RPlotted with Xun You and others to stab Dong Zhuo and then hold Xiao and HanguWei 10 §52
NSaw through Dong Zhuo, calling him a wolf who would devour men if brought into the capitalCh. 3 §4
Zheng Tai 鄭泰
| Occupation | ROfficial · Inspector of Yang Province NOfficial · Attendant Imperial Clerk | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Henan Commandery | |
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R7 |
Profile
Zheng Tai was a man of Henan. When Emperor Ling died and He Jin came to assist the government, he was summoned by He Jin together with Xun You, Hua Xin and others. The biography of his younger brother Zheng Hun records Zheng Hun as a man of Kaifeng County in Henan, and says that their great-great-grandfather Zheng Zhong and Zheng Zhong's father Zheng Xing were both renowned Confucian scholars. Records, Wei 13 §29Records, Wei 16 §80
After Dong Zhuo moved the capital to Chang'an, Zheng Tai, as Gentleman Consultant, plotted with Xun You, He Yong and others to kill Dong Zhuo. He later became Inspector of Yang Province and died, and Zheng Hun took his young son Zheng Mao and fled the turmoil to Huainan. Records, Wei 10 §52Records, Wei 16 §80–81
The Records has no biography of him and no assessment of him; in Chen Shou's main text his name appears in the biographies of Xun You, Hua Xin and Zheng Hun. In the Romance he first appears in Chapter 2 as one of the ministers who follow He Jin and set up Crown Prince Bian before Emperor Ling's coffin, and he appears in 2 of its 120 chapters; no chapter title bears his name. In Chapter 3, as Attendant Imperial Clerk, he remonstrates against summoning Dong Zhuo to the capital, and when he is not heeded he resigns his office and leaves. Records, Wei 10 §52Records, Wei 13 §29Records, Wei 16 §80Romance, Ch. 2 §41Romance, Ch. 3 §4–5
In the Records
According to the Biography of Hua Xin, when Emperor Ling died and He Jin came to assist the government, he summoned Zheng Tai of Henan, Xun You of Yingchuan, Hua Xin and others. The Biography of Xun You records that when He Jin took control of the government he summoned more than twenty renowned scholars of the realm, including Xun You. Records, Wei 13 §29Records, Wei 10 §52
When Dong Zhuo's upheaval broke out and troops rose east of the passes, Dong Zhuo moved the capital to Chang'an. Xun You conspired with the Gentlemen Consultant Zheng Tai and He Yong, the Palace Attendant Chong Ji, the Colonel of the Yue Cavalry Wu Qiong (伍瓊) and others, saying: 'Dong Zhuo's lawlessness is worse than that of Jie and Zhou, and the whole realm resents him. Though he relies on strong troops, he is in truth no more than a common fellow. If we now stab him to death outright to atone to the people, and then hold Mount Xiao and the Hangu Pass and support the royal command to give orders to the realm, this would be a deed like those of Duke Huan and Duke Wen.' Records, Wei 10 §52
When the plan was nearly accomplished it was discovered, and He Yong and Xun You were arrested and imprisoned. He Yong, in grief and fear, took his own life, while Xun You was released only because Dong Zhuo happened to die. The Biography of Xun You does not record what became of Zheng Tai at this time. Records, Wei 10 §53
The biography of his younger brother Zheng Hun records that Zheng Hun was a man of Kaifeng County in Henan, and that their great-great-grandfather Zheng Zhong and Zheng Zhong's father Zheng Xing were both renowned Confucian scholars. It goes on to say that Zheng Hun's elder brother Zheng Tai plotted with Xun You and others to kill Dong Zhuo, and that he became Inspector of Yang Province and died. Records, Wei 16 §80
Zheng Hun took Zheng Tai's young son Zheng Mao and fled the turmoil to Huainan, where Yuan Shu treated him very generously with the courtesy due a guest. Zheng Hun knew that Yuan Shu was bound to fail. At that time Hua Xin was Administrator of Yuzhang, and since he had always been on good terms with Zheng Tai, Zheng Hun crossed the Yangtze and entrusted himself to Hua Xin. Records, Wei 16 §81
Chen Shou's main text does not record Zheng Tai's courtesy name, age or year of death. The assessment of Records of Wei 16, in which Zheng Hun appears, only counts Zheng Hun among the renowned administrators and says nothing of Zheng Tai. Records, Wei 16 §80 · 98
In the Romance
In Chapter 2 of the Romance, when Emperor Ling dies, He Jin gives the Colonel-Director of Retainers Yuan Shao five thousand men of the Imperial Guard and, leading more than thirty ministers including He Yong, Xun You and Zheng Tai, enters the palace one after another and has Crown Prince Bian ascend the throne before Emperor Ling's coffin. Romance, Ch. 2 §41
