Zang Hong 臧洪

Zang Hong, courtesy name Ziyuan, was a man of Sheyang in Guangling. His father Zang Min served as General of the Household Protecting the Xiongnu and as Administrator of Zhongshan and of Taiyuan, and made a name wherever he went. Zang Hong was large in build and imposing in appearance. Recommended as Filial and Incorrupt, he became a Gentleman, and when Gentlemen of the Three Corps were selected to be sent out as county chiefs, he was chosen together with Zhao Yu of Langya, Liu Yao of Donglai and Wang Lang of Donghai, and became Chief of Jiqiu County. At the end of Emperor Ling's reign he gave up his post and returned home, and Zhang Chao, the Administrator of Guangling, invited him to be his Officer of Merit. Records, Wei 7 §35

When Dong Zhuo killed the emperor and sought to endanger the state, Zang Hong urged Zhang Chao that, since the officials and people of the commandery were prosperous, he could beat the war drums and raise twenty thousand men to destroy the traitor of the state and take the lead for the realm. Zhang Chao went with Zang Hong to Chenliu to consult his elder brother Zhang Miao. At Suanzao, when Zhang Miao asked what kind of man Zang Hong was, Zhang Chao answered that he was a remarkable gentleman of the realm whose talent and strategy surpassed his own. Zhang Miao talked with Zang Hong, thought him truly remarkable, and introduced him to Liu Dai, Inspector of Yan Province, and Kong Zhou, Inspector of Yu Province. Records, Wei 7 §36–38

When an altar was set up for the swearing of an oath, the provinces and commanderies deferred to one another and all chose Zang Hong. Zang Hong mounted the altar, took up the dish and drank the blood, and swore that Liu Dai, Inspector of Yan Province, Kong Zhou, Inspector of Yu Province, Zhang Miao, Administrator of Chenliu, Qiao Mao, Administrator of Dong Commandery, Zhang Chao, Administrator of Guangling, and the others had gathered a righteous army to attack the traitor Dong Zhuo and would harbor no divided loyalty. His words and spirit were stirring and his tears flowed, so that all who heard him, down to the common soldiers and grooms, were moved. But soon afterward none of the armies would be the first to advance, and when their provisions ran out they dispersed. Records, Wei 7 §38–39

Zhang Chao sent Zang Hong to the Grand Marshal Liu Yu to discuss plans, but because of the trouble with Gongsun Zan, You and Ji Provinces were at war with each other, and he could not deliver his mission beyond Hejian. Yuan Shao met Zang Hong, thought highly of him and formed a close friendship with him, and when Jiao He, the Inspector of Qing Province, died, Yuan Shao had Zang Hong take charge of Qing Province and pacify its people. After Zang Hong had been in the province for two years, the bandit hordes fled, and Yuan Shao, admiring his ability, transferred him to Administrator of Dong Commandery, with his seat at Dongwuyang. Records, Wei 7 §40

In autumn of the 2nd year of Xingping (195), when Cao Cao besieged Zhang Chao at Yongqiu, Zhang Chao said that he relied on Zang Hong alone and that Zang Hong would surely come to his rescue. People thought that since Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were then on good terms, Zang Hong, whom Yuan Shao had appointed, would not come, but Zhang Chao said that Ziyuan was a righteous man of the realm who would not betray his roots, and that he only feared Zang Hong would be restrained. On hearing this, Zang Hong did indeed weep and cry out barefoot, put his troops in order and asked Yuan Shao for soldiers and horses, but Yuan Shao never gave permission. In the 12th month of that year Yongqiu fell and Zhang Chao's clan was exterminated. Resenting Yuan Shao over this, Zang Hong broke off relations with him, and Yuan Shao raised troops and besieged him, but could not take the city for more than a year. Records, Wei 7 §41–42Records, Wei 1 §33–34

Yuan Shao had Chen Lin, a man from Zang Hong's home district, write him a letter admonishing him with talk of fortune and misfortune and reproaching him in terms of kindness and duty. In his reply Zang Hong said that Yuan Shao's kindness had been so deep that tears ran down his face whenever he climbed the walls and saw Yuan Shao's banners, but that since his commandery head had met with the misfortune of being trapped, losing the name of loyalty and filial piety and betraying the duty of friendship weighed differently, so he had dried his tears and broken with him. Citing how Zhang Jingming, Lü Fengxian and Liu Zihuang had been killed or nearly killed by Yuan Shao, he said that those who admired righteousness were honored while those who waited to be released were put to death, so he took warning from those before him and would fight to the death in his straits. Records, Wei 7 §42–49

He said that a gentleman, even when he leaves, does not go over to an enemy state, and that the righteous do not betray their kin and the loyal do not defy their sovereign. To the jibe that he relied on the Black Mountain bandits, he countered that Feiyan's followers had already accepted the king's command and that he himself, bearing an edict sealed with the imperial seal, worked with them. The letter ended with the words 'Go, Kongzhang! You seek profit beyond the borders, while Zang Hong gives his life for his sovereign and his kin', saying that they shared the same root but the branches had parted. Records, Wei 7 §50 · 53–54

Knowing that Zang Hong had no intention of surrendering, Yuan Shao added troops and pressed the attack. When the provisions were exhausted and no rescue came, Zang Hong said that his duty left him no choice but to die, but that there was no reason for them to share in the calamity, and told them to take their wives and children and leave before the city fell; but the officers, officials, soldiers and people all wept and would not leave. They caught rats and boiled sinews and horn to eat, and when even that ran out, Zang Hong had the three dou of rice left in the kitchen made into a thin gruel for all to share, and killed his beloved concubine to feed the officers and men. Seven or eight thousand men and women lay dead pillowed on one another, yet none deserted or rebelled. Records, Wei 7 §55–56

When the city fell, Yuan Shao captured Zang Hong alive and, at a gathering of his generals, asked him why he had betrayed him so and whether he would submit today. Zang Hong, hands on the ground and glaring, rebuked him: the Yuan family had produced five Excellencies over four generations, yet Yuan Shao had no intention of supporting the royal house and coveted a position beyond his station. Since Yuan Shao had called Zhang of Chenliu his elder brother, Zang Hong's lord was that man's younger brother, so how could he have simply watched while others were slaughtered? His only regret, he said, was that his strength had fallen short and he could not take revenge. Yuan Shao had wanted to make him submit and pardon him, but seeing how fierce his words were, he knew that Zang Hong would never serve him, and killed him. Records, Wei 7 §57–58

Chen Rong, a man from Zang Hong's home district who had followed him and become Assistant of Dong Commandery, had been sent out of the city by Zang Hong before it fell; at Yuan Shao's gathering, seeing that Zang Hong was to die, he rose and demanded why Yuan Shao would kill Zang Hong when Zang Hong had raised troops for the sake of his commandery head. He said he would rather die on the same day as Zang Hong than live on the same day as Yuan Shao, and was killed as well, and those present sighed, asking how two heroes could be killed in a single day. Earlier, two majors who had gone out to seek help from Lü Bu returned to find the city already fallen, and both charged into the enemy and died. Records, Wei 7 §58–60

In his assessment, Chen Shou said that Chen Deng and Zang Hong both had heroic spirit and firm integrity, but that Chen Deng died young and could not complete his achievements, while Zang Hong, with weak troops facing a strong enemy, could not realize his ardent resolve, which was a pity. Records, Wei 7 §62