Pan Zhang

Three Kingdoms infobox
Name=Pan Zhang


imagesize=
Caption=
Title= Officer
Kingdom=Eastern Wu
Born=177
Died=234
Simp=潘璋
Trad=潘璋
Pinyin=Pān Zhāng
WG=
Zi=Wéngūi (文珪)
Other=

Pan Zhang (177 - 234) was an officer for the Kingdom of Wu during the Three Kingdoms era of China. Although an active general with high rank, he was known to desire wealth and treasure, and to dress himself in a gaudy fashion. It was said that he would kill wealthy officials or soldiers in order to confiscate their wealth for his own.

Life

Pan Zhang originated from Fagan (發干) in Dongjun (Presently Puyang in Henan Province). He began to follow Sun Quan after Sun Quan rose to Chief of Yanxian. Known as a drinker and a gambler, Pan Zhang was known to borrow money to quench these habits, and claim he would pay his debts when he became endowed with wealth. Sun Quan recruited him after gaining an interest in him, and Pan Zhang then joined him. First as a captain, Pan Zhang made a name for himself as a strong disciplinarian: He became popular for his powers to cease crime in any area he lived.For that, Pan Zhang became well known, and was promoted to be prefect of Xi’an in Yuzhang. He prevented any invaders from crossing the border once stationed there, including men of Liu Biao, still in power over Jingzhou.

On Sun Ce's expedition to defeat Huang Zu, Pan Zhang served in Sun Quan's retinue. He captured Su Fei, and thus increased his reputation as a capable warrior.

In 219, Pan Zhang's forces captured Guan Yu alive with the help of Zhu Ran, with credit for the capture going to his subordinate Ma Zhong.

During the Battle of Yiling in 222, he served under Lu Xun and drove back the forces of Shu Han.

After this, in a battle with Cao Wei he was successful in attacking and driving out the forces of Xiahou Shang, for which he was promoted to the rank of General of the Right (右将軍).

In fiction

In the historical novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", he captured Guan Yu, and was given the famed weapon the Green Dragon Crescent Blade as a reward.

On the night of his death, Pan Zhang barged into a hut of a peasant for rest. Coincidentally, Guan Xing (Guan Yu's son) was there for the same reason. When Pan Zhang entered the hut, he was stunned by a portrait of Guan Yu and dropped the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. Guan Xing picked up his father's blade and beheaded Pan Zhang.

References

This article was translated from the Japanese Wikipedia.

ee also

*Three Kingdoms
*Personages of the Three Kingdoms
*"Records of Three Kingdoms"
*"Romance of the Three Kingdoms"