Biography
Early life
Pang De was born before 184 CE in Huandao, Nan’an, Liang Province (present-day Simen Town, Wushan County, Gansu).
His courtesy name was Lingming.
He was described as having outstanding martial arts and extraordinary courage.
Early service
When Pang De was young, he served as Clerk in the commandery and Attendant in the province.
At that time, Geng Bi, Inspector of Liang Province, appointed Cheng Qiu, Director of the Central Office.
Cheng Qiu was corrupt, and the scholars resented him.
Service under Ma Teng
In the eleventh month of 184 CE, the first year of Zhongping, Hu people Beigong Boyu and Xianling Qiang people united and raised troops to rebel against the Han.
The court wanted to campaign against the rebellion.
Geng Bi recruited Ma Teng as Army Attendant to lead troops.
Pang De served as Attendant.
Ma Teng rebelled and killed Geng Bi.
He joined the Liang Province rebel army.
During the Chuping era (190-193), Ma Teng was recruited and pacified as Army Adviser.
Pang De followed him in attacking rebellious Qiang and Di people.
He campaigned and achieved merit.
He was promoted to Commandant.
The Battle of Pingyang
In 202 CE, the seventh year of Jian’an, Cao Cao campaigned against Yuan Tan at Liyang.
Yuan Tan asked his younger brother Yuan Shang for help.
Yuan Shang sent Guo Yuan, Administrator of Hedong, Gao Gan, Inspector of Bing Province, and Huchuquan, Chanyu of the Southern Xiongnu, to attack Hedong.
Cao Cao sent Zhong Yao to lead the various generals of Guanzhong to campaign against them.
Pang De followed Ma Chao, Ma Teng’s son, to resist Guo Yuan and Gao Gan at Pingyang.
Pang De served as vanguard.
He attacked Guo Yuan and Gao Gan and greatly defeated their army.
He personally beheaded Guo Yuan.
Huchuquan and Gao Gan surrendered.
Enfeoffment
Pang De was appointed General of the Household and enfeoffed as Marquis of Duting for his merit.
Campaign against Zhang Baiqi
In 205 CE, the tenth year of Jian’an, Zhang Baiqi rebelled in Hongnong.
Pang De again followed Ma Teng in campaigning.
He defeated the rebel army between Mount Dongyao and Mount Xiyao.
In every battle, Pang De often broke through enemy formations and repelled the enemy.
His bravery was unmatched in Ma Teng’s army.
Service under Ma Chao
Later, Ma Teng was summoned to serve as Commandant of the Guards.
Pang De remained under Ma Chao.
The Battle of Weinan
In 211 CE, the sixteenth year of Jian’an, Pang De followed Ma Chao in raising troops to rebel against Cao Cao.
After they were defeated, Pang De followed Ma Chao in fleeing to Hanzhong and attaching himself to Zhang Lu.
Separation from Ma Chao
Ma Chao, because he was ostracized by Zhang Lu’s generals, defected to Liu Bei.
Pang De still followed Zhang Lu.
Joining Cao Cao
Later, Cao Cao attacked Hanzhong.
Zhang Lu surrendered.
Pang De also followed and surrendered.
Cao Cao had long heard of Pang De’s bravery and skill in battle.
He therefore appointed him General Who Establishes Righteousness and enfeoffed him as Marquis of Guanmen.
His fief was three hundred households.
Campaign against Hou Yin
In the tenth month of 218 CE, the twenty-third year of Jian’an, Hou Yin, Wei Kai, and others rebelled at Wancheng.
Pang De followed Cao Ren in attacking and capturing Wancheng.
Stationed at Fancheng
In the first month of the following year (219 CE), the twenty-fourth year of Jian’an, Pang De beheaded Hou and Wei.
He then stationed at Fancheng to campaign against Guan Yu.
Suspicions about loyalty
Because Pang De’s cousin Pang Rou was in Hanzhong at that time, the various generals at Fancheng suspected Pang De’s loyalty.
Pang De, to show his innocence, often said: “I have received the state’s favour. Righteousness requires me to die in service. I want to personally attack Guan Yu. This year, if I do not kill Guan Yu, Guan Yu will kill me.”
The battle with Guan Yu
Later, Pang De personally fought Guan Yu.
He shot an arrow and hit Guan Yu’s forehead.
Pang De often rode a white horse.
Guan Yu’s army called Pang De “White Horse General” and greatly feared him.
Stationed north of Fan
Cao Ren had Pang De station ten li north of Fan.
