Pang Tong

Pang Tong
A Qing dynasty illustration of Pang Tong
Adviser of Liu Bei
Born	179
Died	214 (aged 35)
Names
Traditional Chinese	龐統
Simplified Chinese	庞统
Pinyin	Páng Tǒng
Wade–Giles	P'ang T'ung
Courtesy name	Shiyuan (Chinese: 士元; pinyin: Shìyuán; Wade–Giles: Shih-yüan)
Posthumous name	Marquis Jing (Chinese: 靖侯; pinyin: Jìng Hóu; Wade–Giles: Ching Hou)
Other names	"Fledging Phoenix" (simplified Chinese: 凤雏; traditional Chinese: 鳳雛; pinyin: Fèngchú; Wade–Giles: Feng-ch'u)

Pang Tong (179–214),courtesy name Shiyuan, was an adviser to the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty. Originally a minor official in Nan Commandery in Jing Province, Pang Tong came to serve Liu Bei in 209 after the latter became the provincial governor. In the early 210s, he accompanied Liu Bei on a military campaign to seize control of Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing) from the warlord Liu Zhang, but was killed by a stray arrow during a battle at Luo County (north of present-day Guanghan, Sichuan) in 214.

Pang Tong was from Xiangyang Commandery, Jing Province. 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 chatted for a whole day until nightfall. Sima Hui felt that Pang Tong was an extraordinary person and called Pang "the crown of learned men in Jing Province". Subsequently, Pang Tong started gaining more recognition among the scholar-gentry. Pang Tong was nicknamed "Fledging Phoenix" (鳳雛; also translated as "Young Phoenix") by his uncle Pang Degong (龐德公).

Pang Tong later served as an Officer of Merit (功曹) in Nan Commandery (南郡; around present-day Jiangling County, Hubei). He was an appraiser. When he reviewed people, he focused more on their personal virtues rather than their abilities. He was fond of ethical lessons and consistently strove to maintain high 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 world is currently in disorder. Good people are overwhelmed by the evil. I desire to change social norms by encouraging good people and giving them a better (exaggerated) reputation, so they can serve as role models for others."