Man Chong style name

Chinese style name

A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...

 Boning (伯寧), was an official of the state of Cao Wei

Cao Wei

Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...

 during the Three Kingdoms

Three Kingdoms

The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...

 era 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...

.

Biography

A native of Changyi, Shanyang (present-day Juye County

Juye County

Juye is a county in western Shandong province which is under the administration of Heze municipality. The county is 1,303 square km in area and has a population of approximately 910,000.-Qing & Republic:...

, 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...

), Man Chong became a strategist under the warlord 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...

. 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...

, Man Chong was an old friend of Xu Huang

Xu Huang

Xu Huang was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty era of Chinese history. He served the state of Cao Wei, founded by Cao Cao's successor Cao Pi, during the Three Kingdoms period...

, and when Cao Cao battled with Yang Feng (whom Xu Huang served), he was sent to convince Xu to defect to Cao Cao's side. Later, Man Chong became governor of Runan, and helped Cao Ren

Cao Ren

Cao Ren was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty and Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history. He played a significant part in assisting Cao Cao in the civil wars leading to the end of the Han Dynasty...

 defend Fancheng (present-day Fancheng District, Xiangyang

Xiangyang

Xiangzhou District is a district of Xiangyang, Hubei, China. The district itself was formerly known as Xiangyang. It was a city famous for the Siege of Xiangyang by invading forces of the Mongol-founded Yuan Dynasty...

, Hubei

Hubei

' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...

) against Guan Yu

Guan Yu

Guan Yu was a general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He played a significant role in the civil war that led to the collapse of the Han Dynasty and the establishment of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period, of which Liu Bei was the...

 at the Battle of Fancheng

Battle of Fancheng

The Battle of Fancheng was fought between the forces of warlords Liu Bei and Cao Cao in 219 during the prelude to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history...

 in 219, acting as an advisor to Cao Ren.

Historically, Man Chong convinced Cao Ren to not withdraw by indicating that the flood was only temporary and would not last long. Man Chong also noted that Guan Yu's vanguard had already advanced to Jia (郏), yet his main force dared not follow, because he was afraid of being cut off from the behind and attacked from both sides. In 228, Man Chong participated in an unsuccessful three-way invasion on the state of Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu

Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...

. Man Chong was also credited with the suggestion to build a new castle at a strategic location far away from the sea on Hefei, as to minimize the advantage of the Wu navy. Sun Quan

Sun Quan

Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....

 invaded Hefei again in 233, but he was so hesitate to land that he just stayed on the boat for 20 days. When he did land, he was ambushed by Man Chong, and lost a few hundred men to him before getting back on boat and retreat. During 4th battle on Hefei of 234, Man Chong was responsible of the defense of the grand castle of Hefei (however, Man Chong was not physically there), though his suggestion to reinforce general Zhang Ying (who was commanding troops inside Hefei Castle) was rejected by Cao Rui

Cao Rui

Cao Rui , formally known as Emperor Ming of Wei, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi according to Liu Song dynasty historian, Pei Songzhi, but was a son of Yuan Xi according to modern...

, he managed to burn down the rams Wu forces assembled to seize the city. As a result, the Wu forces retreated before Cao Rui bought the main army to Hefei. During his later years, Man Chong was involved in the power struggle with Wang Ling, and eventually lost favour in court.

Appointments and titles held

• Investigator (督郵) - performs checks on counties
• Prefect of Gaoping (高平令)
• Assistant Officer (從事) to Cao Cao
• Official in the West Bureau (西曹屬)
• Prefect of Xuchang (許昌令)
• Administrator of Runan (汝南太守)
• General Who Inspires Might (奮威將軍)
• Marquis of Guannei (關內侯)
• Marquis of Anchang (安昌亭侯)
• General Who Spreads Martial Might (揚武將軍)
• General Who Pacifies Waves (伏波將軍)
• Marquis of Nan (南鄉侯)
• General of the Vanguard (前將軍)
• Marquis of Changyi (昌邑侯)
• Inspector of Yu Province (豫州刺史)
• General Who Attacks the East (征東將軍)
• Grand Commandant (太尉)
• Marquis Jing (景侯) - granted to Man Chong posthumously