Chen Gong
Encyclopedia
Gong Chen was an advisor to the warlord Lü Bu
during the late Han Dynasty
period of Chinese history
. However, he started his career under Cao Cao
before defecting to Lü Bu and was executed when the latter was defeated by Cao.
In Luo Guanzhong
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
, Chen Gong was given a positive makeover. He was said to have given up his official post to follow Cao Cao, who was then on the run after an attempted assassination on Dong Zhuo
, a tyrannical warlord holding the emperor hostage in the imperial court. However, he left Cao Cao when he thought the latter was not an upright man either.
, Shandong
), Chen Gong's year of birth is unclear. He joined Cao Cao around 190, at the time when warlords around the country formed a coalition against Dong Zhuo, a powerful warlord who held the emperor hostage. His most significant contribution while under service to Cao Cao was the taking over of Yan Province (兖州; covering present-day western Shandong) in 193 through diplomatic efforts, a strategic move which laid down the foundation for Cao Cao's subsequent rise in power.
In the next year, however, while Cao Cao was away leading a campaign against Tao Qian in Xu Province (徐州; covering present-day northern Jiangsu
), Chen Gong defected to rival warlord Lü Bu
along with his colleague, Zhang Miao
. With the assistance of the two men, Lü Bu quickly took over most of Yan Province. Cao Cao hastily returned and laid siege on Lü Bu in Puyang (濮陽). After more than hundred days of stalemate, a famine breakout forced Lü Bu to give up his position and seek refuge under Liu Bei
in Xiapi (下邳; present-day Pizhou
, Jiangsu), capital of Xu Province.
In 196, Lü Bu turned on his host and took over Xiapi, proclaiming himself the regional governor and sending Liu Bei to the nearby county of Xiaopei (小沛). According to the Records of Heroes (英雄記) by Wang Can
, Chen Gong colluded with Hao Meng
, a military officer under Lü Bu, in a failed coup in the same year. Lü Bu, however, let the matter go as he valued Chen Gong's service.
In 198, Lü Bu launched an offensive against Liu Bei, who sought help from Cao Cao. Cao Cao personally led a force and laid siege on Xiapi. When Cao Cao's army reached Pengcheng (彭城; present-day Xuzhou
, Jiangsu), which lies east of Xiapi, Chen Gong advised Lü Bu to grasp the initiative to strike but Lü Bu, taking the words of his wife, decided to stay put. After initial attempts to break the siege failed, Lü Bu intended to surrender but was dissuaded by Chen Gong.
The siege dragged on for two months. In the third, Cao Cao diverted the Si River
and Yi River (沂水) to flood the city. Within a month, Lü Bu's subjects Hou Cheng
, Song Xian
and Wei Xu
captured Chen Gong and defected with their troops. Lü Bu made a last stand on the city gate but was eventually overpowered and captured. When brought to Cao Cao, Chen Gong refused to return to his service and chose death so that the law could be upheld (Cao Cao maintained as a general rule that those who surrendered after being besieged were not pardoned). Cao Cao was moved and provided for Chen Gong's family henceafter.
after a foiled assassination attempt on Dong Zhuo. At the county of Zhongmu (中牟), where Chen Gong was the magistrate, Cao Cao was captured. When Chen Gong interrogated the fugitive, he was so impressed with Cao Cao's loyalty to the emperor that he decided to abandon his official post and join Cao Cao, who planned to return to his hometown of Qiao
(譙, present day Bozhou
, Anhui
) to raise an army against Dong Zhuo.
After three days of travel the pair arrived in Chenggao
(成皋) and sought to spend the night at the home of Lü Boshe (吕伯奢), a sworn brother of Cao Cao's father. Lü Boshe welcomed them warmly and even traveled to a nearby village to procure some good wine to treat the guests. While Lü Boshe was away, however, Cao Cao and Chen Gong overheard sound of knife-sharpening and someone saying, "How about we bind them and kill them?" Believing they had been betrayed, the pair drew their swords and slew the entire household. When they came to the kitchen, however, they found a pig, tied up and ready to by slaughtered.