In Chapter 3, when He Jin secretly sends secret edicts to the garrisons in various regions, Dong Zhuo, Inspector of Xiliang, submits a memorial asking to enter Luoyang and do away with Zhang Rang and the others. When He Jin shows the memorial to the ministers, the Attendant Imperial Clerk Zheng Tai remonstrates: 'Dong Zhuo is a wolf; if he is brought into the capital he will surely devour men.' He Jin replies, 'You are too suspicious, and not a man to plan great affairs with.' Romance, Ch. 3 §1–4
Lu Zhi also remonstrates that Dong Zhuo looks kindly on the outside but is ruthless within, and that he should be stopped from coming. When He Jin does not listen, Zheng Tai and Lu Zhi both resign their offices and leave, and more than half of the court's ministers depart. Zheng Tai does not appear in the Romance after this. Romance, Ch. 3 §4–5
Where the Romance differs
Office: in Chapter 3 of the Romance Zheng Tai appears as Attendant Imperial Clerk. In the Biography of Xun You in the Records he was a Gentleman Consultant when he plotted to kill Dong Zhuo, and in the Biography of Zheng Hun he later became Inspector of Yang Province. Romance, Ch. 3 §4Records, Wei 10 §52Records, Wei 16 §80
Summoning Dong Zhuo: in Chapter 3 of the Romance Zheng Tai remonstrates with He Jin not to bring Dong Zhuo into the capital, and when he is not heeded he resigns his office and leaves. Chen Shou's main text has neither this remonstrance nor this resignation; Zheng Tai appears as one of the renowned scholars summoned by He Jin. Romance, Ch. 3 §4–5Records, Wei 13 §29Records, Wei 10 §52–53Records, Wei 16 §80–81
Crown Prince Bian's accession: in Chapter 2 of the Romance Zheng Tai is one of the ministers who follow He Jin and set up Crown Prince Bian before Emperor Ling's coffin. Chen Shou's main text has no record that Zheng Tai took part in this accession. Romance, Ch. 2 §41Records, Wei 13 §29Records, Wei 10 §52–53Records, Wei 16 §80–81
The plot to kill Dong Zhuo: in the Biography of Xun You in the Records, after Dong Zhuo moved the capital to Chang'an, Zheng Tai plotted with Xun You, He Yong, Chong Ji, Wu Qiong (伍瓊) and others to stab Dong Zhuo to death. In the Romance Zheng Tai does not appear after resigning his office in Chapter 3, so his name is absent from this plot as well. Romance, Ch. 3 §5Records, Wei 10 §52
Death and family: the Romance does not record Zheng Tai's death or family. In the Biography of Zheng Hun in the Records, Zheng Tai became Inspector of Yang Province and died, and his younger brother Zheng Hun took his young son Zheng Mao and fled the turmoil to Huainan. Romance, Ch. 3 §5Records, Wei 16 §80–81
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 total449 / 1000Rank 371 of 996 · Top 38%Romance total459 / 1000Rank 203 of 1,113 · Top 19%
Romance adaptation index+10Romance total − Records total
- LEA3833−5
- STR3331−2
- INT4868+20
- POL4540−5
- CHA5540−15
- VIR6562−3
- ADP4060+20
- SCH4540−5
- DIP4045+5
- DIS4040±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 16 §80
NPromptly resigned his office and left when his remonstrance was ignoredCh. 3 §5
RSummoned by He Jin as a renowned scholar; on good terms with Hua XinWei 13 §29Wei 16 §81
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 2 §41
7 similar abilities — show evidence
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Inspector of Yang ProvinceWei 16 §80
NNo direct record — estimated from his post as Attendant Imperial ClerkCh. 3 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his being a civil officialWei 10 §52
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a civil officialCh. 3 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his post as Inspector of Yang ProvinceWei 16 §80
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a ministerCh. 2 §41
RPlotted with Xun You and others to kill the lawless Dong ZhuoWei 10 §52Wei 16 §80
NRemonstrated against Dong Zhuo entering the capital and resigned when not heededCh. 3 §4Ch. 3 §5
RNo direct record — estimated from his family of Confucian scholarsWei 16 §80
NNo direct record — estimated from his being a ministerCh. 2 §41
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 10 §52
NRemonstrated with He Jin but was only told he was too suspiciousCh. 3 §4
RNo direct record — estimated from his deedsWei 10 §52
NNo direct record — estimated from his deedsCh. 3 §4
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 (2)
AppearsNot present Chapter list →
Family
| Siblings | Zheng Hun Records |
|---|---|
| Children | Zheng Mao Records |
Based on Wikidata items for the historical and Romance figures. Relations without the Unverified badge were also confirmed in the Records.