrace tilts and the pillar falls, and more than a thousand people are crushed to death. Ma Jun brings the bronze figure and the Chenglupan to Luoyang and presents them, and Cao Rui has the bronze pillar, which weighs a million jin (catties) and could not be carried, broken up and brought over to make two bronze figures called Wengzhong as well as a bronze dragon and phoenix. The Junior Tutor Yang Fu remonstrates once more, but Cao Rui pays no heed and urges Ma Jun on to build a high terrace and install the bronze figure and the Chenglupan. Romance, Ch. 105 §41–44 · 46
Where the Romance differs
Moving the Chenglupan: In Chapter 105 of the Romance, when Ma Jun leads 10,000 men and takes the bronze figure down from the Boliang Terrace, the terrace collapses and more than a thousand people are crushed to death, and Ma Jun presents the bronze figure and the Chenglupan at Luoyang. In the Weilüe and the Han Jin chunqiu in Pei Songzhi's commentary, the plate broke and the bronze figure was too heavy and was left at Bacheng; neither the name of the person who moved them nor any collapse of a terrace appears. Romance, Ch. 105 §41–42Records, Wei 3 §56
The Wengzhong: In the Romance, the bronze pillar that could not be carried is broken up to make two Wengzhong and a bronze dragon and phoenix. In the Weilüe, instead of the bronze figures of Chang'an, which were left behind, copper was collected on a large scale to cast two Wengzhong and a yellow dragon and phoenix. Romance, Ch. 105 §43Records, Wei 3 §56
The fate of the remonstrators: In the Romance, Cao Rui makes Dong Xun a commoner and beheads Zhang Mao. In the Weilüe, it was ordered that Dong Xun not be questioned and he later became Prefect of Beiqiu, while Zhang Mao's writing was merely passed to the Cavalier Attendants. Romance, Ch. 105 §39Records, Wei 3 §43 · 56
Who recommended the Chenglupan: In the Romance, Ma Jun cites the story of Emperor Wu of Han and reports that the dew of the Chenglupan turns an old man back into a child. The Weilüe has nothing about Ma Jun recommending the Chenglupan, and records that Ma Jun, as an Erudite, made a south-pointing chariot and water-driven performing figures (the Hundred Entertainments). Romance, Ch. 105 §40Records, Wei 3 §43
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.
Ownership history
| Owner | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cao Rui(曹叡) Disputed | 237~ | Novel & History 「是歲，徙長安諸鐘簴、駱駝、銅人、承露盤」 · 「帝徙盤，盤折…因留於霸城」 · 「獻上銅人、承露盤」 |
Ownership is checked against the source texts (3KDEX) — each entry rests on the passage where the item changes hands. Owners not in the People index are not shown.