The murderers immediately fled the house but before long they ran into their host, who was returning with wine. Excusing himself for not staying for the night, Cao Cao hurried past Lü Boshe but soon turned and cut down the old man as well. Chen Gong blamed Cao Cao for killing the innocent man, but Cao Cao replied in his most famous but fictitious quote, "I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me." That night as Cao Cao slept, Chen Gong considered killing the treacherous man but thought it unrighteous to do so. He instead left his companion and traveled towards his own hometown of Dongjun (東郡, south of present-day Shenxian, Shandong
).
in the city of Puyang (濮陽). The incident was described in Chapter 12. Chen Gong, who was then serving Lü Bu, plotted to lure Cao Cao into the city by having a local baron send a letter to Cao Cao feigning to collude with the latter. The delighted Cao Cao personally led a force deep into the city before realizing the trap. At a signal, fires were lit at all of the four city gates and Lü Bu troops cut off the evasion routes.
Separated from his men in the chaos, Cao Cao desperately sought an escape. Heading towards the north gate, he ran face-to-face into Lü Bu. Using a hand to cover his face, Cao Cao spurred his horse onward and past the enemy but Lü Bu spun around and caught up with him. Not able to recognize the warlord, Lü Bu knocked on Cao Cao's helmet with his halberd and asked, "Where is Cao Cao?" Cao Cao pointed behind and said, "The one on the dun is him." Lü Bu then gave up his true target.
As Cao Cao galloped to the city gate his horse was hit by a falling beam on fire. While trying to push the beam off, Cao Cao scalded his arms and burnt much of his hair. However, he finally managed to escape with his life under the escort of Xiahou Yuan
and Dian Wei
. Much later in Chapter 60 of the story, when Zhang Song
, an emissary from Liu Zhang
, mocked the failures of Cao Cao, the Battle of Puyang was cited among other classic battles including the Battle of Wancheng
and Battle of Red Cliffs
.
Lü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
during the late Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
period of Chinese history
History of China
Chinese civilization originated in various regional centers along both the Yellow River and the Yangtze River valleys in the Neolithic era, but the Yellow River is said to be the Cradle of Chinese Civilization. With thousands of years of continuous history, China is one of the world's oldest...
. However, he started his career under Cao Cao
Cao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
before defecting to Lü Bu and was executed when the latter was defeated by Cao.
In Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong
Luo Ben , better known by his style name Luo Guanzhong , was a Chinese writer of the early Ming Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was also known as Huhai Sanren...
's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written by Luo Guanzhong in the 14th century, is a Chinese historical novel based on the events in the turbulent years near the end of the Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, starting in 169 and ending with the reunification of the land in...
, Chen Gong was given a positive makeover. He was said to have given up his official post to follow Cao Cao, who was then on the run after an attempted assassination on Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo
Dong Zhuo was a politician and warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He seized control of the capital city Luoyang in 189 when it was in a state of turmoil following the death of Emperor Ling and a clash between the eunuch faction and some court officials led by...
, a tyrannical warlord holding the emperor hostage in the imperial court. However, he left Cao Cao when he thought the latter was not an upright man either.
Biography
A local of Dong Commandery (東郡; south of present-day Shen CountyShen County
Shen County , or Shenxian, is a county of western Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It is administered by Liaocheng City.The population was in 1999.-External links:*...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
), Chen Gong's year of birth is unclear. He joined Cao Cao around 190, at the time when warlords around the country formed a coalition against Dong Zhuo, a powerful warlord who held the emperor hostage. His most significant contribution while under service to Cao Cao was the taking over of Yan Province (兖州; covering present-day western Shandong) in 193 through diplomatic efforts, a strategic move which laid down the foundation for Cao Cao's subsequent rise in power.
In the next year, however, while Cao Cao was away leading a campaign against Tao Qian in Xu Province (徐州; covering present-day northern Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
), Chen Gong defected to rival warlord Lü Bu
Lü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
along with his colleague, Zhang Miao
Zhang Miao
Zhang Miao , style name Mengzhuo , was a minister of the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He served as prefect of Chenliu Commandery. Zhang Miao led an army during the coalition against Dong Zhuo. In the coalition Zhang expressed displeasure at their leader, Yuan Shao, and Yuan sent Cao...
. With the assistance of the two men, Lü Bu quickly took over most of Yan Province. Cao Cao hastily returned and laid siege on Lü Bu in Puyang (濮陽). After more than hundred days of stalemate, a famine breakout forced Lü Bu to give up his position and seek refuge under Liu Bei
Liu Bei
Liu Bei , also known as Liu Xuande, was a warlord, military general and later the founding emperor of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history...
in Xiapi (下邳; present-day Pizhou
Pizhou
Pizhou City is a county-level city in northern Jiangsu province, China. As of 2006 it had a population of 163,000. Administratively, Pizhou is under the jurisdiction of the larger city of Xuzhou.-History:...
