Pang Tong

82

Pang Tong : biography

179 – 214

Early life

Pang Tong was a native of Xiangyang commandery (襄陽; present-day Xiangyang, Hubei). In his youth, he looked plain and simple, so he was not highly regarded. When he reached adulthood (around 19 years old), he visited Sima Hui, who was famous for spotting and recommending men of talent. They came to a mulberry tree, where Sima Hui climbed up to get the fruit while Pang Tong sat below, and they conversed for a whole day until nightfall. Sima Hui felt that Pang Tong was an extraordinary person and dubbed Pang "the crown of learned men in Jing Province". Since then, Pang Tong started gaining more recognition among the scholar-gentry.(…襄陽人也。少時樸鈍,未有識者。潁川司馬徽清雅有知人鑒,統弱冠往見徽,徽採桑於樹上,坐統在樹下,共語自晝至夜。徽甚異之,稱統當為南州士之冠冕,由是漸顯。) Sanguozhi vol. 37. Pang Tong was nicknamed "Fledging Phoenix" (鳳雛; also translated as "Young Phoenix") by his uncle Pang Degong (龐德公).(襄陽記曰:諸葛孔明為卧龍,龐士元為鳳雛,司馬德操為水鏡,皆龐德公語也。) Xiangyang Ji annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 37.

Pang Tong later served as an "Officer of Merit" (功曹) in Nan commandery (南郡; in present-day Jingzhou, Hubei). He was an appraiser, and his reviews of persons focused more on their personal virtues rather than their abilities. He was fond of ethical lessons and consistently strove to maintain his moral standards. He usually overpraised when he was asked to assess a person. At times, people were puzzled so they questioned him on why he did that, to which he replied, "The country is currently in a state of disorder. Good people are overwhelmed by the evil. I desire to change the social norm through encouraging good people by giving them a better (exaggerated) reputation, so they can serve as role models for others."(後郡命為功曹。性好人倫,勤於長養。每所稱述,多過其才,時人怪而問之,統荅曰:「當今天下大亂,雅道陵遲,善人少而惡人多。方欲興風俗,長道業,不美其譚即聲名不足慕企,不足慕企而為善者少矣。今拔十失五,猶得其半,而可以崇邁世教,使有志者自勵,不亦可乎?」) Sanguozhi vol. 37.

In 209, Zhou Yu, a general under the warlord Sun Quan, occupied Nan commandery after the Battle of Jiangling. Zhou Yu was appointed as the Administrator (太守) of Nan commandery, and Pang continued to serve as a minor official under Zhou. When Zhou Yu died in 210, Pang Tong travelled to Jiangdong to attend Zhou’s funeral, where he was warmly received by many people, who had heard of him before. Pang Tong met Lu Ji (陸績), Gu Shao (顧劭) and Quan Cong, and he appraised each of them. They were all very pleased with Pang Tong’s comments and befriended him.(吳將周瑜助先主取荊州,因領南郡太守。瑜卒,統送喪至吳,吳人多聞其名。及當西還,並會昌門,陸績、顧劭、全琮皆往。統曰:「陸子可謂駑馬有逸足之力,顧子可謂駑牛能負重致遠也。」謂全琮曰:「卿好施慕名,有似汝南樊子昭。雖智力不多,亦一時之佳也。」績、劭謂統曰:「使天下太平,當與卿共料四海之士。」深與統相結而還。) Sanguozhi vol. 37.

Family and descendants

After Pang Tong’s death, Liu Bei appointed Pang’s father (whose name is not found in historical records) as a Consultant (議郎) and later promoted him to Counsellor Remonstrant (諫議大夫).(拜統父議郎,遷諫議大夫,諸葛亮親為之拜。) Sanguozhi vol. 37.

Pang Tong had a younger brother, Pang Lin (龐林), who served as an Assistant Officer in Jing Province’s Headquarters Office (荊州治中從事). He participated in the Battle of Xiaoting in 221-222 together with the general Huang Quan. However, when they saw that Liu Bei had been defeated by Sun Quan’s forces in the battle, they defected to the state of Cao Wei together. Pang Lin served as the Administrator (太守) of Julu (鉅鹿) in Wei and received a marquis title.(統弟林,以荊州治中從事參鎮北將軍黃權征吳,值軍敗,隨權入魏,魏封列侯,至鉅鹿太守。) Sanguozhi vol. 37.

Pang Tong had a son, Pang Hong (龐宏), whose style name was "Jushi" (巨師). Pang Hong, who served in the state of Shu Han (founded by Liu Bei), was known for being frugal, upright and outspoken. He offended Chen Di (陳袛), the Director of the Imperial Secretariat (尚書令), and was repressed in his career by the latter. He died in office while serving as Administrator (太守) of Fuling (涪陵).(統子宏,字巨師,剛簡有臧否,輕傲尚書令陳袛,為袛所抑,卒於涪陵太守。) Sanguozhi vol. 37.

Assisting Liu Bei in the conquest of Yi Province

Around the early 210s, Pang Tong successfully persuaded Liu Bei to seize Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing) in western China and use its resources to compete with Cao Cao for supremacy over China. Liu Bei heeded Pang Tong’s suggestion.(九州春秋曰:統說備曰:「荊州荒殘,人物殫盡,東有吳孫,北有曹氏,鼎足之計,難以得志。今益州國富民彊,戶口百萬,四部兵馬,所出必具,寶貨無求於外,今可權借以定大事。」備曰:「今指與吾為水火者,曹操也,操以急,吾以寬;操以暴,吾以仁;操以譎,吾以忠;每與操反,事乃可成耳。今以小故而失信義於天下者,吾所不取也。」統曰:「權變之時,固非一道所能定也。兼弱攻昧,五伯之事。逆取順守,報之以義,事定之後,封以大國,何負於信?今日不取,終為人利耳。」備遂行。) Jiuzhou Chunqiu annotation in Sanguozhi vol. 37. In 211, Liu Bei led an army from Jing Province into Yi Province on the pretext of helping Yi Province’s governor Liu Zhang counter an invasion from the warlord Zhang Lu in Hanzhong. Zhuge Liang remained behind to guard Jing Province while Pang Tong followed Liu Bei to Yi Province.(亮留鎮荊州。統隨從入蜀。) Sanguozhi vol. 37.