Later, because the battle situation was unfavourable, Cao Cao sent Yu Jin to lead seven armies to rescue Fancheng.
The flood
It happened that it rained continuously for more than ten days.
The Han River flooded.
The water was five to six zhang high.
Pang De, Yu Jin, and the various generals avoided the water and went up on the dike.
Guan Yu took advantage of the opportunity and led a water army to attack them.
He used large ships to surround them on four sides and shoot at the dike.
The last stand
Pang De wore armour and held a bow.
He shot arrows at Guan Yu’s army.
Not a single arrow missed.
Generals Dong Heng and Dong Chao, Major, wanted to surrender.
They were all executed by Pang De.
The final battle
From dawn, Pang De fought with great strength until past noon.
Guan Yu attacked more and more urgently.
The arrows were exhausted.
They engaged in close combat.
Pang De said to Cheng He, Supervisor: “I have heard that good generals do not fear death to avoid it. Martyrs do not destroy their integrity to seek life. Today is the day I die.”
Pang De fought more and more bravely.
However, the water flooded more and more.
About thirty thousand troops at the scene were all forced to surrender.
Capture
Pang De, together with one general under his command and two Wu Bo, took a small boat and wanted to flee to Cao Ren’s camp.
However, the small boat capsized.
All bows and arrows were lost.
Pang De held the boat and fell into the water.
He was captured alive by Guan Yu.
Refusal to surrender
Afterward, Yu Jin surrendered.
However, Pang De stood upright and did not kneel.
Guan Yu tried to persuade Pang De to surrender.
He said: “Your brother is in Hanzhong. I want to make you a general. Why do you not surrender quickly?”
Pang De cursed Guan Yu: “You scoundrel, what do you mean by surrender? The King of Wei has one million armoured troops. His prestige shakes the realm. Your Liu Bei is a mediocre talent. How can he be an enemy? I would rather be a ghost of the state than a general of bandits.”
He was therefore killed by Guan Yu.
Cao Cao’s grief
When Cao Cao learned of this, he wept bitterly.
He sighed and said: “I have known Yu Jin for thirty years. How could he, when facing danger and difficulty, be inferior to Pang De?”
He enfeoffed two of Pang De’s sons as marquises.
Posthumous honours
After Cao Pi succeeded to the throne, he sent an envoy to Pang De’s tomb and granted him the posthumous title Marquis Zhuang.
The edict said: “In the past, Xian Zhen lost his head, and Wang Zhu cut his throat. They gave their lives for integrity. The ancients praised them. Only you showed resolute determination. You faced difficulty and achieved fame. Your reputation overflowed at the time. Your righteousness was high in the past. I am deeply moved. I grant you the posthumous title Marquis Zhuang.”
He also granted Pang Hui and three others the rank of Marquis Within the Passes, each with a fief of one hundred households.
Enshrinement
In 243 CE, the fourth year of Zhengshi, Pang De, General Who Establishes Righteousness, was honoured to be enshrined in Cao Cao’s temple.
Personality
Pang De was described as having “outstanding martial arts and extraordinary courage.”
He was known for his bravery and loyalty.
He refused to surrender even when captured.
Military achievements
Campaign against Guo Yuan
Pang De successfully defeated Guo Yuan and Gao Gan at Pingyang and personally beheaded Guo Yuan.
Campaign against Zhang Baiqi
Pang De successfully defeated Zhang Baiqi’s rebel army.
Campaign against Hou Yin
Pang De successfully followed Cao Ren in attacking and capturing Wancheng.
Battle with Guan Yu
Pang De shot an arrow and hit Guan Yu’s forehead.
He fought bravely until captured.
Relationships
With Ma Teng and Ma Chao
Pang De originally served under Ma Teng and later under Ma Chao.
He followed Ma Chao in rebelling against Cao Cao and fleeing to Hanzhong.
With Zhang Lu
Pang De followed Zhang Lu after Ma Chao defected to Liu Bei.
With Cao Cao
Pang De joined Cao Cao after Zhang Lu surrendered.
Cao Cao appreciated his bravery and appointed him general.
With Guan Yu
Pang De fought against Guan Yu at Fancheng.
He shot Guan Yu and was eventually captured and killed.
With Pang Rou
Pang De’s cousin Pang Rou served in Hanzhong under Liu Bei.
This caused suspicions about Pang De’s loyalty.
Anecdotes
Beheading Guo Yuan
Pang De personally beheaded Guo Yuan but did not know it was Guo Yuan.