, Jiangsu), capital of Xu Province.
In 196, Lü Bu turned on his host and took over Xiapi, proclaiming himself the regional governor and sending Liu Bei to the nearby county of Xiaopei (小沛). According to the Records of Heroes (英雄記) by Wang Can
Wang Can
Wang Can was a politician, scholar and poet during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He contributed greatly to the establishment of laws and standards during the founding days of the Principality of Wei – predecessor to the later Cao Wei kingdom – under Cao Cao...
, Chen Gong colluded with Hao Meng
Hao Meng
Hao Meng was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He rebelled against his lord and was killed by Gao Shun.-In fiction:...
, a military officer under Lü Bu, in a failed coup in the same year. Lü Bu, however, let the matter go as he valued Chen Gong's service.
In 198, Lü Bu launched an offensive against Liu Bei, who sought help from Cao Cao. Cao Cao personally led a force and laid siege on Xiapi. When Cao Cao's army reached Pengcheng (彭城; present-day Xuzhou
Xuzhou
Xuzhou , otherwise known as Pengcheng in ancient times, is a major city in and the fourth largest prefecture-level city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China...
, Jiangsu), which lies east of Xiapi, Chen Gong advised Lü Bu to grasp the initiative to strike but Lü Bu, taking the words of his wife, decided to stay put. After initial attempts to break the siege failed, Lü Bu intended to surrender but was dissuaded by Chen Gong.
The siege dragged on for two months. In the third, Cao Cao diverted the Si River
Si River
The Si River is a watercourse located in Shandong Province, China. It rises in the southern foothills of the Mengshan Mountains then flows through Sishui County, and the cities of Qufu and Yanzhou before emptying into Lake Nanyang...
and Yi River (沂水) to flood the city. Within a month, Lü Bu's subjects Hou Cheng
Hou Cheng
Hou Cheng was a general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He defected to the warlord Cao Cao during the Battle of Xiapi....
, Song Xian
Song Xian
Song Xian was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. In 198, when Cao Cao besieged Lü Bu at the Battle of Xiapi, Song Xian and his colleagues Hou Cheng and Wei Xu kidnapped Lü Bu's chief advisor Chen Gong and defected to Cao Cao's side...
and Wei Xu
Wei Xu
Wei Xu was a military general serving under the warlord Lü Bu during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history.-Biography:When Lü Bu wandered the land, Wei closely followed him in the journey, together, they routed the Heishan Bandits, and fended off attacks from Yuan Shu...
captured Chen Gong and defected with their troops. Lü Bu made a last stand on the city gate but was eventually overpowered and captured. When brought to Cao Cao, Chen Gong refused to return to his service and chose death so that the law could be upheld (Cao Cao maintained as a general rule that those who surrendered after being besieged were not pardoned). Cao Cao was moved and provided for Chen Gong's family henceafter.
In fiction
Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a classic novel by Luo Guanzhong, is a romanticization of the events that occurred before and during the Three Kingdoms era. In this dramatized version of history Chen Gong was credited with much undue moral righteousness and craftiness, perhaps to accentuate the unscrupulousness of Cao Cao and incompetence of Lü Bu.Meeting and parting with Cao Cao
The first incident that illustrates the righteousness of Chen Gong comes in Chapter 4, where Cao Cao was fleeing from the capital LuoyangLuoyang
Luoyang is a prefecture-level city in western Henan province of Central China. It borders the provincial capital of Zhengzhou to the east, Pingdingshan to the southeast, Nanyang to the south, Sanmenxia to the west, Jiyuan to the north, and Jiaozuo to the northeast.Situated on the central plain of...
after a foiled assassination attempt on Dong Zhuo. At the county of Zhongmu (中牟), where Chen Gong was the magistrate, Cao Cao was captured. When Chen Gong interrogated the fugitive, he was so impressed with Cao Cao's loyalty to the emperor that he decided to abandon his official post and join Cao Cao, who planned to return to his hometown of Qiao
Qiao
Qiao was a small, but strategically brilliant city, originally Qiao belonging to Yuan Shu. However Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Lu Bu defeated him in early AD 197...
