Biography
Early life
Wen Pin was born in Wan, Nanyang Commandery (present-day Nanyang, Henan).
His courtesy name was Zhongye.
Service under Liu Biao
Wen Pin originally served as a general under Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province.
He was responsible for defending against northern enemies.
The surrender of Jing Province
In 208 CE, the thirteenth year of Jian’an, Liu Biao died, and his son Liu Cong succeeded him.
In the same year, Cao Cao led troops south to attack Jing Province.
Liu Cong discussed with his officials and decided to surrender Jing Province to Cao Cao.
He also called Wen Pin to surrender together.
Wen Pin said: “I cannot preserve the land of this province. Having failed in my duty, I should only await punishment.”
Meeting with Cao Cao
Soon after, Cao Cao reached Jing Province.
Wen Pin went to see Cao Cao.
Cao Cao asked him: “Why have you come so late?”
Wen Pin wept sadly and said: “Previously, I could not assist Liu Jingzhou (Liu Biao) to serve the state together. Now Jing Province has been lost, but I have always hoped to hold Hanzhong and preserve the territory. Only then would I not fail the orphaned and weak (referring to Liu Cong and others) in life and not be ashamed before the dead. However, my plans could not be realized, and I have come to this state. My heart is truly filled with grief and shame. I have no face to see you early.”
Cao Cao’s praise
Cao Cao was moved and said: “Zhongye, you are truly a loyal minister.”
He treated Wen Pin generously and gave him troops.
He ordered Wen Pin to join Cao Chun in pursuing Liu Bei at Changban.
Administrator of Jiangxia
In the twelfth month of 208 CE, after the Battle of Chibi, Cao Cao was defeated but still controlled some cities in Jing Province.
Jiangxia, because it bordered Eastern Wu, had unstable popular sentiment.
Cao Cao appointed Wen Pin as Administrator of Jiangxia to control the northern troops and entrusted him with the important border defence task.
He enfeoffed Wen Pin as Marquis Within the Passes.
Campaigns against Guan Yu
Later, Wen Pin joined forces with Yue Jin to attack Guan Yu at Xunkou and achieved merit.
He was enfeoffed as Marquis of Yanshou and promoted to General Who Attacks Rebels.
Later, Wen Pin again captured Guan Yu’s supplies at Hanjin and burned Guan Yu’s ships at Jingcheng.
Service under Cao Pi
In 220 CE, the first year of Huangchu, Cao Pi succeeded to the Han throne and established Wei.
He increased Wen Pin’s rank to Marquis of Chang’an and granted him imperial credentials.
Defence against Wu
In 222 CE, the third year of Huangchu, Cao Pi launched a large-scale southern campaign against Sun Quan.
When Xiahou Shang besieged Jiangling, he had Wen Pin lead a separate army to station at Miankou and guard Shifan.
Wen Pin defended against the enemy and achieved merit.
He was promoted to General of the Rear and enfeoffed as Marquis of Xinye.
The defence of Shiyang
In 226 CE, the seventh year of Huangchu, in the eighth month, autumn, Sun Quan led fifty thousand troops to attack Shiyang and surrounded Wen Pin.
The situation was critical.
However, Wen Pin held firm in the city and did not move.
Sun Quan attacked repeatedly but could not capture it.
After more than twenty days of siege with no results, Sun Quan had no choice but to withdraw his troops.
The counterattack
When Wen Pin heard the news, he opened the city gates and led troops to pursue.
He greatly defeated the Wu army and returned.
His fief was increased by five hundred households, making a total of one thousand nine hundred households.
The empty city stratagem
According to the Wei Lue, there is another account of this battle:
Sun Quan personally led tens of thousands of troops to Jiangxia.
At that time, there was heavy rain, and many of Jiangxia’s city walls had collapsed.
The people were all scattered in the fields and could not return to the city to repair the defensive works.
When Wen Pin learned that Sun Quan had arrived, he did not know what to do at first.
Later, he thought that in the current situation, only by hiding and remaining silent could he make Sun Quan hesitate and retreat because of suspicion.
He therefore ordered all the people in the city to hide and not let Sun Quan see them.
He himself lay in his residence and did not get up.
When Sun Quan saw this, he indeed became suspicious and said to his generals: “The north (the Cao family) considers this person (referring to Wen Pin) a loyal minister, so they entrusted this commandery to him. Now our army has arrived in great numbers, yet he hides silently and does not move. In this situation, if he does not have a secret plan, he must have external reinforcements coming to help.”
He therefore did not dare to attack and withdrew.
This account, though different from the Records of the Three Kingdoms, shows Wen Pin’s military strategy.
Defence of Jiangxia
When Sun Quan attacked Jiangxia Commandery, the court knew that Wen Pin was holding firm and resisting.
The ministers discussed sending troops to rescue Wen Pin.
Cao Rui, Emperor Ming of Wei, said: “Sun Quan is accustomed to naval warfare, so he dares to disembark and attack on land, wanting to catch us unprepared. Now his army has already engaged Wen Pin in a stalemate. The difference in attack and defence is several times. Sun Quan will definitely not dare to stay long.”
This statement shows both Cao Rui’s clear understanding of the situation and his great trust in Wen Pin.
