Chen Lin 陳琳

Chen Lin, courtesy name Kongzhang, was a man of Guangling. The Biography of Zhang Zhao records that when Zhang Zhao discussed with Wang Lang the matter of the taboo names of former lords, the men of talent of the province and district, such as Chen Lin, all praised him. Records, Wei 21 §9Records, Wu 7 §2

Chen Lin had earlier been Registrar to He Jin. When He Jin wanted to kill the eunuchs and the Empress Dowager would not consent, He Jin decided to summon fierce generals from all quarters and have them bring their troops to the capital so as to intimidate the Empress Dowager. Chen Lin, citing the proverb 'covering one's eyes to catch sparrows', remonstrated that if even a trifling creature could not be deceived to gain one's end, how could a great affair of state be accomplished by trickery? He said that the General held the emperor's authority and the key to the army, so a thunderbolt-like decision was all that was needed; to call in others instead would mean that when the great armies gathered, the strongest would become the leader, which would be like holding the halberd backward and handing someone else the hilt, and would only become a stairway to disorder. He Jin did not accept his advice and in the end met with disaster. Records, Wei 21 §13–14

Chen Lin fled the disorder to Ji Province, and Yuan Shao put him in charge of documents. When Yuan Shao besieged Zang Hong and could not take him for more than a year, he had Chen Lin, who came from the same district as Zang Hong, write him a letter admonishing him with talk of fortune and misfortune and rebuking him in the name of kindness and duty. In his reply Zang Hong wrote, 'Go, Kongzhang! You seek profit beyond the borders, while Zang Hong gives his life for his lord and his kin,' and he never surrendered. Records, Wei 21 §14Records, Wei 7 §42 · 54–55

After Yuan Shao died and his two sons were contending, each wanted to win over Cui Yan, and when Cui Yan declined on the pretext of illness and was thrown into prison, Yin Kui and Chen Lin worked hard to save him, and he was released. In the 9th year of Jian'an (204), when Cao Cao attacked Ye, Yuan Shang in fear sent Yin Kui and Chen Lin to ask to surrender, but Cao Cao did not accept and tightened the siege. Records, Wei 12 §5Records, Wei 1 §81 · 83Records, Wei 6 §65

When the Yuan clan was defeated, Chen Lin submitted to Cao Cao. Cao Cao asked him, 'When you wrote the proclamation for Benchu, it would have been enough to list my crimes; why did you go all the way up to my father and grandfather?' When Chen Lin apologized, Cao Cao valued his talent and did not hold it against him. Records, Wei 21 §14–15

Cao Cao made both Chen Lin and Ruan Yu Libationers for Military Planning under the Minister of Works and put them in charge of records, and most of the state's military documents and proclamations were written by Chen Lin and Ruan Yu. Chen Lin was later transferred to Commander of the Gate Guard. Wang Can, together with Xu Gan, Chen Lin, Ruan Yu, Ying Chang and Liu Zhen, was befriended and treated with affection by Emperor Wen and Cao Zhi, Marquis of Pingyuan, who loved literature. Records, Wei 21 §17 · 9

Ruan Yu died in the 17th year of Jian'an (212), and Xu Gan, Chen Lin, Ying Chang and Liu Zhen in the 22nd year (217). In a letter to Wu Zhi, Emperor Wen said that an epidemic the previous year had carried them all off at once, and remarked, 'Kongzhang's memorials and petitions are exceptionally vigorous, but a little too elaborate.' Records, Wei 21 §20–21

In his assessment, Chen Shou said that Emperor Wen and the King of Chen, with the high standing of princes, broadly loved literary elegance, so that men of talent emerged together, and that among them the six including Wang Can were the most renowned. Records, Wei 21 §99