After the battle, Zhong Yao saw Guo Yuan’s head and wept because Guo Yuan was his nephew.
Pang De apologized, but Zhong Yao said Guo Yuan was a traitor and there was no need to apologize.
The white horse
Pang De often rode a white horse.
Guan Yu’s army called him “White Horse General” and greatly feared him.
The refusal to surrender
When Guan Yu tried to persuade Pang De to surrender, Pang De refused, saying he would rather be a ghost of the state than a general of bandits.
Achievements
- Successfully defeated Guo Yuan and Gao Gan
- Successfully defeated Zhang Baiqi’s rebel army
- Successfully campaigned against Hou Yin
- Shot Guan Yu in the forehead
- Known for bravery and loyalty
Behind the scenes
Historical sources
Pang De’s biography appears in the Records of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou, grouped with Li Dian, Li Tong, Zang Ba, Wen Pin, Lü Qian, Xu Chu, Dian Wei, Pang Yu, and Yan Wen.
The white horse
Pang De’s white horse made him easily recognizable and feared by Guan Yu’s army.
Comparison to Zhou Ke
Chen Shou compared Pang De to Zhou Ke, who refused to surrender to Xiang Yu and was killed.
Enshrinement
Pang De was honoured to be enshrined in Cao Cao’s temple in 243 CE, showing his importance to the Wei dynasty.
Historical evaluations
Contemporary
Cao Cao said: “I have known Yu Jin for thirty years. How could he, when facing danger and difficulty, be inferior to Pang De?”
Cao Pi said: “In the past, Xian Zhen lost his head, and Wang Zhu cut his throat. They gave their lives for integrity. The ancients praised them. Only you showed resolute determination. You faced difficulty and achieved fame. Your reputation overflowed at the time. Your righteousness was high in the past. I am deeply moved. I grant you the posthumous title Marquis Zhuang.”
Later historians
Chen Shou wrote: “Pang De received orders and scolded the enemy. He had the integrity of Zhou Ke.”
Wang Yinglin wrote: “‘I would rather be a ghost of the state than a general of bandits’—this was Pang De at Fancheng of Wei. ‘I would rather be a ghost of the state than a minister of Qiang bandits’—this was Xin Gongjing of Henan of Jin. These men, with heroic spirit and strong will, are like severe frost and scorching sun. They are as if alive after a thousand years. Those who look at traitors seeking profit are like dogs and pigs.”
Legacy
Pang De is remembered as a brave and loyal general who died fighting against Guan Yu.
His refusal to surrender is praised.
His white horse and bravery are famous.
Timeline
- Before 184 CE: Born in Huandao, Nan’an, Liang Province
- 184 CE: Served as Clerk and Attendant; followed Ma Teng in attacking rebellious Qiang and Di people; promoted to Commandant
- 202 CE: Followed Ma Chao in resisting Guo Yuan and Gao Gan at Pingyang; served as vanguard; personally beheaded Guo Yuan; appointed General of the Household; enfeoffed as Marquis of Duting
- 205 CE: Followed Ma Teng in campaigning against Zhang Baiqi; defeated rebel army; bravery unmatched in Ma Teng’s army
- 211 CE: Followed Ma Chao in rebelling against Cao Cao; defeated; followed Ma Chao in fleeing to Hanzhong; attached to Zhang Lu
- 214 CE: Ma Chao defected to Liu Bei; Pang De remained with Zhang Lu
- 215 CE: Followed Zhang Lu in surrendering to Cao Cao; appointed General Who Establishes Righteousness; enfeoffed as Marquis of Guanmen
- 218 CE, 10th month: Followed Cao Ren in attacking Wancheng; captured Wancheng
- 219 CE, 1st month: Beheaded Hou Yin and Wei Kai; stationed at Fancheng; campaigned against Guan Yu; shot Guan Yu in the forehead; called White Horse General; fought against Guan Yu; flood occurred; fought on dike; killed Dong Heng and Dong Chao; fought until captured; refused to surrender; killed by Guan Yu
- 220 CE: Posthumous title Marquis Zhuang granted by Cao Pi; two sons enfeoffed as marquises
- 243 CE: Honoured to be enshrined in Cao Cao’s temple
See also
References
- Chen Shou. Records of the Three Kingdoms, Volume 18, Biography of Li, Li, Zang, Wen, Lü, Xu, Dian, Er Pang, Yan.
- Luo Guanzhong. Romance of the Three Kingdoms, various chapters.