Long service at Jiangxia
Wen Pin defended Jiangxia for several decades.
He had both authority and kindness and was “famous throughout enemy states,” making Sun Quan’s forces dare not invade.
Later honours
The court enfeoffed Wen Pin’s son Wen Dai as a Marquis and also granted Wen Pin’s nephew Wen Hou the rank of Marquis Within the Passes.
After Wen Pin died, he was posthumously titled Marquis Zhuang.
Wen Dai had already died before Wen Pin, so Wen Pin’s adopted son Wen Xiu succeeded to the marquis title.
After Wen Xiu died, his son Wen Wu succeeded.
Posthumous honours
In 243 CE, the fourth year of Zhengshi, Wen Pin was honoured to be enshrined in Cao Cao’s temple.
Personality
Wen Pin was described as loyal.
After losing Jing Province, he was deeply self-reproachful, which Cao Cao praised.
Afterward, he was always responsible for defending Jing Province and repeatedly resisted foreign enemies.
Military achievements
Defence of Jiangxia
Wen Pin successfully defended Jiangxia against Wu for several decades.
His name was known throughout enemy states, and enemies dared not invade.
Defence of Shiyang
Wen Pin successfully defended Shiyang against Sun Quan’s fifty-thousand-strong army.
He used the empty city stratagem and later counterattacked, greatly defeating the Wu army.
Campaigns against Guan Yu
Wen Pin joined forces with Yue Jin to attack Guan Yu and achieved merit.
He captured Guan Yu’s supplies and burned his ships.
Relationships
With Liu Biao
Wen Pin served as a general under Liu Biao and was responsible for defending against northern enemies.
With Cao Cao
After Liu Cong surrendered Jing Province, Wen Pin joined Cao Cao.
Cao Cao praised his loyalty and treated him generously.
With Sun Quan
Wen Pin repeatedly defended against Sun Quan’s attacks.
Sun Quan said: “The north considers this person a loyal minister, so they entrusted this commandery to him.”
With Cao Pi and Cao Rui
Wen Pin served under Cao Pi and Cao Rui.
Cao Rui had great trust in Wen Pin’s ability to defend Jiangxia.
Anecdotes
The loyal tears
When Wen Pin met Cao Cao, he wept and explained why he had come late.
Cao Cao was moved and praised him as a loyal minister.
The empty city stratagem
When Sun Quan attacked Jiangxia, Wen Pin used the empty city stratagem, hiding the people and lying in his residence.
Sun Quan became suspicious and withdrew.
This may have been the prototype for the “empty city stratagem” in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Long service
Wen Pin defended Jiangxia for several decades, showing both authority and kindness.
His name was known throughout enemy states.
Achievements
- Successfully defended Jiangxia against Wu for several decades
- Defended Shiyang against Sun Quan’s large army
- Participated in campaigns against Guan Yu
- Known for loyalty and military ability
Behind the scenes
Historical sources
Wen Pin’s biography appears in the Records of the Three Kingdoms by Chen Shou, grouped with other Wei generals.
The empty city stratagem
The account of Wen Pin using the empty city stratagem may have been the prototype for Zhuge Liang’s empty city stratagem in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Long service
Wen Pin’s long service at Jiangxia shows the importance of stable commandership in border defence.
Historical evaluations
Contemporary
Cao Cao said: “Zhongye, you are truly a loyal minister.”
Sun Quan said: “The north considers this person a loyal minister, so they entrusted this commandery to him.”
Later historians
Chen Shou wrote: “Li Tong, Zang Ba, Wen Pin, and Lü Qian defended commanderies and provinces. All were known for their authority and kindness.”
Sun Sheng wrote: “Zang Ba had a reputation for filial piety and loyalty from a young age. Wen Pin showed the sincerity of weeping. Therefore, Cao Wu (Cao Cao) at one meeting entrusted them with responsibilities in two directions. Was this only because their bravery and military ability were recognized in a moment?”
Legacy
Wen Pin is remembered as a loyal and capable general who successfully defended Jiangxia against Wu for several decades.
His empty city stratagem shows his military wisdom.
His long service demonstrates the importance of stable commandership in border defence.
Timeline
- ?: Born in Wan, Nanyang Commandery
- ?-208 CE: Served as general under Liu Biao; defended against northern enemies
- 208 CE: Liu Biao died; Liu Cong surrendered Jing Province; Wen Pin joined Cao Cao; praised by Cao Cao for loyalty; appointed Administrator of Jiangxia; enfeoffed as Marquis Within the Passes
- ?: Joined forces with Yue Jin to attack Guan Yu; enfeoffed as Marquis of Yanshou; promoted to General Who Attacks Rebels
- 220 CE: Cao Pi succeeded to throne; Wen Pin enfeoffed as Marquis of Chang’an; granted imperial credentials
- 222 CE: Participated in campaign against Wu; promoted to General of the Rear; enfeoffed as Marquis of Xinye
- 226 CE: Defended Shiyang against Sun Quan’s fifty-thousand-strong army; used empty city stratagem; counterattacked and defeated Wu army
- 243 CE: Honoured to be enshrined in Cao Cao’s temple
- ?: Died; posthumous title Marquis Zhuang
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.