Weapon
Tieji Shemao 鐵脊蛇矛
About this item
The Tieji Shemao is the iron-spined snake spear (shemao, a spear with a serpentine blade) wielded in the Romance by Cheng Pu, a general under Sun Jian. Chapter 5 of the Romance, introducing the four generals under Sun Jian, says that Cheng Pu of Tuyin in Youbeiping used this spear, and in Chapter 7 Cheng Pu rides out with his iron-spined spear (tiejimao) leveled to fight Cai Mao. Romance, Ch. 5 §22Romance, Ch. 7 §37
In the Romance this name appears once each in Chapters 5 and 7. Chen Shou's record of Cheng Pu tells how Cheng Pu wielded a spear to save Sun Ce, but does not name the spear, and the Tieji Shemao does not appear in Pei Songzhi's commentary either. Romance, Ch. 5 §22Romance, Ch. 7 §37Records, Wu 10 §4
In the Romance
In Chapter 5 of the Romance, Sun Jian, who has taken the vanguard, leads four generals to the front of Sishui Pass. The Romance introduces them: the first general, Cheng Pu, used the Tieji Shemao, Huang Gai an iron whip, Han Dang a great saber, and Zu Mao a pair of swords. When Hua Xiong's lieutenant Hu Zhen comes out of the pass with 5,000 troops, Cheng Pu gallops forward as if flying with his spear leveled, and within a few bouts spears Hu Zhen through the throat and drops him from his horse. Romance, Ch. 5 §17 · 22–23
In Chapter 7, when Sun Jian attacks Liu Biao, Cai Mao, elder brother of Liu Biao's later wife, leads more than ten thousand troops out of the city of Xiangyang and deploys them on Mount Xian. When Sun Jian asks who will capture him, Cheng Pu rides out with his iron-spined spear leveled and fights Cai Mao, who is defeated and flees within a few bouts. Romance, Ch. 7 §36–38
Where the Romance differs
Cheng Pu's spear: In Chapters 5 and 7 of the Romance, Cheng Pu spears Hu Zhen to death and drives off Cai Mao with the Tieji Shemao. In Chen Shou's biography of Cheng Pu, the passage in which he uses a spear is when Sun Ce, attacking Zu Lang, was closely surrounded, and Cheng Pu, together with a single horseman, shielded Sun Ce, galloping and shouting loudly as he broke through the enemy with his spear, so that Sun Ce got out. The Records do not name the spear. Romance, Ch. 5 §23Romance, Ch. 7 §37Records, Wu 10 §4
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cheng Pu | 190~ | Romance 「姓程，名普，字德謀，使一條鐵脊蛇矛」 · 「程普挺鐵脊矛出馬」 · 「初平元年」 |
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.