(譙, present day Bozhou
Bozhou
Bozhou is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Anhui province, People's Republic of China. It borders Huaibei to the northeast, Bengbu to the southeast, Huainan to the south, Fuyang to the southwest, and the province of Henan to the north.-Administration:...
, Anhui
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
) to raise an army against Dong Zhuo.
After three days of travel the pair arrived in Chenggao
Chenggao
Chenggao is an ancient city in present day Sishui, which is under the jurisdiction of Xingyang City in Henan Province, People's Republic of China.-References:*Romance of the Three Kingdoms/Chapter 4...
(成皋) and sought to spend the night at the home of Lü Boshe (吕伯奢), a sworn brother of Cao Cao's father. Lü Boshe welcomed them warmly and even traveled to a nearby village to procure some good wine to treat the guests. While Lü Boshe was away, however, Cao Cao and Chen Gong overheard sound of knife-sharpening and someone saying, "How about we bind them and kill them?" Believing they had been betrayed, the pair drew their swords and slew the entire household. When they came to the kitchen, however, they found a pig, tied up and ready to by slaughtered.
The murderers immediately fled the house but before long they ran into their host, who was returning with wine. Excusing himself for not staying for the night, Cao Cao hurried past Lü Boshe but soon turned and cut down the old man as well. Chen Gong blamed Cao Cao for killing the innocent man, but Cao Cao replied in his most famous but fictitious quote, "I would rather betray the world than let the world betray me." That night as Cao Cao slept, Chen Gong considered killing the treacherous man but thought it unrighteous to do so. He instead left his companion and traveled towards his own hometown of Dongjun (東郡, south of present-day Shenxian, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
).
Battle of Puyang
Chen Gong's most brilliant, albeit fictitious, maneuver came during the Battle of Puyang, in which Cao Cao's force laid siege on Lü BuLü Bu
Lü Bu was a military general and later a minor warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. According to the Records of Three Kingdoms, Lü Bu was highly-skilled in horse-riding and archery, and was thus nicknamed "Flying General"...
in the city of Puyang (濮陽). The incident was described in Chapter 12. Chen Gong, who was then serving Lü Bu, plotted to lure Cao Cao into the city by having a local baron send a letter to Cao Cao feigning to collude with the latter. The delighted Cao Cao personally led a force deep into the city before realizing the trap. At a signal, fires were lit at all of the four city gates and Lü Bu troops cut off the evasion routes.
Separated from his men in the chaos, Cao Cao desperately sought an escape. Heading towards the north gate, he ran face-to-face into Lü Bu. Using a hand to cover his face, Cao Cao spurred his horse onward and past the enemy but Lü Bu spun around and caught up with him. Not able to recognize the warlord, Lü Bu knocked on Cao Cao's helmet with his halberd and asked, "Where is Cao Cao?" Cao Cao pointed behind and said, "The one on the dun is him." Lü Bu then gave up his true target.
As Cao Cao galloped to the city gate his horse was hit by a falling beam on fire. While trying to push the beam off, Cao Cao scalded his arms and burnt much of his hair. However, he finally managed to escape with his life under the escort of Xiahou Yuan
Xiahou Yuan
Xiahou Yuan was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He was killed in the Battle of Mount Dingjun against Liu Bei's general Huang Zhong in 219, and was given the posthumous title of Marquis Min , literally meaning "sympathetic...
and Dian Wei
Dian Wei
Dian Wei was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. Famed for his enormous strength, Dian Wei excelled in wielding dual halberds, each of which was said to weigh 40 jin...
. Much later in Chapter 60 of the story, when Zhang Song
Zhang Song
Zhang Song was an advisor to the warlord Liu Zhang during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He plotted to remove his lord from power and replace him with Liu Bei.-Biography:...
, an emissary from Liu Zhang
Liu Zhang (warlord)
Liu Zhang was a warlord during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history. He became governor of Yi Province , succeeding his father Liu Yan and ruled the region until 214, when he surrendered to Liu Bei...
, mocked the failures of Cao Cao, the Battle of Puyang was cited among other classic battles including the Battle of Wancheng
Battle of Wancheng
The Battle of Wancheng or Battle of Wan City was a battle fought between the warlords Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu in 197 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...
and Battle of Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs
The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...
.